Sina’s presence, however, and his own success inclined him to be tolerant. Indeed Schafroff’s utter ingenuousness almost touched him.
“Where shall we go now?” asked Dubova, as they came out into the street.
Outside it was not nearly so dark as in the lecture-room, and in the sky a few stars shone.
“Schafroff and I are going to the Ratoffs,” said Dubova. “Will you take Sina home?”
“With pleasure,” said Yourii.
Sina lodged with Dubova in a small house that stood in a large, barren- looking garden. All the way thither she and Yourii talked of the lecture and its impression upon them, so that Yourii felt more and more convinced that he had done a good and great thing. As they reached the house, Sina said:
“Won’t you come in for a moment?” Yourii gladly accepted. She opened the gate, and they crossed a little grass-grown courtyard beyond which lay the garden.
“Go into the garden, will you?” said Sina, laughing. “I would ask you to come indoors, but I am afraid things are rather untidy, as I have been out ever since the morning.”
She went in, and Yourii sauntered towards the green, fragrant garden. He did not go far, but stopped to look round with intense curiosity at the dark windows of the house, as if something were happening there, something strangely beautiful and mysterious. Sina appeared in the doorway. Yourii hardly recognized her. She had changed her black dress, and now wore the costume of Little Russia, a thin bodice cut low, with short sleeves and a blue skirt.
“Here I am!” she said, smiling.