Virgin Soil Part 42

"It would be a good thing for you to look about a little, Alexai. I dare say they exaggerate. Only do be careful. But, however, you will not be going alone. Come back as quickly as you can. Will you promise?

Nejdanov? Will you promise?"

"Yes."

"For certain?

"I suppose so, since everybody here obeys you, including Mariana."

Nejdanov went out without saying goodbye. Pavel appeared from somewhere out of the darkness and ran down the stairs before him with a great clatter of his hob-nailed boots. Was HE then to accompany Nejdanov?

Solomin sat down beside Mariana.

"You heard Nejdanov's last word?"

"Yes. He is annoyed that I listen to you more than to him. But it's quite true. I love him and listen to you. He is dear to me... and you are near to me."

Solomin stroked her hand gently.

"This is a very unpleasant business," he observed at last. "If Markelov is mixed up in it then he's a lost man."

Mariana shuddered.

"Lost?"

"Yes. He doesn't do things by halves--and won't hide things for the sake of others."

"Lost!" Mariana whispered again as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Oh, Va.s.sily Fedot.i.tch! I feel so sorry for him. But what makes you think that he won't succeed? Why must he inevitably be lost?"

"Because in such enterprises the first always perish even if they come off victorious. And in this thing not only the first and second, but the tenth and twentieth will perish--"

"Then we shall never live to see it?"

"What you have in your mind--never. We shall never see it with our eyes; with these living eyes of ours. But with our spiritual ... but that is another matter. We may see it in that way now; there is nothing to hinder us."

"Then why do you--"

"What?"

"Why do you follow this road?"

"Because there is no other. I mean that my aims are the same as Markelov's--but our paths are different."

"Poor Sergai Mihailovitch!" Mariana exclaimed sadly. Solomin pa.s.sed his hand cautiously over hers.

"There, there, we know nothing as yet. We'll see what news Pavel brings back. In our calling one must be brave. The English have a proverb 'Never say die.' A very good proverb, I think, much better than our Russian, 'When trouble knocks, open the gates wide!' We mustn't meet trouble half way."

Solomin stood up.

"And the place you were going to find me?" Mariana asked suddenly. The tears were still shining on her cheeks, but there was no sadness in her eyes. Solomin sat down again.

"Are you in such a great hurry to get away from here?

"Oh, no! Only I wanted to do something useful."

"You are useful here, Mariana. Don't leave us yet, wait a little longer.

What is it?" Solomin asked of Tatiana who was just coming in.

"Some sort of female is asking for Alexai Dmitritch," Tatiana replied, laughing and gesticulating with her hands.

"I said that there was no such person living here, that we did not know him at all, when she--"

"Who is she?"

"Why the female of course. She wrote her name on this piece of paper and asked me to bring it here and let her in, saying that if Alexai Dmitritch was really not at home, she could wait for him."

On the paper was written in large letters "Mashurina."

"Show her in," Solomin said. "You don't mind my asking her in here, Mariana, do you? She is also one of us."

"Not at all."

A few moments later Mashurina appeared in the doorway, in the same dress in which we saw her at the beginning of the first chapter.

x.x.xI

"Is Nejdanov not at home?" she asked, then catching sight of Solomin, came up to him and extended her hand.

"How do you do, Solomin?" She threw a side-glance at Mariana.

"He will be back directly," Solomin said. "But tell me how you came to know--"

"Markelov told me. Besides several people in the town already know that he's here."

"Really?"

"Yes. Somebody must have let it out. Besides Nejdanov has been recognised."

"For all the dressing up!" Solomin muttered to himself. "Allow me to introduce you," he said aloud, "Miss Sinitska, Miss Mashurina! Won't you sit down?"

Mashurina nodded her head slightly and sat down. "I have a letter for Nejdanov and a message for you, Solomin."

"What message? And from whom?"