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was unintelligible. Then she spoke vehemently and woefully. “Well!” she cried out: “Now, if you wish, you can murder me: do with me what you like, I start!”
On the table stood the tea-urn, but she had not yet taken tea. We then made the tea, and I poured it out and gave her also a cup. There was white bread and I cut her a piece. “Taste,” I said, “eat some, for the journey is long, and warm yourself a little.”
But she put on her goloshes, turned, and gave me such a look, shrugging her shoulders. Then she said: “What a strange man? You are quite foolish. You think I will take your tea?”
Can you imagine, sir, how her words affected me? When I think even now of them my heart aches. Well, sir, then you know it is not an abomination to eat with us either bread or salt. We drove the squire, Rudakoff, and he did not
