He will be curious to know what has delayed you so long in
this garden."
"No doubt Peter Ivanovitch will have something to say to me. Several
things. He may even speak of you--question me. Peter Ivanovitch is
inclined to trust me generally."
"Question you? That's very likely."
She smiled, half serious.
"Well--and what shall I say to him?"
"I don't know. You may tell him of your discovery."
"What's that?"
"Why--my lack of love for...."
"Oh! That's between ourselves," she interrupted, it was hard to say
whether in jest or earnest.
"I see that you want to tell Peter Ivanovitch something in my favour,"
said Razumov, with grim playfulness. "Well, then, you can tell him that
I am very much in earnest about my mission. I mean to succeed."
"You have been given a mission!" she exclaimed quickly.
"It amounts to that. I have been told to bring about a certain event."
She looked at him searchingly.
"A mission," she repeated, very grave and interested all at once. "What
sort of mission?"
"Something in the nature of propaganda work."
"Ah! Far away from here?"
"No. Not very far," said Razumov, restraining a sudden desire to laugh,
although he did not feel joyous in the least.
"So!" she said thoughtfully. "Well, I am not asking questions. It's
sufficient that Peter Ivanovitch should know what each of us is doing.
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