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hear　no　more　about　his　feelings　and　intentions　with　regard　to

Lubov　Sergievna；　but　to　talk　unstintedly　about　my　own　love　for

Sonetchka；　who　seemed　to　me　an　object　of　affection　of　a　far

higher　order。　Yet　for　some　reason　or　another　I　could　not　make　up

my　mind　to　tell　him　straight　out　how　splendid　it　would　seem　when

I　had　married　Sonetchka　and　we　were　living　in　the　countryof　how

we　should　have　little　children　who　would　crawl　about　the　floor

and　call　me　Papa；　and　of　how　delighted　I　should　be　when　he；

Dimitri；　brought　his　wife；　Lubov　Sergievna；　to　see　us；　wearing　an

expensive　gown。　Accordingly；　instead　of　saying　all　that；　I

pointed　to　the　setting　sun；　and　merely　remarked：　〃Look；　Dimitri！

How　splendid！〃



To　this；　however；　Dimitri　made　no　reply；　since　he　was　evidently

dissatisfied　at　my　answering　his　confession　（which　it　had　cost

him　much　to　make）　by　directing　his　attention　to　natural　objects

（to　which　he　was；　in　general；　indifferent）。　Upon　him　Nature　had

an　effect　altogether　different　to　what　she　had　upon　myself；　for

she　affected　him　rather　by　her　industry　than　by　her　beautyhe

loved　her　rather　with　his　intellect　than　with　his　senses。



〃I　am　absolutely　happy；〃　I　went　on；　without　noticing　that　he　was

altogether　taken　up　with　his　own　thoughts　and　oblivious　of

anything　that　I　might　be　saying。　〃You　will　remember　how　told　you

about　a　girl　with　whom　I　used　to　be　in　love　when　was　a　little

boy？　Well；　I　saw　her　again　only　this　morning；　and　am　now

infatuated　with　her。〃　Then　I　told　himdespite　his　continued

expression　of　indifferenceabout　my　love；　and　about　all　my　plans

for　my　future　connubial　happiness。　Strangely　enough；　no　sooner

had　I　related　in　detail　the　whole　strength　of　my　feelings　than　I

instantly　became　conscious　of　its　diminution。



The　rain　overtook　us　just　as　we　were　turning　into　the　avenue　of

birch…trees　which　led　to　the　house；　but　it　did　not　really　wet　us。

I　only　knew　that　it　was　raining　by　the　fact　that　I　felt　a　drop

fall；　first　on　my　nose；　and　then　on　my　hand；　and　heard　something

begin　to　patter　upon　the　young；　viscous　leaves　of　the　birch…trees

as；　drooping　their　curly　branches　overhead；　they　seemed　to　imbibe

the　pure；　shining　drops　with　an　avidity　which　filled　the　whole

avenue　with　scent。　We　descended　from　the　carriage；　so　as　to　reach

the　house　the　quicker　through　the　garden；　but　found　ourselves

confronted　at　the　entrance…door　by　four　ladies；　two　of　whom　were

knitting；　one　reading　a　book；　and　the　fourth　walking　to　and　fro

with　a　little　dog。　Thereupon；　Dimitri　began　to　present　me　to　his

mother；　sister；　and　aunt；　as　well　as　to　Lubov　Sergievna。　For　a

moment　they　remained　where　they　were；　but　almost　instantly　the

rain　became　heavier。



〃Let　us　go　into　the　verandah；　you　can　present　him　to　us　there；〃

said　the　lady　whom　I　took　to　be　Dimitri's　mother；　and　we　all　of

us　ascended　the　entrance…steps。



XXIII



THE　NECHLUDOFFS



From　the　first；　the　member　of　this　company　who　struck　me　the　most

was　Lubov　Sergievna；　who；　holding　a　lapdog　in　her　arms　and

wearing　stout　laced　boots；　was　the　last　of　the　four　ladies　to

ascend　the　staircase；　and　twice　stopped　to　gaze　at　me　intently

and　then　kiss　her　little　dog。　She　was　anything　but　good…looking；

since　she　was　red…haired；　thin；　short；　and　slightly　crooked。　What

made　her　plain　face　all　the　plainer　was　the　queer　way　in　which

her　hair　was　parted　to　one　side　（it　looked　like　the　wigs　which

bald　women　contrive　for　themselves）。　However　much　I　should　have

liked　to　applaud　my　friend；　I　could　not　find　a　single　comely

feature　in　her。　Even　her　brown　eyes；　though　expressive　of　good…

humour；　were　small　and　dullwere；　in　fact；　anything　but　pretty；

while　her　hands　（those　most　characteristic　of　features）；　were

though　neither　large　nor　ill…shaped；　coarse　and　red。



As　soon　as　we　reached　the　verandah；　each　of　the　ladies；　except

Dimitri's　sister　Varenikawho　also　had　been　regarding　me

attentively　out　of　her　large；　dark…grey　eyessaid　a　few　words

to　me　before　resuming　her　occupation；　while　Varenika　herself　began

to　read　aloud　from　a　book　which　she　held　on　her　lap　and　steadied

with　her　finger。



The　Princess　Maria　Ivanovna　was　a　tall；　well…built　woman　of

forty。　To　judge　by　the　curls　of　half…grey　hair　which　descended

below　her　cap　one　might　have　taken　her　for　more；　but　as　soon　as

ever　one　observed　the　fresh；　extraordinarily　tender；　and　almost

wrinkleless　face；　as　well　as；　most　of　all；　the　lively；　cheerful

sparkle　of　the　large　eyes；　one　involuntarily　took　her　for　less。

Her　eyes　were　black　and　very　frank；　her　lips　thin　and　slightly

severe；　her　nose　regular　and　slightly　inclined　to　the　left；　and

her　hands　ringless；　large；　and　almost　like　those　of　a　man；　but

with　finely　tapering　fingers。　She　wore　a　dark…blue　dress　fastened

to　the　throat　and　sitting　closely　to　her　firm；　still　youthful

waista　waist　which　she　evidently　pinched。　Lastly；　she　held

herself　very　upright；　and　was　knitting　a　garment　of　some　kind。　As

soon　as　I　stepped　on　to　the　verandah　she　took　me　by　the　hand；

drew　me　to　her　as　though　wishing　to　scrutinise　me　more　closely；

and　said；　as　she　gazed　at　me　with　the　same　cold；　candid　glance　as

her　son's；　that　she　had　long　known　me　by　report　from　Dimitri；　and

that　therefore；　in　order　to　make　my　acquaintance　thoroughly；　she

had　invited　me　to　stay　these　twenty…four　hours　in　her　house。



〃Do　just　as　you　please　here；〃　she　said；　〃and　stand　on　no　ceremony

whatever　with　us；　even　as　we　shall　stand　on　none　with　you。　Pray

walk；　read；　listen；　or　sleep　as　the　mood　may　take　you。〃



Sophia　Ivanovna　was　an　old　maid　and　the　Princess's　younger

sister；　though　she　looked　the　elder　of　the　two。　She　had　that

exceedingly　overstuffed　appearance　which　old　maids　always　present

who　are　short　of　stature　but　wear　corsets。　It　seemed　as　though

her　healthiness　had　shifted　upwards　to　the　point　of　choking　her；

her　short；　fat　hands　would　not　meet　below　her　projecting　bust；

and　the　line　of　her　waist　was　scarcely　visible　at　all。



Notwithstanding　that　the　Princess　Maria　Ivanovna　had　black　hair

and　eyes；　while　Sophia　Ivanovna　had　white　hair　and　large；

vivacious；　tranquilly　blue　eyes　（a　rare　combination）；　there　was　a

great　likeness　between　the　two　sisters；　for　they　had　the　same

expression；　nose；　and　lips。　The　only　difference　was　that　Sophia's

nose　and　lips　were　a　trifle　coarser　than　Maria's；　and　that；　when

she　smiled；　those　features　inclined　towards　the　right；

whereas　Maria's　inclined　towards　the　left。　Sophia；　to　judge　by

her　dress　and　coiffure；　was　still　youthful　at　heart；　and　would

never　have　displayed　grey　curls；　even　if　she　had　possessed　them。

Yet　at　first　her　glance　and　bearing　towards　me　seemed　very　proud；

and　made　me　nervous；　whereas　I　at　once　felt　at　home　with　the

Princess。　Perhaps　it　was　only　Sophia's　stoutness　and　a　certain

resemblance　to　portraits　of　Catherine　the　Great　that　gave　her；　in

my　eyes；　a　haughty　aspect；　but　at　all　events　I　felt　quite

intimidated　when　she　looked　at　me　intently　and　said；　〃Friends　of

our　friends　are　our　friends　also。〃　I　became　reassured　and　changed

my　opinion　about　her　only　when；　after　saying　those　words；　she

opened　her　mouth　and　sighed　deeply。　It　may　be　that　she　owed　her

habit　of　sighing　after　every　few　wordswith　a　great　distention

of　the　mouth　and　a　slight　drooping　of　her　large　blue　eyesto　her

stoutness；　yet　it　was　none　the　less　one　which　expressed　so　much

good…humour　that　I　at　once　lost　all　fear　of　her；　and　found　her

actually　attractive。　Her　eyes　were　charming；　her　voice　pleasant

and　musical；　and　even　the　flowing　lines　of　her　fullness　seemed　to

my　youthful　vision　not　wholly　lacking　in　beauty。



I　had　imagined　that　Lubov　Sergievna；　as　my　friend's　friend；　would

at　once　say　something　friendly　and　familiar　to　me；　yet；　after

gazing　at　me　fixedly　for　a　while；　as　though　in　doubt　whether　the

remark　she　was　about　to　make　to　me　would　not　be　too　friendly；　she

at　length　asked　me　what　faculty　I　was　in。　After　that　she　stared

at　me　as　before；　in　evident　hesitation　as　to　whether　or　not　to

say　something　civil　and　familiar；　until；　remarking　her

perplexity；　I　besought　her　with　a　look　to　speak　freely。　Yet　all

she　then　said　was；　〃They　tell　me　the　Universities　pay　very　little

attention　to　science　now；〃　and　turned　away　to　call　her　little

dog。



All　that　evening　she　spoke　only　in　disjointed　fragments　of　this

kindfragments　which　had　no　connection　either　with　the　point　or

with　one　another；　yet　I　had　such　faith　in　Dimitri；　and　he　so

often　kept　looking　from　her　to　me　with　an　expression　which　mutely

asked　me；　〃Now；　what　do　you　think　of　that？〃　that；　though　I

entirely　failed　to　persuade　myself　that　in　Lubov　Sergievna　there

was　anything　to　speak　of；　I　could　not　bear　to　express　the

thought；　even　to　myself。



As　for　the　last　member　of　the　family；　Varenika；　she　was　a　well…

developed　girl　of　sixteen。　The　only　good　features　in　her　were　a

pair　of　dark…grey　eyes；which；　in　their　expression　of　gaiety

mingled　with　qui