I remember that she was
wearing that day a thin black velvet necklet with a very small diamond
in front of it. She had been given it by Uncle Ivan on her last
birthday, and instead of making her look grown-up it gave her a
ridiculously childish appearance as though she had stolen into Vera's
bedroom and dressed up in her things. Then, with her fair tousled hair
and large blue eyes, open as a rule with a startled expression as though
she had only just awakened into an astonishingly exciting world, she was
altogether as unprotected and as guileless and as honest as any human
being alive. I don't know whether Semyonov felt her innocence and
youth--I expect he considered very little beside the plans that he had
then in view.... and innocence had never been very interesting to him.
He spoke to her just as a kind, wise, thoughtful uncle ought to speak to
a niece caught up into her first love-affair. From the moment of that
half-hour's conversation in the window Nina adored him, and believed
every word that came from his mouth.
"You see, Nina dear," he went on, "I've not spoken to you before because
you neither liked me nor trusted me.
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