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hare my opinion。 If this outburst seems absurd to you； I pray you； laugh！ I fore… warn you that your laughter will not cause me the least chagrin。〃
At that moment I met her eyes： tears were welling in them。 Her arm； as it leaned upon mine； was trembling； her cheeks were aflame； she pitied me！ Sympathy a feeling to which all women yield so easily； had dug its talons into her inexperienced heart。 During the whole excursion she was preoccupied； and did not flirt with anyone and that is a great sign！
We arrived at the hollow； the ladies left their cavaliers； but she did not let go my arm。 The witticisms of the local dandies failed to make her laugh； the steepness of the declivity beside which she was standing caused her no alarm； although the other ladies uttered shrill cries and shut their eyes。
On the way back； I did not renew our melan… choly conversation； but to my idle questions and jests she gave short and absent…minded answers。
〃Have you ever been in love？〃 I asked her at length。
She looked at me intently； shook her head and again fell into a reverie。 It was evident that she was wishing to say something； but did not know how to begin。 Her breast heaved。 。 。 And； indeed； that was but natural！ A muslin sleeve is a weak protection； and an electric spark was running from my arm to hers。 Almost all passions have their beginning in that way； and frequently we are very much deceived in thinking that a woman loves us for our moral and physical merits； of course； these prepare and predispose the heart for the reception of the holy flame； but for all that it is the first touch that decides the matter。
〃I have been very amiable to…day； have I not？〃 Princess Mary said to me； with a forced smile； when we had returned from the walk。
We separated。
She is dissatisfied with herself。 She accuses herself of coldness。 。 。 Oh； that is the first； the chief triumph！
To…morrow； she will be feeling a desire to recompense me。 I know the whole proceeding by heart already that is what is so tiresome！
CHAPTER IX
12th June。
I HAVE seen Vera to…day。 She has begun to plague me with her jealousy。 Princess Mary has taken it into her head； it seems； to confide the secrets of her heart to Vera： a happy choice； it must be confessed！
〃I can guess what all this is leading to；〃 said Vera to me。 〃You had better simply tell me at once that you are in love with her。〃
〃But supposing I am not in love with her？〃
〃Then why run after her； disturb her； agitate her imagination！ 。 。 。 Oh； I know you well！ Listen if you wish me to believe you； come to Kislovodsk in a week's time； we shall be moving thither the day after to…morrow。 Princess Mary will remain here longer。 Engage lodgings next door to us。 We shall be living in the large house near the spring； on the mezzanine floor。 Princess Ligovski will be below us； and next door there is a house belonging to the same landlord； which has not yet been taken。 。 。 Will you come？〃 。 。 。
I gave my promise； and this very same day I have sent to engage the lodgings。
Grushnitski came to me at six o'clock and announced that his uniform would be ready to…morrow； just in time for him to go to the ball in it。
〃At last I shall dance with her the whole evening through。 。 。 And then I shall talk to my heart's content；〃 he added。
〃When is the ball？〃
〃Why； to…morrow！ Do you not know； then？ A great festival and the local authorities have undertaken to organize it〃 。 。 。
〃Let us go to the boulevard〃 。 。 。
〃Not on any account； in this nasty cloak〃 。 。 。
〃What！ Have you ceased to love it？〃 。 。 。
I went out alone； and； meeting Princess Mary I asked her to keep the mazurka for me。 She seemed surprised and delighted。
〃I thought that you would only dance from necessity as on the last occasion；〃 she said； with a very charming smile。 。 。
She does not seem to notice Grushnitski's absence at all。
〃You will be agreeably surprised to…morrow；〃 I said to her。
〃At what？〃
〃That is a secret。 。 。 You will find it out yourself； at the ball。〃
I finished up the evening at Princess Ligovski's； there were no other guests present except Vera and a certain very amusing； little old gentleman。 I was in good spirits； and improvised various extraordinary stories。 Princess Mary sat opposite me and listened to my nonsense with such deep； strained； and even tender attention that I grew ashamed of myself。 What had become of her vivacity； her coquetry； her caprices； her haughty mien； her contemptuous smile； her absent… minded glance？ 。 。 。
Vera noticed everything； and her sickly coun… tenance was a picture of profound grief。 She was sitting in the shadow by the window； buried in a wide arm…chair。 。 。 I pitied her。
Then I related the whole dramatic story of our acquaintanceship； our love concealing it all； of course； under fictitious names。
So vividly did I portray my tenderness； my anxieties； my raptures； in so favourable a light did I exhibit her actions and her character； that involuntarily she had to forgive me for my flirtation with Princess Mary。
She rose； sat down beside us； and brightened up 。 。 。 and it was only at two o'clock in the morning that we remembered that the doctors had ordered her to go to bed at eleven。
CHAPTER X
13th June。
HALF an hour before the ball； Grushnitski presented himself to me in the full splendour of the uniform of the Line infantry。 Attached to his third button was a little bronze chain； on which hung a double lorgnette。 Epaulettes of incredible size were bent backwards and upwards in the shape of a cupid's wings； his boots creaked； in his left hand he held cinnamon… coloured kid gloves and a forage…cap； and with his right he kept every moment twisting his frizzled tuft of hair up into tiny curls。 Com… placency and at the same time a certain diffi… dence were depicted upon his face。 His festal appearance and proud gait would have made me burst out laughing； if such a proceeding had been in accordance with my intentions。
He threw his cap and gloves on the table and began to pull down the skirts of his coat and to put himself to rights before the looking…glass。 An enormous black handkerchief； which was twisted into a very high stiffener for his cravat； and the bristles of which supported his chin； stuck out an inch over his collar。 It seemed to him to be rather small； and he drew it up as far as his ears。 As a result of that hard work the collar of his uniform being very tight and uncomfortable he grew red in the face。
〃They say you have been courting my princess terribly these last few days？〃 he said； rather carelessly and without looking at me。
〃'Where are we fools to drink tea！'〃＇1＇ I answered； repeating a pet phrase of one of the cleverest rogues of past times； once celebrated in song by Pushkin。
＇1＇ A popular phrase； equivalent to： 〃How should I think of doing such a thing？〃
〃Tell me； does my uniform fit me well？ 。 。 。 Oh； the cursed Jew！ 。 。 。 How it cuts me under the armpits！ 。 。 。 Have you got any scent？〃
〃Good gracious； what more do you want？ You are reeking of rose pomade as it is。〃
〃Never mind。 Give me some〃 。 。 。
He poured half a phial over his crava