But the
astonishment was only momentary. For some reason he became
offended. He raised the hand of the recumbent man, which hung down
to the floor, with the extinguished cigarette still remaining
between its fingers, and, shaking it hard, he said in a serious,
almost severe voice:
"Listen, now, Nijeradze, I'm asking you seriously. Understand,
now, may the devil take you that I'm not alone, but with a woman.
Swine!"
It was as though a miracle had happened: the lying man suddenly
jumped up, as though some spring of unusual force had
instantaneously unwound under him. He sat down on the divan,
rapidly rubbed with his palms his eyes, forehead, temples; saw the
woman, became confused at once, and muttered, hastily buttoning
his blouse:
"Is that you, Lichonin? And here I was waiting and waiting for you
and fell asleep. Request the unknown comrade to turn away for just
a minute."
He hastily pulled on his gray, everyday student's coat, and
rumpled up with all the fingers of both his hands his luxuriant
black curls. Liubka, with the coquetry natural to all women, no
matter in what years or situation they find themselves, walked up
to the sliver of a mirror hanging on the wall, to fix her hair-
dress.
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