“What do you know about it?” he asked.
Suddenly Maria Ivanovna felt ashamed that she had read the letter to Lida. Turning very red, she replied unsteadily, but with some irritation:
“Thank God, I am not blind! I can see.”
“See? You can see nothing,” said Sanine, after a moment’s reflection, “and, to prove it allow me to congratulate you on the engagement of your daughter. She was going to tell you herself, but, after all, it comes to the same thing.”
“What!” exclaimed Maria Ivanovna, drawing herself up. “Lida is going to be married!”
“To whom?”
“To Novikoff, of course.”
“Yes, but what about Sarudine?”
“Oh! he can go to the devil!” exclaimed Sanine angrily. “What’s that to do with you? Why meddle with other people’s affairs?”
“Yes, but I don’t quite understand, Volodja!” said his mother, bewildered, while yet in her heart she could hear the joyous refrain, “Lida’s going to be married, going to be married!”