always liked her, but now suddenly you have got some notion or other in your head. You hide everything from me.”
“Not at all, Mamma.”
“If I were asking you to do something disagreeable now—but I only ask you to return a call. One would think mere politeness required it. … Well, I have asked you, and now I won’t interfere any more since you have secrets from your mother.”
“Well, then, I’ll go if you wish it.”
“It doesn’t matter to me. I only wish it for your sake.”
Nikoláy sighed, bit his mustache, and laid out the cards for a patience, trying to divert his mother’s attention to another topic.
The same conversation was repeated next day and the day after, and the day after that.
After her visit to the Rostóvs and her unexpectedly chilly reception by Nikoláy, Princess Márya confessed to