"Never mind, sit still," replied Liudmilla affectionately. "You yourself said you liked to caress." She stroked his head. He gently put his head against her. She said: "You're very handsome, Sasha." Sasha grew red and laughed. "What an idea!" said he. Conversations and thoughts about beauty, when applied to himself, somehow perplexed him; he had never as yet been curious to find out whether people considered him handsome or a monster. Liudmilla pinched Sasha's cheek, which made him smile. A pretty red spot showed on his cheek. Liudmilla pinched the other cheek also. Sasha did not protest. He only took her hand, kissed it and said: "You've done enough pinching. It hurts me, and you'll make your fingers stiff." "It may be painful, but what a flatterer you've become." "I shall have to do my lessons," said Sasha. "You must caress me a little while longer for good luck, so that I can get a five for my Greek." "So you're sending me away," said Liudmilla. She caught hold of his hand and rolled the sleeve above the elbow. "What are you doing?" asked Sasha in confusion, blushing guiltily. But Liudmilla looked at his arm admiringly and turned this way and that way. "What beautiful arms you've got!" she said clearly and happily, and suddenly kissed it near the elbow. Sasha tried to drag his arm away. Liudmilla held it and kissed it several more times. Sasha became still and cast down his eyes. And a strange expression came over his clear, half-smiling lips--and under the shadow of his thick eyelashes his hot cheeks began to pale. * * * * * They said good-bye to each other. Sasha escorted Liudmilla as far as the gate. He would have gone further but she forbade it. He paused at the gate and said: "Come again oftener, my dear, bring sweeter cakes, do you hear?" He used the familiar "thou" to her for the first time, and it sounded in her ear like a gentle caress. She embraced and kissed him impetuously, and ran away. Sasha stood like one dazed. * * * * * Sasha had promised to come. The appointed hour had passed by and Sasha had not arrived. Liudmilla waited impatiently--she fidgeted about and felt distressed and looked out of the window. Whenever she heard steps in the street she put her head out of the window. Her sisters teased her. She said angrily: "Let me alone!" Then she threw herself stormily at them with reproaches, because they laughed at her. It was already evident that Sasha would not come. Liudmilla cried with vexation and disappointment. Darya continued to tease her. Liudmilla spoke quietly between her sobs, and in the midst of her distress she forgot to be angry with them: "That detestable old hag wouldn't let him come. She keeps him tied to apron strings to make him learn Greek." "Yes, and he's a hobbledehoy, because he couldn't get away," said Darya with rough sympathy.