face express fear and shame? .... She was not to blame, but she was afraid of him, and seemed ashamed of something. He wanted to ask a question which would have explained this doubt, but he did not dare; he saw that she was in sorrow, and he pitied her. He silently clung close to her, and then he whispered:—
"Don't go yet! He will not come for some time."
His mother pushed him away from her a little, in order to see if he understood the meaning of what he had said, and in the frightened expression of his face she perceived that he not only spoke of his father, but seemed to ask her how he ought to think about him.
"Serozha, my dear," she said, "love him; he is better and more upright than I am, and I have been wicked to him. When you have grown up, you will understand."
"Not better than you!" cried the child, with sobs of despair; and, clinging to his mother's shoulders, he squeezed her with all his might till his arms trembled with the exertion.
"My darling, my little one!"[1] exclaimed Anna; and, bursting into tears, she sobbed like a child, even as he sobbed.
At this moment the door opened, and Vasili Lukitch came in. Steps were heard at the other door; and, in a frightened whisper, he exclaimed, "He is coming," and gave Anna her hat.
Serozha threw himself on the bed, sobbing, and covered his face with his hands. Anna took them away to kiss yet once again his tear-stained cheeks, and then with quick steps hurried from the room.
Alekseï Aleksandrovitch met her at the door. When he saw her, he stopped and bowed his head.
Though she had declared a moment before that he was better and more upright than she, the swift glance that she gave him, taking in his whole person, with all its peculiarities, awoke in her only a feeling of hatred and scorn for him, and jealousy on account of her son.
- ↑ Dushetchka, menki moï
