_Vasil._ And you don't want to hear the gossip? _Vera._ No. I want to stay with you. [_Guilefully_] You are going away, you know. _Vasil._ [_Rising_] There may be news from---- _Vera._ Don't go! I promised. _Vasil._ Then it _is_ from Petoff. _Vera._ Adrian doesn't want you to hear about such things. _Vasil._ [_Sitting down_] Haven't I ears and eyes? They think I don't know ... but see here. [_Takes up a tablet_] You may read it, Vera. [_She glances over tablet_] I wrote it this morning. _Vera._ It is gay and sad too. But it is not like a June song. There are no birds and flowers in it. _Vasil._ Don't you know who the "Summer Maid" is, Vera? _Vera._ Summer herself, isn't she? _Vasil._ No, stupid. She is Freedom--Liberty. _Vera._ O, Vasil! And the old, dead Winter is---- _Vasil._ Yes, the Czar. _Vera._ O, I'm afraid! Let me burn it, Vasil. _Vasil._ [_Taking it from her_] No. _Vera._ Suppose somebody should find it--a spy? _Vasil._ He wouldn't understand it. You didn't yourself. _Vera._ But I'm a stupid. _Vasil._ [_Catching her in his arms_] Are you, little sister? _Vera._ Let me have it, Vasil. _Vasil._ [_Tears sheet from tablet, folds it and puts it into his pocket_] No. It's as safe as any piece of paper. _Vera._ Adrian won't like it. He says your mind must be free from--all that. Free for what, Vasil? We want to be free only to do things. _Vasil._ [_Laying his hand on his book_] For this,--and this [_softly touching his violin_],--and this. [_Lifting his pen_] _Vera._ O, what a slave! You will have three masters. I want to be free too, but not for such things. I want to make Sasha happy. _Vasil._ A woman's freedom. Free to wear fetters. Have you seen him to-day? _Vera._ No, but---- _Vasil._ What? And the sun so high? _Vera._ I am waiting for him now. I shall tease him about the great man who fell in love with me at the bazaar. _Vasil._ Who was it wanted to make Sasha happy? _Vera._, He ought to be glad that such a splendid officer even looked at me! _Vasil._ And were you glad, Vera? _Vera._ No. I ran away. _Vasil._ What did Madam Korego say to that? _Vera._ [_As Korelenko enters unseen by her_] She said she would never take me again, and I told her I didn't care, I was going to many Sasha, who was finer than any officer in the world. _Vasil._ Good-morning, Alexander Korelenko. _Vera._ [_Whirls about and sees Alexander_] Now I can't tease him! [_Vasil returns to his book_] _Korelenko._ About what, little bird? _Vera._ O, I found a new lover at the bazaar. _Kore._ [_Smiling_] I told Madam Korego it would never do to take you. _Vera._ A fine gentleman, all covered with gold lace. _Kore._ And he gave you a piece to weep over when you are only poor little madam Korelenko? _Vera._ A very great man--General Petrizoff! _Kore._ [_Starting furiously_] Has that--has _he_ looked at you? [_Walks from her_] _Vera._ [_Imploring_] Sasha!