Chapter 30

Although there was no escape from the heat and the mosquitoes
swarmed in the cool shadow of the wagons, and her little brother
tossing about beside her kept pushing her, Maryanka having drawn
her kerchief over her head was just falling asleep, when suddenly
their neighbour Ustenka came running towards her and, diving under
the wagon, lay down beside her.

'Sleep, girls, sleep!' said Ustenka, making herself comfortable
under the wagon. 'Wait a bit,' she exclaimed, 'this won't do!'

She jumped up, plucked some green branches, and stuck them through
the wheels on both sides of the wagon and hung her beshmet over
them.

'Let me in,' she shouted to the little boy as she again crept
under the wagon. 'Is this the place for a Cossack--with the girls?
Go away!'

When alone under the wagon with her friend, Ustenka suddenly put
both her arms round her, and clinging close to her began kissing
her cheeks and neck.

'Darling, sweetheart,' she kept repeating, between bursts of
shrill, clear laughter.

'Why, you've learnt it from Grandad,' said Maryanka, struggling.
'Stop it!'

And they both broke into such peals of laughter that Maryanka's
mother shouted to them to be quiet.

'Are you jealous?' asked Ustenka in a whisper.

'What humbug! Let me sleep. What have you come for?'

But Ustenka kept on, 'I say! But I wanted to tell you such a
thing.'

Maryanka raised herself on her elbow and arranged the kerchief
which had slipped off.

'Well, what is it?'

'I know something about your lodger!'

'There's nothing to know,' said Maryanka.

'Oh, you rogue of a girl!' said Ustenka, nudging her with her
elbow and laughing. 'Won't tell anything. Does he come to you?'

'He does. What of that?' said Maryanka with a sudden blush.

'Now I'm a simple lass. I tell everybody. Why should I pretend?'
said Ustenka, and her bright rosy face suddenly became pensive.
'Whom do I hurt? I love him, that's all about it.'

'Grandad, do you mean?'

'Well, yes!'

'And the sin?'

'Ah, Maryanka! When is one to have a good time if not while one's
still free? When I marry a Cossack I shall bear children and shall
have cares. There now, when you get married to Lukashka not even a
thought of joy will enter your head: children will come, and
work!'

'Well? Some who are married live happily. It makes no difference!'
Maryanka replied quietly.

'Do tell me just this once what has passed between you and
Lukishka?'

'What has passed? A match was proposed. Father put it off for a
year, but now it's been settled and they'll marry us in autumn.'

'But what did he say to you?' Maryanka smiled.