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Yourii, on the contrary was tall, thin and dark, though as good-looking as Lialia, and with the same regular features. And, as Yourii looked at Riasantzeff, he thought to himself: "So this is the man who in my little sister Lialia, as fresh and fair as a spring morning, loves the woman; loves her just as I myself have loved women."
Immediately after Sina's departure, Lialia and Riasantzeff went out. Ivanoff sat pensively smoking his cigarette for a while, as he stared sulkily at a corner of the room. Then he also departed. In the street as he walked along, swinging his arms in the usual way, he thought to himself, in his wrath: "These fools imagine that I am not capable of understanding what they understand! I like that!
But then he had to admit that the conceptions of debauchery and of purity were merely as withered leaves that cover fresh grown grass, and that girls romantic and chaste as Lialia or Sina Karsavina had the right to plunge into the stream of sensual enjoyment.
When in bed, after vain efforts to sleep, his thoughts reverted to Lialia and Riasantzeff. "Why am I so indignant because Lialia is not Riasantzeff's only love?" To this question he could find no reply. Suddenly the image of Sina Karsavina rose up before him, soothing his heated senses.
"Now we can all enjoy ourselves after these tiresome formalities," cried Lialia. At first a certain stiffness prevailed, for many of the party were complete strangers to each other. But as they began to eat, when the men had had several liqueurs, and the ladies wine, such constraint gave way to mirth. They drank freely, and there was much laughter and joking.
There, on one of the steps, sat Lialia; her little grey form was scarcely perceptible in the gloom. "Is that you, Yourii?" she asked. "Yes, it is," he replied, as he sat down beside her. Dreamily she leant her head on his shoulder, and the fragrance of her fresh, sweet girlhood touched his senses. "Did you have good sport?" said Lialia.
Getting into the boat, they uncorked several bottles of beer and proceeded to drink. "Shocking intemperance!" cried Lialia, pelting them with tufts of grass. "First-rate stuff!" said Ivanoff, smacking his lips. Sanine laughed. "I have often wondered why people are so dead against alcohol," he said jestingly. "In my opinion only a drunken man lives his life as it ought to be lived."
Somehow, it hurt him to look at Lialia and Riasantzeff, as if he feared that they would read his thoughts. The two men felt that they had much that was important to say to each other. Yourii would have liked to ask: "Do you love Lialia? Really and truly? It would be sad, and indeed shameful, if you were to betray her; she's so pure, so innocent!"
I didn't mean to Come, come, my dear little Lialia, don't cry!" he stammered, as he pulled her hands away from her face and kissed her little wet fingers. "No! It's true! I know it is!" she sobbed. Although she had said that she had thought about this, it was in fact pure imagination on her part, for of Riasantzeff's intimate life she had never yet formed the slightest conception.
"Anatole tells me everything," replied Lialia timidly, yet triumphantly. Yourii smiled, and, aware now that there was no going back, retorted, "Are you quite sure?" "Of course I am; why should I not be?" Lialia's voice trembled. "Oh! nothing. I merely asked," said Yourii, somewhat confused. Lialia was silent. He could not guess what was passing through her mind.
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