manner of those sheep, to kiss my
hand. But just the same, I would not have let you come to that. I
wanted right there, in the presence of all, when you walked up to me,
to press your hand and to offer you the place of first housekeeper--you
understand?--my chief assistant--and on terms very advantageous to
you..."

"I thank you ..."

"No, wait a while, don't interrupt me. I will have my say to the end,
and then you will express your pros and cons. But will you explain to
me, please, when yesterday you were aiming at me out of a revolver,
what did you want? Can it possibly be, to kill me?"

"On the contrary, Emma Edwardovna," retorted Tamara respectfully, "on
the contrary; it seemed to me that you wanted to strike me."

"PJUI! What do you mean, Tamarochka! ... Have you paid no attention to
the fact that during all the time of our acquaintance I never permitted
myself, not only to hit you, but even to address you with a rude word?
... What do you mean, what do you mean? ... I don't confuse you with
this poor Russian trash ... Glory be to God, I am an experienced person
and one who knows people well. I can very well see that you are a
genuinely cultured young lady; far more educated, for example, than I
myself. You are refined, elegant, smart. I am convinced of the fact
that you even know music not at all badly. Finally, if I were to
confess, I was a little ... how shall I put it to you? ... I always was
a little in love with you. And now you wanted to shoot me! Me, a person
who could be a very good friend to you! Well, what will you say to
that?"

"Well ... nothing at all, Emma Edwardovna," retorted Tamara in the
meekest and most plausible tone. "Everything was very simple. Even
before that I found the revolver under Jennka's pillow and brought it,
in order to give it over to you. I did not want to interfere, when you
were reading the letter; but then you turned around to me--I stretched
the revolver out to you and wanted to say: 'See, Emma Edwardovna, what
I found'--for, don't you see, it surprised me awfully how the late
Jennie, having a revolver at her disposal, preferred such a horrible
death as hanging? And that's all."

The bushy, frightful eyebrows of Emma Edwardovna rose upward; the eyes
widened joyously; and a real, uncounterfeited smile spread over her
cheeks of a behemoth. She quickly extended both hands to Tamara.

"And is this all? O, MEIN KIND? And I thought ... God knows what I
imagined! Give me y