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 say what they wanted to say than after any casual words. But against her own will, as it were unexpectedly, Varenka broke out:—

"And so you did not find any. But there are never so many mushrooms in the woods as along the edge."

Sergyeï Ivanovitch sighed and made no answer. He was annoyed because she spoke about mushrooms. He wanted to bring her back to the first words which she had spoken about her childhood; but, as it were, contrary to his will, after a brief silence, he made an observation on what she had said last.

"I have heard that the white mushrooms are found pre-eminently on the edge of the forest, but I can't tell them."

A few moments more passed; they had gone still farther away from the children, and were wholly alone.

Varenka's heart beat so violently that she heard its throbs, and she was conscious that she was blushing, turning pale, and then blushing again.

To be the wife of such a man as Koznuishef after her position with Mme. Stahl seemed to her the height of happiness. Moreover, she was almost convinced that she was in love with him. And this was to be decided immediately! It was a terrible moment for her; terrible, both what he would say, and what he would not say.

Now, or never, it would have to be decided; Sergyeï Ivanovitch also felt this. Everything in Varenka's looks, in her heightened color, in the way she dropped her eyes, betrayed the most painful expectation.

Sergyeï Ivanovitch saw this and was sorry for her. He even felt that he should wrong her if he kept silence. He made an effort to recall his recent arguments in favor of making the decision. He even repeated to himself the words in which he was going to couch his declaration; but instead of these words, by some combination unexpected to himself, he asked:—

"What is the difference between a white mushroom and a birch mushroom?"

Varenka's lips trembled as she answered:—

"There is very little difference in the cap, but it lies in the root."