“When?”
“To-morrow morning,” answered Sergey, his lips also pale.
The mother looked at the ground, chewing her lips, as if she did not hear anything. And continuing to chew, she uttered these simple words, strangely, as though they dropped like lead:
“Ninochka told me to kiss you, Seryozhenka.”
“Kiss her for me,” said Sergey.
“Very well. The Khvostovs send you their regards.”
“Which Khvostovs? Oh, yes!”
The colonel interrupted:
“Well, we must go. Get up, mother; we must go.” The two men lifted the weakened old woman.
“Bid him good-by!” ordered the colonel. “Make the sign of the cross.”