An Emerald (Bunin)
Division into chapters is editorial.
Night sky observation: the setting and characters
The story began on a night with a dark-blue sky covered in quietly floating white clouds. Near the high moon, the clouds appeared pale blue. Upon closer observation, it seemed that it was not the clouds that were moving, but rather the moon itself, gliding higher into the endless sky and carrying a golden star along with it.
The nocturnal dark-blue blackness of the sky, covered in quietly floating clouds, everywhere white, but beside the high moon pale blue. If you look closely, it isn't the clouds floating, it's the moon
A young woman sat sideways on the ledge of a wide open window, leaning her head out to look up at the sky. The movement of the celestial bodies made her feel slightly dizzy. A young man stood at her knees.
Discussion about the color of the sky
Ksenya asked Tolya if he could define the color of the sky between the clouds, as she found herself unable to do so. When Tolya addressed her as "Kisa," she reminded him that she had asked him a thousand times not to call her by that nickname. Tolya playfully responded with exaggerated formality, calling her "Ksenya Alexandrovna, ma'am."
"What colour is it? I can't define it! Can you, Tolya?" ... "I'm talking about that sky between the clouds. What a marvellous colour! Both terrifying and marvellous. Now that is truly heavenly, there aren't any like that on earth."
Ksenya described the sky's color as a sort of emerald, though she acknowledged her uncertainty. She found it both terrifying and marvelous, truly heavenly, unlike any color found on Earth. Tolya dismissed her description, pointing out that of course something in the heavens would be heavenly. He questioned her use of the word "emerald," admitting he had never seen one and suggesting she simply liked the word.
Ksenya then wondered if the color might be more like a ruby, but one that could only be found in paradise. The sight of the night sky made her contemplate the existence of paradise, angels, and God's throne. Tolya responded sarcastically, adding "And golden pears on willows..." to her spiritual musings.
Ksenya chided him for being spoiled and referenced a woman named Maria Sergeyevna, who had said that even the worst girl was better than any young man. Tolya jokingly agreed, again calling her by the nickname she disliked.
Physical interaction between Tolya and Ksenya
The narrator described Ksenya's appearance in detail. She wore a speckled cotton dress and cheap shoes. Her calves and knees were plump and girlish, and her small round head with a small braid around it was sweetly thrown back as she gazed at the sky.
He puts one hand on her knee, clasps her shoulders with the other, and half-jokingly kisses her slightly parted lips. She quietly frees herself, removes his hand from her knee.
Tolya placed one hand on Ksenya's knee and clasped her shoulders with his other hand. He then half-jokingly kissed her slightly parted lips. Ksenya quietly freed herself from his embrace and removed his hand from her knee.
Tolya asked if she was offended by his actions. Instead of responding directly, Ksenya pressed the back of her head against the window jamb, and Tolya noticed that she had begun to cry.
Ksenyas tears and abrupt departure
Confused by her emotional response, Tolya asked Ksenya what was wrong. She simply told him to leave her alone. When he pressed further, asking what had happened, she whispered "Nothing..." in response.
She presses the back of her head against the jamb of the window, and he sees that she is crying. "But what's the matter?" "Oh, leave me alone..." "But what's happened?" She whispers: "Nothing..."
Unable or unwilling to explain her tears, Ksenya suddenly jumped down from the window ledge and ran away. Tolya remained behind, shrugging his shoulders dismissively and muttering that she was "Stupid to the point of saintliness!" The story concluded with the date of its completion: October 3rd, 1940.