"And--where is Lidia Petrovna?" he asked mechanically, albeit loth to
utter the question that was uppermost in his mind.

"Lida? Where should she be? Walking with officers on the boulevard,
where all our young ladies are to be found at this time of day."

A look of jealousy darkened his face, as Novikoff asked:

"How can a girl so clever and cultivated as she waste her time with
such empty-headed fools?"

"Oh! my friend," exclaimed Sanine, smiling, "Lida is handsome, and
young, and healthy, just as you are; more so, in fact, because she has
that which you lack--keen desire for everything. She wants to know
everything, to experience everything--why, here she comes! You've only
got to look at her to understand that. Isn't she pretty?"

Lida was shorter and much handsomer than her brother. Sweetness
combined with supple strength gave to her whole personality charm and
distinction. There was a haughty look in her dark eyes, and her voice,
of which she was proud, sounded rich and musical. She walked slowly
down the steps, moving with the lithe grace of a thoroughbred, while
adroitly holding up her long grey dress. Behind her, clinking their
spurs, came two good-looking young officers in tightly-fitting riding-
breeches and shining top-boots.

"Who is pretty? Is it I?" asked Lida, as she filled the whole garden
with the charm of her voice, her beauty and her youth. She gave
Novikoff her hand, with a side-glance at her brother, about whose