On coming, he would ask her:
"You are marrying of your own free will, for love, are you not?"
What should she tell him? Would he forgive her faint-heartedness?
And why does she marry? Can it really be possible that this is
all she can do in order to change her life?
Gloomy thoughts sprang up one after another in the head of the
girl and confused and tortured her, impotent as she was to set up
against them some definite, all-conquering desire. Though she was
in an anxious and compressing her lips. Smolin rose from his
chair, made a step toward her and bowed respectfully. She was
rather pleased with this low and polite bow, also with the costly
frock coat, which fitted Smolin's supple figure splendidly. He
had changed but slightly--he was the same red-headed, closely-
cropped, freckled youth; only his moustache had become long, and
his eyes seemed to have grown larger.
"Now he's changed, eh?" exclaimed Mayakin to his daughter,
pointing at the bridegroom. And Smolin shook hands with her, and
smiling, said in a ringing baritone voice:
"I venture to hope that you have not forgotten your old friend?"
It's all right! You can talk of this later," said the old man,
scanning his daughter with his eyes.
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