He's needed. Tell him he's essential, absolutely necessary for the
cause--tell him I fear he'll get sick. You see the date of the trial
hasn't been set yet, and six months have already passed--I beg of you!"
It was apparent that she spoke with difficulty. She stood up straight,
in a tense attitude, and looked aside. Her voice sounded uneven,
like the snapping of a taut string. Her eyelids drooping wearily,
she bit her lips, and the fingers of her compressed hand cracked.
The mother was ruffled by her outburst; but she understood it, and
a sad emotion took possession of her. Softly embracing Sasha, she
answered:
"My dear, he will never listen to anybody except himself--never!"
For a short while they were both silent in a close embrace. Then
Sasha carefully removed the mother's hands from her shoulders.
"Yes, you're right," she said in a tremble. "It's all stupidity and
nerves. One gets so tired." And, suddenly growing serious, she
concluded: "Anyway, let's give the sick man something to eat."
In an instant she was sitting at Ivan's bed, kindly and solicitously
inquiring, "Does your head ache badly?"
"Not very. Only everything is muddled up, and I'm weak," answered
Ivan in embarrassment.
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