From henceforth there was a new and rather disturbing feature in Ilya's life. Gavrik's sister began to visit his shop almost every day. She appeared always anxious over one thing or another, greeted Ilya with a hearty handshake, and vanished again after exchanging a few words with him. But always she left something new in Ilya's mind. Once she asked him:
"Not so very much," answered Ilya, shrugging his shoulders; "but a man must earn his living some way or other."
She looked at him attentively with her serious eyes, and her face looked even more tense than usual.
"A man must live!" repeated Ilya with a sigh.
"Have you never tried to make your living by work?"
"Always. All my life. I--sell things," answered Ilya doubtfully.
She smiled, and Ilya felt a little hurt at her smile.
"Yes, surely. It often makes me tired." Looking in her face he felt that she was not joking, but speaking earnestly.
"Oh, no"--the girl went on with a condescending smile. "To work means to make something by the exercise of one's strength--to create something. Thread or ribbons or chairs or chests--d'you see?" Lunev nodded and blushed; he was ashamed to say that he did not understand.
"But trade--what's the good of it? it makes nothing," she said with conviction, and looked challengingly at Ilya.
"Yes," he answered slowly and carefully. "You're right there--it isn't difficult when you're used to it. But still trade must be some use, or else there wouldn't be any, would there?"
She did not reply to this, but turned away and began to speak to her brother. Soon after she took her leave, only nodding to Ilya as she went. Her expression was cold and proud, even as it was before the encounter with Masha. Ilya pondered on this; could he by any chance have hurt her feelings by a careless word? He thought over everything he had said, and could find nothing in it to wound her. Then he began to consider her words, and the more he thought the more they occupied him. What sort of difference could she see between trade and work?
She interested him more and more; but he could not understand why her features looked cross and irritable when she herself was so kind, and could not only sympathise with people, but also help them. Pavel had visited her at home, and was full of enthusiastic praises for her and all the mode of life in her family.