Pyotr Stepanovitch was positively taken aback for the moment. “Good heavens! I.⁠ ⁠… What have I said? I’ve always⁠ ⁠…”

“You never have, never! You have never done him justice.”

“There’s no understanding a woman,” grumbled Pyotr Stepanovitch, with a wry smile.

“He is the most sincere, the most delicate, the most angelic of men! The most kindhearted of men!”

“Well, really, as for kindheartedness⁠ ⁠… I’ve always done him justice.⁠ ⁠…”

“Never! But let us drop it. I am too awkward in my defence of him. This morning that little Jesuit, the marshal’s wife, also dropped some sarcastic hints about what happened yesterday.”