im in French.
'One can't go away, one has to pay here,' thought Olenin bitterly,
vexed at his own awkwardness. 'Can't I really behave like Beletski? I
ought not to have come, but once I am here I must not spoil their fun.
I must drink like a Cossack,' and taking the wooden bowl (holding about
eight tumblers) he almost filled it with chikhir and drank it almost
all. The girls looked at him, surprised and almost frightened, as he
drank. It seemed to them strange and not right. Ustenka brought them
another glass each, and kissed them both. 'There girls, now we'll have
some fun,' she said, clinking on the plate the four rubles the men had
put there.
Olenin no longer felt awkward, but became talkative.
'Now, Maryanka, it's your turn to offer us wine and a kiss,' said
Beletski, seizing her hand.
'Yes, I'll give you such a kiss!' she said playfully, preparing to
strike at him.
'One can kiss Grandad without payment,' said another girl.
'There's a sensible girl,' said Beletski, kissing the struggling girl.
'No, you must offer it,' he insisted, addressing Maryanka. 'Offer a
glass to your lodger.'
And taking her by the hand he led her to the bench and sat her down
beside Olenin.
'What a beauty,' he said, turning her head to see it in profile.
Maryanka did not resist but proudly smiling turned her long eyes
towards Olenin.
'A beautiful girl,' repeated Beletski.
'Yes, see what a beauty I am,' Maryanka's look seemed to endorse.
Without considering what he was doing Olenin embraced Maryanka and was
going to kiss her, but she suddenly extricated herself, upsetting
Beletski and pushing the top off the table, and sprang away towards the
oven. There was much shouting and laughter. Then Beletski whispered
something to the girls and suddenly they all ran out into the passage
and locked the door behind them.
'Why did you kiss Beletski and won't kiss me?' asked Olenin.
'Oh, just so. I don't want to, that's all!' she answered, pouting and
frowning. 'He's Grandad,' she added with a smile. She went to the door
and began to bang at it. 'Why have you locked the door, you devils?'
'Well, let them be there and us here,' said Olenin, drawing closer to
her.
She frowned, and sternly pushed him away with her hand. And again she
appeared so majestically handsome to Olenin that he came to his senses
and felt ashamed of what he was doing. He went to the door and began
pulling at it himself.
'Beletski! Open the door! W
|