with the other hand; he
began kissing the other hand too. Elena drew it away, he threw back his
head, she looked into his face, bent above him, and their lips touched.

An instant passed... she broke away, got up, whispered 'No, no,' and
went quickly up to the writing-table.

'I am mistress here, you know, so you ought not to have any secrets from
me,' she said, trying to seem at ease, and standing with her back to
him. 'What a lot of papers! what are these letters?'

Insarov knitted his brows. 'Those letters?' he said, getting up, 'you
can read them.'

Elena turned them over in her hand. 'There are so many of them, and the
writing is so fine, and I have to go directly... let them be. They're
not from a rival, eh?... and they're not in Russian,' she added, turning
over the thin sheets.

Insarov came close to her and fondly touched her waist. She turned
suddenly to him, smiled brightly at him and leant against his shoulder.

'Those letters are from Bulgaria, Elena; my friends write to me, they
want me to come.'

'Now? To them?'

'Yes... now, while there is still time, while it is still possible to
come.'

All at once she flung both arms round his neck, 'You will take me with
you, yes?'

He pressed her to his heart. 'O my sweet girl, O my heroine, how
you said that! But isn't it wicked, isn't it mad for me, a homeless,
solitary man, to drag you with me... and out there too!'

She shut his mouth.... 'Sh--or I shall be angry, and never come to see
you again. Why isn't it all decided, all settled between us? Am I not
your wife? Can a wife be parted from her husband?'

'Wives don't go into war,' he said with a half-mournful smile.

'Oh yes, when they can't stay behind, and I cannot stay here?'

'Elena, my angel!.. but think, I have, perhaps, to leave Moscow in a
fortnight. I can't think of university lectures, or finishing my work.'

'What!' interrupted Elena, 'you have to go soon? If you like, I will
stop at once this minute with you for ever, and not go home, shall I?
Shall we go at once?'

Insarov clasped her in his arms with redoubled warmth. 'May God so
reward me then,' he cried, 'if I am doing wrong! From to-day, we are one
for ever!'

'Am I to stay?' asked Elena.

'No, my pure girl; no, my treasure. You shall go back home to-day, only
keep yourself in readiness. This is a matter we can't manage straight
off; we must plan it out well. We want money, a passport----'

'I have money,' put in Elena.