Page:Leskov - The Sentry and other Stories.djvu/105

 Rh a tea spoon on her husband's saucer. "Well, can't you say who has been accused? Who in your eyes is my lover?"

"You will hear; no need to hurry so."

"Is it about Sergei, perhaps, that they have been lying to you?"

"We shall find out, we shall find out, Katerina Lvovna; nobody can take away our authority over you, and nobody has a right to do so You yourself will tell us"

"Oh, I can't bear it," cried Katerina Lvovna, grinding her teeth, and getting as white as a sheet she suddenly ran out of the room.

"Well, there he is," said she a few seconds later re-entering the room and leading Sergei by the sleeve. "Now you can question him and me too about what you know. Perhaps you will hear even more than you want to."

Zinovey Borisych became confused. Looking from Sergei, who stood near the door, to his wife, who had calmly sat down on the edge of the bed and folded her arms, he could not understand where all this was leading.

"What are you doing, you snake?" He was scarcely able to utter and did not rise from his arm-chair.

"Question us about what you pretend to know so well," Katerina Lvovna answered audaciously.