"Let me go! If not ... look out for yourself!"
"It's all very well to threaten; but you're a little darling!"
He drew her closer towards himself, and pressed his thick lips against her flushed cheek.
She burst out into defiant laughter, seized Jakoff's arms, and suddenly, with a strong movement of her whole body, flung herself forward. They fell, both of them clinging together, forming one heavy mass, and disappeared in the spurting white foam. Then from the troubled water emerged Jakoff's wet head, and by his side rose, like a seagull, Malva. Jakoff was struggling desperately, striking the water, spluttering and shouting, whilst Malva screamed joyfully, swimming round him and tossing salt water into his face, then diving to avoid the vigorous strokes of his swinging arms.
"The devil!" cried Jakoff, breathing hard. "I shall be drowned! That's enough now!... I swear I'm drowning.... Ah! I am sinking!"
But she had left him, and was swimming towards the shore with strong strokes like those of a man. Once there, she sprang lightly into the boat, and stood up in the bows watching, laughingly, Jakoff, who was paddling rapidly towards her. His wet clothes, sticking to his body showed his supple figure from the shoulder to the knee, and Jakoff, when he had caught hold of the boat, coveted this dripping, half-naked girl, who was so gaily making fun of him.
"Well! you half-drowned seal! Get out of the water!" she cried, between her fits of laughter.
And kneeling down she stretched out a hand to him, whilst with the other she held on to the boat.
Jakoff caught hold of her hand, and cried exultingly—
"Wait a minute! Now I'm going to give you a bath!"