And now
he shrugged his shoulders, thus throwing off her hands and said:
"Go, go to your place. How the itching curiosity of Eve gives you
no rest."
But Lubov did not go away; persistingly looking into his eyes,
she asked, with an offended tone in her voice:
"Papa, why do you always speak to me in such a way as though I
were a small child, or very stupid?"
"Because you are grown up and yet not very clever. Yes! That's
the whole story! Go, sit down and eat!"
She walked away and silently seated herself opposite her father,
compressing her lips for affront. Contrary to his habits Mayakin
ate slowly, stirring his spoon in his plate of cabbage-soup for a
long time, and examining the soup closely.
"If your obstructed mind could but comprehend your father's
thoughts!" said he, suddenly, as he sighed with a sort of
whistling sound.
Lubov threw her spoon aside and almost with tears in her voice,
said:
"Why do you insult me, papa? You see that I am alone, always
alone! You understand how difficult my life is, and you never say
a single kind word to me.
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