" You were waiting for me ! How happy I am ! " said Alexandr.
" I waiting for you? I never thought of it! " answered Nadinka, shaking her head:—"You know I am always in the garden."
" You are angry ? " he asked timidly.
" What for? what an idea !"
" Well, give me you little hand."
She gave him her hand, but he had scarcely touched it when she at once drew it away—and all at once changed completely. Her smile vanished, and on her face appeared something like vexation.
" What is that, are you drinking milk ? " he asked.
Nadinka had a cup in her hands and some sugar.
" I am having dinner/' she answered.
" You are dining at six o'clock, and on milk ? "
" Of course it is strange to you to look at milk after a luxurious dinner at your uncle's, but here we are in the country ; we live simply."
She broke off some bits of sugar with her front teeth and drank the milk, making a delicate grimace with her lips.
" I didn't dine with my uncle; I declined yesterday," replied Adouev.
" How shameless you are ! How can you tell such stories ? Where have you been up till now?"
" I have been at the office all day up till four "
" But now it is six. Don't tell fibs; confess, you were tempted by the dinner, by pleasant society ? There you have been enjoying yourself very, very much."
" On my word of honour, I haven't been to my uncle's." Alexandr began to defend himself with warmth. i( If I had, could I be here with you by now ? "
" Oh! does it seem so early to you ? you might have come here two hours ago !" said Nadinka, and all at once, with a quick pirouette, turned away from him and went along the little path towards the house : Alexandr was after her.
" Don't come near me, don't come near me," she said, shaking her hand; " I can't see you "
" Leave off teazing, Nadyezhda Alexandrovna."
"lam not teazing at all. Tell me, where have you been up till now ? "
" At four o'clock I got out of the office," began Alexandr; " I was an hour coming here "
" Then it ought to be five, but it is now six. Where were you that hour ? you see what stories you tell!"
" I had dinner at a restaurant as quick as possible."
" As quick as possible! only one hour!" she said. " Poor fellow! you must be hungry. Don't you want some milk ? "
" Oh, let me, let me have that cup," began Alexandr, holding out his hand.
But she stopped short all at once, turned the cup upside down, and paying no attention to Alexandr, looked with
curiosity at the last drops trickling out of the cup on to the dust.
" You are pitiless!" he said. " How can you torment me so?"
"Look, look, Alexandr Fedovitch," Nadinka suddenly interposed, absorbed in her occupation. " Shall I make a drop fall on the little beetle that is crawling here on the path ? .... Ah! it has fallen! Poor little thing, it will die!" she said; then carefully picking up the beetle, and laying it on the palm of her hand she began to breathe on it.
" What care you take of a beetle!" said Alexandr in vexation.
" Poor little thing! look, it will die," said Nadinka, in distress. " What have I done ? "
She carried the beetle a little while in her palm, and when it began to stir and to crawl about on her hand Nadinka gave a shudder, quickly threw it on the ground, and stamped on it, saying, " horrid little beetle !"
" Where have you been ? " she asked then.
" Why, I told you "
"Oh, yes, at your uncle's. Were there many people? Did you have any champagne ? Even from here I notice how you smell of champagne."
"Oh no, not at my uncled," interrupted Alexandr in despair. " Who told you so ? "
" You just said so."
" Why, I should think they are only just sitting down to his dinner. You don't know those dinner parties; would such a dinner be over in one hour ? "
" You have been dining for two hours—four till six."
" When was I coming here then ? "
She made no answer, but jumped up and picked a spray of acacia, then began to run along the path.
Adouev after her.
" Where are you going ? " he asked.
" Where ? What a question! To mamma."
" Why ? Very likely we shall disturb her."
" Oh no, not at all."
Marja^Mihgloynaa the mother, of Nadyezhda_ Alexaa-drovna, was one of those indulgent and simple mothers who trrink everything good that their children do. Maria
Mihalovna, for instance, would order the carriage to be got ready.
" What for, mamma ? " Nadinka would inquire,
" We will go out for a drive, it's such glorious weather," said her mother.
" How can we ? Alexandr Fedoritch is coming."
And the carriage would be put off.
Another time Maria Mihalovna would be sitting at work at her everlasting scarf and beginning to sigh, or be sniffing snuff and plying her bone knitting-needles, or else buried in the perusal of a French novel.
" Maman, why are you not dressing ? " Nadinka would ask severely.
" What for ? "
" Why, we are going for a walk, of course."
" For a walk ? "
"Yes. Alexandr Fedoritch will come after us. Have you forgotten already ? "
" Why, I didn't know."
" Not know indeed !" Nadinka would say in displeasure.
Her mother would leave her scarf and her book, and go to dress. So Nadinka enjoyed complete freedom and ordered herself and her mamma and her time and her occupations as she pleased. However, she was a kind and indulgent daughter—obedient one could not call her, for it was not she, but her mother, who obeyed; but at least one could say that she had an obedient mother.
" Go in to mamma," said Nadinka, when they had reached the door of the drawing-room.
"And you?"
" I will come afterwards."
" Well, then, I will come afterwards too."
" No, go in first."
Alexandr went in and at once retreated again on tip-toe.
" She is asleep in the armchair," he said in a whisper.
" Never mind, go in. Maman, maman I "
" Ah 1"
"Alexandr Fedoritch has come."
" Ah!"
" Mr. Adouev wants to see you."
" Ah!"
" You see how sound asleep she is. Don't wake her !" Alexandr restrained her.
" No, I will wake her. Maman I "
" Ah !"
"Wake up; Alexandr Fedoritch is here."
" Where is Alexandr Fedoritch ?" said Maria Mihal-ovna, looking directly at him and setting straight her cap, which had fallen on one side. " Ah, is that you, Alexandr Fedoritch? Glad to see you. Here have I been sitting and dropping off into a nap. I'm sure I don't know why, I suppose it's the weather. My corns too begin to shoot— there will be rain. I've been dozing, and in my sleep I thought that Ignaty announced some visitors, but I did not understand who. I listen, " are here," he says, but who I couldn't make out. Then Nadinka called and I woke up at once. I sleep very lightly; the least sound and I'm looking to see what it is. Sit down, Alexandr Fedoritch, how are you ? "