But no!... Soon children would come.... She would not be able to work. Her mother....
“God, God in Heaven, why do you visit such punishment upon the poor!” she would despair. He must not, he must not marry.... But what a happy life they would lead, what a happy life!...
And she concealed her feelings from him. This was exceedingly difficult. Oh, how she would have loved to throw her arms about him, and press him to her tightly, ever so tightly,—press her very soul into him,—become together with him a single being.... Her breath would come in gasps, she would grow dizzy, and her temples would throb with hammer blows. She hardly dared sit near him, lest he discover what was going on in her heart. And suppose he should discover?...
Suppose he should discover, and embrace her, and place his arms about her neck, and kiss her, caress her, squeeze her!...
A strangely sweet sensation would ripple over her body, until she began to tremble.
He was standing so close to her. She could almost feel his breath. And she watched every movement of his, read his eyes,—perhaps....
Then she would be ashamed of herself on account of her thoughts. Such impossibilities as came into her head! Such selfish thoughts as she could think, when he was speaking of such lofty subjects!
It was altogether unbecoming.... Fie!
IV
But Drabkin married. Not Chashke, but a certain Chyenke, a girl with a dowry of five hundred roubles.