“On what day did he come to thee?” I ask him, and all the while I am making the sign of the cross over him.  “Was it not when thou didst write about thy doubts?”

Yakoff put away my hand.

“Let me alone, dear father,” says he, “don’t excite me to wrath lest worse should come of it.  I’m not far from laying hands on myself, as it is.”

You can imagine, my dear sir, how I felt when I heard that....  I remember that I wept all night.  “How have I deserved such wrath from the Lord?” I thought to myself.

At this point Father Alexyei drew from his pocket a checked handkerchief and began to blow his nose, and stealthily wiped his eyes, by the way.

A bad time began for us then [he went on].  I could think of but one thing:  how to prevent him from running away, or—­which the Lord forbid!—­of actually doing himself some harm!  I watched his every step, and was afraid to enter into conversation.—­And there dwelt near us at that time a neighbour, the widow of a colonel, Marfa Savishna was her name; I cherished a great respect for her, because she was a quiet, sensible woman, in spite of the fact that she was young and comely.  I was in the habit of going to her house frequently, and she did not despise my vocation.[24] Not knowing, in my grief and anguish, what to do, I just told her all about it.—­At first she was greatly alarmed, and even thoroughly frightened; but later on she became thoughtful.  For a long time she deigned to sit thus, in silence; and then she expressed a wish to see my son and converse with him.  And I felt that I ought without fail to comply with her wish; for it was not feminine curiosity which prompted it in this case, but something else.

On returning home I began to persuade Yakoff.  “Come with me to see the colonel’s widow,” I said to him.

He began to flourish his legs and arms!

“I won’t go to her,” says he, “not on any account!  What shall I talk to her about?” He even began to shout at me.  But at last I conquered him, and hitching up my little sledge, I drove him to Marfa Savishna’s, and, according to our compact, I left him alone with her.  I was surprised at his having consented so speedily.  Well, never mind,—­we shall see.  Three or four hours later my Yakoff returns.

“Well,” I ask, “how did our little neighbour please thee?”

He made me no answer.  I asked him again.

“She is a virtuous woman,” I said.—­“I suppose she was amiable with thee?”

“Yes,” he says, “she is not like the others.”

I saw that he seemed to have softened a little.  And I made up my mind to question him then and there....

“And how about the obsession?” I said.

Yakoff looked at me as though I had lashed him with a whip, and again made no reply.  I did not worry him further, and left the room; and an hour later I went to the door and peeped through the keyhole....  And what do you think?—­My Yasha was asleep!  He was lying on the couch and sleeping.  I crossed myself several times in succession.  “May the Lord send Marfa Savishna every blessing!” I said.  “Evidently, she has managed to touch his embittered heart, the dear little dove!”