"Hah! remaining in Moscow! Many unkind things were said of her upon that account, I remember. She had friends among the French officers—old acquaintances in Paris—that was the chief indictment. That will all be forgiven and forgotten. Yes, she is beautiful. Your son might have done worse!"
Vera and Sasha talked and laughed together, they appeared to be radiantly happy.
"It is only four years ago that we met here," Vera whispered, "and at that time you were still a victim to the follies of cadetdom—do you remember how——"
"Shall I never be forgiven that expression?" Sasha laughed.
"Oh, droog moy, let us remember it to our everlasting gaiety; let us remember also how you had no leisure to be presented to your little fiancée; she was too young and too ugly, and Mademoiselle Kornilof was at the same time so fascinating; and oh, mon Dieu, the conceit of the good-looking cadet whom poor I was obliged to adore from afar!"
"Ah, you did not adore me, that is not true, dooshá moyá; come, confess that at that moment you detested me!"
"Perhaps I tried to think so; but there was a something deep down in my heart that was certainly not hatred. It has lurked there ever since. If you had shown a liking for me that day, it might never have existed, but when you gave me the cold shoulder it came and with it a kind of determination that you should repent in sackcloth and ashes; that you should sue——"
"Little tyrant! you exacted a terrible revenge! Oh, the hours of misery you have caused me, you and your French admirers."
"Ah! poor Paul!"
"Frankly, Vera, were you ever near to loving him?"