Novikoff laughed maliciously, but replied politely enough to Sarudine.

"Why a crime? A good mother or a female doctor is worth a thousand
times more than an actress."

"Not at all!" said Tanaroff, indignantly.

"Don't you find this sort of talk rather boring?" asked Sanine.

Sarudine's rejoinder was lost in a fit of coughing. They all of them
really thought such a discussion tedious and unnecessary; and yet they
all felt somewhat offended. An unpleasant silence reigned.

Lida and Maria Ivanovna appeared on the verandah. Lida had heard her
brother's last words, but did not know to what they referred.

"You seem to have soon become bored!" cried she, laughing. "Let us go
down to the river. It is charming there, now."

As she passed in front of the men, her shapely figure swayed slightly,
and there was a look of dark mystery in her eyes that seemed to say
something, to promise something.

"Go for a walk till supper-time," said Maria Ivanovna.

"Delighted," exclaimed Sarudine. His spurs clinked, as he offered Lida
his arm.

"I hope that I may be allowed to come too," said Novikoff, meaning to