..
well, a certain need... for woman. For I'm not going to occupy
myself with all sorts of nastiness!"
"Need? Only need? That means, just as for that chamber which
stands under my bed?"
"No, why so?" retorted Kolya, with a kindly laugh. "I liked you
very much... From the very first time... If you will, I'm even...
a little in love with you... at least, I never stayed with any of
the others."
"Well, all right! But then, the first time, could it possibly have
been need?"
"No, perhaps, it wasn't need even; but somehow, vaguely, I wanted
woman... My friends talked me into it... Many had already gone
here before me... So then, I too..."
"But, now, weren't you ashamed the first time?"
Kolya became confused; all this interrogation was to him
unpleasant, oppressive. He felt, that this was not the empty, idle
bed talk, so well known to him, out of his small experience; but
something else, of more import.
"Let's say... not that I was ashamed... well, but still I felt
kind of awkward. I drank that time to get up courage."
Jennie again lay down on her side; leaned upon her elbow, and
again looked at him from time to time, near at hand and intently.
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