spiteful expression.

[Illustration: EASTER SERVICES.]

"But why should I leave you?"

"So."

"Why so?"

She again looked at him with that spiteful glance, as it seemed to
him.

"Well, then, I will tell you," she said. "You leave me--I tell you
that truly. I cannot. You must drop that entirely," she said, with
quivering lips, and became silent. "That is true. I would rather hang
myself."

Nekhludoff felt that in this answer lurked a hatred for him, an
unforgiven wrong, but also something else--something good and
important. This reiteration of her refusal in a perfectly calm state
destroyed in Nekhludoff's soul all his doubts, and brought him back to
his former grave, solemn and benign state of mind.

"Katiousha, I repeat what I said," he said, with particular gravity.
"I ask you to marry me. If, however, you do not wish to, and so long
as you do not wish to, I will be wherever you will be, and follow you
wherever you may be sent."

"That is your business. I will speak no more," she said, and again her