‘We have plenty of time, aunt. You never think of yourself, but you really ought to get yourself some clothes. You see how smart every one is here.’
‘Eh, my love! what would be the good of that? I’m not a fine lady! It would be another thing if I were such a beauty as your friend, Grigory Mihalitch, what was her name?’
‘What friend?’
‘Why, that we met to-day.’
‘Oh, she!’ said Litvinov, with feigned indifference, and again he felt disgust and shame. ‘No!’ he thought, ‘to go on like this is impossible.’
He was sitting by his betrothed, while a few inches from her in his side pocket, was Irina’s handkerchief.
Kapitolina Markovna went for a minute into the other room.
‘Tanya ...’ said Litvinov, with an effort. It was the first time that day he had called her by that name.
She turned towards him.
‘I ... I have something very important to say to you.’