rank of general?” said Prince Andréy, with a smile.
Pelagéyushka suddenly grew quite pale and clasped her hands.
“Oh, master, master, what a sin! And you who have a son!” she began, her pallor suddenly turning to a vivid red. “Master, what have you said? God forgive you!” And she crossed herself. “Lord forgive him! My dear, what does it mean? …” she asked, turning to Princess Márya. She got up and, almost crying, began to arrange her wallet. She evidently felt frightened and ashamed to have accepted charity in a house where such things could be said, and was at the same time sorry to have now to forgo the charity of this house.
“Now, why need you do it?” said Princess Márya. “Why did you come to me? …”
“Come, Pelagéyushka, I was joking,” said Pierre. “ Princesse, ma parole, je n’ai pas voulu l’offenser. I did not mean anything, I was only joking,” he said, smiling shyly and trying to efface his offense. “It was all my fault, and Andréy was only joking.”