"And what's that?" asked Darya.
Valeria frowned her handsome, dark eyebrows in a vexed way.
"I don't know whether to tell you or not," hesitated Routilov.
"Be quick about it," urged Darya.
Routilov in some confusion told them what Peredonov wanted. The girls raised an outcry and they all began to abuse Peredonov; but little by little their indignation gave place to jokes and laughter. Darya made a face of grim expectation and said:
"But he's waiting at the gate!"
It was becoming an amusing adventure.
The girls began to peep out the window towards the gate. Darya opened the window and cried out:
"Ardalyon Borisitch, can we say it out of the window?"
The morose answer came back: