He saw that the inmost recesses of her soul, that had always hitherto lain open before him, were closed against him.

More than that, he saw from her tone that she was not even perturbed at that, but as it were said straight out to him: "Yes, it's shut up, and so it must be, and will be in future.

" Now he experienced a feeling such as a man might have, returning home and finding his own house locked up.

" But perhaps the key may yet be found," thought Alexey Alexandrovitch.