"No no, we're all little—just children," Masha put in, and struck the table with her fist, "and that's why we don't need any low words."
"You gave me a jolly good licking, all the same," said Ilya to Jakov reproachfully.
"You deserved it, don't complain!" said Masha, sententiously, and with a darkened face.
"All right—all right I'm not angry, it was my fault," and Ilya smiled at Petrusha's son. "We'll make it up, shall we?"
"All right, take your cards."
"You wild devil!" said Masha.
And with that peace was made. A moment later, Ilya was deep in the game, thoughtfully wrinkling his brow. He always arranged to play next to Masha; he disliked her to lose, and thought of little else all through the game. But the child played quite cleverly, and generally it was Jakov who lost.
"Oh you goggle eyes!" Masha would say, pityingly, "You've lost again."
"Devil take the cards!" answered Jakov, "it's jolly dull, nothing but playing cards. Let's read some more Kamtchadalky."
They got out a torn and dirty book and read the sorrowful history of the amorous and unfortunate Kamtchadalky.