CHAPTER XXXIII.
The news that two persons had committed suicide on the same night
spread rapidly through the little town. It was Ivanoff who told Yourii.
The latter had just come back from a lesson, and was at work upon a
portrait of Lialia. She posed for him in a light-coloured blouse, open
at the neck, and her pretty shell-pink arms showed through the semi-
transparent stuff. The room was filled with sunlight which lit up her
golden hair, and heightened the charm of her girlish grace.
"Good day," said Ivanoff, as, entering, he flung his hat on to a chair.
"Ah! it's you. Well, what's the news?" asked Yourii, smiling.
He was in a contented, happy mood, for at last he had got some teaching
which made him less dependent upon his father, and the society of his
bright, charming sister served to cheer him, also.
"Oh! lots of news," said Ivanoff, with a vague look in his eyes. "One
man has hanged himself, and another has blown his brains out, and the
devil's got hold of a third."
"What on earth do you mean?" exclaimed Yourii.
Pages:
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399