The streets became dark and empty.

Nazarka remained with the women on the earth-bank and their laughter was still heard, but Lukashka, having slowly moved away from the girls, crouched down like a cat and then suddenly started running lightly, holding his dagger to steady it: not homeward, however, but towards the cornet's house.

Having passed two streets he turned into a lane and lifting the skirt of his coat sat down on the ground in the shadow of a fence.

'A regular cornet's daughter!' he thought about Maryanka.

'Won't even have a lark--the devil! But just wait a bit.' The approaching footsteps of a woman attracted his attention.