ard "O-o-o my G-o-od!" Nadya sat on her bed, and suddenly
she clutched at her hair and burst into sobs.

"Mother, mother, my own," she said. "If only you knew what is
happening to me! I beg you, I beseech you, let me go away! I beseech
you!"

"Where?" asked Nina Ivanovna, not understanding, and she sat down
on the bedstead. "Go where?"

For a long while Nadya cried and could not utter a word.

"Let me go away from the town," she said at last. "There must not
and will not be a wedding, understand that! I don't love that man
. . . I can't even speak about him."

"No, my own, no!" Nina Ivanovna said quickly, terribly alarmed.
"Calm yourself--it's just because you are in low spirits. It will
pass, it often happens. Most likely you have had a tiff with Andrey;
but lovers' quarrels always end in kisses!"

"Oh, go away, mother, oh, go away," sobbed Nadya.

"Yes," said Nina Ivanovna after a pause, "it's not long since you
were a baby, a little girl, and now you are engaged to be married.
In nature there is a continual transmutation of substances. Before
you know where you are you will be a mother yourself and an old
woman, and will have as rebellious a daughter as I have."

"My darling, my sweet, you are clever you know, you are unhappy,"
said Nadya. "You are very unhappy; why do you say such very dull,
commonplace things? For God's sake, why?"

Nina Ivanovna tried to say something, but could not utter a word;
she gave a sob and went away to her own room. The bass voices began
droning in the stove again, and Nadya felt suddenly frightened. She
jumped out of bed and went quickly to her mother. Nina Ivanovna,
with tear-stained face, was lying in bed wrapped in a pale blue
quilt and holding a book in her hands.

"Mother, listen to me!" said Nadya. "I implore you, do understand!
If you would only understand how petty and degrading our life is.
My eyes have been opened, and I see it all now. And what is your
Andrey Andreitch? Why, he is not intelligent, mother! Merciful
heavens, do understand, mother, he is stupid!"

Nina Ivanovna abruptly sat up.

"You and your grandmother torment me," she said with a sob. "I want
to live! to live," she repeated, and twice she beat her little fist
upon her bosom. "Let me be free! I am still young, I want to live,
and you have made me an old woman between you!"

She broke into bitter tears, lay down and curled up under the quilt,
and looked so small, so pitiful, so foolish. Nadya we