youth-第14部分

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〃Where　are　those　Iwins　and　Kornakoffs　now？　Do　you　remember　them？〃

she　continued；　looking；　I　think；　with　some　curiosity　at　my

blushing；　downcast　countenance。　〃What　splendid　times　we　used　to

have！〃



Still　I　could　not　answer　her。



The　next　moment；　I　was　relieved　from　this　awkward　position　by　the

entry　of　old　Madame　Valakhin　into　the　room。　Rising；　I　bowed；　and

straightway　recovered　my　faculty　of　speech。　On　the　other　hand；　an

extraordinary　change　now　took　place　in　Sonetchka。　All　her　gaiety

and　bonhomie　disappeared；　her　smile　became　quite　a　different　one；

and；　except　for　the　point　of　her　shortness　of　stature；　she　became

just　the　lady　from　abroad　whom　I　had　expected　to　find　in　her。　Yet

for　this　change　there　was　no　apparent　reason；　since　her　mother

smiled　every　whit　as　pleasantly；　and　expressed　in　her　every

movement　just　the　same　benignity；　as　of　old。　Seating　herself　in

her　arm…chair；　the　old　lady　signed　to　me　to　come　and　sit　beside

her；　after　which　she　said　something　to　her　daughter　in　English；

and　Sonetchka　left　the　rooma　fact　which　still　further　helped　to

relieve　me。　Madame　then　inquired　after　my　father　and　brother；　and

passed　on　to　speak　of　her　great　bereavementthe　loss　of　her

husband。　Presently；　however；　she　seemed　to　become　sensible　of　the

fact　that　I　was　not　helping　much　in　the　conversation；　for　she

gave　me　a　look　as　much　as　to　say：　〃If；　now；　my　dear　boy；　you　were

to　get　up；　to　take　your　leave；　and　to　depart；　it　would　be　well。〃

But　a　curious　circumstance　had　overtaken　me。　While　she　had　been

speaking　of　her　bereavement；　I　had　recalled　to　myself；　not　only

the　fact　that　I　was　in　love；　but　the　probability　that　the　mother

knew　of　it：　whereupon　such　a　fit　of　bashfulness　had　come　upon　me

that　I　felt　powerless　to　put　any　member　of　my　body　to　its

legitimate　use。　I　knew　that　if　I　were　to　rise　and　walk　I　should

have　to　think　where　to　plant　each　foot；　what　to　do　with　my　head；

what　with　my　hands；　and　so　on。　In　a　word；　I　foresaw　that　I　should

be　very　much　as　I　had　been　on　the　night　when　I　partook　too　freely

of　champagne；　and　therefore；　since　I　felt　uncertain　of　being　able

to　manage　myself　if　I　DID　rise；　I　ended　by　feeling　UNABLE　to

rise。　Meanwhile；　I　should　say；　Sonetchka　had　returned　to　the　room

with　her　work；　and　seated　herself　in　a　far　cornera　corner

whence；　as　I　was　nevertheless　sensible；　she　could　observe　me。

Madame　must　have　felt　some　surprise　as　she　gazed　at　my　crimson

face　and　noted　my　complete　immobility；　but　I　decided　that　it　was

better　to　continue　sitting　in　that　absurd　position　than　to　risk

something　unpleasant　by　getting　up　and　walking。　Thus　I　sat　on　and

on；　in　the　hope　that　some　unforeseen　chance　would　deliver　me　from

my　predicament。　That　unforeseen　chance　at　length　presented　itself

in　the　person　of　an　unforeseen　young　man；　who　entered　the　room

with　an　air　of　being　one　of　the　household；　and　bowed　to　me

politely　as　he　did　so：　whereupon　Madame　rose；　excused　herself　to

me　for　having　to　speak　with　her　〃homme　d'affaires；〃　and　finally

gave　me　a　glance　which　said：　〃Well；　if　you　DO　mean　to　go　on

sitting　there　for　ever；　at　least　I　can't　drive　you　away。〃

Accordingly；　with　a　great　effort　I　also　rose；　but；　finding　it

impossible　to　do　any　leave…taking；　moved　away　towards　the　door；

followed　by　the　pitying　glances　of　mother　and　daughter。　All　at

once　I　stumbled　over　a　chair；　although　it　was　lying　quite　out　of

my　route：　the　reason　for　my　stumbling　being　that　my　whole

attention　was　centred　upon　not　tripping　over　the　carpet。　Driving

through　the　fresh　air；　howeverwhere　at　first　I　muttered　and

fidgeted　about　so　much　that　Kuzma；　my　coachman；　asked　me　what　was

the　matterI　soon　found　this　feeling　pass　away；　and　began　to

meditate　quietly　concerning　my　love　for　Sonetchka　and　her

relations　with　her　mother；　which　had　appeared　to　me　rather

strange。　When；　afterwards；　I　told　my　father　that　mother　and

daughter　had　not　seemed　on　the　best　of　terms　with　one　another；　he

said：



〃Yes；　Madame　leads　the　poor　girl　an　awful　life　with　her　meanness。

Yet；〃　added　my　father　with　a　greater　display　of　feeling　than　a

man　might　naturally　conceive　for　a　mere　relative；　〃she　used　to　be

such　an　original；　dear；　charming　woman！　I　cannot　think　what　has

made　her　change　so　much。　By　the　way；　you　didn't　notice　a

secretary　fellow　about；　did　you？　Fancy　a　Russian　lady　having　an

affaire　with　a　secretary！〃



〃Yes；　I　saw　him；〃　I　replied。



〃And　was　he　at　least　good…looking？〃



〃No；　not　at　all。〃



〃It　is　extraordinary！〃　concluded　Papa；　with　a　cough　and　an

irritable　hoist　of　his　shoulder。



〃Well；　I　am　in　love！〃　was　my　secret　thought　to　myself　as　I　drove

along　in　my　drozhki。



XIX



THE　KORNAKOFFS



MY　second　call　on　the　route　lay　at　the　Kornakoffs'；　who　lived　on

the　first　floor　of　a　large　mansion　facing　the　Arbat。　The

staircase　of　the　building　looked　extremely　neat　and　orderly；　yet

in　no　way　luxuriousbeing　lined　only　with　drugget　pinned　down

with　highly…polished　brass　rods。　Nowhere　were　there　any　flowers

or　mirrors　to　be　seen。　The　salon；　too；　with　its　polished　floor；

which　I　traversed　on　my　way　to　the　drawing…room；　was　decorated　in

the　same　cold；　severe；　unostentatious　style。　Everything　in　it

looked　bright　and　solid；　but　not　new；　and　pictures；　flower…

stands；　and　articles　of　bric…a…brac　were　wholly　absent。　In　the

drawing…room　I　found　some　of　the　young　princesses　seated；　but

seated　with　the　sort　of　correct；　〃company〃　air　about　them　which

gave　one　the　impression　that　they　sat　like　that　only　when　guests

were　expected。



〃Mamma　will　be　here　presently；〃　the　eldest　of　them　said　to　me　as

she　seated　herself　by　my　side。　For　the　next　quarter　of　an　hour；

this　young　lady　entertained　me　with　such　an　easy　flow　of　small…

talk　that　the　conversation　never　flagged　a　moment。　Yet　somehow

she　made　so　patent　the　fact　that　she　was　just　entertaining　me

that　I　felt　not　altogether　pleased。　Amongst　other　things；　she

told　me　that　their　brother　Stephen　（whom　they　called　Etienne；　and

who　had　been　two　years　at　the　College　of　Cadets）　had　now　received

his　commission。　Whenever　she　spoke　of　him；　and　more　particularly

when　she　told　me　that　he　had　flouted　his　mother's　wishes　by

entering　the　Hussars；　she　assumed　a　nervous　air；　and　immediately

her　sisters；　sitting　there　in　silence；　also　assumed　a　nervous

air。　When；　again；　she　spoke　of　my　grandmother's　death；　she

assumed　a　MOURNFUL　air；　and　immediately　the　others　all　did　the

same。　Finally；　when　she　recalled　how　I　had　once　struck　St。　Jerome

and　been　expelled　from　the　room；　she　laughed　and　showed　her　bad

teeth；　and　immediately　all　the　other　princesses　laughed　and

showed　their　bad　teeth　too。



Next；　the　Princess…Mother　herself　entereda　little　dried…up

woman；　with　a　wandering　glance　and　a　habit　of　always　looking　at

somebody　else　when　she　was　addressing　one。　Taking　my　hand；　she

raised　her　own　to　my　lips　for　me　to　kiss　itwhich　otherwise；　not

supposing　it　to　be　necessary；　I　should　not　have　done。



〃How　pleased　I　am　to　see　you！〃　she　said　with　her　usual　clearness

of　articulation　as　she　gazed　at　her　daughters。　〃And　how　like　your

mother　you　look！　Does　he　not；　Lise？〃



Lise　assented；　though　I　knew　for　a　fact　that　I　did　not　resemble

my　mother　in　the　least。



〃And　what　a　grown…up　you　have　become！　My　Etienne；　you　will

remember；　is　your　second　cousin。　No；　not　second　cousinwhat　is

it；　Lise？　My　mother　was　Barbara　Dimitrievna；　daughter　of　Dimitri

Nicolaevitch；　and　your　grandmother　was　Natalia　Nicolaevna。〃



〃Then　he　is　our　THIRD　cousin；　Mamma；〃　said　the　eldest　girl。



〃Oh；　how　you　always　confuse　me！〃　was　her　mother's　angry　reply。

〃Not　third　cousin；　but　COUSIN　GERMANthat　is　your　relationship

to　Etienne。　He　is　an　officer　now。　Did　you　know　it？　It　is　not　well

that　he　should　have　his　own　way　too　much。　You　young　men　need

keeping　in　hand；　or！　Well；　you　are　not　vexed　because　your　old

aunt　tells　you　the　plain　truth？　I　always　kept　Etienne　strictly　in

hand；　for　I　found　it　necessary　to　do　so。〃



〃Yes；　that　is　how　our　relationship　stands；〃　she　went　on。　〃Prince

Ivan　Ivanovitch　is　my　uncle；　and　your　late　mother's　uncle　also。

Consequently　I　must　have　been　your　mother's　first　cousinno；

second　cousin。　Yes；　that　is　it。　Tell　me；　have　you　been　to　call　on

Prince　Ivan　yet？〃



I　said　no；　but　that　I　was　just　going　to。



〃Ah；　is　it　possible？〃　she　cried。　〃Why；　you　ought　to　have　paid　him

the　first　call　of　all！　Surely　you　know　that　he　stands　to　you　in

the　position　of　a　father？　He　has　no　children　of　his　own；　and　his

only　heirs　are　yourself　and　my　children。　You　ought　to　pay　him　all

possible　deference；　both　because　of　his　age；　and　because　of　his

position　in　the　world；　and　because　of　everything　else。　I　know

that　you　young　fellows　of　the　present　day　think　nothing　of

relationships　and　are　not　fond　of　old　men；　yet　do　you　listen　to

me；　your　old　aunt；　for　I　am　fond　of　you；　and　was　fond　of　your

mother；　and　had　a　greata　very　great…liking　and　respect　for　your

grandmother。　You　must　not　fail　to　call　upon　him　on　any　account。〃



I　said　that　I　would　certainly　go；　and　since　my　present　call

seemed　to　me　to　have　lasted　long　enough；　I　rose；　and　was　about　to

depart；　but　she　restrained　me。



〃No；　wait　a　minute；〃　she　cried。　〃Where　is　your　father；　Lise？　Go

and　tell　him　to　come　here。　He　will　be　so　glad　to　see　you；〃　she

added；　turning　to　me。



Two　minutes　later　Prince　Michael　entered。　He　was　a　short；　thick…

set　gentleman；　very　slovenly　dressed　and　ill…shaven；　yet　wearing

such　an　air　of　indifference　that　he　looked　almost　a　fool。　He　was

not　in　the　least　glad　to　see　meat　all　events　he　did　not　intimate

that　he　was；　but　the　Princess　（who　appeared　to　stand　in

considerable　awe　of　him）　hastened　to　say：



〃Is　not　Woldemar　here〃　（she　seemed　to　have　forgotten　my　name）

〃exactly　like　his　mother？〃　and　she　gave　her　husband　a　glance

which　forced　him　to　guess　what　she　wanted。　Accordingly　he

approached　me　with　his　usual　passionless；　half…discont