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Lutchkov mentioned the cause of Kister's absence; the parents expressed their regret, but Masha looked incredulously at Avdey, and felt faint with expectation.
'Astonishing!... This is astonishing! Who'd have thought it of a fellow of your intelligence! 'Come, speak plainly... 'I have come, Mr. Kister, said Avdey, slowly rising to his feet, 'I have come to challenge you to a duel. Do you understand now? I want to fight you. Ah! you thought you could get rid of me like that! Why, didn't you know the sort of man you have to do with? As if I'd allow...
Avdey Ivanovitch was the only one who eyed him dubiously. One day after drill Lutchkov went up to him, slightly pursing up his lips and inflating his nostrils: 'Good-morning, Mr. Knaster. Kister looked at him in some perplexity. 'A very good day to you, Mr. Knaster, repeated Lutchkov. 'My name's Kister, sir. 'You don't say so, Mr. Knaster.
She had not had the slightest idea of making a declaration of love to Avdey: she was not even sure herself as yet whether she did care for him, and here he was forestalling her, forcing her to speak out he must be misunderstanding her then.... This idea flashed quicker than lightning into Masha's head.
For weeks together he would be quiet enough,... and then all at once as though he were possessed by some devil he would let no one alone, annoying everybody, staring every one insolently in the face; trying, in fact, to pick a quarrel. Avdey Ivanovitch did not, however, hold aloof from intercourse with his comrades, but he was not on intimate terms with any one but the perfumed adjutant.
'Be so good as to go. I'm ashamed of you. 'Oh, to be sure, delicatesse!... Ah, Marya Sergievna, I don't know French! growled Avdey, as he put on his cap. 'Till we meet again, Fyodor Fedoritch! He bowed and walked out. Kister paced several times up and down the room. His face burned, his breast heaved violently.
'Excuse me, he began, not looking at her, 'I'm a plain man, and not used to talking freely... to ladies... I... I wished to tell you... but, I fancy, you 're not in the humour to listen to me.... 'Speak. 'Since you tell me to... well, then, I tell you frankly that for a long while now, ever since I had the honour of making your acquaintance... Avdey stopped.
'But I assure you.... 'You 're in love with her, Fedya, Lutchkov remarked sarcastically. 'Not at all. I never even thought of it. 'Fedya, you're in love with her! 'What nonsense! As if one couldn't... 'You're in love with her, friend of my heart, beetle on my hearth, Avdey Ivanovitch chanted drawling. 'Ah, Avdey, you really ought to be ashamed! Kister said with vexation.
'So you're marrying the Perekatov girl? queried Avdey in a calm voice. Kister fired up. 'Sir, he began; 'decent people take off their caps and say good-morning when they come into another man's room. 'Beg pardon, the bully jerked out; and he took off his cap. 'Good-morning. 'Good-morning, Mr. Lutchkov. You ask me if I am about to marry Miss Perekatov? Haven't you read my letter, then?
Before dinner, Avdey had offered to try a young horse, not yet broken in, and, in spite of its frantic rearing, he mastered it completely. In the evening he thawed, and fell into joking and laughing and though he soon pulled himself up, yet he had succeeded in making a momentary unpleasant impression on Masha.
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