little money, also as though it did not come from him. Fedya was not a
year old before Anna Pavlovna fell ill with a fatal complaint. A few
days before her end, when she could no longer leave her bed, with timid
tears in her eyes, fast growing dim, she informed her husband in the
presence of the priest that she wanted to see her daughter-in-law and
bid her farewell, and to give her grand-child her blessing. The
heart-broken old man soothed her, and at once sent off his own carriage
for his daughter-in-law, for the first time giving her the title of
Malanya Sergyevna. Malanya came with her son and Marfa Timofyevna, who
would not on any consideration allow her to go alone, and was
unwilling to expose her to any indignity. Half dead with fright,
Malanya Sergyevna went into Piotr Andreitch's room. A nurse followed,
carrying Fedya. Piotr Andreitch looked at her without speaking; she went
up to kiss his hand; her trembling lips were only just able to touch it
with a silent kiss.

"Well, my upstart lady," he brought out at last, "how do you do? let us
go to the mistress."

He got up and bent over Fedya: the baby smiled and held out his little
white hands to him. This changed the old man's mood.

"Ah," he said, "poor little one, you were pleading for your father; I
will not abandon you, little bird."

Directly Malanya Sergyevna entered Anna Pavlovna's bedroom, she fell on
her knees near the door. Anna Pavlovna beckoned her to come to her
bedside, embraced her, and blessed her son; then turning a face
contorted by cruel suffering to her husband she made an effort to speak.