Ivan Ivanich Lapkin, a pleasant looking young man, and Anna Zamblizky,
a young girl with a little snub nose, walked down the sloping bank
and sat down on the bench. The bench was close to the water’s edge,
among thick bushes of young willow. A heavenly spot! You sat down, and
you were hidden from the world. Only the fish could see you and the
catspaws which flashed over the water like lightning. The two young
persons were equipped with rods, fish hooks, bags, tins of worms and
everything else necessary. Once seated, they immediately began to fish.
“I am glad that we’re left alone at last,” said Lapkin, looking round.
I’ve got a lot to tell you, Anna--tremendous ... when I saw you for
the first time ... you’ve got a nibble ... I understood then--why I
am alive, I knew where my idol was, to whom I can devote my honest,
hardworking life.... It must be a big one ... it is biting.... When I
saw you--for the first time in my life I fell in love--fell in love
passionately! Don’t pull. Let it go on biting.... Tell me, darling,
tell me--will you let me hope? No! I’m not worth it. I dare not even
think of it--may I hope for.... Pull!
Anna lifted her hand that held the rod--pulled, cried out. A silvery
green fish shone in the air.
“Goodness! it’s a perch! Help--quick! It’s slipping off.” The perch
tore itself from the hook--danced in the grass towards its native
element and ... leaped into the water.
But instead of the little fish that he was chasing, Lapkin quite by
accident caught hold of Anna’s hand--quite by accident pressed it to
his lips. She drew back, but it was too late; quite by accident their
lips met and kissed; yes, it was an absolute accident! They kissed and
kissed. Then came vows and assurances.... Blissful moments! But there
is no such thing as absolute happiness in this life. If happiness
itself does not contain a poison, poison will enter in from without.
Which happened this time. Suddenly, while the two were kissing, a laugh
was heard. They looked at the river and were paralysed. The schoolboy
Kolia, Anna’s brother, was standing in the water, watching the young
people and maliciously laughing.
“Ah--ha! Kissing!” said he. “Right O, I’ll tell Mother.”
“I hope that you--as a man of honour,” Lapkin muttered, blushing. “It’s
disgusting to spy on us, it’s loathsome to tell tales, it’s rotten. As
a man of honour....”
“Give me a shilling, then I’ll shut up!” the man of honour retorted.
“If you don’t, I’ll tell.”
Lapkin took a shilling out of his pocket and gave it to Kolia, who
squeezed it in his wet fist, whistled, and swam away. And the young
people did not kiss any more just then.
Next day Lapkin brought Kolia some paints and a ball from town, and his
sister gave him all her empty pill boxes. Then they had to present him
with a set of studs like dogs’ heads. The wretched boy enjoyed this
game immensely, and to keep it going he began to spy on them. Wherever
Lapkin and Anna went, he was there too. He did not leave them alone for
a single moment.
“Beast!” Lapkin gnashed his teeth. “So young and yet such a full
fledged scoundrel. What on earth will become of him later!”
During the whole of July the poor lovers had no life apart from him. He
threatened to tell on them; he dogged them and demanded more presents.
Nothing satisfied him--finally he hinted at a gold watch. All right,
they had to promise the watch.
Once, at table, when biscuits were being handed round, he burst out
laughing and said to Lapkin: “Shall I let on? Ah--ha!”
Lapkin blushed fearfully and instead of a biscuit he began to chew his
table napkin. Anna jumped up from the table and rushed out of the room.
And this state of things went on until the end of August, up to the
day when Lapkin at last proposed to Anna. Ah! What a happy day that
was! When he had spoken to her parents and obtained their consent
Lapkin rushed into the garden after Kolia. When he found him he nearly
cried for joy and caught hold of the wretched boy by the ear. Anna, who
was also looking for Kolia came running up and grabbed him by the other
ear. You should have seen the happiness depicted on their faces while
Kolia roared and begged them:
“Darling, precious pets, I won’t do it again. O-oh--O-oh! Forgive me!”
And both of them confessed afterwards that during all the time they
were in love with each other they never experienced such happiness,
such overwhelming joy as during those moments when they pulled the
wretched boy’s ears.