"But tell me, sweetie," she asked, in a barely audible voice, so
that the cadet with difficulty made out her words, "tell me one
thing more; but the fact of your paying money, these filthy two
roubles--do you understand?--paying them for love, so that I might
caress, kiss you, give all my body to you--didn't you feel ashamed
to pay for that? Never?"
"Oh, my God! What strange questions you put to me to-day! But then
they all pay money! Not I, then some one else would have paid--
isn't it all the same to you?"
"And have you been in love with any one, Kolya? Confess! Well,
now, if not in real earnest, then just so... at soul... Have you
done any courting? Brought little flowers of some sort... Strolled
arm-in-arm with her under the moon? Wasn't that so?"
"Well, yes," said Koiya in a sedate bass. "What follies don't
happen in one's youth! It's a matter anyone can understand..."
"Some sort of a little first cousin? An educated young lady? A
boarding school miss? A high school girl? ... There has been,
hasn't there?"
"Well, yes, of course--everybody has them.
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