He ceased at last, and suddenly seemed to see THIS face for the first time, although it was so dear and so familiar to him.He gave a deep sigh.
"Ah! how well I did to tell you everything!" He was scarcely able to articulate the words.
"Yes, how well-- how well!" she repeated, also in a whisper.She imitated him unconsciously-- her voice, too, gave way."And it means," she continued, "that I am at your disposal, that I want to be useful to your cause, that I am ready to do anything that may be necessary, go wherever you may want me to, that I have always longed with my whole soul for all the things that you want--"She also ceased.Another word-- and her emotion would have dissolved into tears.All the strength and force of her nature suddenly softened as wax.She was consumed with a thirst for activity, for self-sacrifice, for immediate self-sacrifice.
A sound of footsteps was heard from the other side of the door--light, rapid, cautious footsteps.
Mariana suddenly drew herself up and disengaged her hands; her mood changed, she became quite cheerful, a certain audacious, scornful expression flitted across her face.
"I know who is listening behind the door at this moment," she remarked, so loudly that every word could be heard distinctly in the corridor; "Madame Sipiagina is listening to us...but it makes no difference to me."The footsteps ceased.
1
"I don't know yet," Nejdanov replied."I have received a note from Markelov--""When did you receive it? When? "
"This evening.He and I must go and see Solomin at the factory tomorrow.""Yes...yes....What a splendid man Markelov is! Now he's a real friend!""Like me"
"No--not like you."
"How?
She turned away suddenly.
"Oh! Don't you understand what you have become for me, and what Iam feeling at this moment?"
Nejdanov's heart beat violently; he looked down.This girl who loved him--a poor, homeless wretch, who trusted him, who was ready to follow him, pursue the same cause together with him--this wonderful girl-- Mariana-- became for Nejdanov at this moment the incarnation of all earthly truth and goodness-- the incarnation of the love of mother, sister, wife, all the things he had never known; the incarnation of his country, happiness, struggle, *******!
He raised his head and encountered her eyes fixed on him again.
Oh, how this sweet, bright glance penetrated to his very soul!
"And so," he began in an unsteady voice, "I am going away tomorrow...
And when I come back, I will tell...you-- " (he suddenly felt it awkward to address Mariana as "you") "tell you everything that is decided upon.From now on everything that I do and think, everything, I will tell thee first.""Oh, my dear!" Mariana exclaimed, seizing his hand again."Ipromise thee the same!"
The word "thee" escaped her lips just as simply and easily as if they had been old comrades.
"Have you got the letter?"
"Here it is."
Mariana scanned the letter and looked up at him almost reverently.
"Do they entrust you with such important commissions?" He smiled in reply and put the letter back in his pocket."How curious," he said, "we have come to know of our love, we love one another-- and yet we have not said a single word about it.""There is no need," Mariana whispered, and suddenly threw her arms around his neck and pressed her head closely against his breast.They did not kiss-- it would have seemed to them too commonplace and rather terrible-- but instantly took leave of one another, tightly clasping each other's hands.
Mariana returned for the candle which she had left on the window-sill of the empty room.Only then a sort of bewilderment came over her; she extinguished the candle and, gliding quickly along the dark corridor, entered her own room, undressed and went to bed in the soothing darkness.
