"You'll find work," replied Malva with assurance, examining him critically with her green eyes. He paid no attention to her, and with his sleeve wiped away the perspiration that covered his face. She suddenly began to laugh. "Your mother probably sent messages for your father by you?" Iakov gave a shrug of ill humor and replied: "Of course. What if she did?" "Oh, nothing." And she laughed the louder. Her laugh displeased Iakov. He paid no attention to her and thought of his mother's instructions. When she accompanied him to the end of the village she had said quickly, blinking her eyes: "In Christ's name, Iakov say to him: 'Father, mother is alone yonder. Five years have gone by and she is always alone. She is getting old.' Tell him that, Iakov, my little Iakov, for the love of God. Mother will soon be an old woman. She's always alone, always at work. In Christ's name, tell him that." And she had wept silently, hiding her face in her apron. Iakov had not pitied her then, but he did now. And his face took on a hard expression before Malva, as if he were about to abuse her. "Here I am!" cried Vassili, bursting in on them with a wriggling fish in one hand and a knife in the other. He had not got over his uneasiness, but had succeeded in dissimulating it deep within him. Now he looked at his guests with serenity and good nature; only his manner was more agitated than usual. "I'll make a bit of a fire in a minute, and we'll talk. Why, Iakov, what a fine fellow you've grown!" Again he disappeared. Malva went on munching her melon seeds. She stared familiarly at Iakov. He tried not to meet her eyes, although he would have liked to, and he thought to himself: "Life must come easy here. People seem to eat as much as they want to. How strong she is and father, too!" Then intimidated by the silence, he said aloud: "I forgot my bag in the boat. I'll go and get it." Iakov rose leisurely and went out. Vassili appeared a moment later. He bent down towards Malva and said rapidly with anger: "What did you want to bring him for? What shall I tell him about you?" "What's that to me? Am I afraid of him? Or of you?" she asked, closing her green eyes with disdain. Then she laughed: "How you went on when you saw him. It was so funny!" "Funny, eh?" The sand crunched under Iakov's steps and they had to suspend their conversation. Iakov had brought a bag which he threw into a corner. He cast a hostile look at the young woman. She went on munching her seeds. Vassili, seating himself on the woodbin, said with a forced smile: "What made you think of coming?" "Why, I just came. We wrote you." "When? I haven't received any letter." "Really? We wrote often." "The letter must have got lost," said Vassili regretfully. "It always does when it's important." "So you don't know how things are at home?" asked Iakov, suspiciously. "How should I know? I received no letter."