ousers out of his high boots as a sign that the company was stationed
in comfortable quarters, was in excellent spirits. He looked
attentively but not benevolently at Eroshka, as at a wild beast he had
never seen before, shook his head at the floor which the old man had
dirtied and, having taken two bottles from under a bench, went to the
landlady.

'Good evening, kind people,' he said, having made up his mind to be
very gentle. 'My master has sent me to get some chikhir. Will you draw
some for me, good folk?'

The old woman gave no answer. The girl, who was arranging the kerchief
on her head before a little Tartar mirror, looked round at Vanyusha in
silence.

'I'll pay money for it, honoured people,' said Vanyusha, jingling the
coppers in his pocket. 'Be kind to us and we, too will be kind to you,'
he added.

'How much?' asked the old woman abruptly. 'A quart.'

'Go, my own, draw some for them,' said Granny Ulitka to her daughter.
'Take it from the cask that's begun, my precious.'

The girl took the keys and a decanter and went out of the hut with
Vanyusha.

'Tell me, who is that young woman?' asked Olenin, pointing to Maryanka,
who was passing the window. The old man winked and nudged the young man
with his elbow.

'Wait a bit,' said he and reached out of the window. 'Khm,' he coughed,
and bellowed, 'Maryanka dear. Hallo, Maryanka, my girlie, won't you
love me, darling? I'm a wag,' he added in a whisper to Olenin. The
girl, not turning her head and swinging her arms regularly and
vigorously, passed the window with the peculiarly smart and bold gait
of a Cossack woman and only turned her dark shaded eyes slowly towards
the old man.

'Love me and you'll be happy,' shouted Eroshka, winking, and he looked
questioningly at the cadet.

'I'm a fine fellow, I'm a wag!' he added. 'She's a regular queen, that
girl. Eh?'

'She is lovely,' said Olenin. 'Call her here!'

'No, no,' said the old man. 'For that one a match is being arranged
with Lukashka, Luke, a fine Cossack, a brave, who killed an abrek the
other day. I'll find you a better one. I'll find you one that will be
all dressed up in silk and silver. Once I've said it I'll do it. I'll
get you a regular beauty!'

'You, an old man--and say such things,' replied Olenin. 'Why, it's a
sin!'

'A sin? Where's the sin?' said the old man emphatically. 'A sin to look
at a nice girl? A sin to have some fun with her? Or is it a sin to love
her? Is that so in your