The girl did not answer. She stood before him breaking her switch into little bits with a rapid movement of her fingers.
Lukáshka suddenly clenched his teeth and fists.
“And why keep waiting and waiting? Don’t I love you, darling? You can do what you like with me,” said he suddenly, frowning angrily and seizing both her hands.
The calm expression of Maryánka’s face and voice did not change.
“Don’t bluster, Lukáshka, but listen to me,” she answered, not pulling away her hands but holding the Cossack at arm’s length. “It’s true I am a girl, but you listen to me! It does not depend on me, but if you love me I’ll tell you this. Let go my hands, I’ll tell you without.—I’ll marry you, but you’ll never get any nonsense from me,” said Maryánka without turning her face.
“What, you’ll marry me? Marriage does not depend on us. Love me yourself, Maryánka dear,” said Lukáshka, from sullen and furious becoming again gentle, submissive, and tender, and smiling as he looked closely into her eyes.
Maryánka clung to him and kissed him firmly on the lips.
“Brother dear!” she whispered, pressing him convulsively to her. Then, suddenly tearing herself away, she ran into the gate of her house without looking round.
In spite of the Cossack’s entreaties to wait another minute to hear what he had to say, Maryánka did not stop.
“Go,” she cried, “you’ll be seen! I do believe that devil, our lodger, is walking about the yard.”