Picture Dictionary & Books : Free for English Learner!

'Are you still not well?' I asked her.

'No, that's all over now,' she answered, and she picked a small red rose. 'I am a little tired, but that too will pass off.'

'And will you be as you used to be again?' I asked.

Zinaida put the rose up to her face, and I fancied the reflection of its bright petals had fallen on her cheeks. 'Why, am I changed?' she questioned me.

'Yes, you are changed,' I answered in a low voice.

'I have been cold to you, I know,' began Zinaida, 'but you mustn't pay attention to that ... I couldn't help it... Come, why talk about it!'

'You don't want me to love you, that's what it is!' I cried gloomily, in an involuntary outburst.

'No, love me, but not as you did.'

'How then?'

'Let us be friends – come now!' Zinaida gave me the rose to smell. 'Listen, you know I'm much older than you – I might be your aunt, really; well, not your aunt, but an older sister. And you ... '

'You think me a child,' I interrupted.

'Well, yes, a child, but a dear, good clever one, whom I love very much.

Do you know what? From this day forth I confer on you the rank of page to me; and don't you forget that pages have to keep close to their ladies.

Here is the token of your new dignity,' she added, sticking the rose in the buttonhole of my jacket, 'the token of my favour.'

'I once received other favours from you,' I muttered.

'Ah!' commented Zinaida, and she gave me a sidelong look, 'What a memory he has! Well? I'm quite ready now ... ' And stooping to me, she imprinted on my forehead a pure, tranquil kiss.

I only looked at her, while she turned away, and saying, 'Follow me, my page,' went into the lodge. I followed her – all in amazement. 'Can this gentle, reasonable girl,' I thought, 'be the Zinaida I used to know?' I fancied her very walk was quieter, her whole figure statelier and more graceful ...

And, mercy! with what fresh force love burned within me!

After dinner the usual party assembled again at the lodge, and the young princess came out to them.

All were there in full force, just as on that first evening which I never forgot; even Nirmatsky had limped to see her; Meidanov came this time earliest of all, he brought some new verses.

The games of forfeits began again, but without the strange pranks, the practical jokes and noise – the gipsy element had vanished.

Zinaida gave a different tone to the proceedings.

I sat beside her by virtue of my office as page.

Among other things, she proposed that any one who had to pay a forfeit should tell his dream; but this was not successful.

Chapter XVI

Table of Contents