All this she said brightly, rapidly, and with a peculiar brilliance in her eyes.

But Alexey Alexandrovitch did not now attach any special significance to this tone of hers.

He heard only her words and gave them only the direct sense they bore.

And he answered simply, though jestingly.

There was nothing remarkable in all this conversation, but never after could Anna recall this brief scene without an agonizing pang of shame.