The additional matter did not satisfy S. A. Vengerov. He had long ago
formed an idea of Yasnaya Polyana, during the period in which _War and
Peace_ and _Anna Karenina_ were created, as of a "home" in which the
interests of the family were such that literary interests were removed
to the second floor. He hoped that S. A. T. in her additional matter
would turn her attention to that particular side in the life and
activity of L. N. Tolstoy, making use for that purpose of the very rich
material possessed by her. But S. A. T. did not fulfil his hopes, as he
told her in a letter to her and as may be seen from her reply.
S. A. T. held a different view, and she wrote to Vengerov:
YASNAYA POLYANA,
STATION ZASSYEKA,
5 MAY, 1914.
MUCH-RESPECTED SEMEN AFANASEVICH: I have received your letter; you
are not quite satisfied with the new chapter, to which I reply: you
want more facts, but where am I to get them? Our life was quiet,
placid, a retired family life.
You write about the 'home' interests which must have been
subordinated to Leo Nikolaevich's writing of _War and Peace_ and
_Anna Karenina_. But what was that _home_? It consisted only of Leo
Nikolaevich and myself. The two old women had become childish and
took no interest at all in Leo N.'s writings, but used to lose
their tempers over patience; a nd their only interests were the
children and the dinner.[H]
In so far as I could tear myself from domestic matters, I lived in
my husband's creative activity and loved it. But one can not put
into the background a baby who has to be fed day and night, and I
nursed ten children myself, which Leo N. desired and approved.
You mention among _professional_ writers Gogol, Turgenev,
Goncharov, and I would add Lermontov and others; all of them were
_bachelors without families_, and that is a very different matter.
This was reflected in their work, just as Leo N.'s _family_ life
was completely reflected in his works.
It is perfectly true that Leo N. was generally a _man_, and not
merely a writer. But it is _not_ true, if you will pardon me, that
he wrote _easily_. Indeed, he experienced the 'tortures of creative
activity' in a high degree; he wrote with difficulty and slowly,
made endless corrections; he doubted his powers, denied his talent,
and he often said: 'Writing is just like childbirth; until the
fruit is ripe, it does not come out, and, when it does, it comes
with pain and labour.'
Those are his own words.
And now, Semen Afanasevich, with regard to your last remark, that
Yasnaya Polyana of the years 1862 to 1870 gives the impression of a
'home' in which literary interests had been removed to the second
floor--I repeat once more that there was no such 'home'; it is
true that I was quite a young girl, in my eighteenth year, when I
married, and I only vaguely realized the great importance of the
husband whom I adored. Now I have come to the end of the page.
With respect and devotion,