hat a stupid joke!'

Maryanka again gave a bright happy laugh. 'Ah, you're afraid of me?'
she said.

'Yes, you know you're as cross as your mother.'

'Spend more of your time with Eroshka; that will make the girls love
you!' And she smiled, looking straight and close into his eyes.

He did not know what to reply. 'And if I were to come to see you--' he
let fall.

'That would be a different matter,' she replied, tossing her head.

At that moment Beletski pushed the door open, and Maryanka sprang away
from Olenin and in doing so her thigh struck his leg.

'It's all nonsense what I have been thinking about--love and
self-sacrifice and Lukashka. Happiness is the one thing. He who is
happy is right,' flashed through Olenin's mind, and with a strength
unexpected to himself he seized and kissed the beautiful Maryanka on
her temple and her cheek. Maryanka was not angry, but only burst into a
loud laugh and ran out to the other girls.

That was the end of the party. Ustenka's mother, returned from her
work, gave all the girls a scolding, and turned them all out.

Chapter XXVI

'Yes,' thought Olenin, as he walked home. 'I need only slacken the
reins a bit and I might fall desperately in love with this Cossack
girl.' He went to bed with these thoughts, but expected it all to blow
over and that he would continue to live as before.

But the old life did not return. His relations to Maryanka were
changed. The wall that had separated them was broken down. Olenin now
greeted her every time they met.

The master of the house having returned to collect the rent, on hearing
of Olenin's wealth and generosity invited him to his hut. The old woman
received him kindly, and from the day of the party onwards Olenin often
went in of an evening and sat with them till late at night. He seemed
to be living in the village just as he used to, but within him
everything had changed. He spent his days in the forest, and towards
eight o'clock, when it began to grow dusk, he would go to see his
hosts, alone or with Daddy Eroshka. They grew so used to him that they
were surprised when he stayed away. He paid well for his wine and was a
quiet fellow. Vanyusha would bring him his tea and he would sit down in
a corner near the oven. The old woman did not mind him but went on with
her work, and over their tea or their chikhir they talked about Cossack
affairs, about the neighbours, or about Russia: Olenin relating and the
others inquirin