' And the next day ? '
' No; I shall not come for a whole week, perhaps, two— a long while !' And he turned a scrutinising glance upon her, trying to read in her eyes what impression his words produced.
She did not speak, but her eyes dropped at the very instant of his reply, and what was to be seen in them ? Were they clouded with pain or flashing with a gleam of pleasure —nothing could be deciphered from that lovely marble face.
Alexandr clutched his hat in his hand and went away.
'Don't forget to rub your chest with opodeldoc!' screamed Maria Mihalovna after him. And now Alexandr had again a problem to solve—what was the aim of Nadinka's question ? what was to be inferred from it—desire or dread of seeing him ?
'Oh, what torture, what torture !' he said in despair. •Poor Alexandr could not hold out; he went on the third day. Nadinka was at the garden-fence when he arrived. He was beginning to rejoice, but no sooner had he drawn near the bank, when she, as though she had not seen him, turned away and after a few undecided steps on the path just as if she were walking without an object, went towards the house.
He found her with her mother. Two gentlemen from the town were there, their neighbour Maria Ivanovna, and the inevitable Count. Alexandr's sufferings were unendurable. Again the whole day passed in empty, useless conversation. How the guests wearied him ! They talked calmly of all kinds of trifles, argued, joked, laughed.
'They laugh!' said Alexandr: 'they can laugh, while— Nadinka—has changed to me ! It's nothing to them! They are wretched, empty creatures; they are pleased with everything !'
Nadinka went into the garden; the Count did not go out with her. For some time he and Nadinka seemed to avoid one another in Alexandra presence. He sometimes came on them alone in the garden or indoors, but then they separated and did not meet any more in his presence. A
new dreadful discovery for Alexandr—a sign that there was an understanding between them.
The guests broke up. The Count too took his leave. Nadinka did not know this, and did not hasten indoors. Adouev left Maria Mihalovna without ceremony and went into the garden. Nadinka was standing with her back to Alexandr, leaning with her arm on the trellis and her head propped on her hand, just as on that never-to-be- forgotten evening. She did not see him and did not hear his approach.
How his heart beat, while he stole up to her on tiptoe! He could hardly breathe !
' Nadyezhda Alexandrovna!' he said, hardly audibly in his emotion.
She startled as though a shot had been fired off near her, turned round, and moved a step away from him.
' Tell me, please, what is that smoke there ? ' she said in embarrassment, pointing with alacrity to the opposite side of the river, ' is it a fire, or some furnace—in a factory ? '
He looked at her without speaking.
' Really, I thought it was a fire. Why do you look at me like that, don't you believe it?'
She broke off.
' You too,' he began, shaking his head, ' you too, like others, like every one !. .. . Who could have expected this, two months ago ? '
'What do you mean? I don't understand you,' she said, and tried to go away.
' Stop, Nadyezhda Alexandrovna; I am not able to bear this torture any longer.'
' What torture ? really I don't know.'
' Don't dissimulate; tell me. Are you the same as you were ? '
' I am always the same ! ' she said with decision.
' How ! haven't you changed to me ? '
' No; I think I am just as friendly with you; I am as glad to meet you.'
'As glad! why, then, are you running away from the trellis?'
' I run away! see how you imagine things; I am standing at the trellis, and you say—I am running away.'
She gave a forced laugh,
' Nadyezhda Alexandrovna, give up this pretence,' continued Adouev.
'What pretence? what are you worrying me about?'
'Is this you? My God, six weeks ago, at this very spot!'
' What is that smoke on the other side, I should like to know.'
' It's awful, awful!' said Alexandr.
' What have I done to you ? You left off coming to us— you must admit. There was no keeping you against your will,' began Nadinka.
'That's all pretence! don't you know why I ceased coming ? '
She shook her head, looking away.
'And the Count?' he said almost menacingly.
'What Count?'
She made a face, as though she had heard of the Count for the first time.
' What Count! tell me now,' he said, looking her straight in the eyes, ' that you are indifferent to him ? '
' You are out of your senses!' she answered, stepping away from him.
' Yes, you are right!' he continued, ' my brain is failing day by day. How can any one behave so artfully, so ungratefully to a man, who loved you beyond everything in the world, who had forgotten everything for you, everything .... who thought soon to be happy for ever, and you '
' Well, what about me ? ' she said, still retreating.
' What about you ? ' he replied, maddened by her coolness. ' You have forgotten! let me remind you that here on this very spot you have vowed a hundred times to be mine. ' God hears these vows,' you said. Yes, He heard them ! You must feel shame before Heaven, and these trees and every blade of grass, every witness of our happiness: each grain of sand here speaks of our love; think, look at yourself !—you have broken your oath!'
She looked at him with horror. His eyes glittered, his lips were white.
' Ugh ! how spiteful you are ! ' she said timidly, 'what are you angry about ? I did not prevent you, you still did not speak to tnaman —why, you know best.'
' Speak to her after this behaviour ? '
' What behaviour ? I don't know.'
' What! I will tell you at once; what is the meaning of these interviews with the Count; these expeditions on horseback ? '
' What! should I run away from him when maman goes out of the room ! and the riding means—that I like riding —it's so delightful; you gallop—ah, what a dear creature that horse Lucy! have you seen her ?—she knows me already.'
' And the change in your behaviour to me?' he continued; ' why, the Count is with you every day from morning to night!'
' Ah, my goodness, do I know why ? how ridiculous you are ! maman wishes it.'
' It's false! maman wishes what you wish. For whom are all those presents, notes, albums, flowers. All maman? '
'Yes, maman is so fond of flowers. Yesterday she bought from the gardener '
' And what is it you talk about in whispers ? ' went on Alexandr, paying no attention to her words; look at me, you' are pale, you yourself feel your guilt. To ruin a man's happiness, forget, destroy everything so quickly, so easily, hypocrisy, ingratitude, lying and treachery!—yes, treachery! How could you let yourself come to this ? A rich count, a society lion, deigns to cast a glance of favour on you, and you were melted, you fell down before this tinsel god; where is your modesty !!! Let there be no more of the Count here,' he said in a suffocating voice; ' do you hear ? stop it, break off all relations with him, let him never And his way again into your house I won't have it.'
He clutched her by the hand violently.
'Maman, maman! here!' shrieked Nadinka in a piercing voice, tearing herself away from Alexandr, and directly she was free making headlong towards the house.
He sat on the bench clutching his head in his hands.
She ran into the room pale and scared, and dropped into a chair.
' What is it ? What's the matter with you ? Why did you shriek ? ' her mother asked in alarm, as she went to meet her.
