This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1920 edition. Excerpt: ... room, followed by Masha's laughter. His mother apologized for him. "How can we stand this terrible heat? It's enough to make people go about naked." She then threw into Charlie his shirt and trousers, which had been drying on the fire" escape. For Charlie had washed them on his return from his work. "I've come to take Charlie out for a walk in the Park," said Masha. "Better take a ride out to Coney Island and go in bathing.--It's so muggy. I'm always urging him to go to Coney Island, but he's such a lazy fellow. He just hangs around the house all day long over his books," said the mother. "Your mother is right, Charlie. We'll go to Coney Island. On the way I'll step into my house for my bathing suit. Take yours along, Charlie." Charlie came in, dressed, wearing his newly washed shirt and the washed trousers, which were not yet entirely dry and clung to his limbs. Large drops of water trickled from his black hair down along his cheeks, for he had just been holding his head under the faucet. "I've come to take you out to Coney Island for a swim," said Masha. "Take your bathing suit." Charlie was not very enthusiastic. He smiled, and said that he had something to attend to in the city, so that he had no time for the excursion. At his reply, Masha felt as if she had been doused with cold water and prepared to leave at once. The mother wondered why Masha remained in the city during such a hot spell, --why she didn't go off to some summer resort, and explained to herself that it must surely be because of the wedding trousseau she was having made. For she had heard that Masha's marriage was soon to take place. "They tell me you're going to be married very soon. Well, may it be...