Whenever a thought was clear to the mother, she would find confirmation of the idea by drawing upon some of her rude, coarse experiences.

She now felt as on that day when her father said to her roughly: "What are you making a wry face about?
A fool has been found who wants to marry you.

Marry him! All girls must get husbands; all women must bear children, and all children become a burden to their parents!" After these words she saw before her an unavoidable path running for some inexplicable reason through a dark, dreary waste.

Thus it was at the present moment.

In anticipation of a new approaching misfortune, she uttered speechless words, addressing some imaginary person.
This lightened her mute pain, which reverberated in her heart like a tight chord.
The next day, early in the morning, very soon after Pavel and Andrey had left, Korsunova knocked at the door alarmingly, and called out hastily: "Isay is killed! Come, quick!" The mother trembled; the name of the assassin flashed through her mind.
"Who did it ?" she asked curtly, throwing a shawl over her shoulders.
"The man's not sitting out there mourning over Isay.