'Well,' she began,' tell me quickly what you've decided on!'
Nezhdanov was surprised.
'Decided! . . . why, were we to have decided on anything just now?'
'Oh, you know what I mean! Tell me what you talked about. Whom did you see? Have you made friends with Solomin? Tell me everything, everything! Stay a minute—let's go over there, further. I know a place . . . that 's not so visible.'
She drew him after her. He followed her obediently right through the tall, scanty, dry grass.
She led him to the place she meant. There lay a great birch-tree that had fallen in a storm. They sat down on the trunk.
'Come, tell me!' she repeated, but she went on herself at once: 'Ah, how glad I am to see you, dear! I thought these two days would never pass. You know, Alexey, I'm certain now that Valentina Mihalovna overheard us.'
'She wrote to Markelov about it,' said Nezhdanov.
'To Markelov!'
Marianna did not speak for a minute, and gradually crimsoned all over, not from shame, but from another stronger passion.
'Wicked, malicious woman!' she murmured
21
