Long Meadow was the name of a wide, level stretch of ground on the right
of the little stream Sniezhinka, nearly a mile from the Perekatovs'
property. The left bank, completely covered by thick young oak bushes,
rose steeply up over the stream, which was almost overgrown with willow
bushes, except for some small 'breeding-places,' the haunts of wild
ducks. Half a mile from the stream, on the right side of Long Meadow,
began the sloping, undulating uplands, studded here and there with old
birch-trees, nut bushes, and guelder-roses.
The sun was setting. The mill rumbled and clattered in the distance,
sounding louder or softer according to the wind. The seignorial drove of
horses was lazily wandering about the meadows; a shepherd walked,
humming a tune, after a flock of greedy and timorous sheep; the
sheepdogs, from boredom, were running after the crows. Lutchkov walked
up and down in the copse, with his arms folded. His horse, tied up near
by, more than once whinnied in response to the sonorous neighing of the
mares and fillies in the meadow. Avdey was ill-tempered and shy, as
usual. Not yet convinced of Masha's love, he felt wrathful with her and
annoyed with himself... but his excitement smothered his annoyance. He
stopped at last before a large nut bush, and began with his riding-whip
switching off the leaves at the ends of the twigs....
He heard a light rustle... he raised his head.... Ten paces from him
stood Masha, all flushed from her rapid walk, in a hat, but with no
gloves, in a white dress, with a hastily tied kerchief round her neck.
She dropped her eyes instantly, and softly nodded....
Avdey went awkwardly up to her with a forced smile.
'How happy I am...' he was beginning, scarcely audibly.
'I am very glad... to meet you...' Masha interrupted breathlessly. 'I
usually walk here in the evening... and you...'
But Lutchkov had not the sense even to spare her modesty, to keep up her
innocent deception.
'I believe, Marya Sergievna,' he pronounced with dignity, 'you yourself
suggested...'
'Yes... yes...' rejoined Masha hurriedly. 'You wished to see me, you
wanted...' Her voice died away.
Lutchkov did not speak. Masha timidly raised her eyes.
'Excuse me,' he began, not looking at her, 'I'm a plain man, and not
used to talking freely... to ladies... I... I wished to tell you... but,
I fancy, you 're not in the humour to listen to me....'
'Speak.'
'Since you tell me to... well, then, I tell you frankly that for a long
while now, ever since I had the honour of making your acquaintance...'
Avdey stopped. Masha waited for the conclusion of his sentence.
'I don't know, though, what I'm telling you all this for.... There's no
changing one's destiny...'
'How can one know?...'
'I know!' responded Avdey gloomily. 'I am used to facing its blows!'
It struck Masha that this was not exactly the befitting moment for
Lutchkov to rail against destiny.
'There are kind-hearted people in the world,' she observed with a smile;
'some even too kind....'
'I understand you, Marya Sergievna, and believe me, I appreciate your
friendliness... I... I... You won't be angry?'
'No.... What do you want to say?'
'I want to say... that I think you charming... Marya Sergievna, awfully
charming....'
'I am very grateful to you,' Masha interrupted him; her heart was aching
with anticipation and terror. 'Ah, do look, Mr. Lutchkov,' she went
on--'look, what a view!'
She pointed to the meadow, streaked with long, evening shadows, and
flushed red with the sunset.
Inwardly overjoyed at the abrupt change in the conversation, Lutchkov
began admiring the view. He was standing near Masha....
'You love nature?' she asked suddenly, with a rapid turn of her little
head, looking at him with that friendly, inquisitive, soft glance, which
is a gift only vouchsafed to young girls.
'Yes... nature... of course...' muttered Avdey. 'Of course... a stroll's
pleasant in the evening, though, I confess, I'm a soldier, and fine
sentiments are not in my line.'
Lutchkov often repeated that he 'was a soldier.' A brief silence
followed. Masha was still looking at the meadow.
'How about getting away?' thought Avdey. 'What rot it is, though! Come,
more pluck!... Marya Sergievna...' he began, in a fairly resolute voice.
Masha turned to him.
'Excuse me,' he began, as though in joke, 'but let me on my side know
what you think of me, whether you feel at all... so to say,... amiably
disposed towards my person?'
'Mercy on us, how uncouth he is!' Masha said to herself. 'Do you know,
Mr. Lutchkov,' she answered him with a smile, 'it's not always easy to
give a direct answer to a direct question.'
'Still...'
'But what is it to you?'
'Oh, really now, I want to know...'
'But... Is it true that you are a great duellist? Tell me, is it true?'
said Masha, with shy curiosity. 'They do say you have killed more than
one man?'
'It has happened so,' Avdey responded indifferently, and he stroked his
moustaches.
Masha looked intently at him.
'This hand then...' she murmured. Meanwhile Lutchkov's blood had caught
fire. For more than a quarter of an hour a young and pretty girl had
been moving before his eyes.
'Marya Sergievna,' he began again, in a sharp and strange voice, 'you
know my feelings now, you know what I wanted to see you for.... You've
been so kind.... You tell me, too, at last what I may hope for....'
Masha twisted a wildflower in her hands.... She glanced sideways at
Lutchkov, flushed, smiled, said,' What nonsense you do talk,' and gave
him the flower.
Avdey seized her hand.
'And so you love me!' he cried.
Masha turned cold all over with horror. She had not had the slightest
idea of making a declaration of love to Avdey: she was not even sure
herself as yet whether she did care for him, and here he was
forestalling her, forcing her to speak out--he must be misunderstanding
her then.... This idea flashed quicker than lightning into Masha's head.
She had never expected such a speedy _dénouement._... Masha, like
an inquisitive child, had been asking herself all day: 'Can it be that
Lutchkov cares for me?' She had dreamed of a delightful evening walk, a
respectful and tender dialogue; she had fancied how she would flirt with
him, make the wild creature feel at home with her, permit him at parting
to kiss her hand... and instead of that...
Instead of that, she was suddenly aware of Avdey's rough moustaches on
her cheek....
'Let us be happy,' he was whispering: 'there's no other happiness on
earth!'
Masha shuddered, darted horror-stricken on one side, and pale all over,
stopped short, one hand leaning on a birch-tree. Avdey was terribly
confused.
'Excuse me,' he muttered, approaching her, 'I didn't expect really...'
Masha gazed at him, wide-eyed and speechless... A disagreeable smile
twisted his lips... patches of red came out on his face....
'What are you afraid of?' he went on; 'it's no such great matter....
Why, we understand each other... and so....'
Masha did not speak.
'Come, stop that!... that's all nonsense! it's nothing but...' Lutchkov
stretched out his hand to her.
Masha recollected Kister, his 'take care of yourself,' and, sinking with
terror, in a rather shrill voice screamed, 'Taniusha!'
From behind a nutbush emerged the round face of her maid.... Avdey was
completely disconcerted. Reassured by the presence of her hand-maiden,
Masha did not stir. But the bully was shaking all over with rage; his
eyes were half closed; he clenched his fists and laughed nervously.
'Bravo! bravo! Clever trick--no denying that!' he cried out.
Masha was petrified.
'So you took every care, I see, to be on the safe side, Marya Sergievna!
Prudence is never thrown away, eh? Upon my word! Nowadays young ladies
see further than old men. So this is all your love amounts to!'
'I don't know, Mr. Lutchkov, who has given you any right to speak about
love... what love?'
'Who? Why, you yourself!' Lutchkov cut her short: 'what next!' He felt
he was ship-wrecking the whole business, but he could not restrain
himself.
'I have acted thoughtlessly,' said Masha.... 'I yielded to your request,
relying upon your _délicatesse_... but you don't know French... on
your courtesy, I mean....'
Avdey turned pale. Masha had stung him to the quick.
'I don't know French... may be; but I know... I know very well that you
have been amusing yourself at my expense.'
'Not at all, Avdey Ivanovitch... indeed, I'm very sorry...'
'Oh, please, don't talk about being sorry for me,' Avdey cut her short
peremptorily; 'spare me that, anyway!'
'Mr. Lutchkov...'
'Oh, you needn't put on those grand-duchess airs... It's trouble thrown
away! you don't impress me.'
Masha stepped back a pace, turned swiftly round and walked away.
'Won't you give me a message for your friend, your shepherd lad, your
tender sweet-heart, Kister,' Avdey shouted after her. He had lost his
head. 'Isn't he the happy man?'...
Masha made him no reply, and hurriedly, gladly retreated. She felt light
at heart, in spite of her fright and excitement. She felt as though she
had waked up from a troubled sleep, had stepped out of a dark room into
air and sunshine.... Avdey glared about him like a madman; in speechless
frenzy he broke a young tree, jumped on to his mare, and so viciously
drove the spurs into her, so mercilessly pulled and tugged at the reins
that the wretched beast galloped six miles in a quarter of an hour and
almost expired the same night.
Kister waited for Lutchkov in vain till midnight, and next morning he
went round himself to see him. The orderly informed Fyodor Fedoritch
that his master was lying down and had given orders that he would see no
one. 'He won't see me even?'. 'Not even your honour.' Kister walked
twice up and down the street, tortured by the keenest apprehensions, and
then went home again. His servant handed him a note.
'From whom?'
'From the Perekatovs. Artiomka the postillion brought it.'
Kister's hands began to tremble.
'He had orders to give you their greetings. He had orders to wait for
your answer. Am I to give Artiomka some vodka?'
Kister slowly unfolded the note, and read as follows:
'DEAR GOOD FYODOR FEDORITCH,--I want very, very much to see you.
Come to-day, if you can. Don't refuse my request, I entreat you,
for the sake of our old friendship. If only you knew... but you
shall know everything. Good-bye for a little while,--eh?