"Perhaps you think of entering a nunnery?" asked Volodin in an offended voice.
"More likely you'll join the Tolstoyan sect," corrected Peredonov, "and manure the fields."
"Why should I go anywhere?" asked Nadezhda coldly, as she rose from her seat. "I'm perfectly well off here."
Volodin rose also, protruded his lips in a hurt way and said:
"Since Mishenka feels this way towards me and you are on his side, then I suppose I'd better stop the lessons, for how can I go to the lessons if Mishenka behaves towards me in this way?"
"Why not?" asked Nadezhda. "That's quite another affair."
Peredonov thought he ought to make yet another effort to prevail upon the young woman: perhaps she would consent.
He said to her gloomily:
"You'd better think it over well, Nadezhda Vassilyevna—why should you do it post-haste? He's a good man. He's my friend."
"No," said Nadezhda. "What is there to think about? I thank Pavel Vassilyevitch very much for the honour, but I really can't."