"Do not blame her,"--said Marya Dmitrievna, hastily;--"she did not wish to remain on any account whatever, but I ordered her to stay, and placed her there behind the screen. She assured me that it would only make you more angry; but I would not listen to her; I know you better than she does. Receive your wife from my hands; go, Varya, be not afraid, fall at your husband's feet" (she tugged at her hand)--"and my blessing on you!..." "Wait, Marya Dmitrievna,"--Lavretzky interrupted her, in a dull, but quivering voice:--"you are, probably, fond of sentimental scenes," (Lavretzky was not mistaken: Marya Dmitrievna had retained from her boarding-school days a passion for a certain theatricalness); "they amuse you; but others suffer from them. However, I will not discuss the matter with you; in _this_ scene you are not the principal actor. What do _you_ want of me, madam?"--he added, addressing his wife. "Have not I done for you all that I could? Do not retort, that you have not plotted this meeting; I shall not believe you,--and you know that I cannot believe you. What, then, do you want? You are clever,--you never do anything without an object. You must understand that I am not capable of living with you as I used to live; not because I am angry with you, but because I have become a different man. I told you that on the day after your return, and you yourself, at that moment, acquiesced with me in your own soul. But you wish to reinstate yourself in public opinion; it is not enough for you to live in my house, you want to live under one roof with me,--is not that the truth?" "I want you to forgive me,"--said Varvara Pavlovna, without raising her eyes. "She wants you to forgive her,"--repeated Marya Dmitrievna. "And not for my own sake, but for Ada's,"--whispered Varvara Pavlovna. "Not for her sake, but for Ada's,"--repeated Marya Dmitrievna. "Very good. You wish that?"--ejaculated Lavretzky, with an effort. "As you like, I agree to that." Varvara Pavlovna cast a swift glance at him, and Marya Dmitrievna cried out:--"Well, God be praised"--and again tugged at Varvara Pavlovna's hand. "Now receive from me...." "Wait, I tell you,"--Lavretzky interrupted her. "I consent to live with you, Varvara Pavlovna,"--he continued:--"That is to say, I will take you to Lavriki, and I will live with you as long as my strength holds out, and then I shall go away,--and return now and then. You see, I do not wish to deceive you; but do not demand anything more. You yourself would smile, were I to comply with the desire of your respected relative, and press you to my heart, and assure you that ... there had been no past, that the felled tree could burst into blossom once more. But I perceive that I must submit. You will not understand that word; ... it matters not. I repeat, I will live with you ... or, no, I cannot promise that ... I will join you, I will regard you again as my wife...."