Yet it perhaps contained the explanation of the possibility of the terrible question with which she suddenly addressed her son.
"Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch," she repeated, rapping out her words in a resolute voice in which there was a ring of menacing challenge, "I beg you to tell me at once, without moving from that place; is it true that this unhappy cripple--here she is, here, look at her--is it true that she is...

your lawful wife ?" I remember that moment only too well; he did not wink an eyelash but looked intently at his mother.

Not the faintest change in his face followed.

At last he smiled, a sort of indulgent smile, and without answering a word went quietly up to his mother, took her hand, raised it respectfully to his lips and kissed it.

And so great was his invariable and irresistible ascendancy over his mother that even now she could not bring herself to pull away her hand.