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154 me, and you too will be glad, I am sure; and Kirsánof and Mertsálof will be pleased with it."

"But what in the world is it?"

"Ah, you have forgotten our agreement, haven't you, not to ask questions? I will tell you when I am sure of it."

Another week passed by.

"My mílenki, I am going to tell you my joy; only you must give me your advice, because you know all about it. You know that I have been wanting for a long, long time to do something great; and I have made up my mind that we must start a sewing union. Isn't that a good idea?"

"Now, my dear, we made an agreement that I should not kiss your hand, but that was a general rule; it did not include such an occasion as this. Give me your hand, Viéra Pavlovna!"

"By and by, my mílenki, when I have succeeded in doing it."

"When you have succeeded, then I shall not be the only one to kiss it: Kirsánof and Alekséi Petrovitch, all will want to kiss it. But now I am alone; and the intention is worthy of it."

"Violence! I shall scream!"

"Scream then!"

"Mílenki moï! I shall be ashamed, and tell you nothing. As though it were anything of such great importance!"

"Here is where its importance lies: we all make plans, but we don't accomplish anything. But you began to think long after the rest of us, and sooner than all of us have resolved to put your ideas to the test."

Viérotchka bent her head on her husband's breast, and hid her face. "My dear, you have praised me to death."

Her husband kissed her head. "What a clever little head!"

"Mílenki moï, stop! It is impossible to tell you anything! Do you know what kind of a man you are?"

"I will stop. Tell me, my tender-hearted girl."

"Don't you dare to address me so!"

"Well, you hard-hearted one."

"Akh! what kind of a man are you, all the time interrupting me? Just listen. Sit down quietly. Here, it seems to me, is the main thing: that at the very beginning, when you select a few, to make the selection very carefully. You must have really honorable, good people, not narrow-minded, not