resurrection(复活)-第24章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


again　when　they　got　to　the　market…place；　took　a　good　isvostchik；
and　ten　minutes　later　was　at　the　entrance　of　the　Korchagins'　big
house。


CHAPTER　XXVI。

THE　HOUSE　OF　KORCHAGIN。

〃Please　to　walk　in；　your　excellency；〃　said　the　friendly；　fat
doorkeeper　of　the　Korchagins'　big　house；　opening　the　door；　which
moved　noiselessly　on　its　patent　English　hinges；　〃you　are
expected。　They　are　at　dinner。　My　orders　were　to　admit　only　you。〃
The　doorkeeper　went　as　far　as　the　staircase　and　rang。

〃Are　there　any　strangers？〃　asked　Nekhludoff；　taking　off　his
overcoat。

〃Mr。　Kolosoff　and　Michael　Sergeivitch　only；　besides　the　family。〃

A　very　handsome　footman　with　whiskers；　in　a　swallow…tail　coat　and
white　gloves；　looked　down　from　the　landing。

Please　to　walk　up；　your　excellency；〃　he　said。　〃You　are　expected。〃

Nekhludoff　went　up　and　passed　through　the　splendid　large
dancing…room；　which　he　knew　so　well；　into　the　dining…room。　There
the　whole　Korchagin　familyexcept　the　mother；　Sophia　Vasilievna；
who　never　left　her　cabinetwere　sitting　round　the　table。　At　the
head　of　the　table　sat　old　Korchagin；　on　his　left　the　doctor；　and
on　his　right；　a　visitor；　Ivan　Ivanovitch　Kolosoff；　a　former
Marechal　de　Noblesse；　now　a　bank　director；　Korchagin's　friend　and
a　Liberal。　Next　on　the　left　side　sat　Miss　Rayner；　the　governess
of　Missy's　little　sister；　and　the　four…year…old　girl　herself。
Opposite　them；　Missy's　brother；　Petia；　the　only　son　of　the
Korchagins；　a　public…school　boy　of　the　Sixth　Class。　It　was
because　of　his　examinations　that　the　whole　family　were　still　in
town。　Next　to　him　sat　a　University　student　who　was　coaching　him；
and　Missy's　cousin；　Michael　Sergeivitch　Telegin；　generally　called
Misha；　opposite　him；　Katerina　Alexeevna；　a　40…year…old　maiden
lady；　a　Slavophil；　and　at　the　foot　of　the　table　sat　Missy
herself；　with　an　empty　place　by　her　side。

〃Ah！　that's　right！　Sit　down。　We　are　still　at　the　fish；〃　said　old
Korchagin　with　difficulty；　chewing　carefully　with　his　false
teeth；　and　lifting　his　bloodshot　eyes　（which　had　no　visible　lids
to　them）　to　Nekhludoff。

〃Stephen！〃　he　said；　with　his　mouth　full；　addressing　the　stout；
dignified　butler；　and　pointing　with　his　eyes　to　the　empty　place。
Though　Nekhludoff　knew　Korchagin　very　well；　and　had　often　seen
him　at　dinner；　to…day　this　red　face　with　the　sensual　smacking
lips；　the　fat　neck　above　the　napkin　stuck　into　his　waistcoat；　and
the　whole　over…fed　military　figure；　struck　him　very　disagreeably。
Then　Nekhludoff　remembered；　without　wishing　to；　what　he　knew　of
the　cruelty　of　this　man；　who；　when　in　command；　used　to　have　men
flogged；　and　even　hanged；　without　rhyme　or　reason；　simply　because
he　was　rich　and　had　no　need　to　curry　favour。

〃Immediately；　your　excellency；〃　said　Stephen；　getting　a　large
soup　ladle　out　of　the　sideboard；　which　was　decorated　with　a
number　of　silver　vases。　He　made　a　sign　with　his　head　to　the
handsome　footman；　who　began　at　once　to　arrange　the　untouched
knives　and　forks　and　the　napkin；　elaborately　folded　with　the
embroidered　family　crest　uppermost；　in　front　of　the　empty　place
next　to　Missy。　Nekhludoff　went　round　shaking　hands　with　every
one；　and　all；　except　old　Korchagin　and　the　ladies；　rose　when　he
approached。　And　this　walk　round　the　table；　this　shaking　the　hands
of　people；　with　many　of　whom　he　never　talked；　seemed　unpleasant
and　odd。　He　excused　himself　for　being　late；　and　was　about　to　sit
down　between　Missy　and　Katerina　Alexeevna；　but　old　Korchagin
insisted　that　if　he　would　not　take　a　glass　of　vodka　he　should　at
least　take　a　bit　of　something　to　whet　his　appetite；　at　the　side
table；　on　which　stood　small　dishes　of　lobster；　caviare；　cheese；
and　salt　herrings。　Nekhludoff　did　not　know　how　hungry　he　was
until　he　began　to　eat；　and　then；　having　taken　some　bread　and
cheese；　he　went　on　eating　eagerly。

〃Well；　have　you　succeeded　in　undermining　the　basis　of　society？〃
asked　Kolosoff；　ironically　quoting　an　expression　used　by　a
retrograde　newspaper　in　attacking　trial　by　jury。　〃Acquitted　the
culprits　and　condemned　the　innocent；　have　you？〃

〃Undermining　the　basisundermining　the　basis；〃　repeated　Prince
Korchagin；　laughing。　He　had　a　firm　faith　in　the　wisdom　and
learning　of　his　chosen　friend　and　companion。

At　the　risk　of　seeming　rude；　Nekhludoff　left　Kolosoff's　question
unanswered；　and　sitting　down　to　his　steaming　soup；　went　on
eating。

〃Do　let　him　eat；〃　said　Missy；　with　a　smile。　The　pronoun　him　she
used　as　a　reminder　of　her　intimacy　with　Nekhludoff。　Kolosoff　went
on　in　a　loud　voice　and　lively　manner　to　give　the　contents　of　the
article　against　trial　by　jury　which　had　aroused　his　indignation。
Missy's　cousin；　Michael　Sergeivitch；　endorsed　all　his　statements；
and　related　the　contents　of　another　article　in　the　same　paper。
Missy　was；　as　usual；　very　distinguee；　and　well；　unobtrusively
well；　dressed。

〃You　must　be　terribly　tired；〃　she　said；　after　waiting　until
Nekhludoff　had　swallowed　what　was　in　his　mouth。

〃Not　particularly。　And　you？　Have　you　been　to　look　at　the
pictures？〃　he　asked。

〃No；　we　put　that　off。　We　have　been　playing　tennis　at　the
Salamatoffs'。　It　is　quite　true；　Mr。　Crooks　plays　remarkably
well。〃

Nekhludoff　had　come　here　in　order　to　distract　his　thoughts；　for
he　used　to　like　being　in　this　house；　both　because　its　refined
luxury　had　a　pleasant　effect　on　him　and　because　of　the　atmosphere
of　tender　flattery　that　unobtrusively　surrounded　him。　But　to…day
everything　in　the　house　was　repulsive　to　himeverything：
beginning　with　the　doorkeeper；　the　broad　staircase；　the　flowers；
the　footman；　the　table　decorations；　up　to　Missy　herself；　who
to…day　seemed　unattractive　and　affected。　Kolosoff's　self…assured；
trivial　tone　of　liberalism　was　unpleasant；　as　was　also　the
sensual；　self…satisfied；　bull…like　appearance　of　old　Korchagin；
and　the　French　phrases　of　Katerina　Alexeevna；　the　Slavophil。　The
constrained　looks　of　the　governess　and　the　student　were
unpleasant；　too；　but　most　unpleasant　of　all　was　the　pronoun　HIM
that　Missy　had　used。　Nekhludoff　had　long　been　wavering　between
two　ways　of　regarding　Missy；　sometimes　he　looked　at　her　as　if　by
moonlight；　and　could　see　in　her　nothing　but　what　was　beautiful；
fresh；　pretty；　clever　and　natural；　then　suddenly；　as　if　the
bright　sun　shone　on　her；　he　saw　her　defects　and　could　not　help
seeing　them。　This　was　such　a　day　for　him。　To…day　he　saw　all　the
wrinkles　of　her　face；　knew　which　of　her　teeth　were　false；　saw　the
way　her　hair　was　crimped；　the　sharpness　of　her　elbows；　and；　above
all；　how　large　her　thumb…nail　was　and　how　like　her　father's。

〃Tennis　is　a　dull　game；〃　said　Kolosoff；　〃we　used　to　play　lapta
when　we　were　children。　That　was　much　more　amusing。〃

〃Oh；　no；　you　never　tried　it；　it's　awfully　interesting；〃　said
Missy；　laying；　it　seemed　to　Nekhludoff；　a　very　affected　stress　on
the　word　〃awfully。〃　Then　a　dispute　arose　in　which　Michael
Sergeivitch；　Katerina　Alexeevna　and　all　the　others　took　part；
except　the　governess；　the　student　and　the　children；　who　sat
silent　and　wearied。

〃Oh；　these　everlasting　disputes！〃　said　old　Korchagin；　laughing；
and　he　pulled　the　napkin　out　of　his　waistcoat；　noisily　pushed
back　his　chair；　which　the　footman　instantly　；caught　hold　of；　and
left　the　table。

Everybody　rose　after　him；　and　went　up　to　another　table　on　which
stood　glasses　of　scented　water。　They　rinsed　their　mouths；　then
resumed　the　conversation；　interesting　to　no　one。

〃Don't　you　think　so？〃　said　Missy　to　Nekhludoff；　calling　for　a
confirmation　of　the　statement　that　nothing　shows　up　a　man's
character　like　a　game。　She　noticed　that　preoccupied　and；　as　it
seemed　to　her；　dissatisfied　look　which　she　feared；　and　she　wanted
to　find　out　what　had　caused　it。

〃Really；　I　can't　tell；　I　have　never　thought　about　it；〃　Nekhludoff
answered。

〃Will　you　come　to　mamma？〃　asked　Missy。

Yes；　yes；〃　he　said；　in　a　tone　which　plainly　proved　that　he　did
not　want　to　go；　and　took　out　a　cigarette。

She　looked　at　him　in　silence；　with　a　questioning　look；　and　he
felt　ashamed。　〃To　come　into　a　house　and　give　the　people　the
dumps；〃　he　thought　about　himself；　then；　trying　to　be　amiable；
said　that　he　would　go　with　pleasure　if　the　princess　would　admit
him。

〃Oh；　yes！　Mamma　will　be　pleased。　You　may　smoke　t