me, I am not laughing at you. What I said was
the simple truth. You are already, all you Russian women, more capable
and higher than we men."

Mariana raised her eyes.

"I would like to live up to your idea of us, Solomin... and then I
should be ready to die."

Solomin stood up.

"No, it is better to live! That's the main thing. By the way, would you
like to know what is happening at the Sipiagins? Won't they do anything?
You have only to drop Pavel a hint and he will find out everything in a
twinkling."

Mariana was surprised.

"What a wonderful person he is!"

"Yes, he certainly is wonderful. And should you want to marry Alexai,
he will arrange that too with Zosim, the priest. You remember I told you
about him. But perhaps it is not necessary as yet, eh?"

"No, not yet."

"Very well." Solomin went up to the door dividing the two rooms,
Mariana's and Nejdanov's, and examined the lock.

"What are you doing?" Mariana asked. "Does it lock all right?"

"Yes," Mariana whispered.

Solomin turned to her. She did not raise her eyes.

"Then there is no need to bother about the Sipiagins," he continued
gaily, "is there?"

Solomin was about to go out.

"Vassily Fedotitch..."

"Yes..."

"Why is it you are so talkative with me when you are usually so silent?
You can't imagine what pleasure it gives me."

"Why?" Solomin took both her soft little hands in his big hard ones.
"Why, did you ask? Well, I suppose it must be because I love you so
much. Good-bye."

He went out. Mariana stood pensive looking after him. In a little while
she went to find Tatiana who had not yet brought the samovar. She had
tea with her, washed some pots, plucked a chicken, and even combed out
some boy's tangled head of hair.

Before dinner she returned to her own rooms and soon afterwards Nejdanov
arrived.

He came in tired and covered with dust and dropped on to the sofa. She
immediately sat down beside him.

"Well, tell me what happened."

"You remember the two lines," he responded in a weary voice:

"It would have been so funny Were it not so sad."

"Do you remember?"

"Of course I do."

"Well, these lines apply admirably to my first expedition, excepting
that it was more funny than sad. I've come to the conclusion that there
is nothing easier than to act a part. No one dreamed of suspecting me.
There was one thing, however, that I had not thought of. You must be
prepared with some sort of yarn beforehand, or else whe