“Oh, just so. I don’t want to, that’s all!” she answered, pouting and frowning. “He’s Grandad,” she added with a smile. She went to the door and began to bang at it. “Why have you locked the door, you devils?”
“Well, let them be there and us here,” said Olénin, drawing closer to her.
She frowned, and sternly pushed him away with her hand. And again she appeared so majestically handsome to Olénin that he came to his senses and felt ashamed of what he was doing. He went to the door and began pulling at it himself.
“Belétski! Open the door! What a stupid joke!”
Maryánka again gave a bright happy laugh. “Ah, you’re afraid of me?” she said.
“Yes, you know you’re as cross as your mother.”
“Spend more of your time with Eróshka; that will make the girls love you!” And she smiled, looking straight and close into his eyes.
He did not know what to reply. “And if I were to come to see you—” he let fall.
“That would be a different matter,” she replied, tossing her head.
At that moment Belétski pushed the door open, and Maryánka sprang away from Olénin and in doing so her thigh struck his leg.