For some time Lavretsky could not speak; he felt that he could not master himself, he saw clearly that Varvara Pavlovna was not in the least afraid of him, but was assuming an appearance of being ready to faint away in another instant.

“Listen, madam,” he began at last, breathing with difficulty and at moments setting his teeth:  “it is useless for us to make pretense with one another; I don’t believe in your penitence; and even if it were sincere, to be with you again, to live with you, would be impossible for me.”

Varvara Pavlovna bit her lips and half-closed her eyes.  “It is aversion,” she thought; “all is over; in his eyes I am not even a woman.”

“Impossible,” repeated Lavretsky, fastening the top buttons of his coat.  “I don’t know what induced you to come here; I suppose you have come to the end of your money.”

“Ah! you hurt me!” whispered Varvara Pavlovna.

“However that may be—­you are, any way, my wife, unhappily.  I cannot drive you away . . . and this is the proposal I make you.  You may to-day, if you like, set off to Lavriky, and live there; there is, as you know, a good house there; you will have everything you need in addition to your allowance . . .  Do you agree?”—­Varvara Pavlovna raised an embroidered handkerchief to her face.

“I have told you already,” she said, her lips twitching nervously, “that I will consent to whatever you think fit to do with me; at present it only remains for me to beg of you—­will you allow me at least to thank you for your magnanimity?”

“No thanks, I beg—­it is better without that,” Lavretsky said hurriedly.  “So then,” he pursued, approaching the door, “I may reckon on—­”

“To-morrow I will be at Lavriky,” Varvara Pavlovna declared, rising respectfully from her place.  “But Fedor Ivanitch—­” (She no longer called him “Theodore.”)

“What do you want?”

“I know, I have not yet gained any right to forgiveness; may I hope at least that with time—­”

“Ah, Varvara Pavlovna,” Lavretsky broke in, “you are a clever woman, but I too am not a fool; I know that you don’t want forgiveness in the least.  And I have forgiven you long ago; but there was always a great gulf between us.”

“I know how to submit,” rejoined Varvara Pavlovna, bowing her head.  “I have not forgotten my sin; I should not have been surprised if I had learnt that you even rejoiced at the news of my death,” she added softly, slightly pointing with her hand to the copy of the journal which was lying forgotten by Lavretsky on the table.

Fedor Ivanitch started; the paper had been marked in pencil.  Varvara Pavlovna gazed at him with still greater humility.  She was superb at that moment.  Her grey Parisian gown clung gracefully round her supple, almost girlish figure; her slender, soft neck, encircled by a white collar, her bosom gently stirred by her even breathing, her hands innocent of bracelets and rings—­her whole figure, from her shining hair to the tip of her just visible little shoe, was so artistic . . .