youth-第26章

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c…c…colonel；　but　only　a　l…l…lieutenant；　Papa　called　him　〃Colonel〃

again　before　another　five　minutes　were　out。



Lubotshka　told　me　that；　up　to　the　time　of　Woloda's　and　my　arrival

from　Moscow；　there　had　been　daily　meetings　with　the　Epifanovs；

and　that　things　had　been　very　lively；　since　Papa；　who　had　a

genius　for　arranging；　everything　with　a　touch　of　originality　and

wit；　as　well　as　in　a　simple　and　refined　manner；　had　devised

shooting　and　fishing　parties　and　fireworks　for　the　Epifanovs'

benefit。　All　these　festivitiesso　said　Lubotshkawould　have

gone　off　splendidly　but　for　the　intolerable　Peter；　who　had　spoilt

everything　by　his　puffing　and　stuttering。　After　our　coming；

however；　the　Epifanovs　only　visited　us　twice；　and　we　went　once　to

their　house；　while　after　St。　Peter's　Day　（on　which；　it　being

Papa's　nameday；　the　Epifanovs　called　upon　us　in　common　with　a

crowd　of　other　guests）　our　relations　with　that　family　came

entirely　to　an　end；　and；　in　future；　only　Papa　went　to　see　them。



During　the　brief　period　when　I　had　opportunities　of　seeing　Papa

and　Dunetchka　（as　her　mother　called　Avdotia）　together；　this　is

what　I　remarked　about　them。　Papa　remained　unceasingly　in　the　same

buoyant　mood　as　had　so　greatly　struck　me　on　the　day　after　our

arrival。　So　gay　and　youthful　and　full　of　life　and　happy　did　he

seem　that　the　beams　of　his　felicity　extended　themselves　to　all

around　him；　and　involuntarily　communicated　to　them　a　similar

frame　of　mind。　He　never　stirred　from　Avdotia's　side　so　long　as

she　was　in　the　room；　but　either　kept　on　plying　her　with　sugary…

sweet　compliments　which　made　me　feel　ashamed　for　him　or；　with　his

gaze　fixed　upon　her　with　an　air　at　once　passionate　and

complacent；　sat　hitching　his　shoulder　and　coughing　as　from　time

to　time　he　smiled　and　whispered　something　in　her　ear。　Yet

throughout　he　wore　the　same　expression　of　raillery　as　was

peculiar　to　him　even　in　the　most　serious　matters。



As　a　rule；　Avdotia　herself　seemed　to　catch　the　infection　of　the

happiness　which　sparkled　at　this　period　in　Papa's　large　blue

eyes；　yet　there　were　moments　also　when　she　would　be　seized　with

such　a　fit　of　shyness　that　I；　who　knew　the　feeling　well；　was　full

of　sympathy　and　compassion　as　I　regarded　her　embarrassment。　At

moments　of　this　kind　she　seemed　to　be　afraid　of　every　glance　and

every　movementto　be　supposing　that　every　one　was　looking　at　her；

every　one　thinking　of　no　one　but　her；　and　that　unfavourably。　She

would　glance　timidly　from　one　person　to　another；　the　colour

coming　and　going　in　her　cheeks；　and　then　begin　to　talk　loudly　and

defiantly；　but；　for　the　most　part；　nonsense；　until　presently；

realising　this；　and　supposing　that　Papa　and　every　one　else　had

heard　her；　she　would　blush　more　painfully　than　ever。　Yet　Papa

never　noticed　her　nonsense；　for　he　was　too　much　taken　up　with

coughing　and　with　gazing　at　her　with　his　look　of　happy；

triumphant　devotion。　I　noticed；　too；　that；　although　these　fits　of

shyness　attacked　Avdotia；　without　any　visible　cause；　they　not

infrequently　ensued　upon　Papa's　mention　of　one　or　another　young

and　beautiful　woman。　Frequent　transitions　from　depression　to　that

strange；　awkward　gaiety　of　hers　to　which　I　have　referred　before。

the　repetition　of　favourite　words　and　turns　of　speech　of　Papa's；

the　continuation　of　discussions　with　others　which　Papa　had

already　begunall　these　things；　if　my　father　had　not　been　the

principal　actor　in　the　matter　and　I　had　been　a　little　older；

would　have　explained　to　me　the　relations　subsisting　between　him

and　Avdotia。　At　the　time；　however；　I　never　surmised　themno；　not

even　when　Papa　received　from　her　brother　Peter　a　letter　which　so

upset　him　that　not　again　until　the　end　of　August　did　he　go　to

call　upon　the　Epifanovs'。　Then；　however；　he　began　his　visits　once

more；　and　ended　by　informing　us；　on　the　day　before　Woloda　and　I

were　to　return　to　Moscow；　that　he　was　about　to　take　Avdotia

Vassilievna　Epifanov　to　be　his　wife。



XXXV



HOW　WE　RECEIVED　THE　NEWS



Yet；　even　on　the　eve　of　the　official　announcement；　every　one　had

learnt　of　the　matter；　and　was　discussing　it。　Mimi　never　left　her

room　that　day；　and　wept　copiously。　Katenka　kept　her　company；　and

only　came　out　for　luncheon；　with　a　grieved　expression　on　her　face

which　was　manifestly　borrowed　from　her　mother。　Lubotshka；　on　the

contrary；　was　very　cheerful；　and　told　us　after　luncheon　that　she

knew　of　a　splendid　secret　which　she　was　going　to　tell　no　one。



〃There　is　nothing　so　splendid　about　your　secret；〃　said　Woloda；

who　did　not　in　the　least　share　her　satisfaction。　〃If　you　were

capable　of　any　serious　thought　at　all；　you　would　understand　that

it　is　a　very　bad　lookout　for　us。〃



Lubotshka　stared　at　him　in　amazement；　and　said　no　more。　After　the

meal　was　over；　Woloda　made　a　feint　of　taking　me　by　the　arm；　and

then；　fearing　that　this　would　seem　too　much　like　〃affection；〃

nudged　me　gently　by　the　elbow；　and　beckoned　me　towards　the　salon。



〃You　know；　I　suppose；　what　the　secret　is　of　which　Lubotshka　was

speaking？〃　he　said　when　he　was　sure　that　we　were　alone。　It　was

seldom　that　he　and　I　spoke　together　in　confidence：　with　the

result　that；　whenever　it　came　about；　we　felt　a　kind　of

awkwardness　in　one　another's　presence；　and　〃boys　began　to　jump

about〃　in　our　eyes；　as　Woloda　expressed　it。　On　the　present

occasion；　however；　he　answered　the　excitement　in　my　eyes　with　a

grave；　fixed　look　which　said：　〃You　need　not　be　surprised；　for　we

are　brothers；　and　we　have　to　consider　an　important　family

matter。〃　I　understood　him；　and　he　went　on：



〃You　know；　I　suppose；　that　Papa　is　going　to　marry　Avdotia

Epifanov？〃



I　nodded；　for　I　had　already　heard　so。　〃Well；　it　is　not　a　good

thing；〃　continued　Woloda。



〃Why　so？〃



〃Why？〃　he　repeated　irritably。　〃Because　it　will　be　so　pleasant；

won't　it；　to　have　this　stuttering　'colonel'　and　all　his　family

for　relations！　Certainly　she　seems　nice　enough；　as　yet；　but　who

knows　what　she　will　turn　out　to　be　later？　It　won't　matter　much　to

you　or　myself；　but　Lubotshka　will　soon　be　making　her　debut；　and

it　will　hardly　be　nice　for　her　to　have　such　a　'belle　mere'　as

thisa　woman　who　speaks　French　badly；　and　has　no　manners　to

teach　her。〃



Although　it　seemed　odd　to　hear　Woloda　criticising　Papa's　choice

so　coolly；　I　felt　that　he　was　right。



〃Why　is　he　marrying　her？〃　I　asked。



〃Oh；　it　is　a　hole…and…corner　business；　and　God　only　knows　why；〃

he　answered。　〃All　I　know　is　that　her　brother；　Peter；　tried　to

make　conditions　about　the　marriage；　and　that；　although　at　first

Papa　would　not　hear　of　them；　he　afterwards　took　some　fancy　or

knight…errantry　or　another　into　his　head。　But；　as　I　say；　it　is　a

hole…and…corner　business。　I　am　only　just　beginning　to　understand

my　father　〃the　fact　that　Woloda　called　Papa　〃my　father〃　instead

of　〃Papa〃　somehow　hurt　me〃and　though　I　can　see　that　he　is　kind

and　clever；　he　is　irresponsible　and　frivolous　to　a　degree　that

Well；　the　whole　thing　is　astonishing。　He　cannot　so　much　as　look

upon　a　woman　calmly。　You　yourself　know　how　he　falls　in　love　with

every　one　that　he　meets。　You　know　it；　and　so　does　Mimi。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　I　said。



〃What　I　say。　Not　long　ago　I　learnt　that　he　used　to　be　in　love

with　Mimi　herself　when　he　was　a　young　man；　and　that　he　used　to

send　her　poetry；　and　that　there　really　was　something　between

them。　Mimi　is　heart…sore　about　it　to　this　day〃and　Woloda　burst

out　laughing。



〃Impossible！〃　I　cried　in　astonishment。



〃But　the　principal　thing　at　this　moment；〃　went　on　Woloda；

becoming　serious　again；　and　relapsing　into　French；　〃is　to　think

how　delighted　all　our　relations　will　be　with　this　marriage！　Why；

she　will　probably　have　children！〃



Woloda's　prudence　and　forethought　struck　me　so　forcibly　that　I

had　no　answer　to　make。　Just　at　this　moment　Lubotshka　approached

us。



〃So　you　know？〃　she　said　with　a　joyful　face。



〃Yes；〃　said　Woloda。　〃Still；　I　am　surprised　at　you；　Lubotshka。　You

are　no　longer　a　baby　in　long　clothes。　Why　should　you　be　so

pleased　because　Papa　is　going　to　marry　a　piece　of　trash？〃



At　this　Lubotshka's　face　fell；　and　she　became　serious。



〃Oh；　Woloda！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃Why　'a　piece　of　trash'　indeed？　How

can　you　dare　to　speak　of　Avdotia　like　that？　If　Papa　is　going　to

marry　her　she　cannot　be　'trash。'〃



〃No；　not　trash；　so　to　speak；　but〃



〃No　'buts'　at　all！〃　interrupted　Lubotshka；　flaring　up。　〃You　have

never　heard　me　call　the　girl　whom　you　are　in　love　with　'trash！'

How；　then；　can　you　speak　so　of　Papa　and　a　respectable　woman？

Although　you　are　my　elder　brother；　I　won't　allow　you　to　speak

like　that！　You　ought　not　to！〃



〃Mayn't　I　even　express　an　opinion　about〃



〃No；　you　mayn't！〃　repeated　Lubotshka。　〃No　one　ought　to　criticise

such　a　father　as　ours。　Mimi　has　the　right　to；　but　not　you；

however　much　you　may　be　the　eldest　brother。〃



〃Oh　you　don't　understand　anything；〃　said　Woloda　contemptuously。

〃Try　and　do　so。　How　can　it　be　a　good　thing　that　a　'Dunetchka'　of

an　Epifanov　should　take　the　place　of　our　dead　Mamma？〃



For　a　moment　Lubotshka　was　silent。　Then　the　tears　suddenly　came

into　her　eyes。



〃I　knew　that　you　were　conceited；　but　I　never　thought　that　you

could　be　cruel；〃　she　said；　and　left　us。



〃Pshaw！〃　said　Woloda；　pulling　a　serio…comic　face　and　make…

believe；　stupid　eyes。　〃That's　what　comes　of　arguing　with　them。〃

Evidently　he　felt　that　he　was　at　fault　in　having　so　far　forgot

himself　as　to　descend　to　discuss　matters　at　all　with　Lubotshka。



Next　day　the　weather　was　bad；　and　neither　Papa　nor　the　ladies　had

come　down　to　morning　tea　when　I　entered　the　drawing…room。　There

had　been　cold　rain　in　the　night；　and　remnants　of　the　clouds　from

which　it　had　descended　were　still　scudding　across　the　sky；　with

the　sun's　luminous　disc　（not　yet　risen　to　any　great　height）

showing　faintly　through　them。　It　was　a　windy；　damp；　grey　morning。

The　door　into　the　garden　was　standing　open；　and　pools　left　by　the

night's　rain　were　drying　on　the　damp…blackened　flags　of　the

terrace。　The　open　door　was　swinging　on　its　iron　hinges　in　the

wind；　and　all　the　paths　looked　wet　and　muddy。　The　old　birch　trees

with　their　naked　white　branches；　the　bushes；　the　turf；　the

nettles；　the　currant…trees；　the　elders　with　the　pale　side　of

their　leaves　turned　upwardsall　were　dashing　themselves　about；

and　looking　as　though　they　were　trying　to　wrench　themselves　free

from　their　roots。　From　the　avenue　of　lime…trees　showers　of　round；

yellow　leaves　were　flying　through　the　air　in　tossing；　eddying

circles；　and　strewing　the　wet　road　and　soaked　aftermath　of　the

hayfield　with　a　clammy　carpet。　At　the　moment；　my　thoughts　were

wholly　taken　up　with　my　father's　approaching　marriage　and　with

the　point　of　view　from　which　Woloda　regarded　it。　The　future

seemed　to　me　to　bode　no　good　for　any　of　us。　I　felt　distressed　to

think　that　a　woman　who　was　not　only　a　stranger　but　young　should

be　going　to　associate　with　us　in　so　many　relatio