'What are you doing up there at such a height?' she asked me with a rather queer smile. 'Come,' she went on, 'you always declare you love me; jump down into the road to me if you really do love me.'
Zinaida had hardly uttered those words when I flew down, just as though some one had given me a violent push from behind.
The wall was about fourteen feet high.
I reached the ground on my feet, but the shock was so great that I could not keep my footing; I fell down, and for an instant fainted away.
When I came to myself again, without opening my eyes, I felt Zinaida beside me.
'My dear boy,' she was saying, bending over me, and there was a note of alarmed tenderness in her voice, 'how could you do it, dear; how could you obey?... You know I love you...
Get up.'
Her bosom was heaving close to me, her hands were caressing my head, and suddenly – what were my emotions at that moment – her soft, fresh lips began covering my face with kisses ... they touched my lips...
But then Zinaida probably guessed by the expression of my face that I had regained consciousness, though I still kept my eyes closed, and rising rapidly to her feet, she said: 'Come, get up, naughty boy, silly, why are you lying in the dust?' I got up.
'Give me my parasol,' said Zinaida, 'I threw it down somewhere, and don't stare at me like that ... what ridiculous nonsense! you're not hurt, are you? stung by the nettles, I daresay? Don't stare at me, I tell you...