At her appearance they both withdrew. Lensky accompanied them out.
"How you have hurried," said he smiling, when he reëntered the room. "You are quite heated!"
"Yes, I hurried very much; I was afraid I would be late to lunch. I know how you hate unpunctuality." And then she sat down on the sofa, and handed her hat and shawl to the nurse, who had come in to get Nikolinka--a nurse by the name of Palagea, in a Russian national costume which created a furore on the boulevard.
"Why did you not take a carriage, little goose?" asked he.
"To economize, Boris Nikolaivitch," replied she, with mischievous earnestness. Then laughing up at him with her great tender eyes, she added: "Besides, the doctor has expressly advised me to take more exercise."
"The doctor?" said he, anxiously. "Do you feel ill? Why did you consult a physician?"
"Yes, why?" murmured she, softly. "Sit down on the sofa by me, so that I can whisper something to you."
"What are you talking about?" said he, hoarsely, without stirring. "What do you mean? What?"
"You are fabulously uncomprehending to-day," laughed she, and went up to him. "One cannot scream such a thing across the whole room, and as the mountain will not come to Mahomet"--she had now become very red; laying her hand on his shoulder, she whispered: "O Boris; can you still not guess?... I am so glad!"
"Natalie!" he burst out. "You do not mean to say" ... He shook her from him, stamped his foot, and with a furious exclamation left the room.