"You like it—so you bark do you?"[2] she teased him.
Sasha and Liudmilla both laughed.
"So you're not afraid that I'll suffocate you?" asked Liudmilla. "Do you remember how you were afraid yesterday?"
"I wasn't afraid at all," replied Sasha hotly.
Liudmilla, smiling and still teasing the boy, began to sprinkle him with lilac scent. Sasha thanked her and once more kissed her hand.
"And please you must get your hair cut," said Liudmilla sternly. "What's the use of wearing long locks? You only frighten the horses."
"All right, I'll have my hair cut," agreed Sasha. "You're terribly severe! My hair is very short. Not more than half an inch. The inspector never grumbled at me for it."
"I like young people with short hair," said Liudmilla impressively, and threatened him with her finger. "But I'm not an inspector, I've got to be obeyed!"
From that time on Liudmilla made it a habit to go frequently to Kokovkina—to see Sasha. She tried, especially at the beginning, to go when Kokovkina was not at home. Sometimes she even tried little tricks to lure the old woman out of the house. Darya once said to her: