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One day I was sitting on the wall looking into the distance and listening to the ringing of the bells Suddenly so floated up to me--not a breath of wind and not a shiver, but as it were a whiff of fragrance--as it were, a sense of so near I looked down Below, on the path, in a light greyish goith a pink parasol on her shoulder, was Zina&iuht ofback the brim of her straw hat, she raised her velvety eyes to ht?' she asked me with a rather queer smile 'Come,' she went on, 'you always declare you love me; jump down into the road to me if you really do love me'

Zinaïda had hardly uttered those words when I flen, just as though soiven me a violent push froh I reached the ground on reat that I could not keep ; I fell down, and for an instant fainted away When I ca my eyes, I felt Zina&iu over me, and there was a note of alarmed tenderness in her voice, 'how could you do it, dear; how could you obey? You know I love you Get up'

Her boso my head, and suddenly--ere an covering my face with kissesthey touched uessed by the expression of h I still keptrapidly to her feet, she said: 'Co in the dust?' I got up 'Give me my parasol,' said Zinaïda, 'I threw it down somewhere, and don't stare at me like thatwhat ridiculous nonsense! you're not hurt, are you? stung by the nettles, I daresay? Don't stare at me, I tell you But he doesn't understand, he doesn't answer,' she added, as though to herself 'Go home, M'sieu' Voldemar, brush yourself, and don't dare to follow ain '

She did not finish her sentence, but walked rapidly ahile I sat down by the side of the roadiddy; but the feeling of rapture I experienced then has never come a second time in my life It turned to a sweet ache in all my limbs and found expression at last in joyful hops and skips and shouts Yes, I was still a child