Sanine was silent, and smiled good-humouredly.
After a pause he said: "Well, finish your statement; I am in no hurry!"
Novikoff kept walking up and down the path, as before. He was evidently
hurt. At this moment the terrier came running back excitedly and rubbed
against Sanine's knees, as if wishful to let every one know how pleased
he was.
"Good dog!" said Sanine, patting him.
Novikoff strove to avoid continuing the discussion, being afraid that
Sanine might return to the subject which for personally was the most
interesting in the whole world. Anything that did not concern Lida
seemed le to him--dull.
"And--where is Lidia Petrovna?" he asked mechanically, albeit loth to
utter the question that was uppermost in his mind.
"Lida? Where should she be? Walking with officers on the boulevard,
where all our young ladies are to be found at this time of day."
A look of jealousy darkened his face, as Novikoff asked: "How can a girl so clever and cultivated as she waste her time with
such empty-headed fools?"
"Oh! my friend," exclaimed Sanine, smiling, "Lida is handsome, and
young, and healthy, just as you are; more so, in fact, because she has
that which you lack--keen desire for everything. She wants to know
everything, to experience everything--why, here she comes! You've only
got to look at her to understand that. Isn't she pretty?"
Lida was shorter and much handsomer than her brother. Sweetness
combined with supple strength gave to her whole personality charm and
distinction. There was a haughty look in her dark eyes, and her voice,
of which she was proud, sounded rich and musical. She walked slowly
down the steps, moving with the lithe grace of a thoroughbred, while
adroitly holding up her long grey dress. Behind her, clinking their
spurs, came two good-looking young officers in tightly-fitting riding-
breeches and shining top-boots.
"Who is pretty? Is it I?" asked Lida, as she filled the whole garden
with the charm of her voice, her beauty and her youth. She gave
Novikoff her hand, with a side-glance at her brother, about whose
attitude she did not feel quite clear, never knowing whether he was
joking or in earnest. Grasping her hand tightly, Novikoff grew very
red, but his emotions were unnoticed by Lida, used as she was to his
reverent, bashful glance that never troubled her.
"Good evening, Vladimir Petrovitch," said the elder, handsomer and
fairer of the two officers, rigid, erect as a spirited stallion, while
his spurs clinked noisily.
Sanine knew him to be Sarudine, a captain of cavalry, one of Lida's
most persistent admirers. The other was Lieutenant Tanaroff, who
regarded Sarudine as the ideal soldier, and strove to copy everything
he did. He was taciturn, somewhat clumsy, and not so good-looking as
Sarudine. Tanaroff rattled his spurs in his turn, but said nothing.