“Every day!” Urbenin grumbled with a sigh.
Much could be heard in that sigh. The same feelings could be heard in it that were agitating my soul and that I was trying to explain to myself, but was unable to do so, and therefore became lost in conjecture.
Every day Olga went out for rides with the Count. But that was a trifle. Olga could not fall in love with the Count, and Urbenin's jealousy was groundless. We ought not to have been jealous of the Count, but of something else which, however, I could not understand for a long time. This “something else” built up a whole wall between Olga and me. She continued to love me, but after the visit which has been described in the last chapter, she had not been to my house more than twice, and when we met in other places she flared up in a strange way and obstinately refused to answer my questions. She returned my caresses with passion, but her movements were sudden and startled, so that our short rendezvous only left a feeling of painful perplexity in my mind. Her conscience was not clean; this was clear, but what was the real cause? Nothing could be read on Olga's guilty face.
“I hope your new máma is well?” I asked Sasha.
“She's quite well. Only in the night she had toothache. She cried.”
“She cried,” Urbenin repeated, looking at Sasha. “Did you see it? My darling, you only dreamed it.”
Olga had not had toothache. If she had cried it was not with pain, but for something else.… I wanted to continue talking to Sasha, but I did not succeed in this, as at that moment the noise of horses' hoofs was heard and we soon saw the riders—a man inelegantly jumping about in his saddle, and a graceful lady rider. In order to hide my joy from Olga, I took Sasha into my arms and, smoothing her fair hair with my hand, I kissed her on the forehead.
“Sasha, how pretty you are!” I said. “And what nice curls you have!”
Olga cast a rapid glance at me, returned my bow in silence, and leaning on the Count's arm, entered the house. Urbenin rose and followed her.
Five minutes later the Count came out of the house. He was gay. I had never seen him so gay before. Even his face had a fresher look.