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favourably。　She　was　tall；　thin；　and　very　pale；　and　looked　as

though　she　suffered　from　chronic　depression　and　fatigue。　Yet；

though　her　smile　was　a　sad　one；　it　was　very　kind；　and　her　large；

mournful　eyes；　with　a　slight　cast　in　their　vision；　added　to　the

pathos　and　attractiveness　of　her　expression。　Her　attitude；　while

not　precisely　that　of　a　hunchback；　made　her　whole　form　droop；

while　her　every　movement　expressed　languor。　Likewise；　though　her

speech　was　deliberate；　the　timbre　of　her　voice；　and　the　manner　in

which　she　lisped　her　r's　and　l's；　were　very　pleasing　to　the　ear。

Finally；　she　did　not　〃ENTERTAIN〃　me。　Unfortunately；　the　answers

which　I　returned　to　her　questions　concerning　my　relations　seemed

to　afford　her　a　painful　interest；　and　to　remind　her　of　happier

days：　with　the　result　that　when；　presently；　her　son　left　the

room；　she　gazed　at　me　in　silence　for　a　moment；　and　then　burst

into　tears。　As　I　sat　there　in　mute　bewilderment；　I　could　not

conceive　what　I　had　said　to　bring　this　about。　At　first　I　felt

sorry　for　her　as　she　sat　there　weeping　with　downcast　eyes。　Next

I　began　to　think　to　myself：　〃Ought　I　not　to　try　and　comfort　her；

and　how　ought　that　to　be　done？〃　Finally；　I　began　to　feel　vexed

with　her　for　placing　me　in　such　an　awkward　position。　〃Surely　my

appearance　is　not　so　moving　as　all　that？〃　I　reflected。　〃Or　is　she

merely　acting　like　this　to　see　what　I　shall　do　under　the

circumstances？〃



〃Yet　it　would　not　do　for　me　to　go；〃　I　continued　to　myself；　for

that　would　look　too　much　as　though　I　were　fleeing　to　escape　her

tears。〃　Accordingly　I　began　fidgeting　about　on　my　seat；　in　order

to　remind　her　of　my　presence。



〃Oh；　how　foolish　of　me！〃　at　length　she　said；　as　she　gazed　at　me

for　a　moment　and　tried　to　smile。　〃There　are　days　when　one　weeps

for　no　reason　whatever。〃　She　felt　about　for　her　handkerchief；　and

then　burst　out　weeping　more　violently　than　before。



〃Oh　dear！　How　silly　of　me　to　be　for　ever　crying　like　this！　Yet　I

was　so　fond　of　your　mother！　We　were　such　friends！　We…we〃



At　this　point　she　found　her　handkerchief；　and；　burying　her　face

in　it；　went　on　crying。　Once　more　I　found　myself　in　the　same

protracted　dilemma。　Though　vexed；　I　felt　sorry　for　her；　since　her

tears　appeared　to　be　genuineeven　though　I　also　had　an　idea　that

it　was　not　so　much　for　my　mother　that　she　was　weeping　as　for　the

fact　that　she　was　unhappy；　and　had　known　happier　days。　How　it

would　all　have　ended　I　do　not　know；　had　not　her　son　reappeared

and　said　that　his　father　desired　to　see　her。　Thereupon　she　rose；

and　was　just　about　to　leave　the　room；　when　the　General　himself

entered。　He　was　a　small；　grizzled；　thick…set　man；　with　bushy

black　eyebrows；　a　grey；　close…cropped　head；　and　a　very　stern；

haughty　expression　of　countenance。



I　rose　and　bowed　to　him；　but　the　General　（who　was　wearing　three

stars　on　his　green　frockcoat）　not　only　made　no　response　to　my

salutation；　but　scarcely　even　looked　at　me；　so　that　all　at　once　I

felt　as　though　I　were　not　a　human　being　at　all；　but　only　some

negligible　object　such　as　a　settee　or　window；　or；　if　I　were　a

human　being；　as　though　I　were　quite　indistinguishable　from　such　a

negligible　object。



〃Then　you　have　not　yet　written　to　the　Countess；　my　dear？〃　he　said

to　his　wife　in　French；　and　with　an　imperturbable；　yet　determined；

expression　on　his　countenance。



〃Good…bye；　Monsieur　Irtenieff；〃　Madame　said　to　me；　in　her　turn；

as　she　made　a　proud　gesture　with　her　head　and　looked　at　my

eyebrows　just　as　her　son　had　done。　I　bowed　to　her；　and　again　to

her　husband；　but　my　second　salutation　made　no　more　impression

upon　him　than　if　a　window　had　just　been　opened　or　closed。

Nevertheless　the　younger　Iwin　accompanied　me　to　the　door；　and　on

the　way　told　me　that　he　was　to　go　to　St。　Petersburg　University；

since　his　father　had　been　appointed　to　a　post　in　that　city　（and

young　Iwin　named　a　very　high　office　in　the　service）。



〃Well；　his　Papa　may　do　whatsoever　he　likes；〃　I　muttered　to　myself

as　I　climbed　into　the　drozhki；　〃but　at　all　events　I　will　never

set　foot　in　that　house　again。　His　wife　weeps　and　looks　at　me　as

though　I　were　the　embodiment　of　woe；　while　that　old　pig　of　a

General　does　not　even　give　me　a　bow。　However；　I　will　get　even

with　him　some　day。〃　How　I　meant　to　do　that　I　do　not　know；　but　my

words　nevertheless　came　true。



Afterwards；　I　frequently　found　it　necessary　to　remember　the　advice

of　my　father　when　he　said　that　I　must　cultivate　the

acquaintanceship　of　the　Iwins；　and　not　expect　a　man　in　the

position　of　General　Iwin　to　pay　any　attention　to　a　boy　like

myself。　But　I　had　figured　in　that　position　long　enough。



XXI



PRINCE　IVAN　IVANOVITCH



〃Now　for　the　last　callthe　visit　to　Nikitskaia　Street；〃　I　said

to　Kuzma；　and　we　started　for　Prince　Ivan　Ivanovitch's　mansion。



Towards　the　end；　a　round　of　calls　usually　brings　one　a　certain

amount　of　self…assurance：　consequently　I　was　approaching　the

Prince's　abode　in　quite　a　tranquil　frame　of　mind；　when　suddenly　I

remembered　the　Princess　Kornakoff's　words　that　I　was　his　heir；

and　at　the　same　moment　caught　sight　of　two　carriages　waiting　at

the　portico。　Instantly；　my　former　nervousness　returned。



Both　the　old　major…domo　who　opened　the　door　to　me；　and　the

footman　who　took　my　coat；　and　the　two　male　and　three　female

visitors　whom　I　found　in　the　drawing…room；　and；　most　of　all；

Prince　Ivan　Ivanovitch　himself　（whom　I　found　clad　in　a　〃company〃

frockcoat　and　seated　on　a　sofa）　seemed　to　look　at　me　as　at　an

HEIR；　and　so　to　eye　me　with　ill…will。　Yet　the　Prince　was　very

gracious　and；　after　kissing　me　（that　is　to　say；　after　pressing

his　cold；　dry；　flabby　lips　to　my　cheek　for　a　second）；　asked　me

about　my　plans　and　pursuits；　jested　with　me；　inquired　whether　I

still　wrote　verses　of　the　kind　which　I　used　to　indite　in　honour

of　my　grandmother's　birthdays；　and　invited　me　to　dine　with　him

that　day。　Nevertheless；　in　proportion　as　he　grew　the　kinder；　the

more　did　I　feel　persuaded　that　his　civility　was　only　intended　to

conceal　from　me　the　fact　that　he　disliked　the　idea　of　my　being

his　heir。　He　had　a　custom　（due　to　his　false　teeth；　of　which　his

mouth　possessed　a　complete　set）　of　raising　his　upper　lip　a　little

as　he　spoke；　and　producing　a　slight　whistling　sound　from　it；　and

whenever；　on　the　present　occasion；　he　did　so　it　seemed　to　me　that

he　was　saying　to　himself：　〃A　boy；　a　boyI　know　it！　And　my　heir；

toomy　heir！〃



When　we　were　children；　we　had　been　used　to　calling　the　Prince

〃dear　Uncle；〃　but　now；　in　my　capacity　of　heir；　I　could　not　bring

my　tongue　to　the　phrase；　while　to　say　〃Your　Highness；〃　as　did　one

of　the　other　visitors；　seemed　derogatory　to　my　self…esteem。

Consequently；　never　once　during　that　visit　did　I　call　him　anything

at　all。　The　personage；　however；　who　most　disturbed　me　was　the　old

Princess　who　shared　with　me　the　position　of　prospective

inheritor；　and　who　lived　in　the　Prince's　house。　While　seated

beside　her　at　dinner；　I　felt　firmly　persuaded　that　the　reason　why

she　would　not　speak　to　me　was　that　she　disliked　me　for　being　her

co…heir；　and　that　the　Prince；　for　his　part；　paid　no　attention　to

our　side　of　the　table　for　the　reason　that　the　Princess　and　myself

hoped　to　succeed　him；　and　so　were　alike　distasteful　in　his　sight。



〃You　cannot　think　how　I　hated　it　all！〃　I　said　to　Dimitrieff　the

same　evening；　in　a　desire　to　make　a　parade　of　disliking　the

notion　of　being　an　heir　（somehow　I　thought　it　the　thing　to　do）。

〃You　cannot　think　how　I　loathed　the　whole　two　hours　that　I　spent

there！Yet　he　is　a　fine…looking　old　fellow；　and　was　very　kind　to

me；〃　I　addedwishing；　among　other　things；　to　disabuse　my　friend

of　any　possible　idea　that　my　loathing　had　arisen　out　of　the　fact

that　I　had　felt　so　small。　〃It　is　only　the　idea　that　people　may　be

classing　me　with　the　Princess　who　lives　with　him；　and　who　licks

the　dust　off　his　boots。　He　is　a　wonderful　old　man；　and　good　and

considerate　to　everybody；　but　it　is　awful　to　see　how　he　treats

the　Princess。　Money　is　a　detestable　thing；　and　ruins　all　human

relations。



〃Do　you　know；　I　think　it　would　be　far　the　best　thing　for　me　to

have　an　open　explanation　with　the　Prince；〃　I　went　on；　〃to　tell

him　that　I　respect　him　as　a　man；　but　think　nothing　of　being　his

heir；　and　that　I　desire　him　to　leave　me　nothing；　since　that　is

the　only　condition　on　which　I　can；　in　future；　visit　his　house。〃



Instead　of　bursting　out　laughing　when　I　said　this；　Dimitri

pondered　awhile　in　silence；　and　then　answered：



〃You　are　wrong。　Either　you　ought　to　refrain　from　supposing　that

people　may　be　classing　you　with　this　Princess　of　whom　you　speak；

or；　if　you　DO　suppose　such　a　thing；　you　ought　to　suppose　further

that　people　are　thinking　what　you　yourself　know　quite　well

namely；　that　such　thoughts　are　so　utterly　foreign　to　your　nature

that　you　despise　them　and　would　never　make　them　a　basis　for

action。　Suppose；　however；　that　people　DO　suppose　you　to　suppose

such　a　thingWell；　to　sum　up；〃　he　added