.."
Lida experienced a strange sensation. At first shame overwhelmed her,
such shame as if she were completely stripped, while brutal fingers
touched her. She dared not look at her brother, fearing that for very
shame they would both expire. But Sanine's grey eyes wore a calm
expression, and his voice was firm and even in tone, as if he were
talking of ordinary matters. It was this quiet strength of utterance
and the profound truth of his words that removed Lida's shame and fear.
Yet suddenly despair prevailed, as she clasped her forehead, while the
flimsy sleeves of her dress fluttered like the wings of a startled
bird.
"I cannot, no, I cannot!" she faltered, "I dare say you're right, but I
cannot! It is so awful!"
"Well, well, if you can't," said Sanine, as he knelt down, and gently
drew away her hands from her face, "we must contrive to hide it,
somehow. I will see to it that Sarudine has to leave the town, and you
--well, you shall marry Novikoff, and be happy. I know that if you had
never met this dashing young officer, you would have accepted Sascha
Novikoff.
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