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silently　to　the　sway　of　life's　falseness　and　depravity；　so　often

raised　a　sudden；　bold　protest　against　all　iniquity；　as　well　as

mercilessly　exposed　the　past；　commanded；　nay；　compelled；　me　to

love　only　the　pure　vista　of　the　present；　and　promised　me　all　that

was　fair　and　happy　in　the　future！　O　good　and　consoling　voice！

Surely　the　day　will　never　come　when　you　are　silent？



IV



OUR　FAMILY　CIRCLE



PAPA　was　seldom　at　home　that　spring。　Yet；　whenever　he　was　so；　he

seemed　extraordinarily　cheerful　as　he　either　strummed　his

favourite　pieces　on　the　piano　or　looked　roguishly　at　us　and　made

jokes　about　us　all；　not　excluding　even　Mimi。　For　instance；　he

would　say　that　the　Tsarevitch　himself　had　seen　Mimi　at　the　rink；

and　fallen　so　much　in　love　with　her　that　he　had　presented　a

petition　to　the　Synod　for　divorce；　or　else　that　I　had　been

granted　an　appointment　as　secretary　to　the　Austrian　ambassador

a　piece　of　news　which　he　imparted　to　us　with　a　perfectly　grave

face。　Next；　he　would　frighten　Katenka　with　some　spiders　（of　which

she　was　very　much　afraid）；　engage　in　an　animated　conversation

with　our　friends　Dubkoff　and　Nechludoff；　and　tell　us　and　our

guests；　over　and　over　again；　his　plans　for　the　year。　Although

these　plans　changed　almost　from　day　to　day；　and

were　for　ever　contradicting　one　another；　they　seemed　so

attractive　that　we　were　always　glad　to　listen　to　them；　and

Lubotshka；　in　particular；　would　glue　her　eyes　to　his　face；　so　as

not　to　lose　a　single　word。　One　day　his　plan　would　be　that　he

should　leave　my　brother　and　myself　at　the　University；　and　go　and

live　with　Lubotshka　in　Italy　for　two　years。　Next；　the　plan　would

be　that　he　should　buy　an　estate　on　the　south　coast　of　the　Crimea；

and　take　us　for　an　annual　visit　there；　next；　that　we　should

migrate　en　masse　to　St。　Petersburg；　and　so　forth。　Yet；　in

addition　to　this　unusual　cheerfulness　of　his；　another　change　had

come　over　him　of　latea　change　which　greatly　surprised　me。　This

was　that　he　had　had　some　fashionable　clothes　madean　olive…

coloured　frockcoat；　smart　trousers　with　straps　at　the　sides；　and

a　long　wadded　greatcoat　which　fitted　him　to　perfection。　Often；

too；　there　was　a　delightful　smell　of　scent　about　him　when　he　came

home　from　a　partymore　especially　when　he　had　been　to　see　a　lady

of　whom　Mimi　never　spoke　but　with　a　sigh　and　a　face　that　seemed

to　say：　〃Poor　orphans！　How　dreadful！　It　is　a　good　thing　that　SHE

is　gone　now！〃　and　so　on；　and　so　on。　From　Nicola　（for　Papa　never

spoke　to　us　of　his　gambling）　I　had　learnt　that　he　（Papa）　had　been

very　fortunate　in　play　that　winter；　and　so　had　won　an

extraordinary　amount　of　money；　all　of　which　he　had　placed　in　the

bank　after　vowing　that　he　would　play　no　more　that　spring。

Evidently；　it　was　his　fear　of　being　unable　to　resist　again　doing

so　that　was　rendering　him　anxious　to　leave　for　the　country　as

soon　as　possible。　Indeed；　he　ended　by　deciding　not　to　wait　until

I　had　entered　the　University；　but　to　take　the　girls　to　Petrovskoe

immediately　after　Easter；　and　to　leave　Woloda　and　myself　to

follow　them　at　a　later　season。



All　that　winter；　until　the　opening　of　spring；　Woloda　had　been

inseparable　from　Dubkoff；　while　at　the　same　time　the　pair　of　them

had　cooled　greatly　towards　Dimitri。　Their　chief　amusements　（so　I

gathered　from　conversations　overheard）　were　continual　drinking　of

champagne；　sledge…driving　past　the　windows　of　a　lady　with　whom

both　of　them　appeared　to　be　in　love；　and　dancing　with　hernot　at

children's　parties；　either；　but　at　real　balls！　It　was　this　last

fact　which；　despite　our　love　for　one　another；　placed　a　vast　gulf

between　Woloda　and　myself。　We　felt　that　the　distance　between　a

boy　still　taking　lessons　under　a　tutor　and　a　man　who　danced　at

real；　grown…up　balls　was　too　great　to　allow　of　their　exchanging

mutual　ideas。　Katenka；　too；　seemed　grown…up　now；　and　read

innumerable　novels；　so　that　the　idea　that　she　would　some　day　be

getting　married　no　longer　seemed　to　me　a　joke。　Yet；　though　she

and　Woloda　were　thus　grown…up；　they　never　made　friends　with　one

another；　but；　on　the　contrary；　seemed　to　cherish　a　mutual

contempt。　In　general；　when　Katenka　was　at　home　alone；　nothing　but

novels　amused　her；　and　they　but　slightly；　but　as　soon　as　ever　a

visitor　of　the　opposite　sex　called；　she　at　once　grew　lively　and

amiable；　and　used　her　eyes　for　saying　things　which　I　could　not

then　understand。　It　was　only　later；　when　she　one　day　informed　me

in　conversation　that　the　only　thing　a　girl　was　allowed　to　indulge

in　was　coquetrycoquetry　of　the　eyes；　I　meanthat　I　understood

those　strange　contortions　of　her　features　which　to　every　one　else

had　seemed　a　matter　for　no　surprise　at　all。　Lubotshka　also　had

begun　to　wear　what　was　almost　a　long　dressa　dress　which　almost

concealed　her　goose…shaped　feet；　yet　she　still　remained　as　ready

a　weeper　as　ever。　She　dreamed　now　of　marrying；　not　a　hussar；　but

a　singer　or　an　instrumentalist；　and　accordingly　applied　herself

to　her　music　with　greater　diligence　than　ever。　St。　Jerome；　who

knew　that　he　was　going　to　remain　with　us　only　until　my

examinations　were　over；　and　so　had　obtained　for　himself　a　new

post　in　the　family　of　some　count　or　another；　now　looked　with

contempt　upon　the　members　of　our　household。　He　stayed　indoors

very　little；　took　to　smoking　cigarettes　（then　all　the　rage）；　and

was　for　ever　whistling　lively　tunes　on　the　edge　of　a　card。　Mimi

daily　grew　more　and　more　despondent；　as　though；　now　that　we　were

beginning　to　grow　up；　she　looked　for　nothing　good　from　any　one　or

anything。



When；　on　the　day　of　which　I　am　speaking；　I　went　in　to　luncheon　I

found　only　Mimi；　Katenka；　Lubotshka；　and　St。　Jerome　in　the

dining…room。　Papa　was　away；　and　Woloda　in　his　own　room；　doing

some　preparation　work　for　his　examinations　in　company　with　a

party　of　his　comrades：　wherefore　he　had　requested　that　lunch

should　be　sent　to　him　there。　Of　late；　Mimi　had　usually　taken　the

head　of　the　table；　and　as　none　of　us　had　any　respect　for　her；

luncheon　had　lost　most　of　its　refinement　and　charm。　That　is　to

say；　the　meal　was　no　longer　what　it　had　been　in　Mamma's　or　our

grandmother's　time；　namely；　a　kind　of　rite　which　brought　all　the

family　together　at　a　given　hour　and　divided　the　day　into　two

halves。　We　allowed　ourselves　to　come　in　as　late　as　the　second

course；　to　drink　wine　in　tumblers　（St。　Jerome　himself　set　us　the

example）；　to　roll　about　on　our　chairs；　to　depart　without　saying

grace；　and　so　on。　In　fact；　luncheon　had　ceased　to　be　a　family

ceremony。　In　the　old　days　at　Petrovskoe；　every　one　had　been　used

to　wash　and　dress　for　the　meal；　and　then　to　repair　to　the

drawing…room　as　the　appointed　hour　（two　o'clock）　drew　near；　and

pass　the　time　of　waiting　in　lively　conversation。　Just　as　the

clock　in　the　servants'　hall　was　beginning　to　whirr　before

striking　the　hour；　Foka　would　enter　with　noiseless　footsteps；　and；

throwing　his　napkin　over　his　arm　and　assuming　a　dignified；　rather

severe　expression；　would　say　in　loud；　measured　tones：　〃Luncheon

is　ready！〃　Thereupon；　with　pleased；　cheerful　faces；　we　would　form

a　processionthe　elders　going　first　and　the　juniors　following；

and；　with　much　rustling　of　starched　petticoats　and　subdued

creaking　of　boots　and　shoeswould　proceed　to　the　dining…room；

where；　still　talking　in　undertones；　the　company　would　seat

themselves　in　their　accustomed　places。　Or；　again；　at　Moscow；　we

would　all　of　us　be　standing　before　the　table　ready…laid　in　the

hall；　talking　quietly　among　ourselves　as　we　waited　for　our

grandmother；　whom　the　butler；　Gabriel；　had　gone　to　acquaint　with

the　fact　that　luncheon　was　ready。　Suddenly　the　door　would　open；

there　would　come　the　faint　swish　of　a　dress　and　the　sound　of

footsteps；　and　our　grandmotherdressed　in　a　mob…cap　trimmed　with

a　quaint　old　lilac　bow；　and　wearing　either　a　smile　or　a　severe

expression　on　her　face　according　as　the　state　of　her　health

inclined　herwould　issue　from　her　room。　Gabriel　would　hasten　to

precede　her　to　her　arm…chair；　the　other　chairs　would　make　a

scraping　sound；　and；　with　a　feeling　as　though　a　cold　shiver　（the

precursor　of　appetite）　were　running　down　one's　back；　one　would

seize　upon　one's　damp；　starched　napkin；　nibble　a　morsel　or　two　of

bread；　and；　rubbing　one's　hands　softly　under　the　table；　gaze　with

eager；　radiant　impatience　at　the　steaming　plates　of　soup　which

the　butler　was　beginning　to　dispense　in　order　of　ranks　and　ages

or　according　to　the　favour　of　our　grandmother。



On　the　present　occasion；　however；　I　was　conscious　of　neither

excitement　nor　pleasure　when　I　went　in　to　luncheon。　Even　the

mingled　chatter　of　Mimi；　the　girls；　and　St。　Jerome　about　the

horrible　boots　of　our　Russian　tutor；　the　pleated　dresses　worn　by

the　young　Princesses　Kornakoff；　and　so　forth　（chatter　which　at

any　other　time　would　have　filled　me　with　a　sincerity　of　contempt

which　I　should　have　been　at　no　pains　to　concealat　all　events　so

far　as　Lubotshka　and　Katenka　were　concerned）；　failed　to　shake　the

benevolent　frame　of　mind　i