"I shall go at once to Rogatchyóff. I shall force him to wed her this very day. Be assured, I shall not permit him to jeer at us...."
"But ... Vasíly Ivánovitch ... you ..." whispered Olga.
He stared long and coldly at her. She relapsed into silence.
"Mamma, give me your word not to disturb her until my arrival. See—she is barely alive. Yes, and you require rest yourself. Trust to me: I answer for everything; in any case, await my return. I repeat to you—do not kill her, nor yourself—rely upon me."
He walked to the door, and paused.
"Mamma,"—he said: "come with me. Leave her alone, I beg of you."
Anna Pávlovna rose, went to the holy picture, made a reverence to the floor, and softly followed her son. Olga Ivánovna followed her silently and immovably with her eyes. Vasíly hastily came back, seized her hand, whispered in her ear: "Trust to me, and do not betray us,"—and immediately withdrew....
"Boursier!" he shouted, as he ran swiftly down the stairs.—"Boursier!"
A quarter of an hour later he was seated in his calash with his servant.