the wife and other stories-第2节

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no　downstairs　I　stood　up　and　listened。　When　her　carriage　or　her　saddlehorse　was　brought　to　the　door；　I　went　to　the　window　and　waited　to　see　her　out　of　the　house；　then　I　watched　her　get　into　her　carriage　or　mount　her　horse　and　ride　out　of　the　yard。　I　felt　that　there　was　something　wrong　with　me；　and　was　afraid　the　expression　of　my　eyes　or　my　face　might　betray　me。　I　looked　after　my　wife　and　then　watched　for　her　to　come　back　that　I　might　see　again　from　the　window　her　face；　her　shoulders；　her　fur　coat；　her　hat。　I　felt　dreary；　sad；　infinitely　regretful；　and　felt　inclined　in　her　absence　to　walk　through　her　rooms；　and　longed　that　the　problem　that　my　wife　and　I　had　not　been　able　to　solve　because　our　characters　were　incompatible；　should　solve　itself　in　the　natural　way　as　soon　as　possible　　that　is；　that　this　beautiful　woman　of　twenty…seven　might　make　haste　and　grow　old；　and　that　my　head　might　be　grey　and　bald。

One　day　at　lunch　my　bailiff　informed　me　that　the　Pestrovo　peasants　had　begun　to　pull　the　thatch　off　the　roofs　to　feed　their　cattle。　Marya　Gerasimovna　looked　at　me　in　alarm　and　perplexity。

〃What　can　I　do？〃　I　said　to　her。　〃One　cannot　fight　single…handed；　and　I　have　never　experienced　such　loneliness　as　I　do　now。　I　would　give　a　great　deal　to　find　one　man　in　the　whole　province　on　whom　I　could　rely。〃

〃Invite　Ivan　Ivanitch；〃　said　Marya　Gerasimovna。

〃To　be　sure！〃　I　thought；　delighted。　〃That　is　an　idea！　_C'est　raison_；〃　I　hummed；　going　to　my　study　to　write　to　Ivan　Ivanitch。　〃_C'est　raison；　c'est　raison_。〃

II

Of　all　the　mass　of　acquaintances　who；　in　this　house　twenty…five　to　thirty…five　years　ago；　had　eaten；　drunk；　masqueraded；　fallen　in　love；　married　bored　us　with　accounts　of　their　splendid　packs　of　hounds　and　horses；　the　only　one　still　living　was　Ivan　Ivanitch　Bragin。　At　one　time　he　had　been　very　active；　talkative；　noisy；　and　given　to　falling　in　love；　and　had　been　famous　for　his　extreme　views　and　for　the　peculiar　charm　of　his　face；　which　fascinated　men　as　well　as　women；　now　he　was　an　old　man；　had　grown　corpulent；　and　was　living　out　his　days　with　neither　views　nor　charm。　He　came　the　day　after　getting　my　letter；　in　the　evening　just　as　the　samovar　was　brought　into　the　dining…room　and　little　Marya　Gerasimovna　had　begun　slicing　the　lemon。

〃I　am　very　glad　to　see　you；　my　dear　fellow；〃　I　said　gaily；　meeting　him。　〃Why；　you　are　stouter　than　ever。　。　。　。〃

〃It　isn't　getting　stout；　it's　swelling；〃　he　answered。　〃The　bees　must　have　stung　me。〃

With　the　familiarity　of　a　man　laughing　at　his　own　fatness；　he　put　his　arms　round　my　waist　and　laid　on　my　breast　his　big　soft　head；　with　the　hair　combed　down　on　the　forehead　like　a　Little　Russian's；　and　went　off　into　a　thin；　aged　laugh。

〃And　you　go　on　getting　younger；〃　he　said　through　his　laugh。　〃I　wonder　what　dye　you　use　for　your　hair　and　beard；　you　might　let　me　have　some　of　it。〃　Sniffing　and　gasping；　he　embraced　me　and　kissed　me　on　the　cheek。　〃You　might　give　me　some　of　it；〃　he　repeated。　〃Why；　you　are　not　forty；　are　you？〃

〃Alas；　I　am　forty…six！〃　I　said；　laughing。

Ivan　Ivanitch　smelt　of　tallow　candles　and　cooking；　and　that　suited　him。　His　big；　puffy；　slow…moving　body　was　swathed　in　a　long　frock…coat　like　a　coachman's　full　coat；　with　a　high　waist；　and　with　hooks　and　eyes　instead　of　buttons；　and　it　would　have　been　strange　if　he　had　smelt　of　eau…de…Cologne；　for　instance。　In　his　long；　unshaven；　bluish　double　chin；　which　looked　like　a　thistle；　his　goggle　eyes；　his　shortness　of　breath；　and　in　the　whole　of　his　clumsy；　slovenly　figure；　in　his　voice；　his　laugh；　and　his　words；　it　was　difficult　to　recognize　the　graceful；　interesting　talker　who　used　in　old　days　to　make　the　husbands　of　the　district　jealous　on　account　of　their　wives。

〃I　am　in　great　need　of　your　assistance；　my　friend；〃　I　said；　when　we　were　sitting　in　the　dining…room；　drinking　tea。　〃I　want　to　organize　relief　for　the　starving　peasants；　and　I　don't　know　how　to　set　about　it。　So　perhaps　you　will　be　so　kind　as　to　advise　me。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　yes；〃　said　Ivan　Ivanitch；　sighing。　〃To　be　sure；　to　be　sure；　to　be　sure。　。　。　。〃

〃I　would　not　have　worried　you；　my　dear　fellow；　but　really　there　is　no　one　here　but　you　I　can　appeal　to。　You　know　what　people　are　like　about　here。〃

〃To　be　sure；　to　be　sure；　to　be　sure。　。　。　。　Yes。〃

I　thought　that　as　we　were　going　to　have　a　serious；　business　consultation　in　which　any　one　might　take　part；　regardless　of　their　position　or　personal　relations；　why　should　I　not　invite　Natalya　Gavrilovna。

〃_Tres　faciunt　collegium_；〃　I　said　gaily。　〃What　if　we　were　to　ask　Natalya　Gavrilovna？　What　do　you　think？　Fenya；〃　I　said；　turning　to　the　maid；　〃ask　Natalya　Gavrilovna　to　come　upstairs　to　us；　if　possible　at　once。　Tell　her　it's　a　very　important　matter。〃

A　little　later　Natalya　Gavrilovna　came　in。　I　got　up　to　meet　her　and　said：

〃Excuse　us　for　troubling　you；　Natalie。　We　are　discussing　a　very　important　matter；　and　we　had　the　happy　thought　that　we　might　take　advantage　of　your　good　advice；　which　you　will　not　refuse　to　give　us。　Please　sit　down。〃

Ivan　Ivanitch　kissed　her　hand　while　she　kissed　his　forehead；　then；　when　we　all　sat　down　to　the　table；　he；　looking　at　her　tearfully　and　blissfully；　craned　forward　to　her　and　kissed　her　hand　again。　She　was　dressed　in　black；　her　hair　was　carefully　arranged；　and　she　smelt　of　fresh　scent。　She　had　evidently　dressed　to　go　out　or　was　expecting　somebody。　Coming　into　the　dining…room；　she　held　out　her　hand　to　me　with　simple　friendliness；　and　smiled　to　me　as　graciously　as　she　did　to　Ivan　Ivanitch　　that　pleased　me；　but　as　she　talked　she　moved　her　fingers；　often　and　abruptly　leaned　back　in　her　chair　and　talked　rapidly；　and　this　jerkiness　in　her　words　and　movements　irritated　me　and　reminded　me　of　her　native　town　　Odessa；　where　the　society；　men　and　women　alike；　had　wearied　me　by　its　bad　taste。

〃I　want　to　do　something　for　the　famine…stricken　peasants；〃　I　began；　and　after　a　brief　pause　I　went　on：　〃　Money；　of　course；　is　a　great　thing；　but　to　confine　oneself　to　subscribing　money；　and　with　that　to　be　satisfied；　would　be　evading　the　worst　of　the　trouble。　Help　must　take　the　form　of　money；　but　the　most　important　thing　is　a　proper　and　sound　organization。　Let　us　think　it　over；　my　friends；　and　do　something。〃

Natalya　Gavrilovna　looked　at　me　inquiringly　and　shrugged　her　shoulders　as　though　to　say；　〃What　do　I　know　about　it？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　famine　。　。　。〃　muttered　Ivan　Ivanitch。　〃Certainly　。　。　。　yes。〃

〃It's　a　serious　position；〃　I　said；　〃and　assistance　is　needed　as　soon　as　possible。　I　imagine　the　first　point　among　the　principles　which　we　must　work　out　ought　to　be　promptitude。　We　must　act　on　the　military　principles　of　judgment；　promptitude；　and　energy。〃

〃Yes；　promptitude　。　。　。〃　repeated　Ivan　Ivanitch　in　a　drowsy　and　listless　voice；　as　though　he　were　dropping　asleep。　〃Only　one　can't　do　anything。　The　crops　have　failed；　and　so　what's　the　use　of　all　your　judgment　and　energy？　。　。　。　It's　the　elements。　。　。　。　You　can't　go　against　God　and　fate。〃

〃Yes；　but　that's　what　man　has　a　head　for；　to　conten　d　against　the　elements。〃

〃Eh？　Yes　。　。　。　that's　so；　to　be　sure。　。　。　。　Yes。〃

Ivan　Ivanitch　sneezed　into　his　handkerchief；　brightened　up；　and　as　though　he　had　just　woken　up；　looked　round　at　my　wife　and　me。

〃My　crops　have　failed；　too。〃　He　laughed　a　thin　little　laugh　and　gave　a　sly　wink　as　though　this　were　really　funny。　〃No　money；　no　corn；　and　a　yard　full　of　labourers　like　Count　Sheremetyev's。　I　want　to　kick　them　out；　but　I　haven't　the　heart　to。〃

Natalya　Gavrilovna　laughed；　and　began　questioning　him　about　his　private　affairs。　Her　presence　gave　me　a　pleasure　such　as　I　had　not　felt　for　a　long　time；　and　I　was　afraid　to　look　at　her　for　fear　my　eyes　would　betray　my　secret　feeling。　Our　relations　were　such　that　that　feeling　might　seem　surprising　and　ridiculous。

She　laughed　and　talked　with　Ivan　Ivanitch　without　being　in　the　least　disturbed　that　she　was　in　my　room　and　that　I　was　not　laughing。

〃And　so；　my　friends；　what　are　we　to　do？〃　I　asked　after　waiting　for　a　pause。　〃I　suppose　before　we　do　anything　else　we　had　better　immediately　open　a　subscription…list。　We　will　write　to　our　friends　in　the　capitals　and　in　Odessa；　Natalie；　and　ask　them　to　subscribe。　When　we　have　got　together　a　little　sum　we　will　begin　buying　corn　and　fodder　for　the　cattle；　and　you；　Ivan　Ivanitch；　will　you　be　so　kind　as　to　undertake　distributing　the　relief？　Entirely　relying　on　your　characteristic　tact　and　efficiency；　we　will　only　venture　to　express　a　desire　that　before　you　give　any　relief　you　make　acquaintance　with　the　details　of　the　case　on　the　spot；　and　also；　which　is　very　important；　you　should　be　careful　that　corn　should　be　distributed　only　to　those　who　are　in　genuine　need；　and　not　to　the　drunken；　the　idle；　or　the　dishonest。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　yes　。　。　。〃　muttered　Ivan　Ivanitch。　〃To　be　sure；　to　be　sure。〃

〃Well；　one　won't　get　much　done　with　that　slobbering　wreck；〃　I　thought；　and　I　felt　irritated。

〃I　am　sick　of　these　famine…stricken　peasants；　bother　them！　It's　nothing　but　grievances　with　them！〃　Ivan　Ivanitch　went　on；　sucking　the　rind　of　the　lemon。　〃The　hungry　have　a　grievance　against　those　who　have　enough；　and　those　who　have　enough　have　a　grievance　against　the　hungry。　Yes　。　。　。　hunger　stupefies　and　maddens　a　man　and　makes　him　savage；　hunger　is　not　a　potat