Page:Leskov - The Sentry and other Stories.djvu/102

 86 he asked for a towel and they again began to talk.

"Well, how did you come to bury father?" inquired her husband.

"He just died and was buried," answered his wife.

"What a strange thing it was!"

"God only knows," answered Katerina Lvovna, and began to rattle the cups.

Zinovey Borisych walked about the room gloomily.

"Well, and you? How have you passed your time?" Zinovey Borisych asked his wife.

"Our pleasures are known to everybody. We don't go to balls, nor to theatres either."

"It appears you are not very pleased to see your husband," observed Zinovey Borisych giving her a sudden glance.

"We are not such young things, you and I, that we should go out of our senses when we meet. How am I to show my delight? Here am I, fussing and running about to please you."

Katerina Lvovna again went out of the room to fetch the samovar, and again had time to run up to Sergei, nudge him, and whisper:

"Don't doze, Sergei, be ready."

Sergei could not understand to what all this was to lead; but he waited ready to be called.