01-the kreutzer sonata-第24章
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enough。'
〃I put the revolver back on the table； and hid it under my
newspaper。 I went to the door and drew back the bolt。
〃It was my wife's sister；a good and stupid widow。
〃'Basile； what does this mean？' said she； and her tears； always
ready； began to flow。
〃'What do you want？' I asked roughly。
〃I saw clearly that there was no necessity of being rough with
her； but I could not speak in any other tone。
〃'Basile； she is dying。 Ivan Fedorowitch says so。'
〃Ivan Fedorowitch was the doctor； HER doctor； her counsellor。
〃'Is he here？' I inquired。
〃And all my hatred of her arose anew。
〃Well； what？
〃'Basile； go to her！ Ah！ how terrible it is！' said she。
〃'Go to her？' I asked myself； and immediately I made answer to
myself that I ought to go； that probably that was the thing that
is usually done when a husband like myself kills his wife； that
it was absolutely necessary that I should go and see her。
〃'If that is the proper thing； I must go；' I repeated to myself。
'Yes； if it is necessary； I shall still have time；' said I to
myself； thinking of my intention of blowing my brains out。
〃And I followed my sister…in…law。 'Now there are going to be
phrases and grimaces； but I will not yield；' I declared to
myself。
〃'Wait；' said I to my sister…in…law； 'it is stupid to be without
boots。 Let me at least put on my slippers。'
CHAPTER XXVIII。
〃Strange thing！ Again； when I had left my study； and was passing
through the familiar rooms； again the hope came to me that
nothing had happened。 But the odor of the drugs； iodoform and
phenic acid； brought me back to a sense of reality。
〃'No； everything has happened。'
〃In passing through the hall； beside the children's chamber； I
saw little Lise。 She was looking at me； with eyes that were full
of fear。 I even thought that all the children were looking at
me。 As I approached the door of our sleeping…room； a servant
opened it from within； and came out。 The first thing that I
noticed was HER light gray dress upon a chair； all dark with
blood。 On our common bed she was stretched； with knees drawn up。
She lay very high； upon pillows； with her chemise half open。
Linen had been placed upon the wound。 A heavy smell of iodoform
filled the room。 Before； and more than anything else； I was
astonished at her face； which was swollen and bruised under the
eyes and over a part of the nose。 This was the result of the
blow that I had struck her with my elbow； when she had tried to
hold me back。 Of beauty there was no trace left。 I saw
something hideous in her。 I stopped upon the threshold。
〃'Approach； approach her；' said her sister。
〃'Yes； probably she repents；' thought I； 'shall I forgive her？
Yes； she is dying； I must forgive her；' I added； trying to be
generous。
〃I approached the bedside。 With difficulty she raised her eyes；
one of which was swollen； and uttered these words haltingly：
〃'You have accomplished what you desired。 You have killed me。'
〃And in her face； through the physical sufferings； in spite of
the approach of death； was expressed the same old hatred； so
familiar to me。
〃'The children 。 。 。 I will not give them to you 。 。 。 all the
same。 。 。 。 She （her sister） shall take them。' 。 。 。
〃But of that which I considered essential； of her fault； of her
treason； one would have said that she did not think it necessary
to say even a word。
〃'Yes； revel in what you have done。'
〃And she sobbed。
〃At the door stood her sister with the children。
〃'Yes； see what you have done！'
〃I cast a glance at the children； and then at her bruised and
swollen face； and for the first time I forgot myself （my rights；
my pride）； and for the first time I saw in her a human being； a
sister。
〃And all that which a moment before had been so offensive to me
now seemed to me so petty；all this jealousy；and； on the
contrary； what I had done seemed to me so important that I felt
like bending over； approaching my face to her hand； and saying：
〃'Forgive me！'
〃But I did not dare。 She was silent； with eyelids lowered；
evidently having no strength to speak further。 Then her deformed
face began to tremble and shrivel； and she feebly pushed me
back。
〃'Why has all this happened？ Why？'
〃'Forgive me；' said I。
〃'Yes； if you had not killed me；' she cried suddenly； and her
eyes shone feverishly。 'Forgivenessthat is nothing。 。 。 。 If
I only do not die！ Ah； you have accomplished what you desired！
I hate you！'
〃Then she grew delirious。 She was frightened； and cried：
〃'Fire； I do not fear 。 。 。 but strike them all 。 。 。 He has
gone。 。 。 。 He has gone。' 。 。 。
〃The delirium continued。 She no longer recognized the children；
not even little Lise； who had approached。 Toward noon she died。
As for me； I was arrested before her death； at eight o'clock in
the morning。 They took me to the police station； and then to
prison； and there； during eleven months； awaiting the verdict； I
reflected upon myself； and upon my past； and I understood it。
Yes； I began to understand from the third day。 The third day
they took me to the house。〃 。 。 。
Posdnicheff seemed to wish to add something； but； no longer
having the strength to repress his sobs； he stopped。 After a few
minutes； having recovered his calmness； he resumed：
〃I began to understand only when I saw her in the coffin。〃 。 。 。
He uttered a sob； and then immediately continued； with haste：
〃Then only； when I saw her dead face； did I understand all that I
had done。 I understood that it was I； I； who had killed her。 I
understood that I was the cause of the fact that she； who had
been a moving； living； palpitating being； had now become
motionless and cold； and that there was no way of repairing this
thing。 He who has not lived through that cannot understand it。〃
We remained silent a long time。 Posdnicheff sobbed and trembled
before me。 His face had become delicate and long； and his mouth
had grown larger。
〃Yes；〃 said he suddenly； 〃if I had known what I now know； I
should never have married her； never； not for anything。〃
Again we remained silent for a long time。
〃Yes； that is what I have done； that is my experience； We must
understand the real meaning of the words of the Gospel；Matthew；
V。 28；'that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath
committed adultery'； and these words relate to the wife； to the
sister； and not only to the wife of another； but especially to
one's own wife。〃
THE END。
If the reading of this book has interested you； do not fail to
get its sequel； entitled 〃KREUTZER SONATA BEARING FRUIT； by
Pauline Grayson； which is an exceedingly interesting narrative
showing one of the results of the ideas set forth in 〃Kreutzer
Sonata。〃 It is bound in paper covers and will be sent by mail；
postage paid； upon receipt of 25 cents。 Address all orders to J。
S。 OGILVIE PUBLISHING COMPANY； 57 Rose Street； New York。
LESSON OF 〃THE KREUTZER SONATA。〃
I have received； and still continue to receive； numbers of
letters from persons who are perfect strangers to me； asking me
to state in plain and simple language my own views on the subject
handled in the story entitled 〃The Kreutzer Sonata。〃 With this
request I shall now endeavor to comply。
My views on the question may be succinctly stated as follows：
Without entering into details； it will be generally admitted that
I am accurate in saying that many people condone in young men a
course of conduct with regard to the other sex which is
incompatible with strict morality； and that this dissoluteness is
pardoned generally。 Both parents and the government； in
consequence of this view； may be said to wink at profligacy； and
even in the last resource to encourage its practice。 I am of
opinion that thi
