Alexei could not restrain an exclamation of joy. Liza started, raised her head, uttered a cry, and wished to fly from the room. But he threw himself before her and held her back.
“Akoulina! Akoulina!”
Liza endeavoured to liberate herself from his grasp.
“Mais laissez-moi donc, Monsieur! ... Mais êtes-vous fou?” she said, twisting herself round.
“Akoulina! my dear Akoulina!” he repeated, kissing her hand.
Miss Jackson, a witness of this scene, knew not what to think of it. At that moment the door opened, and Gregory Ivanovitch entered the room.
“Ah! ah!” said Mouromsky; “but it seems that you have already arranged matters between you.”
The reader will spare me the unnecessary obligation of describing the dénouement.
[1] It was formerly the custom in Russia for military men only to wear the moustache.