The Cossacks: A Tale of 1852 Page 25

  Chapter XXV

  'How is it you don't know your own lodger?' said Beletski, addressingMaryanka.

  'How is one to know him if he never comes to see us?' answeredMaryanka, with a look at Olenin.

  Olenin felt frightened, he did not know of what. He flushed and, hardlyknowing what he was saying, remarked: 'I'm afraid of your mother. Shegave me such a scolding the first time I went in.'

  Maryanka burst out laughing. 'And so you were frightened?' she said,and glanced at him and turned away.

  It was the first time Olenin had seen the whole of her beautiful face.Till then he had seen her with her kerchief covering her to the eyes.It was not for nothing that she was reckoned the beauty of the village.Ustenka was a pretty girl, small, plump, rosy, with merry brown eyes,and red lips which were perpetually smiling and chattering. Maryanka onthe contrary was certainly not pretty but beautiful. Her features mighthave been considered too masculine and almost harsh had it not been forher tall stately figure, her powerful chest and shoulders, andespecially the severe yet tender expression of her long dark eyes whichwere darkly shadowed beneath their black brows, and for the gentleexpression of her mouth and smile. She rarely smiled, but her smile wasalways striking. She seemed to radiate virginal strength and health.All the girls were good-looking, but they themselves and Beletski, andthe orderly when he brought in the spice-cakes, all involuntarily gazedat Maryanka, and anyone addressing the girls was sure to address her.She seemed a proud and happy queen among them.

  Beletski, trying to keep up the spirit of the party, chatteredincessantly, made the girls hand round chikhir, fooled about with them,and kept making improper remarks in French about Maryanka's beauty toOlenin, calling her 'yours' (la votre), and advising him to behave ashe did himself. Olenin felt more and more uncomfortable. He wasdevising an excuse to get out and run away when Beletski announced thatUstenka, whose saint's day it was, must offer chikhir to everybody witha kiss. She consented on condition that they should put money on herplate, as is the custom at weddings.

  'What fiend brought me to this disgusting feast?' thought Olenin,rising to go away.

  'Where are you off to?'

  'I'll fetch some tobacco,' he said, meaning to escape, but Beletskiseized his hand.

  'I have some money,' he said to him in French.

  'One can't go away, one has to pay here,' thought Olenin bitterly,vexed at his own awkwardness. 'Can't I really behave like Beletski? Iought not to have come, but once I am here I must not spoil their fun.I must drink like a Cossack,' and taking the wooden bowl (holding abouteight tumblers) he almost filled it with chikhir and drank it almostall. The girls looked at him, surprised and almost frightened, as hedrank. It seemed to them strange and not right. Ustenka brought themanother glass each, and kissed them both. 'There girls, now we'll havesome fun,' she said, clinking on the plate the four rubles the men hadput there.

  Olenin no longer felt awkward, but became talkative.

  'Now, Maryanka, it's your turn to offer us wine and a kiss,' saidBeletski, seizing her hand.

  'Yes, I'll give you such a kiss!' she said playfully, preparing tostrike at him.

  'One can kiss Grandad without payment,' said another girl.

  'There's a sensible girl,' said Beletski, kissing the struggling girl.'No, you must offer it,' he insisted, addressing Maryanka. 'Offer aglass to your lodger.'

  And taking her by the hand he led her to the bench and sat her downbeside Olenin.

  'What a beauty,' he said, turning her head to see it in profile.

  Maryanka did not resist but proudly smiling turned her long eyestowards Olenin.

  'A beautiful girl,' repeated Beletski.

  'Yes, see what a beauty I am,' Maryanka's look seemed to endorse.Without considering what he was doing Olenin embraced Maryanka and wasgoing to kiss her, but she suddenly extricated herself, upsettingBeletski and pushing the top off the table, and sprang away towards theoven. There was much shouting and laughter. Then Beletski whisperedsomething to the girls and suddenly they all ran out into the passageand locked the door behind them.

  'Why did you kiss Beletski and won't kiss me?' asked Olenin.

  'Oh, just so. I don't want to, that's all!' she answered, pouting andfrowning. 'He's Grandad,' she added with a smile. She went to the doorand began to bang at it. 'Why have you locked the door, you devils?'

  'Well, let them be there and us here,' said Olenin, drawing closer toher.

  She frowned, and sternly pushed him away with her hand. And again sheappeared so majestically handsome to Olenin that he came to his sensesand felt ashamed of what he was doing. He went to the door and beganpulling at it himself.

  'Beletski! Open the door! What a stupid joke!'

  Maryanka again gave a bright happy laugh. 'Ah, you're afraid of me?'she said.

  'Yes, you know you're as cross as your mother.'

  'Spend more of your time with Eroshka; that will make the girls loveyou!' And she smiled, looking straight and close into his eyes.

  He did not know what to reply. 'And if I were to come to see you--' helet fall.

  'That would be a different matter,' she replied, tossing her head.

  At that moment Beletski pushed the door open, and Maryanka sprang awayfrom Olenin and in doing so her thigh struck his leg.

  'It's all nonsense what I have been thinking about--love andself-sacrifice and Lukashka. Happiness is the one thing. He who ishappy is right,' flashed through Olenin's mind, and with a strengthunexpected to himself he seized and kissed the beautiful Maryanka onher temple and her cheek. Maryanka was not angry, but only burst into aloud laugh and ran out to the other girls.

  That was the end of the party. Ustenka's mother, returned from herwork, gave all the girls a scolding, and turned them all out.