If it had been reeled off with defiance, Richard could perhaps have tolerated it. Instead, delivered with restraint and with clarity, it was the voice of the Voevoda Bolshoia, unquestioned master of armies, giving his considered decisions. And although these were what he had promised to hear and accept, the cavalier judgements, in cold blood, on all the principles and people he held dearest stopped his voice, in a sort of nerve-storm of grief and resentment. And when he could speak: 'You a bastard,' he said.
If the words had been said with defiance, Richard might have tolerated them. However, they were delivered calmly and clearly, reflecting the voice of the powerful Voevoda Bolshoia, an unquestioned military leader presenting his decisions. These were the judgments he was expected to accept, yet their cold, cavalier nature on matters close to Richard's heart caused a surge of grief and resentment.
In a moment of emotional overload, Richard finally spoke...
