Five minutes later, when I carried her out of the grotto in my arms and troubled by new impressions put her on her feet, I saw Pshekhotsky standing almost at the entrance.… He stood there, looking at me maliciously and applauding silently.… I measured him with my glance, and giving Olga my arm, walked off towards the house.
“We'll see the last of you here to-day,” I said, looking back at Pshekhotsky. “You will have to pay for this spying!”
My kisses had probably been ardent because Olga's face was burning as if ablaze. There were no traces of the recently shed tears to be seen on it.
“Now, as the saying is, the ocean is but knee-deep for me,” she murmured as we went together towards the house and she pressed my elbow convulsively. “This morning I did not know where to hide myself from terror, and now … now, my good giant, I don't know what to do from happiness! My husband is sitting and waiting for me there.… Ha, ha!… What's that to me? If he were even a crocodile, a terrible serpent … I'm afraid of nothing! I love you, and that's all I want to know!”
I looked at her face, radiant with happiness, at her eyes, brim full of joyful, satisfied love, and my heart sank with fear for the future of this pretty and happy creature: her love for me was but an extra impulse towards the abyss.… How will this laughing woman with no thought for the future end?… My heart misgave me and sank with a feeling that cannot be called either pity or sympathy, because it was stronger than these feelings. I stopped and laid my hand on Olga's shoulder.… I had never before seen anything more beautiful, graceful and at the same time more pitiful.… There was no time for reasoning, deliberation or thought, and, carried away by my feelings, I exclaimed:
“Olga, come home with me at once! This instant!”
“How? What did you say?” she asked, unable to understand my somewhat solemn tone.
“Let us drive to my house immediately!”
Olga smiled and pointed to the house.…
“Well, and what of that?” I said. “Isn't it all the same if I take you to-morrow or to-day? But the sooner the better.… Come!”