"If at least he had repented! And if at least he had realized that he offended his father! Well, you committed a folly--say you are sorry. Ask forgiveness! 'Forgive me, dear papa, for the mortification I caused you.' But he wouldn't!"
"But he did write to you. He made it clear to you that he had nothing to live on, that he could not endure it any longer."
"That's not the kind of thing to write to a father. From a father one asks pardon, that's all."
"He did so. He was so tortured that he begged forgiveness, too. He did everything, he did."
"And even if he did, he was wrong. You ask forgiveness once, you see your father does not forgive you, you ask again!"
At this Petenka suddenly ceased swaying his chair, turned about, faced the table and rested both elbows on it.
"And here I too----" he repeated, and burst into hysterical sobbing.
But Yudushka had no chance to finish his sermon. At that moment something quite unexpected took place. During their skirmish the man had almost forgotten about Arina Petrovna. But she had not remained an indifferent spectator. On the contrary, you could tell at a glance that something quite unusual was taking place within her, and that the moment perhaps had arrived when the ruthless vision of her entire life appeared before her spiritual eye in a glaring light. Her face livened up, her eyes widened and glittered, her lips moved as if they were struggling to utter some word and could not. Suddenly, just at the moment when Petenka's bitter weeping resounded in the dining-room she rose heavily from her arm-chair, stretched her arms forward, and a loud wail broke out from her breast.
Yudushka did not give the money to Petenka, though, kind father that he was, he gave orders just before the moment of departure for some chicken, veal and pie to be placed in the carriage. Then he went out on the porch in the chilling wind to see his son off, and inquired whether Petenka was seated comfortably and whether he had wrapped his feet up well. Re-entering the house, he stood at the window in the dining-room a long time making the sign of the cross and sending his blessings after the vehicle that was carrying Petenka away. In a word, he performed the farewell ceremony fittingly, as becomes good kinsfolk.