‘Never mind, go on, go on,’ she said,
as it were coming to his aid; ‘I’m listening
to you. I like to hear you; go on talking.’
Sanin fell to describing his estate, how many acres
it contained, and where it was situated, and what
were its agricultural advantages, and what profit
could be made from it ... he even referred to the
picturesque situation of the house; while Maria Nikolaevna
still watched him, and watched more and more intently
and radiantly, and her lips faintly stirred, without
smiling: she bit them. He felt awkward at
last; he was silent a second time.
‘Dimitri Pavlovitch’ began Maria Nikolaevna,
and sank into thought again.... ‘Dimitri
Pavlovitch,’ she repeated.... ’Do
you know what: I am sure the purchase of your
estate will be a very profitable transaction for me,
and that we shall come to terms; but you must give
me two days.... Yes, two days’ grace.
You are able to endure two days’ separation
from your betrothed, aren’t you? Longer
I won’t keep you against your will—I
give you my word of honour. But if you want five
or six thousand francs at once, I am ready with great
pleasure to let you have it as a loan, and then we’ll
settle later.’
Sanin got up. ’I must thank you, Maria
Nikolaevna, for your kindhearted and friendly readiness
to do a service to a man almost unknown to you.
But if that is your decided wish, then I prefer to
await your decision about my estate—I will
stay here two days.’
’Yes; that is my wish, Dimitri Pavlovitch.
And will it be very hard for you? Very?
Tell me.’
’I love my betrothed, Maria Nikolaevna, and
to be separated from her is hard for me.’
‘Ah! you’re a heart of gold!’ Maria
Nikolaevna commented with a sigh. ‘I promise
not to torment you too much. Are you going?’
‘It is late,’ observed Sanin.
’And you want to rest after your journey, and
your game of “fools” with my husband.
Tell me, were you a great friend of Ippolit Sidorovitch,
my husband?’
‘We were educated at the same school.’
‘And was he the same then?’
‘The same as what?’ inquired Sanin.
Maria Nikolaevna burst out laughing, and laughed till
she was red in the face; she put her handkerchief
to her lips, rose from her chair, and swaying as though
she were tired, went up to Sanin, and held out her
hand to him.
He bowed over it, and went towards the door.
‘Come early to-morrow—do you hear?’
she called after him. He looked back as he went
out of the room, and saw that she had again dropped
into an easy-chair, and flung both arms behind her
head. The loose sleeves of her tea-gown fell
open almost to her shoulders, and it was impossible
not to admit that the pose of the arms, that the whole
figure, was enchantingly beautiful.
