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"And it must seem to you," said Boris flushing slightly, but not

changing his tone or attitude, "it must seem to you that everyone

is trying to get something out of the rich man?"

"So it does," thought Pierre.

"But I just wish to say, to avoid misunderstandings, that you are

quite mistaken if you reckon me or my mother among such people.

We are very poor, but for my own part at any rate, for the very

reason that your father is rich, I don't regard myself as a

relation of his, and neither I nor my mother would ever ask or

take anything from him."

For a long time Pierre could not understand, but when he did, he

jumped up from the sofa, seized Boris under the elbow in his

quick, clumsy way, and, blushing far more than Boris, began to

speak with a feeling of mingled shame and vexation.

"Well, this is strange! Do you suppose I... who could think?... I

know very well..."

But Boris again interrupted him.