"Nadezhda Vassilyevna, believe me! I swear to you!" he exclaimed, and lifted his hand high in the air and with a wild swing hit himself full on the chest so that the sound re-echoed through the room.
"What's the matter with you! Please get up," said Nadezhda in embarrassment. "Why are you doing this?"
Volodin rose and with an injured expression on his face returned to his seat. There he pressed both his hands on his chest and again exclaimed:
"Nadezhda Vassilyevna, do believe me! Until death, from all my soul."
"I'm sorry," said Nadezhda, "but I really can't. I must bring up my brother—even now he's crying behind the door."
"Bring up your brother," said Volodin, protruding an offended lip. "I fail to see why that should prevent it."
"No, in any case it concerns him," said Nadezhda, rising hurriedly. "He must be asked. Just wait."
She quickly ran from the drawing-room, rustling with her bright yellow dress, caught Misha by the shoulder behind the door and ran with him to his room; as she stood there by the door panting with running and suppressed laughter, she said in a breathless voice:
"It's quite useless to ask you not to listen behind doors. Must I really be very stern with you?"
Misha, catching her by the waist, with his head against her, laughed and shook with his efforts to suppress his laughter. She pushed Misha into his room, sat down on a chair near the door and began to laugh.