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152 his wife's room? When she ain't dressed, she don't let him in. What does that look like?"

"You ought to see how they part at night. She says: 'Proshchaï mílenki, good night.' Then they separate, each to sit in their own rooms. They read books, and he sometimes writes. Just you listen and I'll tell you what happened once. She went to bed and was reading a book. Then I heard through the partition (it happened I was wide awake that night); I hear her a gittin' up. And what do you think? I was list'nin'. She was a-standin' before her lookin' glass a-combin' of her hair. Well [nu], she seemed to be gittin' ready to go out to see some comp'ny. I was list'nin'. Out she went. Then [nu] I, too, goes out into the entry, gits up in a chair, and peeks through the transom into his room. I was list'nin' as she went to the door. 'Can I come in, mílenki? And he says, 'In a minute, Viérotchka.' He too was in bed. He put on his pants and his coat. Now [nu], thinks I, he'll be tyin' up his cravat. But he don't put on his cravat; he fixes hisself a little, and says, 'Now you can come in, Viérotchka.' Says she, 'I don't understand something in this book; please explain it to me.' He tells her. 'Well [nu], mílenki, forgive me for botherin' of you.' And says he, 'Oh, it's nothin', Viérotchka; I was only lyin' down, you haven't disturbed me.' And so [nu] she went out."

"And so she went out?"

"And so she went out."

"And wan't there nothin' more?"

"No, nothin' more. But it ain't so queer't she went out so, as 'twas 'cause she went and dressed herself when she went to see him. He says, 'Just wait.' Then he dressed hisself, and then he says, 'Come in.' You better tell me this: what kind of actions is them?"

"It must be this way, Petrovna; it's a kind of sect, I reckon, 'cause you know there's a good many kind of sects."

"It looks like it. See here! I guess your idee is right."

Here is another conversation:—

"Daniluitch, I axed her about them actions of theirn. Says I, 'Don't git mad at my question; but what's your religious views.' 'Of course,' says she, 'it's the Russian.' 'And your old man [supruzhnik].' 'His is Russian too,'