"Yes, and yet he calls me a wicked girl," complained Liudmilla.
"Oh, Sashenka, how could you!" said Kokovkina reproachfully. "Why did you say that?"
"She's teasing me," said Sasha falteringly.
He looked at Liudmilla with vexation and flushed. Liudmilla laughed.
"Story-teller!" Sasha whispered to her.
"Don't be rude, Sashenka," said Kokovkina, "it isn't nice!"
Sasha glanced at Liudmilla with a smile and said quietly:
"Well, I won't do it again."
Each time that Sasha came now Liudmilla locked the door and dressed him up in various costumes. Their sweet shame was dressed up in laughter and jokes. Sometimes Liudmilla pulled Sasha into corsets and dressed him in one of her gowns. In the low-cut dress Sasha's full, gently-rounded arms and round shoulders looked very beautiful. His skin was yellowish, but of an even, soft complexion—a rare occurrence. Liudmilla's skirt, sleeves and stockings were all becoming to Sasha. Dressed entirely in woman's clothes Sasha sat down obediently and waved a fan. In this costume he really resembled a girl, and he tried to behave like one. There was only one flaw—Sasha's short hair. Liudmilla thought it would be ugly to put a wig on Sasha's hair or to tie on a plait of hair.