A tall man entered, wearing a tidy overcoat, rather short trousers, grey
doeskin gloves, and two neckties--a black one outside, and a white one
below it. There was an air of decorum and propriety in everything about
him, from his prosperous countenance and smoothly brushed hair, to his
low-heeled, noiseless boots. He bowed first to the lady of the house,
then to Marfa Timofyevna, and slowly drawing off his gloves, he advanced
to take Marya Dmitrievna’s hand. After kissing it respectfully twice he
seated himself with deliberation in an arm-chair, and rubbing the very
tips of his fingers together, he observed with a smile--
“And is Elisaveta Mihalovna quite well?”
“Yes,” replied Marya Dmitrievna, “she’s in the garden.”
“And Elena Mihalovna?”
“Lenotchka’s in the garden too. Is there no news?”
“There is indeed!” replied the visitor, slowly blinking his eyes and
pursing up his mouth. “Hm!... yes, indeed, there is a piece of news, and
very surprising news too. Lavretsky--Fedor Ivanitch is here.”
“Fedya!” cried Marfa Timofyevna. “Are you sure you are not romancing, my
good man?”
“No, indeed, I saw him myself.”
“Well, that does not prove it.”
“Fedor Ivanitch looked much more robust,” continued Gedeonovsky,
affecting not to have heard Marfa Timofyevna’s last remark. “Fedor
Ivanitch is broader and has quite a colour.”
“He looked more robust,” said Marya Dmitrievna, dwelling on each
syllable. “I should have thought he had little enough to make him look
robust.”
“Yes, indeed,” observed Gedeonovsky; “any other man in Fedor Ivanitch’s
position would have hesitated to appear in society.”
“Why so, pray?” interposed Marfa Timofyevna. “What nonsense are you
talking! The man’s come back to his home--where would you have him go?
And has he been to blame, I should like to know!”
“The husband is always to blame, madam, I venture to assure you, when a
wife misconducts herself.”
“You say that, my good sir, because you have never been married
yourself.” Gedeonovsky listened with a forced smile.
“If I may be so inquisitive,” he asked, after a short pause, “for whom
is that pretty scarf intended?”
Marfa Timofyevna gave him a sharp look.
“It’s intended,” she replied, “for a man who does not talk scandal, nor
play the hypocrite, nor tell lies, if there’s such a man to be found in
the world. I know Fedya well; he was only to blame in being too good
to his wife. To be sure, he married for love, and no good ever comes of
those love-matches,” added the old lady, with a sidelong glance at Marya
Dmitrievna, as she got up from her place. “And now, my good sir, you may
attack any one you like, even me if you choose; I’m going. I will not
hinder you.” And Marfa Timofyevna walked away.
“That’s always how she is,” said Marya Dmitrievna, following her aunt
with her eyes.
“We must remember your aunt’s age...there’s no help for it,” replied
Gedeonovsky. “She spoke of a man not playing the hypocrite. But who is
not hypocritical nowadays? It’s the age we live in. One of my friends,
a most worthy man, and, I assure you, a man of no mean position, used to
say, that nowadays the very hens can’t pick up a grain of corn without
hypocrisy--they always approach it from one side. But when I look at
you, dear lady--your character is so truly angelic; let me kiss your
little snow-white hand!”
Marya Dmitrievna with a faint smile held out her plump hand to him with
the little finger held apart from the rest. He pressed his lips to it,
and she drew her chair nearer to him, and bending a little towards him,
asked in an undertone--
“So you saw him? Was he really--all right--quite well and cheerful?”
“Yes, he was well and cheerful,” replied Gedeonovsky in a whisper.
“You haven’t heard where his wife is now?”
“She was lately in Paris; now, they say, she has gone away to Italy.”
“It is terrible, indeed--Fedya’s position; I wonder how he can bear it.
Every one, of course, has trouble; but he, one may say, has been made
the talk of all Europe.”
Gedeonovsky sighed.
“Yes, indeed, yes, indeed. They do say, you know that she associates
with artists and musicians, and as the saying is, with strange creatures
of all kinds. She has lost all sense of shame completely.”
“I am deeply, deeply grieved.” said Marya Dmitrievna. “On account of
our relationship. You know, Sergei Petrovitch, he’s my cousin many times
removed.”
“Of course, of course. Don’t I know everything that concerns your
family? I should hope so, indeed.”
“Will he come to see us--what do you think?”
“One would suppose so; though, they say, he is intending to go home to
his country place.”
Marya Dmitrievna lifted her eyes to heaven.
“Ah, Sergei Petrovitch, Sergei Petrovitch, when I think how careful we
women ought to be in our conduct!”
“There are women and women, Marya Dmitrievna. There are unhappily such
... of flighty character... and at a certain age too, and then they
are not brought up in good principles.” (Sergei Petrovitch drew a blue
checked handkerchief out of his pocket and began to unfold it.) “There
are such women, no doubt.” (Sergei Petrovitch applied a corner of the
handkerchief first to one and then to the other eye.) “But speaking
generally, if one takes into consideration, I mean...the dust in the
town is really extraordinary to-day,” he wound up.
“Maman, maman,” cried a pretty little girl of eleven running into the
room, “Vladimir Nikolaitch is coming on horseback!”
Marya Dmitrievna got up; Sergei Petrovitch also rose and made a bow.
“Our humble respects to Elena Mihalovna,” he said, and turning aside
into a corner for good manners, he began blowing his long straight nose.
“What a splendid horse he has!” continued the little girl. “He was at
the gate just now, he told Lisa and me he would dismount at the steps.”
The sound of hoofs was heard; and a graceful young man, riding a
beautiful bay horse, was seen in the street, and stopped at the open
window.