Why isn't any
one out walking?"
"I suppose they are all frightened by what they've heard, and think it
better to stay at home."
We were walking down the Morskaia, and our feet gave out a ringing echo.
"Let's keep up with them," Nina said. When we had joined the others I
found that they were both silent--Lawrence very red, Vera pale. We were
all feeling rather weary. A woman met us. "You aren't allowed to cross
the Nevski," she said; "the Cossacks are stopping everybody." I can see
her now, a stout, red-faced woman, a shawl over her head, and carrying a
basket. Another woman, a prostitute I should think, came up and joined
us.
"What is it?" she asked us.
The stout woman repeated in a trembling, agitated voice, "You aren't
allowed to cross the Nevski. The Cossacks are stopping everybody."
The prostitute shook her head in her alarm, and little flakes of powder
detached themselves from her nose. "_Bozhe moi_--_bozhe moi_!" she
said, "and I promised not to be late."
Vera then, very calmly and quietly, took command of the situation.
"We'll go and see," she said, "what is really the truth.
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