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Be silent, and I'll think, and then I'll talk." He began staring at Iakov, who gave way. Malva and Vassili walked for a few minutes in silence. Malva's eyes shone strangely. Vassili was gloomy and preoccupied. Their feet sank in the sand and they advanced slowly. "Vassili!" "What?" He turned and looked at her. "I made you quarrel with Iakov on purpose.
Yonder, near the barrels, he saw Iakov and Serejka. Their faces were turned in his direction. "Get away with you! I could crush you!" He stopped and hissed insults in her face. His eyes were bloodshot, his beard trembled and his hands seemed to advance involuntarily towards Malva's hair, which emerged from beneath her shawl. She fixed her green eyes on him. "You deserve killing," he said.
No, the man rowing was not Serejka. He rows strong but clumsily. If Serejka were rowing Malva would not take the trouble to hold the rudder. "Hey there!" cried Vassili impatiently. The sea gulls halted in their flight and listened. "Hallo! Hallo!" came back from the boat. It was Malva's sonorous voice. "Who's with you?" A laugh replied to him. "Jade!" swore Vassili under his breath.
And he spat with disdain in the direction of the water. The sea laughed. "If, at least, Serejka would come," he thought. And he tried to think only of Serejka. "What a good-for-nothing the fellow is! Robust, able to read, seen the world but what a drunkard! Yet good company. One can't feel dull in his company. The women are mad for him; all run after him. Malva's the only one that keeps aloof.
"Who's with you?" he cried, when he could discern the familiar smile on Malva's pretty plump face. "Wait. You'll know him all right," she replied laughing. The rower turned on his seat and, also laughing, looked at Vassili. The watchman frowned. It seemed to him that he knew the fellow. "Pull harder!" commanded Malva.
"Speak." "Have yon broken off with Vassili?" "I don't know," she replied, after a silence. "I am vexed with him." "Why?" "He beat me." "Really? And you let him?" Serejka could not understand it. He tried to catch a glimpse of Malva's face, and made an ironical grimace. "I need not have let him beat me," she said. "I did not want to defend myself."
From behind a heap of barrels came the sound of voices. Iakov turned his steps in that direction. He thought he recognised Malva's voice, but when he arrived at the barrels he recoiled a step and stopped. In the shade, lying on his back, with his arms under his head, was Serejka. Near him were, on one side, Vassili and, on the other, Malva. Iakov thought to himself: "Why is father here.
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