Read "The Bracelet of Garnets" by Aleksandr Kuprin online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
Anna and Bakhtinsky walked ahead, while the commandant and Vera followed, arm in arm, about twenty paces behind. The night was so black that during the first few minutes, before the eyes became accustomed to the darkness after the light of the rooms, it was necessary to feel for the road with the foot. Anosov, who, despite his age, still had very sharp eyes, had to help his companion every little while. From time to time, with his large, cold hand, he stroked affectionately Vera's hand, that lay lightly on the bend of his overcoat sleeve.
"Isn't Ludmila Lvovna queer? " suddenly said the general, as if continuing his thought aloud. "I have often noticed that when a woman is fifty, and especially if she is a widow or an old maid, she always likes to make fun of other people's love. Either she is spying, or gossiping, or rejoicing at other people's misfortunes, or trying to make others happy, or spreading verbal glue about the higher love. And I say that in our times people don't know how to love. I don't see any real love. Didn't see any in my time, either."