came into her mind was so feeble and useless.

In the stove was the sound of several bass voices in chorus, and
she even heard "O-o-o my G-o-od!" Nadya sat on her bed, and suddenly
she clutched at her hair and burst into sobs.

"Mother, mother, my own," she said. "If only you knew what is
happening to me! I beg you, I beseech you, let me go away! I beseech
you!"

"Where?" asked Nina Ivanovna, not understanding, and she sat down
on the bedstead. "Go where?"

For a long while Nadya cried and could not utter a word.

"Let me go away from the town," she said at last. "There must not
and will not be a wedding, understand that! I don't love that man
. . . I can't even speak about him."

"No, my own, no!" Nina Ivanovna said quickly, terribly alarmed.
"Calm yourself--it's just because you are in low spirits. It will
pass, it often happens. Most likely you have had a tiff with Andrey;
but lovers' quarrels always end in kisses!"

"Oh, go away, mother, oh, go away," sobbed Nadya.

"Yes," said Nina Ivanovna after a pause, "it's not long since you
were a baby, a little girl, and now you are engaged to be married.
In nature there is a continual transmutation of substances. Before
you know where you are you will be a mother yourself and an old