“It is now a quarter to eleven,” the Count said. “The man will take three-quarters of an hour to ride to the station, maximum an hour.… Karpov will receive the telegram before one.… Consequently they'll have time to catch the train.… If they don't catch it, they can come by the goods train. Yes!”
VI
The telegram was dispatched with one-eyed Kuz'ma. Il'ya was ordered to send carriages to the station in about an hour. In order to kill time, I began leisurely to light the lamps and candles in all the rooms, then I opened the piano and passed my fingers over the keys.
After that, I remember, I lay down on the same divan and thought of nothing, only waving away with my hand the Count, who came and pestered me with his chatter. I was in a state of drowsiness, half-asleep, conscious only of the brilliant light of the lamps and feeling in a gay and quiet mood.… The image of the “girl in red,” with her head bent towards her shoulder, and her eyes filled with horror at the thought of that effective death, stood before me and quietly shook its little finger at me.… The image of another girl, with a pale, proud face, in a black dress, flitted past. She looked at me half-entreatingly, half-reproachfully.
Later on I heard noise, laughter, running about.… Deep, dark eyes obscured the light. I saw their brilliancy, their laughter.… A joyful smile played about the luscious lips.… That was how my gipsy Tina smiled.
“Is it you?” her voice asked. “You're asleep? Get up, darling.… How long it is since I saw you last!”
I silently pressed her hand and drew her towards me.…
“Let us go there.… We have all come.…”
“Stay!… I'm all right here, Tina.…”
“But … there's too much light.… You're mad!… They can come.…”