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‘No, Alexei Alexandrovich!’ Oblonsky said, jumping up. ‘I won’t believe it! She’s as unhappy as a woman can be, and you can’t deny her such a ...’

‘How far what was promised is possible. Vous professez d’être un libre penseur.dg But I, as a believer, cannot act contrary to the Christian law in such an important matter.’

‘But in Christian societies, and even in ours as far as I know, divorce is permitted,’ said Stepan Arkadyich. ‘Divorce is also permitted by our Church. And we see ...’

‘Permitted, but not in this sense.’

‘Alexei Alexandrovich, I don’t recognize you,’ Oblonsky said, after a silence. ‘Wasn’t it you (and didn’t we all appreciate it?) who forgave everything and, moved precisely by Christian feeling, were ready to sacrifice everything? You yourself talked about “giving a caftan when your shirt was taken”, and now ...’

‘I beg you, sir,’ Alexei Alexandrovich said, pale and with a trembling jaw, in a squeaky voice, suddenly getting to his feet, ‘I beg you to stop, to stop ... this conversation.’

‘Oh, no! Well, forgive me, forgive me if I’ve upset you,’ Stepan Arkadyich said, smiling abashedly and holding out his hand, ‘but in any case, as an ambassador, I have merely conveyed my message.’

Alexei Alexandrovich gave him his hand, reflected a little, and said:

‘I must think it over and look for guidance. I’ll give you a decisive answer the day after tomorrow,’ he added, having thought of something.

XIX

Stepan Arkadyich was about to leave when Kornei came in and announced:

‘Sergei Alexeich!’

‘Who is Sergei Alexeich?’ Stepan Arkadyich was about to ask, but remembered at once.

‘Ah, Seryozha!’ he said. “‘Sergei Alexeich” - I thought it was the director of some department.’ And he remembered, ‘Anna did ask me to see him.’

He recalled the timorous, pitiful expression with which Anna had said, as she let him go, ‘Anyway, try to see him. Find out in detail where he is and who is with him. And, Stiva ... if it’s possible! Could it be possible?’ Stepan Arkadyich understood what this ‘if it’s possible’ meant - if it was possible to arrange the divorce so that the son would go to her ... Now Stepan Arkadyich could see that there was no question of that, but anyway he was glad to see his nephew.

Alexei Alexandrovich reminded his brother-in-law that the boy never heard any mention of his mother and asked him not to say even one word about her.

‘He was very ill after that meeting with his mother, which had not been an-ti-ci-pated,’ said Alexei Alexandrovich. ‘We even feared for his life. But sensible treatment and sea bathing in the summer restored him to health, and now, on the doctor’s advice, I have sent him to school. Indeed, the influence of his comrades has had a beneficial effect on him, and he is now completely well and a good student.’

‘What a fine fellow he’s become! Indeed no Seryozha, but a full Sergei Alexeich!’ Stepan Arkadyich said with a smile, looking at the handsome, broadly built boy in a dark-blue jacket and long trousers who briskly and casually strode into the room. The boy had a healthy and cheerful look. He bowed to his uncle as to a stranger, but, recognizing him, blushed and quickly turned away from him, as if offended or angered by something. The boy went up to his father and handed him a report of the marks he had received at school.

‘Well, that’s decent enough,’ said his father. ‘You may go.’

‘He’s grown thinner and taller and stopped looking like a child. He’s become a real boy. I like that,’ said Stepan Arkadyich. ‘Do you remember me?’

The boy glanced quickly at his father.

‘Yes, mon oncle,’ he said, looking at his uncle and then looking down again.

His uncle called the boy to him and took him by the hand.

‘Well, so, how are things?’ he said, wishing to start talking and not knowing what to say.

The boy blushed and did not answer, but kept pulling his hand cautiously from his uncle’s. As soon as Stepan Arkadyich let go of his hand, the boy, like a released bird, shot a questioning glance at his father and with quick steps walked out of the room.

It was a year since Seryozha