Leaving the road, the horses trotted over the moist, rich turf in which
the carriage-wheels made deep ruts. There was a pleasant odour of earth
and of green leaves.
At the appointed place, a meadow, seated on the grass were a young
student and two girls wearing the dress of Little Russia. Being the
first to arrive, they were busily preparing tea and light refreshments.
When the carriage stopped, the horses snorted and whisked away flies
with their tails. Everybody jumped down, enlivened and refreshed by the
drive and the sweet country air. Lialia bestowed resounding kisses upon
the two girls who were making tea, and introduced them to her brother
and to Sanine, whom they regarded with shy curiosity. Lida suddenly
remembered that the two men did not know each other. "Allow me," she
said to Yourii, "to introduce to you my brother Vladimir." Sanine
smiled and grasped Yourii's hand, but the latter scarcely noticed him.
Sanine found everybody interesting and liked making new acquaintances.
Yourii considered that very few people in this world were interesting,
and always felt disinclined to meet strangers. Ivanoff knew Sanine
slightly and liked what he had about him. He was the first to go up to
him and begin talking, while Semenoff ceremoniously shook hands with
him.
"Now we can all enjoy ourselves after these tiresome formalities,"
cried Lialia.
At first a certain stiffness prevailed, for many of the party were
complete strangers to each other. But as they began to eat, when the
men had had several liqueurs, and the ladies wine, such constraint gave
way to mirth. They drank freely, and there was much laughter and
joking. Some ran races and others clambered up the hill-side. All
around was so calm and bright and the green woods so fair, that nothing
sad or sinister could cast its shadows on their souls.
"If everybody were to jump about and run like this," said Riasantzeff,
flushed and breathless, "nine-tenths of the world's diseases would not
exist."
"Nor the vices either," added Lialia.
"Well, as regards vice there will always be plenty of that," observed
Ivanoff, and although no one thought such a remark either witty or
wise, it provoked hearty laughter.
As they were having tea, it was the sunset hour. The river gleamed like
gold, and through the trees fell slanting rays of warm red light.
"Now for the boat!" cried Lida, as, holding up her skirts, she ran down
to the river-bank. "Who'll get there first?"
Some ran after her, while others followed at a more leisurely pace, and
amid much laughter they all got into a large painted boat.