Tatiana raised her head.
“Then you are just living together freely? That also happens very often now. At one time it was to be met with only among nonconformists, but nowadays other folks do it too. Where there is God’s blessing you can live in peace without the priest’s aid. We have some living like that at the factory. Not the worst of folk either.”
“What nice words you use, Tatiana! ‘Living together freely’ ... I like that. I’ll tell you what I want to ask of you, Tatiana. I want to make or buy a dress, something like yours, only a little plainer. Then I want shoes and stockings and a kerchief—everything like you have. I’ve got some money.”
“That’s quite easy, miss.... There, there, don’t be cross. I won’t call you miss if you don’t like it. But what am I to call you?”
“Call me Mariana.”
“And what is your father’s Christian name?”
“Why do you want my father’s name? Call me simply Mariana, as I call you Tatiana.”
“I don’t like to somehow. You had better tell me.”
“As you like. My father’s name was Vikent. And what was your father’s?”
“He was called Osip.”