“God loves you, Marfinka, because you love others, because all who see you are infected by your happiness.”
Marfinka dried her tears.
“Nikolai Andreevich loves me, but he is my fiancé; so does his Mama, but so does my cousin, Boris Pavlovich, and what am I to him?”
“The same as you are to everyone. No one can look at you and not be happy; you are modest, pure and good, obedient to your Grandmother. Spendthrift,” she murmured in an aside, to hide her pleasure. “Such a costly gift! You shall hear of this, Borushka!”
“Grandmother! As if Boris Pavlovich could have guessed it. I have wanted a little enamelled watch like this for a long time.”
“You haven’t asked your Grandmother why she gives you nothing?”
Marfinka shut her mouth with a kiss.
“Grandmother,” she said, “love me always, if you want to make me happy.”
“With my love I will give you my enduring gift,” she said, making the sign of the cross over Marfinka. “So that you shall not forget my blessing,” she went on, feeling in her pocket—“You have given me two dresses, Grandmother, but who decorated my room so magnificently?”
“Your fiancé and Paulina Karpovna sent the things yesterday, and kept them out of your sight. Vassilissa and Pashutka hung the garlands up at daybreak. The dresses are part of your trousseau, and there are more to follow.” Then taking from its case a gold cross with four large diamonds she hung it round the girl’s neck, and gave her a plain, simple bracelet with the inscription: “From Grandmother to her Grandchild,” and with the name and the date.