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Updated: June 11, 2025
His face was covered with freckles and he had big saucy blue eyes and an impertinent turned-up nose. When he came up he stopped and made a grimace. "Serejka drank yesterday, and today Serejka's pocket is empty. Lend me twenty kopeks. I'll not return them." Iakov burst out laughing; Malva smiled. "Give me the money," went on the tramp. "I'll marry you for twenty kopeks if you like."
Only yesterday this feeling had not existed, nor even to-day, before he saw Malva. Now it seemed to him that his father embarrassed him and stood in his way, although he was far away over the sea yonder, on a narrow tongue of sand almost invisible to the eye. Then it seemed to him, too, that Malva was afraid of the father; if she were not afraid she would talk differently.
"Don't frighten me, Vassili," she said indifferently, without looking up at him. "Well, stop your joking." "Don't try to frighten me." "I'll soon make you dance if you begin any foolishness." "Would you beat me?" She went up to him and gazed with curiosity at his frowning face. "One would think you were a countess. Yes, I would beat you." "Yet I'm not your wife," said Malva, calmly.
No, my lad, don't run after me, because I don't want to be between you and Vassili. You understand?" "What have I done?" asked Iakov. "I haven't touched you." "You daren't touch me," retorted Malva. There was such a contemptuous tone in her voice that he resented this. "So I dare not?" he replied, climbing up on the boat and seating himself at her side. "No, you dare not." "And if I touch you?"
The seeds, ground and made into balls, were esteemed highly. The fruit of the manzanita, the seeds of burr clover, malva, and alfileri, were also used. Tunas, the fruit of the cactus, and wild blackberries, existed in abundance, and were much relished. A sugar was extracted from a certain reed of the tulares."
Henceforward, he thought, his life would be less agreeable, less free. Iakov had surely guessed what Malva was. Meanwhile Malva, in the cabin, was trying to arouse the rustic with her bold eyes. "Perhaps you left a girl in the village?" she asked suddenly. "Perhaps," he responded surlily. Inwardly he was abusing Malva. "Is she pretty?" she asked with indifference. Iakov made no reply.
His head felt awhirl, and he felt particularly uneasy when he heard Malva say in a mocking tone. "Don't skip about for joy. Take him to the cabin and give him something to eat." The father examined his son from head to foot. On the latter's lips hovered that cunning smile Vassili knew so well.
Her head fell back on his shoulders and he placed his lips on her trembling mouth. The sea gulls whirled about over their heads uttering hoarse cries. From the distance came the regular and gentle splash of the tiny waves breaking on the sand. When, at last, they broke from their long embrace, Malva sat up on Vassili's knee.
As far as my eye can range, it rests only on flowers, on beautiful flowers! I am looking as on a tinted map, an enamelled picture brilliant with every hue of the prism. Yonder is golden yellow, where the helianthus turns her dial-like face to the sun. Yonder, scarlet, where the malva erects its red banner. Here is a parterre of the purple monarda, there the euphorbia sheds its silver leaf.
Fifteen days later it was again Sunday and again Vassili Legostev, stretched out on the sand near his hut, was gazing out to sea, waiting for Malva. And the deserted sea laughed, playing with the reflections of the sun, and legions of waves were born to run on the sand, deposit the foam of their crests and return to the sea, where they melted. All was as before.
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