Nina has acted very rightly. She
found the home life impossible. I'm sure I don't wonder. She will assist
me in my work. The most important work, perhaps, that man has ever been
called on to perform...."
He raised his voice here as though he were going to begin a speech. But
at that moment Nina came in. She stood in the doorway looking across at
me with a childish mixture of hesitation and boldness, of anger and
goodwill in her face. Her cheeks were pale, her eyes heavy. Her hair was
done in two long plaits. She looked about fourteen.
She came up to me, but she didn't offer me her hand. Boris said:
"Nina dear, Ivan Andreievitch has come to give you a message from your
family." There was a note of scorn in his voice as he repeated my
earlier sentence.
"What is it?" she asked, looking at me defiantly.
"I'd like to give it you alone," I said.
"Whatever you say to me it is right that Boris should hear," she
answered.
I tried to forget that Grogoff was there. I went on:
"Well then, Nina, you must know what I want to say. They are heartbroken
at your leaving them. You know of course that they are.
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