under western eyes-第3章

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I　say！　　Won't　the　old　people　make　it　a　festive　time　for　the　neighbours

for　twenty　miles　around　our　place。〃



Razumov　thought　there　was　nothing　of　that　sort　for　him　in　the

world。　　His　success　would　matter　to　no　one。　But　he　felt　no

bitterness　against　the　nobleman　his　protector；　who　was　not　a

provincial　magnate　as　was　generally　supposed。　　He　was　in　fact

nobody　less　than　Prince　K…；　once　a　great　and　splendid　figure　in

the　world　and　now；　his　day　being　over；　a　Senator　and　a　gouty

invalid；　living　in　a　still　splendid　but　more　domestic　manner。　　He

had　some　young　children　and　a　wife　as　aristocratic　and　proud　as

himself。



In　all　his　life　Razumov　was　allowed　only　once　to　come　into

personal　contact　with　the　Prince。



It　had　the　air　of　a　chance　meeting　in　the　little　attorney's

office。　　One　day　Razumov；　coming　in　by　appointment；　found　a

stranger　standing　therea　tall；　aristocratic…looking　Personage

with　silky；　grey　sidewhiskers。　　The　bald…headed；　　sly　little

lawyer…fellow　called　out；　〃Come　income　in；　Mr。　Razumov；〃　with　a

sort　of　ironic　heartiness。　　Then　turning　deferentially　to　the

stranger　with　the　grand　air；　〃A　ward　of　mine；　your；　Excellency。

One　of　the　most　promising　students　of　his　faculty　in　the　St。

Petersburg　University。〃



To　his　intense　surprise　Razumov　saw　a　white　shapely　hand　extended

to　him。　　He　took　it　in　great　confusion　（it　was　soft　and　passive）

and　heard　at　the　same　time　a　condescending　murmur　in　which　he

caught　only　the　words　〃Satisfactory〃　and　〃Persevere。〃　　But　the

most　amazing　thing　of　all　was　to　feel　suddenly　a　distinct

pressure　of　the　white　shapely　hand　just　before　it　was　withdrawn：

a　light　pressure　like　a　secret　sign。　　The　emotion　of　it　was

terrible。　　Razumov's　heart　seemed　to　leap　into　his　throat。　　When

he　raised　his　eyes　the　aristocratic　personage；　motioning　the

little　lawyer　aside；　had　opened　the　door　and　was　going　out。



The　attorney　rummaged　amongst　the　papers　on　his　desk　for　a　time。

〃Do　you　know　who　that　was？〃　he　asked　suddenly。



Razumov；　whose　heart　was　thumping　hard　yet；　shook　his　head　in　silence。



〃That　was　Prince　K　…。　　You　wonder　what　he　could　be　doing　in　the

hole　of　a　poor　legal　rat　like　myself　eh？　　These　awfully

great　people　have　their　sentimental　curiosities　like　common

sinners。　　But　if　I　were　you；　Kirylo　Sidorovitch；〃　he　continued；

leering　and　laying　a　peculiar　emphasis　on　the　patronymic；〃

I　wouldn't　boast　at　large　of　the　introduction。　　It　would　not　be

prudent；　Kirylo　Sidorovitch。　　Oh　dear　no！　It　would　be　in　fact

dangerous　for　your　future。〃



The　young　man's　ears　burned　like　fire；　his　sight　was　dim。

〃That　man！〃　Razumov　was　saying　to　himself。　　〃He！〃



Henceforth　it　was　by　this　monosyllable　that　Mr。　Razumov　got　into

the　habit　of　referring　mentally　to　the　stranger　with　grey　silky

side…whiskers。　　From　that　time　too；　when　walking　in　the　more

fashionable　quarters；　he　noted　with　interest　the　magnificent

horses　and　carriages　with　Prince　K　…　's　liveries　on　the　box。

Once　he　saw　the　Princess　get　outshe　was　shoppingfollowed　by

two　girls；　of　which　one　was　nearly　a　head　taller　than　the　other。

Their　fair　hair　hung　loose　down　their　backs　in　the　English　style；

they　had　merry　eyes；　their　coats；　muffs；　and　little　fur　caps　were

exactly　alike；　and　their　cheeks　and　noses　were　tinged　a　cheerful

pink　by　the　frost。　　They　crossed　the　pavement　in　front　of　him；

and　Razumov　went　on　his　way　smiling　shyly　to　himself。　〃His〃

daughters。　　They　resembled　〃Him。〃　　The　young　man　felt　a　glow　of

warm　friendliness　towards　these　girls　who　would　never　know　of　his

existence。　　Presently　they　would　marry　Generals　or　Kammerherrs

and　have　girls　and　boys　of　their　own；　w

ho　perhaps　would　be　aware　of　him　as　a　celebrated　old　professor；

decorated；　possibly　a　Privy　Councillor；　one　of　the　glories　of

Russianothing　more！



But　a　celebrated　professor　was　a　somebody。　　Distinction　would

convert　the　label　Razumov　into　an　honoured　name。　　There　was

nothing　strange　in　the　student　Razumov's　wish　for

distinction。　　A　man's　real　life　is　that　accorded　to　him　in　the

thoughts　of　other　men　by　reason　of　respect　or　natural　love。

Returning　home　on　the　day　of　the　attempt　on　Mr。　de　P…'s　life

Razumov　resolved　to　have　a　good　try　for　the　silver　medal。



Climbing　slowly　the　four　flights　of　the　dark；　dirty　staircase　in

the　house　where　he　had　his　lodgings；　he　felt　confident　of

success。　　The　winner's　name　would　be　published　in　the　papers　on

New　Year's　Day。　　And　at　the　thought　that　〃He〃　would　most　probably

read　it　there；　Razumov　stopped　short　on　the　stairs　for　an　instant；

then　went　on　smiling　faintly　at　his　own　emotion。　　〃This　is　but

a　shadow；〃　he　said　to　himself；〃　but　the　medal　is　a　solid　beginning。〃



With　those　ideas　of　industry　in　his　head　the　warmth　of　his　room

was　agreeable　and　encouraging。　　〃I　shall　put　in　four　hours　of

good　work；〃　he　thought。　　But　no　sooner　had　he　closed　the　door

than　he　was　horribly　startled。　　All　black　against　the　usual　tall

stove　of　white　tiles　gleaming　in　the　dusk；　stood　a　strange

figure；　wearing　a　skirted；　close…fitting；　brown　cloth　coat

strapped　round　the　waist；　in　long　boots；　and　with　a　little

Astrakhan　cap　on　its　head。　　It　loomed　lithe　and　martial。　Razumov

was　utterly　confounded。　　It　was　only　when　the　figure　advancing

two　paces　asked　in　an　untroubled；　grave　voice　if　the　outer　door

was　closed　that　he　regained　his　power　of　speech。



〃Haldin！。　。　。Victor　Victorovitch！。　。　。Is　that　you？　。　。　。Yes。　　The

outer　door　is　shut　all　right。　　But　this　is　indeed　unexpected。〃



Victor　Haldin；　a　student　older　than　most　of　his　contemporaries　at

the　University；　was　not　one　of　the　industrious　set。　　He　was

hardly　ever　seen　at　lectures；　the　authorities　had　marked　him　as

〃restless〃　and　〃unsound　〃very　bad　notes。　　But　he　had　a

great　personal　prestige　with　his　comrades　and　influenced　their

thoughts。　　Razumov　had　never　been　intimate　with　him。　　They　had

met　from　time　to　time　at　gatherings　in　other　students'　houses。

They　had　even　had　a　discussion　togetherone　of　those　discussions

on　first　principles　dear　to　the　sanguine　minds　of　youth。



Razumov　wished　the　man　had　chosen　some　other　time　to　come　for　a

chat。　　He　felt　in　good　trim　to　tackle　the　prize　essay。　　But　as

Haldin　could　not　be　slightingly　dismissed　Razumov　adopted　the

tone　of　hospitality；　asking　him　to　sit　down　and　smoke。



〃Kirylo　Sidorovitch；〃　said　the　other；　flinging　off　his　cap；　〃we

are　not　perhaps　in　exactly　the　same　camp。　　Your　judgment　is　more

philosophical。　　You　are　a　man　of　few　words；　but　I　haven't　met

anybody　who　dared　to　doubt　the　generosity　of　your　sentiments。

There　is　a　solidity　about　your　character　which　cannot　exist

without　courage。



Razumov　felt　flattered　and　began　to　murmur　shyly　something　about

being　very　glad　of　his　good　opinion；　when　Haldin　raised　his　hand。



〃That　is　what　I　was　saying　to　myself；〃　he　continued；　〃as　I　dodged

in　the　woodyard　down　by　the　river…side。　　'He　has　a　strong

character　this　young　man；'　I　said　to　myself。　　'He　does　not　throw

his　soul　to　the　winds。'　　Your　reserve　has　always　fascinated　me；

Kirylo　Siderovitch。　　So　I　tried　to　remember　your　address。　　But

look　hereit　was　a　piece　of　luck。　　Your　dvornik　was　away　from

the　gate　talking　to　a　sleigh…driver　on　the　other　side　of　the

street。　　I　met　no　one　on　the　stairs；　not　a　soul。　　As　I　came　up

to　your　floor　I　caught　sight　of　your　landlady　coming　out　of　your

rooms。　　But　she　did　not　see　me。　　She　crossed　the　landing　to　her

own　side；　and　then　I　slipped　in。　　I　have　been　here　two　hours

expecting　you　to　come　in　every　moment。



Razumov　had　listened　in　astonishment；　but　before　he　could

open　his　mouth　Haldin　added；　speaking　deliberately；〃　　It　was　I

who　removed　de　P…　this　morning。〃　Razumov　kept　down　a　cry　of

dismay。　　The　sentiment　of　his　life　being　utterly　ruined　by　this

contact　with　such　a　crime　expressed　itself　quaintly　by　a　sort　of

half…derisive　mental　exclamation；　　〃There　goes　my　silver　medal！〃



Haldin　continued　after　waiting　a　while



〃You　say