have not interfered with each other but have lived quietly. Why do you
suddenly feel it necessary to go back to the past? Yesterday you came to
insult and humiliate me," she went on, raising her voice, and her face
flushed and her eyes flamed with hatred; "but restrain yourself; do not
do it, Pavel Andreitch! Tomorrow I will send in a petition and they will
give me a passport, and I will go away; I will go! I will go! I'll go
into a convent, into a widows' home, into an almshouse...."

"Into a lunatic asylum!" I cried, not able to restrain myself.

"Well, even into a lunatic asylum! That would be better, that would be
better," she cried, with flashing eyes. "When I was in Pestrovo today I
envied the sick and starving peasant women because they are not living
with a man like you. They are free and honest, while, thanks to you,
I am a parasite, I am perishing in idleness, I eat your bread, I spend
your money, and I repay you with my liberty and a fidelity which is of
no use to any one. Because you won't give me a passport, I must respect
your good name, though it doesn't exist."

I had to keep silent. Clenching my teeth, I walked quickly into the
drawing-room, but turned back at once and said:

"I beg you earnestly that there should be no more assemblies, plots,
and meetings of conspirators in my house! I only admit to my house those
with whom I am acquainted, and let all your crew find another place
to do it if they want to take up philanthropy. I can't allow people at
midnight in my house to be shouting hurrah at successfully exploiting an
hysterical woman like you!"

My wife, pale and wringing her hands, took a rapid stride across the