'Yes', Kallomyetsev pursued in a pensive tone; 'he has been overlooked a little.'
Madame Sipyagin again indicated Marianna with a significant glance.
Kallomyetsev smiled and grimaced, as much as to say, 'I understand.'
'Marianna Vikentyevna! ' he exclaimed suddenly, in a voice unnecessarily loud, 'are you intending to give lessons in the school again this year?'
Marianna turned round from the cage.
'And does that, too, interest you, Semyon Petrovitch?'
'To be sure; indeed it interests me very much.'
'You would not prohibit that?'
'I would prohibit Nihilists from even thinking about schools; but, under clerical guidance, and with supervision of the clergy, I would found schools myself!'
'Really, now? Well, I don't know what I am going to do this year. Everything turned out so badly last year. Besides, there's no school in summer-time.'
When Marianna talked, her colour gradually deepened as though her words cost her an effort, as though she were forcing herself to go on. There was still a great deal of self-consciousness about her.
67
