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Updated: May 9, 2025
He knew that neither Cossack men nor older women, nor anyone besides the girls, were to be there. What was going to happen? How was he to behave? What would they talk about? What connexion was there between him and those wild Cossack girls? Beletski had told him of such curious, cynical, and yet rigid relations.
As Olenin was passing it he heard Beletski's voice calling to him, 'Come in, and in he went. After a short talk they both sat down by the window and were soon joined by Eroshka, who entered dressed in a new beshmet and sat down on the floor beside them. 'There, that's the aristocratic party, said Beletski, pointing with his cigarette to a brightly coloured group at the corner.
Having mixed honey with wine in the glasses, and having lavishly scattered the three pounds of spice-cakes on the table, Beletski dragged the girls from their corners by force, made them sit down at the table, and began distributing the cakes among them.
Beletski smiled knowingly and winked, jerking his head in the direction of the outhouse into which Maryanka had disappeared. Olenin shrugged his shoulders and blushed. 'Well, really you are a strange fellow! said he. 'Come now, don't pretend' Olenin frowned, and Beletski noticing this smiled insinuatingly.
The sound of shrill laughter, slaps, kisses, and whispers mingled with the singing. As he went past Olenin, Lukashka gave a friendly nod. 'Dmitri Andreich! Have you too come to have a look? he said. 'Yes, answered Olenin dryly. Beletski stooped and whispered something into Ustenka's ear. She had not time to reply till she came round again, when she said: 'All right, we'll come.
Only now, for Heaven's sake, arrange so that she should come to Ustenka's. 'All right, that's easily done! Well, Maryanka, will you belong to the "fair-faced lad", and not to Lukashka? said Beletski, speaking to Maryanka first for propriety's sake, but having received no reply he went up to Ustenka and begged her to bring Maryanka home with her.
It's all so horrid, so vulgar, and above all it leads to nothing! But again he was worried by the question of what would take place; and besides he felt as if bound by a promise. He went out without having made up his mind one way or the other, but he walked as far as Beletski's, and went in there. The hut in which Beletski lived was like Olenin's.
On the dark side of the doorway stood Beletski and Olenin, in their Circassian coats and sheepskin caps, and talked together in a style of speech unlike that of the Cossacks, in low but distinct tones, conscious that they were attracting attention. Next to one another in the khorovod circle moved plump little Ustenka in her red beshmet and the stately Maryanka in her new smock and beshmet.
Although that question had long been answered in the negative in his own mind, he hoped he would be able to tell her all he felt, and that she would understand him. 'Why did you not tell me sooner? said Beletski. 'I would have got Ustenka to arrange it for you. You are such a queer fellow! ... 'What's to be done! ... Some day, very soon, I'll tell you all about it.
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