Raïna Karadjova stood in her small garden: a few meager village flowers and two miserable, thin little trees. Her husband entered the garden.

“Good evening, Andrée,” she called, hurrying to greet him. “I am not dining at home this evening,” her husband said.

“Oh, here comes Baï Kolyu!”

“God give you health, Baï Kolyu!”

“Am I bothering you?” asked Kolyu Petrov.

“No. Just come in for one rakia. I’ll get dressed in the meantime. We’ll have a banquet for Vazov tonight, as you know.”

“And your wife?”

“Oh, my God, no! The women have to stay at home, that’s how it is for them. Besides—you know, Vazov forbade women to be at the banquet. But come to the salon now.”

This salon would not have met a European’s taste. The divans all along the otherwise four empty walls, a couple of ashtrays on the coffee table—a gloomy home! They sat down.

“Rakia!” said Andrée. Raïna got up. She walked lazily and without energy, her eyes veiled, her lips swelling and longing for affection.

She brought glasses and poured them. When she approached Kolyu, she trembled a little, and her pale face blushed lightly.

“To your health, Kolyu!” cried Andrée, emptying his glass. “And now wait a bit until I get dressed, then we’ll depart together.”

With that he hurried out.

Raïna walked up to the guest. Suddenly she was completely changed. Her eyes were ablaze. Her hot breath brushed his face as she spoke. “Come back in half an hour, Kolyu! I’m afraid alone, our house is so lonely, we have no servant. You know I am a fearful woman, we women are like that. And you are so brave, come back, come back!”

“No, I can’t, someone could see me.”

“But who will see you when it is night?”

“No, Raïna, tomorrow morning, not now. It is for your own good.”

“My own good! O, you are deceitful like all men! Come today, it is so nice to chat by the lamp and—I love you so much, Kolyu, you know that I sacrificed everything for you, that I am ready to follow you whenever and wherever you want. That’s not supposed to be a reproach, Kolyu,” she said, looking deep into his eyes.

Her gaze made him stagger.