“How should I warn you and guard you, my dear. Tell me and set my mind at rest.”
“Make the sign of the Cross over me,” she said after a moment’s hesitation, and when her aunt had made the holy sign, Vera kissed her hand and left the room.
“A wise book,” laughed Raisky. “Well, has the beautiful Cunigunde’s example done any good?”
Tatiana Markovna was grieved and in no mood for joking, and sent for Pashutka to take the book to the servants’ room.
“You have brought Vera up in the right way,” said Raisky. “Let Egorka and Marina read your allegory together, and the household will be impeccable.”
Vikentev called Marfinka into the garden, Raisky went to his room, and Tatiana Markovna sat for a long time on the divan, absorbed in thought. She had lost all interest in the book, was herself sickened by its pious tone, and was really ashamed of having had recourse to so gross a method. Marina, Yakob and Vassilissa came one after another to say that supper was ready, but Tatiana Markovna wanted none, Vera declined, and to Marina’s astonishment even Marfinka, who never went supperless to bed, was not hungry.
Meanwhile Egorka had got wind of the universal loss of appetite. He helped himself to a considerable slice from the dish with his fingers to taste, as he told Yakob, whom he invited to share the feast. Yakob shook his head and crossed himself, but nevertheless did his share, so that when Marina came to clear the table the fish and the sweets were gone.
The mistress’s preparations for rest were made, and quiet reigned in the house. Tatiana Markovna rose from the divan and looked at the ikon. She crossed herself, but she was too restless for prayer, and did not kneel down as usual. Instead she sat down on the bed and began to go over her passage of arms with Vera. How could she learn what lay on the girl’s heart. She remembered the proverb that wisdom comes with the morning, and lay down, but not that night to sleep, for there was a light tap on the door, and she heard Marfinka’s voice, “Open the door. Grandmother. It’s me.”
“What’s the matter, my dear?” she said, as she opened the door. “Have you come to say good-night. God bless you! Where is Nikolai Andreevich?”