'Into your regiment,' observed Kister, with a smile: 'no, not long.'
'Aren't you dull here?'
'Oh no... I find such delightful society here... and the scenery!'... Kister launched into eulogies of the scenery. Masha listened to him, without raising her head. Avdey Ivanovitch was standing in a corner, looking indifferently at the dancers.
'How old is Mr. Lutchkov?' she asked suddenly.
'Oh... thirty-five, I fancy,' answered Kister.
'They say he's a dangerous man... hot-tempered,' Masha added hurriedly.
'He is a little hasty... but still, he's a very fine man.'
'They say every one's afraid of him.'
Kister laughed.
'And you?'
'I'm a friend of his.'
'Really?'
'Your turn, your turn,' was shrieked at them from all sides. They started and began galloping again right across the room.
'Well, I congratulate you,' Kister said to Lutchkov, going up to him after the dance; 'the daughter of the house does nothing but ask questions about you.'
'Really?' Lutchkov responded scornfully.
