When she found the spoons she said she must go down to the sea to wash them. The father and son watched her as she ran down the sands and both were silent. "Where did you meet her?" asked Vassili, finally. "I went to get news of you at the office. She was there. She said to me: 'Why go on foot along the sand? Come in the boat. I'm going there.' And so we started." "And--what do you think of her?" "Not bad," said Iakov, vaguely, blinking his eyes. "What could I do?" asked Vassili. "I tried at first. But it was impossible. She mends my clothes and so on. Besides it's as easy to escape from death as from a woman when once she's after you." "What's it to me?" said Iakov. "It's your affair. I'm not your judge." Malva now returned with the spoons, and they sat down to dinner. They ate without talking, sucking the bones noisily and spitting them out on the sand, near the door. Iakov literally devoured his food, which seemed to please Malva vastly; she watched with tender interest his sunburnt cheeks extend and his thick humid lips moving quickly. Vassili was not hungry. He tried, however, to appear absorbed in the meal so as to be able to watch Malva and Iakov at his ease. After awhile, when Iakov had eaten his fill he said he was sleepy. "Lie down here," said Vassili. "We'll wake you up." "I'm willing," said Iakov, sinking down on a coil of rope. "And what will you do?" Embarrassed by his son's smile, Vassili left the cabin hastily, Malva frowned and replied to Iakov: "What's that to you? Learn to mind your own business, my lad." Then she went out. Iakov turned over and went to sleep. Vassili had fixed three stakes in the sand, and with a piece of matting had rigged up a shelter from the sun. Then he lay down flat on his back and contemplated the sky. When Malva came up and dropped on the sand by his side he turned towards her with vexation plainly written on his face. "Well, old man," she said laughing, "you don't seem pleased to see your son." "He mocks me. And why? Because of you," replied Vassili testily. "Oh, I am sorry. What can we do? I mustn't come here again, eh? All right. I'll not come again." "Siren that you are! Ah, you women! He mocks me and you too--and yet you are what I have dearest to me." He moved away from her and was silent. Squatting on the sand, with her legs drawn up to her chin, Malva balanced herself gently to and fro, idly gazing with her green eyes over the dazzling joyous sea, and she smiled with triumph as all women do when they understand the power of their beauty. "Why don't you speak?" asked Vassili. "I'm thinking," said Malva. Then after a pause she added: "Your son's a fine fellow." "What's that to you?" cried Vassili, jealously. "Who knows?" He glanced at her suspiciously. "Take care," he said, menacingly. "Don't play the imbecile. I'm a patient man, but I mustn't be crossed." He ground his teeth and clenched his fists.