sed between you and Lukishka?'

'What has passed? A match was proposed. Father put it off for a year,
but now it's been settled and they'll marry us in autumn.'

'But what did he say to you?' Maryanka smiled.

'What should he say? He said he loved me. He kept asking me to come to
the vineyards with him.'

'Just see what pitch! But you didn't go, did you? And what a dare-devil
he has become: the first among the braves. He makes merry out there in
the army too! The other day our Kirka came home; he says: "What a horse
Lukashka's got in exchange!" But all the same I expect he frets after
you. And what else did he say?'

'Must you know everything?' said Maryanka laughing. 'One night he came
to my window tipsy, and asked me to let him in.' 'And you didn't let
him?'

'Let him, indeed! Once I have said a thing I keep to it firm as a
rock,' answered Maryanka seriously.

'A fine fellow! If he wanted her, no girl would refuse him.'

'Well, let him go to the others,' replied Maryanka proudly.

'You don't pity him?'

'I do pity him, but I'll have no nonsense. It is wrong.' Ustenka
suddenly dropped her head on her friend's breast, seized hold of her,
and shook with smothered laughter. 'You silly fool!' she exclaimed,
quite out of breath. 'You don't want to be happy,' and she began
tickling Maryanka. 'Oh, leave off!' said Maryanka, screaming and
laughing. 'You've crushed Lazutka.'

'Hark at those young devils! Quite frisky! Not tired yet!' came the old
woman's sleepy voice from the wagon.

'Don't want happiness,' repeated Ustenka in a whisper, insistently.
'But you are lucky, that you are! How they love you! You are so crusty,
and yet they love you. Ah, if I were in your place I'd soon turn the
lodger's head! I noticed him when you were at our house. He was ready
to eat you with his eyes. What things Grandad has given me! And yours
they say is the richest of the Russians. His orderly says they have
serfs of their own.'

Maryanka raised herself, and after thinking a moment, smiled.

'Do you know what he once told me: the lodger I mean?' she said, biting
a bit of grass. 'He said, "I'd like to be Lukashka the Cossack, or your
brother Lazutka--." What do you think he meant?'

'Oh, just chattering what came into his head,' answered Ustenka. 'What
does mine not say! Just as if he was possessed!'

Maryanka dropped her hand on her folded beshmet, threw her arm over
Ustenka's shoulder, and shut her eyes.

'He wanted to c