Pagina 398 di 2288

"And so," Alexey Alexandrovitch said to himself, "questions as to

her feelings, and so on, are questions for her conscience, with

which I can have nothing to do. My duty is clearly defined. As

the head of the family, I am a person bound in duty to guide her,

and consequently, in part the person responsible; I am bound to

point out the danger I perceive, to warn her, even to use my

authority. I ought to speak plainly to her." And everything that

he would say tonight to his wife took clear shape in Alexey

Alexandrovitch's head. Thinking over what he would say, he

somewhat regretted that he should have to use his time and mental

powers for domestic consumption, with so little to show for it,

but, in spite of that, the form and contents of the speech before

him shaped itself as clearly and distinctly in his head as a

ministerial report.