"And please make it as quick as possible, housekeeper dear, won't
you be so kind?"
"Right away, right away, miss."
"Why, why do you do this, Jennie?" asked Gladishev with anguish.
"Well, what's that for? ...Is it possible that you want to tell
about it? ..."
"Wait awhile, that's not your business...Wait a while, I won't do
anything unpleasant for you."
After a minute Little White Manka came in her brown, smooth,
deliberately modest dress of a high school girl.
"What did you call me for, Jennie? Or have you quarreled?"
"No, we haven't quarreled, Mannechka, but my head aches very
much," answered Jennka calmly, "and for that reason my little
friend finds me very cold. Be a friend, Mannechka, stay with him,
take my place!"
"That's enough, Jennie, stop it, darling!" in a tone of sincere
suffering retorted Kolya. "I understand everything, everything,
it's not necessary now ... Don't be finishing me off, then! ..."
"I don't understand anything of what's happened," the frivolous
Manka spread out her hands. "Maybe you'll treat a poor little girl
to something?"
"Well, go on, go on!" Jennka sent her away gently.
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