01-the kreutzer sonata-第1章

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THE　KREUTZER　SONATA。



CHAPTER　I。



Travellers　left　and　entered　our　car　at　every　stopping　of　the

train。　　Three　persons；　however；　remained；　bound；　like　myself；　for

the　farthest　station：　a　lady　neither　young　nor　pretty；　smoking

cigarettes；　with　a　thin　face；　a　cap　on　her　head；　and　wearing　a

semi…masculine　outer　garment；　then　her　companion；　a　very

loquacious　gentleman　of　about　forty　years；　with　baggage　entirely

new　and　arranged　in　an　orderly　manner；　then　a　gentleman　who　held

himself　entirely　aloof；　short　in　stature；　very　nervous；　of

uncertain　age；　with　bright　eyes；　not　pronounced　in　color；　but

extremely　attractive；eyes　that　darted　with　rapidity　from　one

object　to　another。



This　gentleman；　during　almost　all　the　journey　thus　far；　had

entered　into　conversation　with　no　fellow…traveller；　as　if　he

carefully　avoided　all　acquaintance。　　When　spoken　to；　he　answered

curtly　and　decisively；　and　began　to　look　out　of　the　car　window

obstinately。



Yet　it　seemed　to　me　that　the　solitude　weighed　upon　him。　　He

seemed　to　perceive　that　I　understood　this；　and　when　our　eyes　met；

as　happened　frequently；　since　we　were　sitting　almost　opposite

each　other；　he　turned　away　his　head；　and　avoided　conversation

with　me　as　much　as　with　the　others。　　At　nightfall；　during　a　stop

at　a　large　station；　the　gentleman　with　the　fine　baggagea

lawyer；　as　I　have　since　learnedgot　out　with　his　companion　to

drink　some　tea　at　the　restaurant。　　During　their　absence　several

new　travellers　entered　the　car；　among　whom　was　a　tall　old　man；

shaven　and　wrinkled；　evidently　a　merchant；　wearing　a　large

heavily…lined　cloak　and　a　big　cap。　　This　merchant　sat　down

opposite　the　empty　seats　of　the　lawyer　and　his　companion；　and

straightway　entered　into　conversation　with　a　young　man　who　seemed

like　an　employee　in　some　commercial　house；　and　who　had　likewise

just　boarded　the　train。　　At　first　the　clerk　had　remarked　that　the

seat　opposite　was　occupied；　and　the　old　man　had　answered　that　he

should　get　out　at　the　first　station。　　Thus　their　conversation

started。



I　was　sitting　not　far　from　these　two　travellers；　and；　as　the

train　was　not　in　motion；　I　could　catch　bits　of　their　conversation

when　others　were　not　talking。



They　talked　first　of　the　prices　of　goods　and　the　condition　of

business；　they　referred　to　a　person　whom　they　both　knew；　then

they　plunged　into　the　fair　at　Nijni　Novgorod。　　The　clerk　boasted

of　knowing　people　who　were　leading　a　gay　life　there；　but　the　old

man　did　not　allow　him　to　continue；　and；　interrupting　him；　began

to　describe　the　festivities　of　the　previous　year　at　Kounavino；　in

which　he　had　taken　part。　He　was　evidently　proud　of　these

recollections；　and；　probably　thinking　that　this　would　detract

nothing　from　the　gravity　which　his　face　and　manners　expressed；　he

related　with　pride　how；　when　drunk；　he　had　fired；　at　Kounavino；

such　a　broadside　that　he　could　describe　it　only　in　the　other's

ear。



The　clerk　began　to　laugh　noisily。　　The　old　man　laughed　too；

showing　two　long　yellow　teeth。　　Their　conversation　not

interesting　me；　I　left　the　car　to　stretch　my　legs。　　At　the　door　I

met　the　lawyer　and　his　lady。



〃You　have　no　more　time；〃　the　lawyer　said　to　me。　　〃The　second　bell

is　about　to　ring。〃



Indeed　I　had　scarcely　reached　the　rear　of　the　train　when　the　bell

sounded。　　As　I　entered　the　car　again；　the　lawyer　was　talking　with

his　companion　in　an　animated　fashion。　　The　merchant；　sitting

opposite　them；　was　taciturn。



〃And　then　she　squarely　declared　to　her　husband；〃　said　the　lawyer

with　a　smile；　as　I　passed　by　them；　〃that　she　neither　could　nor

would　live　with　him；　because〃　。　。　。



And　he　continued；　but　I　did　not　hear　the　rest　of　the　sentence；　my

attention　being　distracted　by　the　passing　of　the　conductor　and　a

new　traveller。　　When　silence　was　restored；　I　again　heard　the

lawyer's　voice。　　The　conversation　had　passed　from　a　special　case

to　general　considerations。



〃And　afterward　comes　discord；　financial　difficulties；　disputes

between　the　two　parties；　and　the　couple　separate。　　In　the　good

old　days　that　seldom　happened。　　Is　it　not　so？〃　asked　the　lawyer

of　the　two　merchants；　evidently　trying　to　drag　them　into　the

conversation。



Just　then　the　train　started；　and　the　old　man；　without　answering；

took　off　his　cap；　and　crossed　himself　three　times　while　muttering

a　prayer。　When　he　had　finished；　he　clapped　his　cap　far　down　on

his　head；　and　said：



〃Yes；　sir；　that　happened　in　former　times　also；　but　not　as　often。　

In　the　present　day　it　is　bound　to　happen　more　frequently。　　People

have　become　too　learned。〃



The　lawyer　made　some　reply　to　the　old　man；　but　the　train；　ever

increasing　its　speed；　made　such　a　clatter　upon　the　rails　that　I

could　no　longer　hear　distinctly。　　As　I　was　interested　in　what　the

old　man　was　saying；　I　drew　nearer。　My　neighbor；　the　nervous

gentleman；　was　evidently　interested　also；　and；　without　changing

his　seat；　he　lent　an　ear。



〃But　what　harm　is　there　in　education？〃　asked　the　lady；　with　a

smile　that　was　scarcely　perceptible。　　〃Would　it　be　better　to

marry　as　in　the　old　days；　when　the　bride　and　bridegroom　did　not

even　see　each　other　before　marriage？〃　she　continued；　answering；

as　is　the　habit　of　our　ladies；　not　the　words　that　her

interlocutor　had　spoken；　but　the　words　she　believed　he　was　going

to　speak。　　〃Women　did　not　know　whether　they　would　love　or　would

be　loved；　and　they　were　married　to　the　first　comer；　and　suffered

all　their　lives。　　Then　you　think　it　was　better　so？〃　she

continued；　evidently　addressing　the　lawyer　and　myself；　and　not　at

all　the　old　man。



〃People　have　become　too　learned；〃　repeated　the　last；　looking　at

the　lady　with　contempt；　and　leaving　her　question　unanswered。



〃I　should　be　curious　to　know　how　you　explain　the　correlation

between　education　and　conjugal　differences；〃　said　the　lawyer；

with　a　slight　smile。



The　merchant　wanted　to　make　some　reply；　　but　the　lady　interrupted

him。



〃No；　those　days　are　past。〃



The　lawyer　cut　short　her　words：



〃Let　him　express　his　thought。〃



〃Because　there　is　no　more　fear；〃　replied　the　old　man。



〃But　how　will　you　marry　people　who　do　not　love　each　other？　　Only

animals　can　be　coupled　at　the　will　of　a　proprietor。　　But　people

have　inclinations；　attachments；〃　the　lady　hastened　to　say；

casting　a　glance　at　the　lawyer；　at　me；　and　even　at　the　clerk；

who；　standing　up　and　leaning　his　elbow　on　the　back　of　a　seat；　was

listening　to　the　conversation　with　a　smile。



〃You　are　wrong　to　say　that；　madam；〃　said　the　old　man。　　〃The

animals　are　beasts；　but　man　has　received　the　law。〃



〃But；　nevertheless；　how　is　one　to　live　with　a　man　when　there　is

no　love？〃　said　the　lady；　evidently　excited　by　the　general

sympathy　and　attention。



〃Formerly　no　such　distinctions　were　made；〃　said　the　old　man；

gravely。　　〃Only　now　have　they　become　a　part　of　our　habits。　　As

soon　as　the　least　thing　happens；　the　wife　says：　'I　release　you。　

I　am　going　to　leave　your　house。'　　Even　among　the　moujiks　this

fashion　has　become　acclimated。　　'There；'　she　says；　'here　are　your

shirts　and　drawers。　　I　am　going　off　with　Vanka。　His　hair　is

curlier　than　yours。'　　Just　go　talk　with　them。　　And　yet　the　first

rule　for　the　wife　should　be　fear。〃



The　clerk　looked　at　the　lawyer；　the　lady；　and　myself；　evidently

repressing　a　smile；　and　all　ready　to　deride　or　approve　the

merchant's　words；　according　to　the　attitude　of　the　others。



〃What　fear？〃　said　the　lady。



〃This　fear；the　wife　must　fear　her　husband；　that　is　what　fear。〃



〃Oh；　that；　my　little　father；　that　is　ended。〃



〃No；　madam；　that　cannot　end。　　As　she；　Eve；　the　woman；　was　taken

from　man's　ribs；　so　she　will　remain　unto　the　end　of　the　world；〃

said　the　old　man；　shaking　his　head　so　triumphantly　and　so

severely　that　the　clerk；　deciding　that　the　victory　was　on　his

side；　burst　into　a　loud　laugh。



〃Yes；　you　men　think　so；〃　replied　the　lady；　without　surrendering；

and　turning　toward　us。　〃You　have　given　your