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Trirodov walked up to the window. Elisaveta soon stood beside him and almost at the same instant their eyes fixed themselves upon the distant, dimly visible cemetery. Trirodov said quietly: "He has been buried there. But he will rise from his grave." Elisaveta looked at him in astonishment and asked: "Who?"
Trirodov took almost no part in the conversation. Elisaveta looked at him with anxious eyes, and the yellow of her dress appeared like the colour of sadness. It had been remarked by all that Trirodov was thoughtful and gloomy; he seemed to be tormented by some secret agitation, which he made obvious efforts to control. At last the attention of all was turned upon him.
She now stood within the deep shadow of an old linden. She looked questioningly at Piotr, her graceful bare arms folded on her breast; suddenly her heart beat faster. What a power of bewitchment was in those most lovable arms oh, why did not some sudden impulse of passion throw them upon his shoulders! "May I speak a few words to you, Elisaveta?" asked Piotr.
Again Elisaveta spoke quietly: "You reproach me for what is dear to me, for my better part, you wish that I should become different. You do not love me, you are tempted by the beautiful Beast my young body with its smiles and its caresses...." And again ignoring what she said, Piotr asserted passionately: "Elisaveta, dearest, love me! You surely do not love any one else! Isn't that so?
Suddenly the turrets of the old house vanished from sight. Everything around them assumed an unfamiliar look. "We seem to have lost our way," said Elena cheerfully. "Never fear, we'll find our way out," replied Elisaveta. "We are bound to get somewhere." At that instant there came towards them from among the bushes the small, sunburnt, handsome Kirsha.
"You may sit down if you like," said a boy with very blue eyes; "here is a bench." "Thank you, my dear," said Elisaveta. The sisters sat down. The children wished to talk to them. One little girl said: "I've just seen a little squirrel. It was sitting on a pine. Then I gave a shout you should have seen it run!" The others also began to talk and to ask questions.
Elena looked at her and cried out in horror: "You have become quite old grey-haired! How awful!" She ran from the mirror, crying out in her fright: "What is it? What is it?" Elisaveta followed her. She did not understand what had happened; she was agitated, and tried to hide her confusion. Trirodov looked at them in a self-possessed manner. He opened a cupboard, inset in the wall.
"Presently we'll make for the river-bank," said Trirodov. "We are quite close to it." Suddenly they heard the crackle of breaking twigs above them, followed by a revolver-shot and outcries. A running figure defined itself in the dark. "Kiril!" called Elisaveta in a whisper, "come here." Kiril heard her, and threw himself through the bushes in the direction of the hiding-place.
She herself did not know how these words came to be spoken. Love another! So unexpectedly the secret of her heart revealed itself in superficial words. But did he love her, that other one? They were both flustered. Stchemilov strove heroically to control his agitation. As he looked with his confused eyes into her clear blue ones he said: "Forgive me, Elisaveta, and forget what I have said.
The crowd of young people began to run, and carried Elisaveta along with them. She was seized by a feeling of stupor. She thought: "What's the use of running? They'll overtake us and drive us wherever they will." But she had not enough strength to pause. They were all running, and she with them. Another detachment of Cossacks appeared in front of them.
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