It was two years after my visit that Panteley Eremyitch's troubles began--his real troubles. Disappointments, disasters, even misfortunes he had had before that time, but he had paid no attention to them, and had risen superior to them in former days. The first blow that fell upon him was the most heartrending for him. Masha left him.  
What induced her to his roof, where she seemed to be so at home, it is hard to say. Tchertop-hanov to the end of his days clung to the conviction that a certain young neighbour, a captain of Uhlans, named Yaff, was at the root of Masha's desertion. He had taken her fancy, according to Panteley Eremyitch, simply by constantly curling his moustaches, pomading himself to excess, and sniggering significantly; but one must suppose that the gypsy blood in Masha's had more to do with it. However that may have been, one fine summer evening Masha tied up a few and ends in a small bundle, and walked out of Tchertop-hanov's house.
 
For three days before this she had sat up in a corner, against the wall, like a wounded fox, and had not spoken a word to any one; she had only turned her eyes about, and her , and faintly gnashed her teeth, and moved her arms as though she were wrapping herself up. This mood had come upon her before, but had never lasted long: Tchertop-hanov knew that, and so he neither worried himself nor worried her. But when, on coming in from the , where, in his huntsman's words, the last two hounds 'had departed,' he met a servant girl who, in a trembling voice, informed him that Marya Akinfyevna sent him her greetings, and left word that she wished him every happiness, but she was not coming back to him any more; Tchertop-hanov, after reeling round where he stood and uttering a yell, rushed at once after the , snatching up his pistol as he went.
 
He overtook her a mile and a half from his house, near a birch wood, on the high-road to the district town. The sun was sinking on the horizon, and everything was suddenly with purple glow--trees, plants, and earth alike.
 
'To Yaff! to Yaff!' Tchertop-hanov directly he caught sight of Masha. 'Going to Yaff!' he repeated, running up to her, and almost stumbling at every step.
 
Masha stood still, and turned round facing him.
 
She stood with her back to the light, and looked all black, as though she had been carved out of dark wood; only the whites of her eyes stood out like silvery almonds, but the eyes themselves--the pupils--were darker than ever.
 
She flung her bundle aside, and folded her arms. 'You are going to Yaff, wretched girl!' repeated Tchertop-hanov, and he was on the point of seizing her by the shoulder, but, meeting her eyes, he was , and stood uneasily where he was.
 
'I am not going to Mr. Yaff, Panteley Eremyitch,' replied Masha in soft, even tones; 'it's only I can't live with you any longer.'
 
'Can't live with me? Why not? Have I offended you in some way?'
 
Masha shook her head. 'You've not offended me in any way, Panteley Eremyitch, only my heart is heavy in your house.... Thanks for the past, but I can't stay--no!'
 
Tchertop-hanov was amazed; he slapped his , and bounced up and down in his .
 
'How is that? Here she's gone on living with me, and known nothing but peace and happiness, and all of a sudden--her heart's heavy! and she flings me over! She goes and puts a kerchief on her head, and is gone. She received every respect, like any lady.'
 
'I don't care for that in the least,' Masha interrupted.
 
'Don't care for it? From a wandering gypsy to turn into a lady, and she doesn't care for it! How don't you care for it, you low-born slave? Do you expect me to believe that? There's treachery hidden in it--treachery!'
 
He began frowning again.
 
'There's no treachery in my thoughts, and never has been,' said Masha in her distinct, voice; 'I've told you already, my heart was heavy.'
 
'Masha!' cried Tchertop-hanov, striking himself a blow on the chest with his fist; 'there, stop it; , you have tortured me... now, it's enough! O my God! think only what Tisha will say; you might have pity on him, at least!'
 
'Remember me to Tihon Ivanitch, and tell him...'
 
Tchertop-hanov his hands. 'No, you are talking nonsense--you are not going! Your Yaff may wait for you in vain!'
 
'Mr. Yaff,' Masha was beginning....
 
'A fine Mister Yaff!' Tchertop-hanov her. 'He's an underhand , a low cur--that's what he is--and a phiz like an ape's!'
 
For half-an-hour Tchertop-hanov was struggling with Masha. He came close to her, he fell back, he shook his fists at her, he bowed down before her, he wept, he scolded.
 
...'I can't,' repeated Masha; 'I am so sad at heart... by weariness.'
 
Little by little her face assumed such an indifferent, almost expression, that Tchertop-hanov asked her if they had not drugged her with laudanum.
 
'It's weariness,' she said for the tenth time.
 
'Then what if I kill you............