forced to breathe carbonic acid gas, walked towards him, scarcely able to move one leg before the other, breathing hard, with her head thrown back. . . .  To judge from appearances she was going to a rendezous for the first time in her life.  But at last she reached him. . . .  For half a minute they gazed at each other in silence, as though they could not believe their eyes.  Thereupon some force seemed to shove Zinotchka; she laid her hands on Sasha’s shoulders and let her head droop upon his waistcoat.  Sasha laughed, muttered something incoherent, and with the clumsiness of a man head over ears in love, laid both hands on Zinotchka’s face.  And the weather, gentlemen, was exquisite. . . .  The hill behind which the sun was setting, the two willows, the green bank, the sky—­all together with Sasha and Zinotchka were reflected in the pond . . . perfect stillness . . . you can imagine it.  Millions of butterflies with long whiskers gleamed golden above the reeds; beyond the garden they were driving the cattle.  In fact, it was a perfect picture.

“Of all I had seen the only thing I understood was that Sasha was kissing Zinotchka.  That was improper.  If maman heard of it they would both catch it.  Feeling for some reason ashamed I went back to the nursery, not waiting for the end of the rendezvous.  There I sat over the sum-book, pondered and reflected.  A triumphant smile strayed upon my countenance.  On one side it was agreeable to be the possessor of another person’s secret; on the other it was also very agreeable that such authorities as Sasha and Zinotchka might at any moment be convicted by me of ignorance of the social proprieties.  Now they were in my power, and their peace was entirely dependent on my magnanimity.  I’d let them know.

“When I went to bed, Zinotchka came into the nursery as usual to find out whether I had dropped asleep without undressing and whether I had said my prayers.  I looked at her pretty, happy face and grinned.  I was bursting with my secret and itching to let it out.  I had to drop a hint and enjoy the effect.

“‘I know,’ I said, grinning.  ‘Gy—­y.’

“‘What do you know?’

“’Gy—­y!  I saw you near the willows kissing Sasha.  I followed you and saw it all.’

“Zinotchka started, flushed all over, and overwhelmed by ‘my hint’ she sank down on the chair, on which stood a glass of water and a candlestick.

“‘I saw you . . . kissing . . .’  I repeated, sniggering and enjoying her confusion.  ‘Aha!  I’ll tell mamma!’

“Cowardly Zinotchka gazed at me intently, and convincing herself that I really did know all about it, clutched my hand in despair and muttered in a trembling whisper: 

“’Petya, it is low. . . .  I beg of you, for God’s sake. . . .  Be a man . . . don’t tell anyone. . . .  Decent people don’t spy . . . .  It’s low. . . .  I entreat you.’

“The poor girl was terribly afraid of my mother, a stern and virtuous lady—­that was one thing; and the second was that my grinning countenance could not but outrage her first love so pure and poetical, and you can imagine the state of her heart.  Thanks to me, she did not sleep a wink all night, and in the morning she appeared at breakfast with blue rings round her eyes.  When I met Sasha after breakfast I could not refrain from grinning and boasting: