"You insult me, mother dear. You hurt me deeply," he declared, finally, but avoided his mother's eyes.
"Who is insulting you? And how am I hurting you—so deeply?"
"It is very—very insulting. So insulting, so very insulting! To think of your going away—at such a moment! You have lived here all the time—and suddenly—and then you mention the trunks—inspection—what an insult!"
"Well, then, if you're anxious to know all about it, why, I'll satisfy you. I lived here as long as my son Pavel was alive. He died—and I leave. And if you want to know about the trunks, why, Ulita has been watching me for a long time at your orders. And concerning myself—it's better to tell your mother straight to her face that she's under suspicion than to hiss at her behind her back like a snake."
"Mother dear! But you—but I——" groaned Yudushka.
"You've said enough," Arina Petrovna cut him short. "And I've had my say."
"But, how could I, mother dear——"
"I tell you, I'm through. For Christ's sake, let me go in peace. The coach is ready, I hear."
The sound of tinkling bells and an approaching vehicle came from the courtyard. Arina Petrovna was the first to arise from the table. The others followed.
"Now let us sit down for a moment, and then we're off," she said, going towards the parlor.