Yet, describing it afterwards, people said that he looked almost dreamy at the very instant of the operation, "as though he had gone out of his mind," but that was recalled and reflected upon long afterwards.

In the excitement of the moment all they recalled was the minute after, when he certainly saw it all as it really was, and far from being confused smiled gaily and maliciously "without the slightest regret." There was a terrific outcry; he was surrounded.

Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch kept turning round, looking about him, answering nobody, and glancing curiously at the persons exclaiming around him.

At last he seemed suddenly, as it were, to sink into thought again--so at least it was reported--frowned, went firmly up to the affronted Pyotr Pavlovitch, and with evident vexation said in a rapid mutter: "You must forgive me, of course...

I really don't know what suddenly came over me...