the wife and other stories-第36节

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ions　about　household　matters；　and　then　sink　into　silence。

〃Let　us　sing；〃　I　would　suggest。

My　tutor　would　tune　his　guitar；　and　in　a　deep　deacon's　bass　strike　up　〃In　the　midst　of　the　valley。〃　We　would　begin　singing。　My　tutor　took　the　bass；　Fyodor　sang　in　a　hardly　audible　tenor；　while　I　sang　soprano　in　unison　with　Tatyana　Ivanovna。

When　the　whole　sky　was　covered　with　stars　and　the　frogs　had　left　off　croaking；　they　would　bring　in　our　supper　from　the　kitchen。　We　went　into　the　lodge　and　sat　down　to　the　meal。　My　tutor　and　the　gipsy　ate　greedily；　with　such　a　sound　that　it　was　hard　to　tell　whether　it　was　the　bones　crunching　or　their　jaws；　and　Tatyana　Ivanovna　and　I　scarcely　succeeded　in　getting　our　share。　After　supper　the　lodge　was　plunged　in　deep　sleep。

One　evening；　it　was　at　the　end　of　May；　we　were　sitting　on　the　steps；　waiting　for　supper。　A　shadow　suddenly　fell　across　us；　and　Gundasov　stood　before　us　as　though　he　had　sprung　out　of　the　earth。　He　looked　at　us　for　a　long　time；　then　clasped　his　hands　and　laughed　gaily。

〃An　idyll！〃　he　said。　〃They　sing　and　dream　in　the　moonlight！　It's　charming；　upon　my　soul！　May　I　sit　down　and　dream　with　you？〃

We　looked　at　one　another　and　said　nothing。　My　uncle　sat　down　on　the　bottom　step；　yawned；　and　looked　at　the　sky。　A　silence　followed。　Pobyedimsky；　who　had　for　a　long　time　been　wanting　to　talk　to　somebody　fresh；　was　delighted　at　the　opportunity；　and　was　the　first　to　break　the　silence。　He　had　only　one　subject　for　intellectual　conversation；　the　epizootic　diseases。　It　sometimes　happens　that　after　one　has　been　in　an　immense　crowd；　only　some　one　countenance　of　the　thousands　remains　long　imprinted　on　the　memory；　in　the　same　way；　of　all　that　Pobyedimsky　had　heard；　during　his　six　months　at　the　veterinary　institute；　he　remembered　only　one　passage：

〃The　epizootics　do　immense　damage　to　the　stock　of　the　country。　It　is　the　duty　of　society　to　work　hand　in　hand　with　the　government　in　waging　war　upon　them。〃

Before　saying　this　to　Gundasov；　my　tutor　cleared　his　throat　three　times；　and　several　times；　in　his　excitement；　wrapped　himself　up　in　his　Inverness。　On　hearing　about　the　epizootics；　my　uncle　looked　intently　at　my　tutor　and　made　a　sound　between　a　snort　and　a　laugh。

〃Upon　my　soul；　that's　charming！〃　he　said；　scrutinizing　us　as　though　we　were　mannequins。　〃This　is　actually　life。　。　。　。　This　is　really　what　reality　is　bound　to　be。　Why　are　you　silent；　Pelagea　Ivanovna？〃　he　said；　addressing　Tatyana　Ivanovna。

She　coughed；　overcome　with　confusion。

〃Talk；　my　friends；　sing　。　。　。　play！　。　。　。　Don't　lose　time。　You　know；　time；　the　rascal；　runs　away　and　waits　for　no　man！　Upon　my　soul；　before　you　have　time　to　look　round；　old　age　is　upon　you。　。　。　。　Then　it　is　too　late　to　live！　That's　how　it　is；　Pelagea　Ivanovna。　。　。　。　We　mustn't　sit　still　and　be　silent。　。　。　。〃

At　that　point　supper　was　brought　out　from　the　kitchen。　Uncle　went　into　the　lodge　with　us；　and　to　keep　us　company　ate　five　curd　fritters　and　the　wing　of　a　duck。　He　ate　and　looked　at　us。　He　was　touched　and　delighted　by　us　all。　Whatever　silly　nonsense　my　precious　tutor　talked；　and　whatever　Tatyana　Ivanovna　did；　he　thought　charming　and　delightful。　When　after　supper　Tatyana　Ivanovna　sat　quietly　down　and　took　up　her　knitting；　he　kept　his　eyes　fixed　on　her　fingers　and　chatted　away　without　ceasing。

〃Make　all　the　haste　you　can　to　live；　my　friends。　。　。〃　he　said。　〃God　forbid　you　should　sacrifice　the　present　for　the　future！　There　is　youth；　health；　fire　in　the　present；　the　future　is　smoke　and　deception！　As　soon　as　you　are　twenty　begin　to　live。〃

Tatyana　Ivanovna　dropped　a　knitting…needle。　My　uncle　jumped　up；　picked　up　the　needle；　and　handed　it　to　Tatyana　Ivanovna　with　a　bow；　and　for　the　first　time　in　my　life　I　learnt　that　there　were　people　in　the　world　more　refined　than　Pobyedimsky。

〃Yes　。　。　。〃　my　uncle　went　on；　〃love；　marry；　do　silly　things。　Foolishness　is　a　great　deal　more　living　and　healthy　than　our　straining　and　striving　after　rational　life。〃

My　uncle　talked　a　great　deal；　so　much　that　he　bored　us；　I　sat　on　a　box　listening　to　him　and　dropping　to　sleep。　It　distressed　me　that　he　did　not　once　all　the　evening　pay　attention　to　me。　He　left　the　lodge　at　two　o'clock；　when；　overcome　with　drowsiness；　I　was　sound　asleep。

From　that　time　forth　my　uncle　took　to　coming　to　the　lodge　every　evening。　He　sang　with　us；　had　supper　with　us；　and　always　stayed　on　till　two　o'clock　in　the　morning；　chatting　incessantly；　always　about　the　same　subject。　His　evening　and　night　work　was　given　up；　and　by　the　end　of　June；　when　the　privy　councillor　had　learned　to　eat　mother's　turkey　and　_compote_；　his　work　by　day　was　abandoned　too。　My　uncle　tore　himself　away　from　his　table　and　plunged　into　〃life。〃　In　the　daytime　he　walked　up　and　down　the　garden；　he　whistled　to　the　workmen　and　hindered　them　from　working；　making　them　tell　him　their　various　histories。　When　his　eye　fell　on　Tatyana　Ivanovna　he　ran　up　to　her；　and；　if　she　were　carrying　anything；　offered　his　assistance；　which　embarrassed　her　dreadfully。

As　the　summer　advanced　my　uncle　grew　more　and　more　frivolous；　volatile；　and　careless。　Pobyedimsky　was　completely　disillusioned　in　regard　to　him。

〃He　is　too　one…sided；〃　he　said。　〃There　is　nothing　to　show　that　he　is　in　the　very　foremost　ranks　of　the　service。　And　he　doesn't　even　know　how　to　talk。　At　every　word　it's　'upon　my　soul。'　No；　I　don't　like　him！〃

From　the　time　that　my　uncle　began　visiting　the　lodge　there　was　a　noticeable　change　both　in　Fyodor　and　my　tutor。　Fyodor　gave　up　going　out　shooting；　came　home　early；　sat　more　taciturn　than　ever；　and　stared　with　particular　ill…humour　at　his　wife。　In　my　uncle's　presence　my　tutor　gave　up　talking　about　epizootics；　frowned；　and　even　laughed　sarcastically。

〃Here　comes　our　little　bantam　cock！〃　he　growled　on　one　occasion　when　my　uncle　was　coming　into　the　lodge。

I　put　down　this　change　in　them　both　to　their　being　offended　with　my　uncle。　My　absent…minded　uncle　mixed　up　their　names；　and　to　the　very　day　of　his　departure　failed　to　distinguish　which　was　my　tutor　and　which　was　Tatyana　Ivanovna's　husband。　Tatyana　Ivanovna　herself　he　sometimes　called　Nastasya；　sometimes　Pelagea；　and　sometimes　Yevdokia。　Touched　and　delighted　by　us；　he　laughed　and　behaved　exactly　as　though　in　the　company　of　small　children。　。　。　。　All　this；　of　course；　might　well　offend　young　men。　It　was　not　a　case　of　offended　pride；　however；　but；　as　I　realize　now；　subtler　feelings。

I　remember　one　evening　I　was　sitting　on　the　box　struggling　with　sleep。　My　eyelids　felt　glued　together　and　my　body；　tired　out　by　running　about　all　day；　drooped　sideways。　But　I　struggled　against　sleep　and　tried　to　look　on。　It　was　about　midnight。　Tatyana　Ivanovna；　rosy　and　unassuming　as　always；　was　sitting　at　a　little　table　sewing　at　her　husband's　shirt。　Fyodor；　sullen　and　gloomy；　was　staring　at　her　from　one　corner；　and　in　the　other　sat　Pobyedimsky；　snorting　angrily　and　retreating　into　the　high　collar　of　his　shi　rt。　My　uncle　was　walking　up　and　down　the　room　thinking。　Silence　reigned；　nothing　was　to　be　heard　but　the　rustling　of　the　linen　in　Tatyana　Ivanovna's　hands。　Suddenly　my　uncle　stood　still　before　Tatyana　Ivanovna；　and　said：

〃You　are　all　so　young；　so　fresh；　so　nice；　you　live　so　peacefully　in　this　quiet　place；　that　I　envy　you。　I　have　become　attached　to　your　way　of　life　here；　my　heart　aches　when　I　remember　I　have　to　go　away。　。　。　。　You　may　believe　in　my　sincerity！〃

Sleep　closed　my　eyes　and　I　lost　myself。　When　some　sound　waked　me；　my　uncle　was　standing　before　Tatyana　Ivanovna；　looking　at　her　with　a　softened　expression。　His　cheeks　were　flushed。

〃My　life　has　been　wasted；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　not　lived！　Your　young　face　makes　me　think　of　my　own　lost　youth；　and　I　should　be　ready　to　sit　here　watching　you　to　the　day　of　my　death。　It　would　be　a　pleasure　to　me　to　take　you　with　me　to　Petersburg。〃

〃What　for？〃　Fyodor　asked　in　a　husky　voice。

〃I　should　put　her　under　a　glass　case　on　my　work…table。　I　should　admire　her　and　show　her　to　other　people。　You　know；　Pelagea　Ivanovna；　we　have　no　women　like　you　there。　Among　us　there　is　wealth；　distinction；　sometimes　beauty；　but　we　have　not　this　true　sort　of　life；　this　healthy　serenity。　。　。　。〃

My　uncle　sat　down　facing　Tatyana　Ivanovna　and　took　her　by　the　hand。

〃So　you　won't　come　with　me　to　Petersburg？〃　he　laughed。　〃In　that　case　give　me　your　little　hand。　。　。　。　A　charming　little　hand！　。　。　。　You　won't　give　it？　Come；　you　miser！　let　me　kiss　it；　anyway。　。　。　。〃

At　that　moment　there　was　the　scrape　of　a　chair。　Fyodor　jumped　up；　and　with　heavy；　measured　steps　went　up　to　his　wife。　His　face　was　pale；　grey；　and　quivering。　He　brought　his　fist　down　on　the　table　with　a　bang；　and　said　in　a　hollow　voice：

〃I　won't　allow　it！

At　the　same　moment　Pobyedimsky　jumped　up　from　his　chair。　He；　too；　pale　and　angry；　went　up　to　Tatyana　Ivanovna；　and　he；　too；　struck　the　table　with　his　fist。

〃I　。　。　。　I　won't　allow　it！〃　he　said。

〃What；　what's　the　matter？〃　asked　my　uncle　in　surprise。

〃I　won't　allow　it！〃　repeated　Fyodor；　banging　on　the　table。

My　uncle　jumped　up　and　blinked　nervously。　He　tried　to　speak；　but　in　his　amazement　and　alarm　could　not　utter　a　word；　with　an　embarrassed　smile；　he　shuffled　out　of　the　lodge　with　the　hurried　step　of　an　old　man；　leaving　his　hat　behind。　When；　a　little　later；