indifferent. He seemed as though he had determined, by the punctual fulfilment of his father’s wishes to show grandfather how those his wishes had brought misfortune not only on his son, but also on the whole household.
And so it was.
He obeyed grandfather most exemplarily, and since grandfather had no other wishes save those that Terinka expressed, he more particularly obeyed his wife in everything.
Grandfather, then, very diligently himself took his daughter-in-law in charge, so that his presence should make up for every deficiency in other quarters. He himself now contrived and did for her everything for which she had the least fancy. Aye, he even looked into her eyes as a stargazer looks at the heavens in order to conjecture what would please her and what would elicit a smile from her, for that pleased him beyond measure.
The servants whispered that there was a new mistress, and this lady was imperious and proud, and in a louder voice they declared to the other servants that she was hasty and unobliging, and that there was more wanton wastefulness in the household management than had ever been before.
All day long he spoke of nothing but Terinka. He praised her every movement, her every step. Every gesture seemed to him so becoming that more than once he pronounced her to be the most perfect woman in the world.
The household secretly, and indeed openly, laughed at his eulogiums; and grandmother sometimes felt almost vext. Uncle John assured him that he was right in everything.
