Victor rubbed the glass on the lappet of his coat and put it back in his pocket.
'Yes, yes,'he said at last, 'at first it will be hard for you, certainly.' (He patted her condescendingly on the shoulder; she softly took his hand from her shoulder and timidly kissed it.) 'There, there, you're a good girl, certainly,' he went on, with a complacent smile; 'but what's to be done? You can see for yourself! me and the master could never stay on here; it will soon be winter now, and winter in the country--you know yourself--is simply disgusting. It's quite another thing in Petersburg! There there are simply such wonders as a silly girl like you could never fancy in your dreams! Such horses and streets, and society, and civilisation--simply marvellous!...' (Akulina listened with devouring attention, her lips slightly parted, like a child.) 'But what's the use,' he added, turning over on the ground, 'of my telling you all this? Of course, you can't understand it!'
'Why so, Viktor Alexandritch! I understand; I understood everything.'
'My eye, what a girl it is!'
Akulina looked down.
'You used not to talk to me like that once, Viktor Alexandritch,' she said, not lifting her eyes.
'Once?... once!... My goodness!' he remarked, as though in indignation.
They both were silent.
'It's time I was going,' said Viktor, and he was already rising on to his elbow.
'Wait a little longer,' Akulina besought him in a supplicating voice.