And this lack of candor in a matter of such gravity infuriated him.

"It's out of the question," he said sternly.

Agafea Mihalovna, seeing that it was coming to a quarrel, gently put down her cup and withdrew.

Kitty did not even notice her.

The tone in which her husband had said the last words wounded her, especially because he evidently did not believe what she had said.