The Lovers - стр. 33

She turned away again, watching the black water speckled with gold, with only one thought in her head: don’t cry.

Konstantin Konstantinovich very carefully took Dina’s hand – it was cold and wet from the night’s dew. Seeing no resistance, he took her other hand and held them between his palms to warm them up. Dina didn’t fight him but neither did she look at him as she was still afraid of bursting into tears. She didn’t know and couldn’t understand why.

“All right,” said Konstantin Konstantinovich, “I will not say anything for now… except one thing: You seem to be cold.”

“No, I’m not cold,” said Dina, “It’s just my hands.”

Konstantin Konstantinovich breathed into his hands, where Dina’s fingers lay.

“Thank you.” Dina smiled.

They passed the bridge and stopped at the tram stop.

“You’re going home already?” asked Konstantin Konstantinovich.

“I don’t want any trouble at the dorms.” She looked at her watch.

“Yes, of course,” Konstantin Konstantinovich looked nervous. “But I… I don’t want to leave you… You don’t have any relatives here?”

“I do, but I don’t want to intrude on them. Especially this late at night.”

“Do you at least stay over there occasionally?”

“Very rarely, when my mom comes to visit.”

“Hmmm… You could tell them at the dorms that…” He suddenly laughed. “My God! Who am I advising to lie! Forgive me. But I truly do not want to part from you. I hope that you trust the sincerity of this?”

“Yes,” Dina said simply. “I believe you. No matter what you say.”

Slightly puzzled, Konstantin Konstantinovich asked, “What do you mean? I don’t understand…”

“What’s not to understand? I believe you,” Dina repeated forcefully.

“You believe me? After everything that you’ve found out about me?”

“Especially after everything that I’ve found out about you.” Dina explained, “You’re a sincere person. You’re a sincere womanizer. You sincerely love women… They throw themselves at you… It’s a perfect match. At least, you don’t lie to them that you’re going to marry them.” She stared at him. “Right?”

Konstantin Konstantinovich hung his head in embarrassment and laughed.

“Well… very rarely,” he continued, as if needing to justify his answer. “You’re all so different! You want the truth, the others want a lie! And the fancier, the better!” He looked at Dina again with the expression of curiosity, astonishment, and confusion, that had followed him all evening. “But this a first for me. I’ve said all sorts of things to women!”

The tram thundered as it approached the tram stop. Konstantin Konstantinovich looked questioningly at Dina.