Ivan Petrovich returned to Russia an Anglomaniac. Short hair, starched
frills, a pea-green, long-skirted coat with a number of little
collars; a soar expression of countenance, something trenchant and
at the same time careless in his demeanor, an utterance through
the teeth, an abrupt wooden laugh, an absence of smile, a habit of
conversing only on political or politico-economical subjects, a
passion for under-done roast beef and port wine--every thing in him
breathed, so to speak, of Great Britain. He seemed entirely imbued by
its spirit. But strange to say, while becoming an Anglomaniac, Ivan
Petrovich had also become a patriot,--at all events he called himself
a patriot,--although he knew very little about Russia, he had not
retained a single Russian habit, and he expressed himself in Russian
oddly. In ordinary talk, his language was colorless and unwieldy,
and absolutely bristled with Gallicisms. But the moment that the
conversation turned upon serious topics, Ivan Petrovich immediately
began to give utterance to such expressions as "to render manifest
abnormal symptoms of enthusiasm," or "this is extravagantly
inconsistent with the essential nature of circumstances," and so
forth. He had brought with him some manuscript plans, intended to
assist in the organization and improvement of the empire. For he was
greatly discontented with what he saw taking place. It was the absence
of system which especially aroused his indignation.
At his interview with his sister, he informed her in the first words
he spoke that he meant to introduce radical reforms on his property,
and that for the future all his affairs would be conducted on a new
system. Glafira made no reply, but she clenched her teeth and thought,
"What is to become of me then?" However, when she had gone with her
brother and her nephew to the estate, her mind was soon set at
ease. It is true that a few changes were made in the house, and the
hangers-on and parasites were put to immediate flight. Among their
number suffered two old women, the one blind, the other paralyzed, and
also a worn-out major of the Ochakof[A] days, who, on account of his
great voracity, was fed upon nothing but black bread and lentiles. An
order was given also not to receive any of the former visitors; they
were replaced by a distant neighbor, a certain blonde and scrofulous
baron, an exceedingly well brought-up and remarkably dull man. New
furniture was sent from Moscow; spittoons, bells, and washhand basins
were introduced; the breakfast was served in a novel fashion; foreign
wines replaced the old national spirits and liquors; new liveries were
given to the servants, and to the family coat of arms was added the
motto, "_In recto virtus_."
[Footnote A: Ochakof is a town which was taken from the Turks by the
Russians in 1788.]
In reality, however, the power of Glafira did not diminish; all
receipts and expenditures were settled, as before, by her. A Valet,
who had been brought from abroad, a native of Alsace, tried to compete
with her, and lost his place, in spite of the protection which his
master generally afforded him. In all that related to house-keeping,
and also to the administration of the estate (for with these things
too Glafira interfered)--in spite of the intention often expressed by
Ivan Petrovich "to breathe new life into the chaos,"--all remained on
the old footing. Only the _obrok_[A] remained on the old footing, and
the _barshina_[B] became heavier, and the peasants were forbidden
to go straight to Ivan Petrovich. The patriot already despised his
fellow-citizens heartily. Ivan Petrovich's system was applied in its
full development only to Fedia. The boy's education really underwent
"a radical reform." His father undertook the sole direction of it
himself.
[Footnote A: What the peasant paid his lord in money.]
[Footnote B: What the peasant paid his lord in labor.]