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第13章

01-the kreutzer sonata-第13章

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remarkable talent; thanks to the attraction exercised under the

influence of music; thanks to the impression that music produces

upon nervous natures;this man would not only please; but would

inevitably; and without difficulty; subjugate and conquer her;

and do with her as he liked。



〃I could not help seeing this。  I could not help suffering; or

keep from being jealous。  And I was jealous; and I suffered; and

in spite of that; and perhaps even because of that; an unknown

force; in spite of my will; impelled me to be not only polite;

but more than polite; amiable。 I cannot say whether I did it for

my wife; or to show him that I did not fear HIM; or to deceive

myself; but from my first relations with him I could not be at my

ease。  I was obliged; that I might not give way to a desire to

kill him immediately; to 'caress' him。  I filled his glass at the

table; I grew enthusiastic over his playing; I talked to him with

an extremely amiable smile; and I invited him to dinner the

following Sunday; and to play again。  I told him that I would

invite some of my acquaintances; lovers of his art; to hear him。



〃Two or three days later I was entering my house; in conversation

with a friend; when in the hall I suddenly felt something as

heavy as a stone weighing on my heart; and I could not account

for it。  And it was this; it was this: in passing through the

hall; I had noticed something which reminded me of HIM。  Not

until I reached my study did I realize what it was; and I

returned to the hall to verify my conjecture。 Yes; I was not

mistaken。  It was his overcoat (everything that belonged to him;

I; without realizing it; had observed with extraordinary

attention)。  I questioned the servant。  That was it。 He had come。



I passed near the parlor; through my children's study…room。 

Lise; my daughter; was sitting before a book; and the old nurse;

with my youngest child; was beside the table; turning the cover

of something or other。  In the parlor I heard a slow arpeggio;

and his voice; deadened; and a denial from her。  She said: 'No;

no!  There is something else!'  And it seemed to me that some one

was purposely deadening the words by the aid of the piano。



〃My God!  How my heart leaped!  What were my imaginations!  When

I remember the beast that lived in me at that moment; I am seized

with fright。  My heart was first compressed; then stopped; and

then began to beat like a hammer。  The principal feeling; as in

every bad feeling; was pity for myself。  'Before the children;

before the old nurse;' thought I; 'she dishonors me。  I will go

away。  I can endure it no longer。  God knows what I should do if。

。 。 。  But I must go in。'



The old nurse raised her eyes to mine; as if she understood; and

advised me to keep a sharp watch。  'I must go in;' I said to

myself; and; without knowing what I did; I opened the door。 He

was sitting at the piano and making arpeggios with his long;

white; curved fingers。  She was standing in the angle of the

grand piano; before the open score。  She saw or heard me first;

and raised her eyes to mine。  Was she stunned; was she pretending

not to be frightened; or was she really not frightened at all? 

In

any case; she did not tremble; she did not stir。 She blushed; but

only a little later。



〃'How glad I am that you have come!  We have not decided what we

will play Sunday;' said she; in a tone that she would not have

had if she had been alone with me。



〃This tone; and the way in which she said 'we' in speaking of

herself and of him; revolted me。  I saluted him silently。  He

shook hands with me directly; with a smile that seemed to me full

of mockery。  He explained to me that he had brought some scores;

in order to prepare for the Sunday concert; and that they were

not in accord as to the piece to choose;whether difficult;

classic things; notably a sonata by Beethoven; or lighter pieces。



And as he spoke; he looked at me。  It was all so natural; so

simple; that there was absolutely nothing to be said against it。 

And at the same time I saw; I was sure; that it was false; that

they were in a conspiracy to deceive me。



〃One of the most torturing situations for the jealous (and in our

social life everybody is jealous) are those social conditions

which allow a very great and dangerous intimacy between a man and

a woman under certain pretexts。  One must make himself the

laughing stock of everybody; if he desires to prevent

associations in the ball…room; the intimacy of doctors with their

patients; the familiarity of art occupations; and especially of

music。  In order that people may occupy themselves together with

the noblest art; music; a certain intimacy is necessary; in which

there is nothing blameworthy。  Only a jealous fool of a husband

can have anything to say against it。  A husband should not have

such thoughts; and especially should not thrust his nose into

these affairs; or prevent them。  And yet; everybody knows that

precisely in these occupations; especially in music; many

adulteries originate in our society。



〃I had evidently embarrassed them; because for some time I was

unable to say anything。  I was like a bottle suddenly turned

upside down; from which the water does not run because it is too

full。  I wanted to insult the man; and to drive him away; but I

could do nothing of the kind。  On the contrary; I felt that I was

disturbing them; and that it was my fault。  I made a presence of

approving everything; this time also; thanks to that strange

feeling that forced me to treat him the more amiably in

proportion as his presence was more painful to me。  I said that I

trusted to his taste; and I advised my wife to do the same。  He

remained just as long as it was necessary in order to efface the

unpleasant impression of my abrupt entrance with a frightened

face。  He went away with an air of satisfaction at the

conclusions arrived at。  As for me; I was perfectly sure that; in

comparison with that which preoccupied them; the question of

music was indifferent to them。  I accompanied him with especial

courtesy to the hall (how can one help accompanying a man who has

come to disturb your tranquillity and ruin the happiness of the

entire family?); and I shook his white; soft hand with fervent

amiability。



 

CHAPTER XXII。




〃All that day I did not speak to my wife。  I could not。  Her

proximity excited such hatred that I feared myself。  At the table

she asked me; in presence of the children; when I was to start

upon a journey。  I was to go the following week to an assembly of

the Zemstvo; in a neighboring locality。  I named the date。  She

asked me if I would need anything for the journey。  I did not

answer。  I sat silent at the table; and silently I retired to my

study。  In those last days she never entered my study; especially

at that hour。  Suddenly I heard her steps; her walk; and then a

terribly base idea entered my head that; like the wife of Uri;

she wished to conceal a fault already committed; and that it was

for this reason that she came to see me at this unseasonable

hour。  'Is it possible;' thought I; 'that she is coming to see

me?'  On hearing her step as it approached: 'If it is to see me

that she is coming; then I am right。'



〃An inexpressible hatred invaded my soul。 The steps drew nearer;

and nearer; and nearer yet。  Would she pass by and go on to the

other room?  No; the hinges creaked; and at the door her tall;

graceful; languid figure appeared。  In her face; in her eyes; a

timidity; an insinuating expression; which she tried to hide; but

which I saw; and of which I understood the meaning。  I came near

suffocating; such were my efforts to hold my breath; and;

continuing to look at her; I took my cigarette; and lighted it。



〃'What does this mean?  One comes to talk with you; and you go to

smoking。'



〃And she sat down beside me on the sofa; resting against my

shoulder。  I recoiled; that I might not touch her。



〃'I see that you are displeased with what I wish to play on

Sunday;' said she。



〃'I am not at all displeased;' said I。



〃'Can I not see?'



〃'Well; I congratulate you on your clairvoyance。  Only to you

every baseness is agreeable; and I abhor it。'



〃'If you are going to swear like a trooper; I am going away。'



〃'Then go away。  Only know that; if the honor of the family is

nothing to you; to me it is dear。  As for you; the devil take

you!'



〃'What!  What is the matter?'



〃'Go away; in the name of God。'



〃But she did not go away。  Was she pretending not to understand;

or did she really not understand what I meant?  But she was

offended and became angry。



〃'You have become absolutely impossible;' she began; or some such

phrase as that regarding my character; trying; as usual; to give

me as much pain as possible。  'After what you have done to my

sister (she referred to an incident with her sister; in which;

beside myself; I had uttered brutalities; she knew that that

tortured me; and tried to touch me in that tender spot) nothing

will astonish me。'



〃'Yes; offended; humiliated; and dishonored; and after that to

hold me still responsible;' thought I; and suddenly a rage; such

a hatred invaded me as I do not remember to have ever felt

before。  For the first time I desired to express this hatred

physically。  I leaped upon her; but at the same moment I

understood my condition; and I asked myself whether it would be

well for me to abandon myself to my fury。  And I answered myself

that it would be well; that it would frighten her; and; instead

of resisting; I lashed and spurred myself on; and was glad to

feel my anger boiling more and more fiercely。



〃'Go away; or I will kill you!' I cried; purposely; with a

frightful voice; and I grasped her by the arm。  She did not go

away。  Then I twisted her arm; and pushed her away violently。



〃'What is the matter with you?  Come to your senses!' she

shrieked。



〃'Go away;' roared I; louder than ever; rolling my eyes wildly。 

'It takes you to put me in such a fury。  I do not answer for

myself!  Go away!'



〃In abandoning myself to my anger; I became steeped in it; and I

wanted to commit some violent act to show the force of my fury。 

I felt a terrible desire to beat her; to kill her; but I realized

that that could not be; and I restrained myself。  I drew back

from her; rushed to the table; grasped the paper…weight; and

threw it on the floor by her side。  I took care to aim a little

to one side; and; before she disappeared (I did it so that she

could see it); I grasped a candlestick; which I also hurled; and

then took down the barometer; continuing to shout:



〃'Go away!  I do not answer for myself!'



〃She disappeared; and I immediately ceased my demonstrations。  An

hour later the old servant came to me and said that my wife was

in a fit of hysterics。  I went to see h

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