He rose and moved away. But he was mistaken in saying that he did not need her, for when away from her he felt lonely. A strange feeling had come to him after their conversation, a secret desire to protest against the father. Only yesterday this feeling had not existed, nor even to-day, before he saw Malva. Now it seemed to him that his father embarrassed him and stood in his way, although he was far away over the sea yonder, on a narrow tongue of sand almost invisible to the eye. Then it seemed to him, too, that Malva was afraid of the father; if she were not afraid she would talk differently. Now she was missing in his life while only that morning he had not thought of her. And so he wandered for several hours along the beach, stopping here and there to chat with fishermen he knew. At noon he took a siesta under the shade of an upturned boat. When he awoke he took another stroll and came across Malva far from the fishing ground, reading a tattered book under the shade of the willows. She looked up at Iakov and smiled. "Ah, there you are," he said, sitting down beside her. "Have you been looking for me long?" she asked, demurely. "Looking for you? What an idea?" replied Iakov, who was only just beginning to realize that it was the truth. "Do you know how to read?" she asked. "Yes--I used to, but I've forgotten everything." "So have I." "Why didn't you go to the headland to-day?" asked Iakov, suddenly. "What's that to you?" Iakov plucked a leaf and chewed it. "Listen," he said in a low tone and drawing near her. "Listen to what I'm going to say. I'm young and I love you." "You're a silly lad, very silly," said Malva, shaking her head. "I may be a fool," cried Iakov, passionately. "But I love you, I love you." "Be silent! Go away!" "Why?" "Because." "Don't be obstinate." He took her gently by the shoulders. "Can't you understand?" "Go away, Iakov," she cried, severely. "Go away!" "Oh, if that's the tone you take I don't care a rap. You're not the only woman here. You imagine that you are better than the others." She made no reply, rose and brushed the dust off her skirt. "Come," she said. And they went back to the fishing grounds side by side. They walked slowly on account of the soft sand. Suddenly, as they were nearing the boats, Iakov stopped short and seized Malva by the arms. "Are you driving me desperate on purpose? Why do you play with me like this?" he demanded. "Leave me alone, I tell you," she said, calmly disengaging herself from his grasp. Serejka appeared from behind a boat. He shook his fist at the couple, and said, threateningly: "So, that's how you go off together. Vassili shall know of this." "Go to the devil, all of you!" cried Malva. And she left them, disappearing among the boats.