STICK WALKING : seems sweet and charming compared to those hateful palaces! Are you glad?" Nejdanov took her hands and pressed them against his breast. "I am happy, Mariana, to begin this new life with you! You will be my guiding star, my support, my strength--" "Dear, darling Aliosha! But stop--we must wash and tidy ourselves a little. I will go into my room . . . and you . . . stay here. I won't be a minute--" Mariana went into the other room and shut the door. A minute later she opened it stick walking and, putting her head through, said: "Isn't Solomin nice!" Then she shut the door again and the key turned in the lock. Nejdanov went up to the window and looked out into the garden... One old, very old, apple tree particularly attracted his
STICK WALKING : attention. He shook himself, stretched, opened his portmanteau, but took nothing out of it; he became lost in thought. . . A quarter of an hour later Mariana returned with a beaming, freshly-washed face, brimming over with gaiety, and a few minutes later Tatiana, Pavel's wife, appeared with the samovar, tea things, rolls, and cream. In striking contrast stick walking her gipsy-like husband she was a typical Russian-- buxom, with masses of flaxen hair, which she wore in a thick plait twisted round a horn comb. She had coarse though pleasant features, good-natured grey eyes, and was dressed in a very neat though somewhat faded print dress. Her hands were clean and well-shaped, though large. She bowed composedly, greeted them in a firm, clear accent without any sing-song about it, and set to work arranging the tea things.
STICK WALKING : Mariana went up to her. "Let me help you, Tatiana. Only give me a napkin." Don't bother, miss, we are stick walking to it. Vassily Fedotitch told me to. If you want anything please let us know. We shall be delighted to do anything we can." "Please don't call me miss, Tatiana. I am dressed like a lady, but I am . . . I am quite--" Tatiana's penetrating glance disconcerted Mariana; she ceased. "And what are you then?" Tatiana asked in her steady voice. "If you really want to know . . . I am certainly a lady by birth. But I want to get rid of all that. I want to become like all simple women." "Oh, I see! You want to become simplified, like so many do nowadays." "What did you say, Tatiana? To become simplified?"
STICK WALKING : "Yes, that's a word that stick walking sprung up among us. To become simplified means to be like the common people. Teaching the people is all very well in its way, but it must be a difficult task, very difficult! I hope you'll get on." "To become simplified!" Mariana repeated. "Do you hear, Aliosha, you and I have now become simplified!" "Is he your husband or your brother?" Tatiana asked, carefully washing the cups with her large, skilful hands as she looked from one to the other with a kindly smile. "No," Mariana replied; "he is neither my husband nor my brother." Tatiana raised her head. "Then you are just living together freely? That also happens very often now. At one time it was to be met with only among nonconformists, but nowadays other folks do it too. Where there
STICK WALKING : is God's blessing you can live in peace without the priest's aid. We have some living like that at the factory. Not the worst of folk either." "What nice words you use, Tatiana! 'Living together freely' . . . I like that. I'll tell you what I want to ask of you, Tatiana. I want to make or buy stick walking dress, something like yours, only a little plainer. Then I want shoes and stockings and a kerchief-- everything like you have. I've got some money." "That's quite easy, miss. . . There, there, don't be cross. I won't call you miss if you don't like it. But what am I to call you?" "Call me Mariana." "And what is your father's Christian name?" "Why do you want my father's name? Call me simply Mariana, as I
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