Sanine

When Lida Sanine received Lialia's invitation, she showed it to her

brother. She thought that he would refuse; in fact, she hoped as much.

She felt that on the moonlit river she would again be drawn to

Sarudine, and would again experience that sensation at once delicious

and disquieting. At the same time she was ashamed that her brother

should know that it was Sarudine, of all people, whom he cordially

despised.

But Sanine at once accepted with pleasure.

The day was an ideal one; bright sunlight and a cloudless sky.

"No doubt there will be some nice girls there, whose acquaintance you

may care to make," said Lida, mechanically.

"Ah! that's good!" said Sanine. "The weather is lovely, too; so let's

go!"

At the time appointed, Sarudine and Tanaroff drove up in the large

lineika belonging to their squadron with two big regimental horses.

"Lidia Petrovna, we are waiting for you," cried Sarudine, looking

extremely smart in white, and heavily scented.

Lida in a light gauzy dress with a collar and waist-band of rose-

coloured velvet ran down the steps and held out both her hands to

Sarudine. For a moment he grasped them tightly, as he glanced

admiringly at her person.

"Let us go, let us go," she exclaimed, in excitement, and confusion,

for she knew the meaning of that glance.

Very soon the lineika was swiftly rolling along the little-used road

across the steppes. The tall stems of the grass bent beneath the

wheels; the fresh breeze as it lightly touched the hair, made the

grasses wave on either side. Outside the town they overtook another

carriage containing Lialia, Yourii, Riasantzeff, Novikoff, Ivanoff and

Semenoff. They were cramped and uncomfortable, yet all were merry and

in high spirits. Only Yourii, after last night's talk, was puzzled by

Semenoff's behaviour. He could not understand how the latter could

laugh and joke like the others. After all that he had told him, such

mirth seemed strange. "Was it all put on?" he thought, as he furtively

glanced at Semenoff. He shrank from such an explanation. From both

carriages there was a lively interchange of wit and raillery. Novikoff

jumped down and ran races through the grass with Lida. Apparently there

was a tacit understanding between them to appear to be the best of

friends, for they kept merrily teasing each other all the time.

They now approached the hill on whose summit stood the convent with its

glittering cupolas and white stone walls. The hill was covered by

woods, and the curled tips of the oak-trees looked like wool. There

were oak-trees also on the islands at the foot of it, where the broad,

calm river flowed.