Sanine

"Well, this is what we have decided to do," continued Schafroff, moving

nearer to Lialia, as if the matter were becoming much more complex, "we

mean to ask Lida Sanina and Sina Karsavina to sing. Each a solo, first

of all, and afterwards a duet. One is a contralto, and the other, a

soprano, so that will do nicely. Then I shall play the violin, and

afterwards Sarudine might sing, accompanied by Tanaroff."

"Oh! then, officers are to take part in the concert, are they?" asked

Lialia mechanically, thinking all the while of something quite

different.

"Why, of course!" exclaimed Schafroff, with a wave of his hand. "Lida

has only got to accept, and they'll all swarm round her like bees. As

for Sarudine, he'll be delighted to sing; it doesn't matter where, so

long as he can sing. This will attract a good many of his brother-

officers, and we shall get a full house."

"You ought to ask Sina Karsavina," said Lialia, looking wistfully at

her brother. "He surely can't have forgotten," she thought. "How can he

discuss this stupid concert, whilst I ..."

"Why, I told you just now we had done so!" replied Schafroff. "Oh! yes,

so you did," said Lialia, smiling faintly. "Then there's Lida. But you

mentioned her I think?"

"Of course I did! Whom else can we ask, eh?"

"I really ... don't know!" faltered Lialia. "I've got such a headache."

Yourii glanced hurriedly at his sister, and then continued to pore over

his pamphlets. Pale and heavy-eyed, she excited his compassion.

"Oh! why, why did I say all that to her?" he thought. "The whole

question is so obscure, to me, as to so many others, and now it must

needs trouble her poor little heart! Why, why did I say that!"

He felt as if he could tear his hair.

"If you please, miss," said the maid at the door, "Mr. Anatole

Pavlovitch has just come."

Yourii gave another frightened glance at his sister, and met her sad

eyes. In confusion he turned to Schafroff, and said hastily: "Have you read Charles Bradlaugh?"

"Yes, we read some of his works with Dubova, and Sina Karsavina. Most

interesting."

"Yes. Oh! have they come back?"

"Yes."

"Since when?" asked Yourii, hiding his emotion.

"Since the day before yesterday."

"Oh! really!" replied Yourii, as he watched Lialia. He felt ashamed and

afraid in her presence, as if he had deceived her.