youth-第21章

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sinking　behind　the　ancient　trees　of　the　Kuntsevo　parkone　half

of　its　brilliant　disc　obscured　with　grey；　subluminous　cloud；　and

the　other　half　sending　forth　spokes　of　flaming　light　which　threw

the　old　trees　into　striking　relief　as　they　stood　there　with　their

dense　crowns　of　green　showing　against　a　blue　patch　of　sky。　The

light　and　shimmer　of　that　patch　contrasted　sharply　with　the　heavy

pink　cloud　which　lay　massed　above　a　young　birch…tree　visible　on

the　horizon　before　us；　while；　a　little　further　to　the　right；　the

parti…coloured　roofs　of　the　Kuntsevo　mansion　could　be　seen

projecting　above　a　belt　of　trees　and　undergrowthone　side　of　them

reflecting　the　glittering　rays　of　the　sun；　and　the　other　side

harmonising　with　the　more　louring　portion　of　the　heavens。　Below

us；　and　to　the　left；　showed　the　still　blue　of　a　pond　where　it　lay

surrounded　with　pale…green　laburnumsits　dull；　concave…looking

depths　repeating　the　trees　in　more　sombre　shades　of　colour　over

the　surface　of　a　hillock。　Beyond　the　water　spread　the　black

expanse　of　a　ploughed　field；　with　the　straight　line　of　a　dark…

green　ridge　by　which　it　was　bisected　running　far　into　the

distance；　and　there　joining　the　leaden；　threatening　horizon。



On　either　side　of　the　soft　road　along　which　the　phaeton　was

pursuing　the　even　tenour　of　its　way；　bright…green；　tangled；　juicy

belts　of　rye　were　sprouting　here　and　there　into　stalk。　Not　a

motion　was　perceptible　in　the　air；　only　a　sweet　freshness；　and

everything　looked　extraordinarily　clear　and　bright。　Near　the　road

I　could　see　a　little　brown　path　winding　its　way　among　the　dark…

green；　quarter…grown　stems　of　rye；　and　somehow　that　path　reminded

me　vividly　of　our　village；　and　somehow　（through　some　connection

of　thought）　the　idea　of　that　village　reminded　me　vividly　of

Sonetchka；　and　so　of　the　fact　that　I　was　in　love　with　her。



Notwithstanding　my　fondness　for　Dimitri　and　the　pleasure　which

his　frankness　had　afforded　me；　I　now　felt　as　though　I　desired　to


hear　no　more　about　his　feelings　and　intentions　with　regard　to

Lubov　Sergievna；　but　to　talk　unstintedly　about　my　own　love　for

Sonetchka；　who　seemed　to　me　an　object　of　affection　of　a　far

higher　order。　Yet　for　some　reason　or　another　I　could　not　make　up

my　mind　to　tell　him　straight　out　how　splendid　it　would　seem　when

I　had　married　Sonetchka　and　we　were　living　in　the　countryof　how

we　should　have　little　children　who　would　crawl　about　the　floor

and　call　me　Papa；　and　of　how　delighted　I　should　be　when　he；

Dimitri；　brought　his　wife；　Lubov　Sergievna；　to　see　us；　wearing　an

expensive　gown。　Accordingly；　instead　of　saying　all　that；　I

pointed　to　the　setting　sun；　and　merely　remarked：　〃Look；　Dimitri！

How　splendid！〃



To　this；　however；　Dimitri　made　no　reply；　since　he　was　evidently

dissatisfied　at　my　answering　his　confession　（which　it　had　cost

him　much　to　make）　by　directing　his　attention　to　natural　objects

（to　which　he　was；　in　general；　indifferent）。　Upon　him　Nature　had

an　effect　altogether　different　to　what　she　had　upon　myself；　for

she　affected　him　rather　by　her　industry　than　by　her　beautyhe

loved　her　rather　with　his　intellect　than　with　his　senses。



〃I　am　absolutely　happy；〃　I　went　on；　without　noticing　that　he　was

altogether　taken　up　with　his　own　thoughts　and　oblivious　of

anything　that　I　might　be　saying。　〃You　will　remember　how　told　you

about　a　girl　with　whom　I　used　to　be　in　love　when　was　a　little

boy？　Well；　I　saw　her　again　only　this　morning；　and　am　now

infatuated　with　her。〃　Then　I　told　himdespite　his　continued

expression　of　indifferenceabout　my　love；　and　about　all　my　plans

for　my　future　connubial　happiness。　Strangely　enough；　no　sooner

had　I　related　in　detail　the　whole　strength　of　my　feelings　than　I

instantly　became　conscious　of　its　diminution。



The　rain　overtook　us　just　as　we　were　turning　into　the　avenue　of

birch…trees　which　led　to　the　house；　but　it　did　not　really　wet　us。

I　only　knew　that　it　was　raining　by　the　fact　that　I　felt　a　drop

fall；　first　on　my　nose；　and　then　on　my　hand；　and　heard　something

begin　to　patter　upon　the　young；　viscous　leaves　of　the　birch…trees

as；　drooping　their　curly　branches　overhead；　they　seemed　to　imbibe

the　pure；　shining　drops　with　an　avidity　which　filled　the　whole

avenue　with　scent。　We　descended　from　the　carriage；　so　as　to　reach

the　house　the　quicker　through　the　garden；　but　found　ourselves

confronted　at　the　entrance…door　by　four　ladies；　two　of　whom　were

knitting；　one　reading　a　book；　and　the　fourth　walking　to　and　fro

with　a　little　dog。　Thereupon；　Dimitri　began　to　present　me　to　his

mother；　sister；　and　aunt；　as　well　as　to　Lubov　Sergievna。　For　a

moment　they　remained　where　they　were；　but　almost　instantly　the

rain　became　heavier。



〃Let　us　go　into　the　verandah；　you　can　present　him　to　us　there；〃

said　the　lady　whom　I　took　to　be　Dimitri's　mother；　and　we　all　of

us　ascended　the　entrance…steps。



XXIII



THE　NECHLUDOFFS



From　the　first；　the　member　of　this　company　who　struck　me　the　most

was　Lubov　Sergievna；　who；　holding　a　lapdog　in　her　arms　and

wearing　stout　laced　boots；　was　the　last　of　the　four　ladies　to

ascend　the　staircase；　and　twice　stopped　to　gaze　at　me　intently

and　then　kiss　her　little　dog。　She　was　anything　but　good…looking；

since　she　was　red…haired；　thin；　short；　and　slightly　crooked。　What

made　her　plain　face　all　the　plainer　was　the　queer　way　in　which

her　hair　was　parted　to　one　side　（it　looked　like　the　wigs　which

bald　women　contrive　for　themselves）。　However　much　I　should　have

liked　to　applaud　my　friend；　I　could　not　find　a　single　comely

feature　in　her。　Even　her　brown　eyes；　though　expressive　of　good…

humour；　were　small　and　dullwere；　in　fact；　anything　but　pretty；

while　her　hands　（those　most　characteristic　of　features）；　were

though　neither　large　nor　ill…shaped；　coarse　and　red。



As　soon　as　we　reached　the　verandah；　each　of　the　ladies；　except

Dimitri's　sister　Varenikawho　also　had　been　regarding　me

attentively　out　of　her　large；　dark…grey　eyessaid　a　few　words

to　me　before　resuming　her　occupation；　while　Varenika　herself　began

to　read　aloud　from　a　book　which　she　held　on　her　lap　and　steadied

with　her　finger。



The　Princess　Maria　Ivanovna　was　a　tall；　well…built　woman　of

forty。　To　judge　by　the　curls　of　half…grey　hair　which　descended

below　her　cap　one　might　have　taken　her　for　more；　but　as　soon　as

ever　one　observed　the　fresh；　extraordinarily　tender；　and　almost

wrinkleless　face；　as　well　as；　most　of　all；　the　lively；　cheerful

sparkle　of　the　large　eyes；　one　involuntarily　took　her　for　less。

Her　eyes　were　black　and　very　frank；　her　lips　thin　and　slightly

severe；　her　nose　regular　and　slightly　inclined　to　the　left；　and

her　hands　ringless；　large；　and　almost　like　those　of　a　man；　but

with　finely　tapering　fingers。　She　wore　a　dark…blue　dress　fastened

to　the　throat　and　sitting　closely　to　her　firm；　still　youthful

waista　waist　which　she　evidently　pinched。　Lastly；　she　held

herself　very　upright；　and　was　knitting　a　garment　of　some　kind。　As

soon　as　I　stepped　on　to　the　verandah　she　took　me　by　the　hand；

drew　me　to　her　as　though　wishing　to　scrutinise　me　more　closely；

and　said；　as　she　gazed　at　me　with　the　same　cold；　candid　glance　as

her　son's；　that　she　had　long　known　me　by　report　from　Dimitri；　and

that　therefore；　in　order　to　make　my　acquaintance　thoroughly；　she

had　invited　me　to　stay　these　twenty…four　hours　in　her　house。



〃Do　just　as　you　please　here；〃　she　said；　〃and　stand　on　no　ceremony

whatever　with　us；　even　as　we　shall　stand　on　none　with　you。　Pray

walk；　read；　listen；　or　sleep　as　the　mood　may　take　you。〃



Sophia　Ivanovna　was　an　old　maid　and　the　Princess's　younger

sister；　though　she　looked　the　elder　of　the　two。　She　had　that

exceedingly　overstuffed　appearance　which　old　maids　always　present

who　are　short　of　stature　but　wear　corsets。　It　seemed　as　though

her　healthiness　had　shifted　upwards　to　the　point　of　choking　her；

her　short；　fat　hands　would　not　meet　below　her　projecting　bust；

and　the　line　of　her　waist　was　scarcely　visible　at　all。



Notwith