Solomin laughed.
'What an idea!' However, he gave him his hand.
'And something more,' Nezhdanov went on: 'if anything happens to me, may I rely on you, Vassily, not to leave Marianna?'
'Your wife that is to be?'
'Yes, Marianna!'
'To begin with, I'm sure nothing will happen to you; but you can set your mind at rest: Marianna is as precious to me as she is to you.'
'Oh! I know that . . . I know that! That's right, then. Thanks. In an hour, then?'
'Yes.'
'I will be ready. Good-bye!'
Solomin went out and overtook Marianna on the stairs. He had it in his mind to say something to her about Nezhdanov, but he was silent. And Marianna on her side was aware that Solomin had it in his mind to speak to her, and about Nezhdanov too, and that he was silent. And she was silent too.
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