tell you without. — I’ll marry you, but you’ll never get any nonsense from me,’ said Maryanka without turning her face.

‘What, you’ll marry me? Marriage does not depend on us. Love me yourself, Maryanka dear,’ said Lukashka, from sullen and furious becoming again gentle, submissive, and tender, and smiling as he looked closely into her eyes.

Maryanka clung to him and kissed him firmly on the lips.

‘Brother dear!’ she whispered, pressing him convulsively to her. Then, suddenly tearing herself away, she ran into the gate of her house without looking round.

In spite of the Cossack’s entreaties to wait another minute to hear what he had to say, Maryanka did not stop.