smart and bold gait of a Cossack woman and only turned her dark
shaded eyes slowly towards the old man.

'Love me and you'll be happy,' shouted Eroshka, winking, and he
looked questioningly at the cadet.

'I'm a fine fellow, I'm a wag!' he added. 'She's a regular queen,
that girl. Eh?'

'She is lovely,' said Olenin. 'Call her here!'

'No, no,' said the old man. 'For that one a match is being
arranged with Lukashka, Luke, a fine Cossack, a brave, who killed
an abrek the other day. I'll find you a better one. I'll find you
one that will be all dressed up in silk and silver. Once I've said
it I'll do it. I'll get you a regular beauty!'

'You, an old man--and say such things,' replied Olenin. 'Why, it's
a sin!'

'A sin? Where's the sin?' said the old man emphatically. 'A sin to
look at a nice girl? A sin to have some fun with her? Or is it a
sin to love her? Is that so in your parts? ... No, my dear fellow,
it's not a sin, it's salvation! God made you and God made the girl
too. He made it all; so it is no sin to look at a nice girl.
That's what she was made for; to be loved and to give joy. That's
how I judge it, my good fellow.'

Having crossed the yard and entered a cool dark storeroom filled
with barrels, Maryanka went up to one of them and repeating the