Meanwhile night had entirely enveloped the village. Bright stars were scattered over the dark sky. The streets became dark and empty. Nazárka remained with the women on the earth-bank and their laughter was still heard, but Lukáshka, having slowly moved away from the girls, crouched down like a cat and then suddenly started running lightly, holding his dagger to steady it: not homeward, however, but towards the cornet’s house. Having passed two streets he turned into a lane and lifting the skirt of his coat sat down on the ground in the shadow of a fence. “A regular cornet’s daughter!” he thought about Maryánka. “Won’t even have a lark—the devil! But just wait a bit.” The approaching footsteps of a woman attracted his attention. He began listening, and laughed all by himself. Maryánka with bowed head, striking the pales of the fences with a switch, was walking with rapid regular strides straight towards him. Lukáshka rose. Maryánka started and stopped. “What an accursed devil! You frightened me! So you have not gone home?” she said, and laughed aloud. Lukáshka put one arm round her and with the other hand raised her face. “What I wanted to tell you, by Heaven!” his voice trembled and broke. “What are you talking of, at night time!” answered Maryánka. “Mother is waiting for me, and you’d better go to your sweetheart.” And freeing herself from his arms she ran away a few steps. When she had reached the wattle fence of her home she stopped and turned to the Cossack who was running beside her and still trying to persuade her to stay a while with him. “Well, what do you want to say, midnight-gadabout?” and she again began laughing. “Don’t laugh at me, Maryánka! By the Heaven! Well, what if I have a sweetheart? May the devil take her! Only say the word and now I’ll love you—I’ll do anything you wish. Here they are!” and he jingled the money in his pocket. “Now we can live splendidly. Others have pleasures, and I? I get no pleasure from you, Maryánka dear!” The girl did not answer. She stood before him breaking her switch into little bits with a rapid movement of her fingers. Lukáshka suddenly clenched his teeth and fists. “And why keep waiting and waiting? Don’t I love you, darling? You can do what you like with me,” said he suddenly, frowning angrily and seizing both her hands. The calm expression of Maryánka’s face and voice did not change. “Don’t bluster, Lukáshka, but listen to me,” she answered, not pulling away her hands but holding the Cossack at arm’s length. “It’s true I am a girl, but you listen to me! It does not depend on me, but if you love me I’ll tell you this. Let go my hands, I’ll tell you without.—I’ll marry you, but you’ll never get any nonsense from me,” said Maryánka without turning her face. “What, you’ll marry me? Marriage does not depend on us. Love me yourself, Maryánka dear,” said Lukáshka, from sullen and furious becoming again gentle, submissive, and tender, and smiling as he looked closely into her eyes.