CHAPTER XVII Liudmilla met Sasha one day in the street and said to him: "To-morrow the Head-Master's wife is having a birthday party for her eldest daughter--is the old lady going?" "I don't know," said Sasha. But already the hope stirred within him, not so much a hope as a desire, that Kokovkina would go and Liudmilla come and stay with him a while. In the evening he reminded Kokovkina of the morrow's party. "I'd almost forgotten it," said Kokovkina, "of course, I must go. She's such a charming girl." And, next day, as soon as Sasha had returned from school, Kokovkina went to the Khripatch's. Sasha was delighted with the idea that he had helped to get Kokovkina out of the house that day. He felt certain that Liudmilla would find time to come. So it happened--Liudmilla came. She kissed Sasha's cheek and gave him her hand to kiss, and again she laughed and he blushed. A moist, sweet and flower-like odour came from Liudmilla's clothes--rose and orris, the fleshly and voluptuous orris blooming among roses. Liudmilla brought a long narrow box wrapped up in thin paper through which showed dimly a yellow label. She sat down, put the box on her knees, and looked archly at Sasha. "Do you like dates?" she asked. "Yes, I do," said Sasha with an amused grimace. "Well, I've got some here for you," she said with a serious air. She took the cover from the box and said: "Take some." She herself took the dates one by one from the box and put them in Sasha's mouth, making him kiss her hand after each. Sasha said: "But my lips are sticky." "That doesn't matter much. Kiss, it's good for your health," replied Liudmilla gaily. "I don't object." "Perhaps I'd better give you all the kisses at once," said Sasha laughingly. And he stretched out his hand to take a date himself. "You'll cheat me! You'll cheat, me!" exclaimed Liudmilla, and quickly shut the lid down, pinching Sasha's fingers. "What an idea! I'm quite honest. I won't cheat you," said Sasha reassuringly. "No, no, I don't believe you," asserted Liudmilla. "Well, if you like I'll give you the kisses beforehand," suggested Sasha. "That looks more like business," said Liudmilla. "Here you are." She stretched out her hand to Sasha. He took her long thin fingers, kissed them once and asked with a sly smile, without letting go of her hand: "And you'll not cheat me, Liudmillotchka?" "Do you think I'm dishonest!" answered Liudmilla. "You can kiss without suspicion." Sasha bent over her hand and gave it quick kisses; he covered her hand with loud kisses, pressing his open lips against her hand, and feeling happy that he could kiss her so often. Liudmilla carefully counted the kisses. When she had counted ten, she said: "It must be very awkward for you to stand and bend over." "Well, I'll make myself more comfortable," said Sasha. He went down on his knees and kissed her hand with renewed zeal.