“Well, then, you know,” Nikoláy went on, growing hot at the mere recollection of their discussion, “he wanted to convince me that it is every honest man’s duty to go against the government, and that the oath of allegiance and duty⁠ ⁠… I am sorry you weren’t there. They all fell on me⁠—Denísov and Natásha⁠ ⁠… Natásha is absurd. How she rules over him! And yet there need only be a discussion and she has no words of her own but only repeats his sayings⁠ ⁠…” added Nikoláy, yielding to that irresistible inclination which tempts us to judge those nearest and dearest to us. He forgot that what he was saying about Natásha could have been applied word for word to himself in relation to his wife.

“Yes, I have noticed that,” said Countess Márya.

“When I told him that duty and the oath were above everything, he started proving goodness knows what! A pity you were not there⁠—what would you have said?”