He was no longer sure of
himself.
I witnessed just at this time a little scene that surprised me. I had
been in the bandaging room alone one evening, cutting up bandages. I
was going through the passage into the other part of the house when a
sound stopped me. I could not avoid seeing beyond the open door a
little scene that happened so swiftly that I could neither retire nor
advance.
Marie Ivanovna and Semyonov were coming together towards the bandaging
room. She was in front of him when he put his hand on her arm.
"Do you love me?" he said in a low voice.
She turned round to him, laughing.
"Yes," she said, looking at him.
"Then kiss me."
"No, not now."
"Why not now?"
"I don't want to."
"Why don't you want to?"
She shook her head, still laughing into his eyes.
"But if I command you?"
"Ah! _command_!... Then I certainly will not."
His hand tightened on her arm and she did not draw away.
"Kiss me."
"No."
"I say yes."
"I say no."
He suddenly caught her, held her to him as though he would kill her
and kissed her furiously, on her eyes, her mouth, her hair.
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