Rudin

of Rastrelli in the taste of last century, and in a commanding position on the summit of a hill, at whose base flowed one of the p

she had been very pretty. Poets had written verses to her, young men had been in love with her, distinguished men had paid her homage. But twenty-five or thirty years had passed since those days and not a trace of her former charms remained. Every one who saw her now for the first time was impelled to ask himself, if this woman — skinny, sharp-nosed, and yellow-faced, though still no

ya, and two sons of nine and ten years old). She kept open house in the country, that is, she received men, especially u

hailovna certainly did not care to stand on ceremony in the country, and in the unconstrained frankness of her manners there was perceptible a slight shade of the contempt of the li

nally nonchalant with his inferiors, is never nonchalant with perso

r, and a new French pamphlet in her hand; at the window behind a tambour frame, sat on one side the daughter of Darya Mihailovna, on the other, Mlle. Boncourt, the governess, a dry old maiden lady of sixty, with a false front of black curls under a parti-coloured cap and cotton wool in her ears; in the corne

e of poor parents. His father had filled various petty posts, and could scarcely read and write, and did not trouble himself about his son’s education; he fed and clothed him and nothing more. His mother spoiled him, but she died early. Pigasov educated himself, sent himself to the district school and then to the gymnasium, taught himself French, German, and even Latin, and, leaving the gymnasiums with an excellent certificate, went to Dorpat, where he maintained a perpetual struggle with poverty, but succeeded in completing his three years’ course. Pigasov’s abilities did not rise above the level of mediocrity; patience and perseverance were his strong points, but the most powerful sentiment in him was ambition, the desire to get into good society, not to be inferior to others in spite of fortune. He had studied diligently and gone to the Dorpat University from ambition. Poverty exasperated him, and made him watchful and cunning. He expressed himself with originality; from his youth he had adopted a special kind of stinging and exasperated eloquence. His ideas did not rise above the common level; but his way of speaking made him seem not only a clever, but even a very clever, man. Having taken his degree as candidate, Pigasov decided to devote himself to the scholastic profession; he understood that in any other career he could not possibly be the equal of his associates. He tried to select them from a higher rank and knew how to gain their good graces; even by flattery, though he was always abusing them. But to do this he had not, to speak plainly, enough raw material. Having edu

vna, when Pandalevsky came into the

replied Konstantin Diomiditch, bowing affably in all directions, and running his p

lintsev co

es

’ continued Darya Mihailovna, turning to

hed, and he plucked n

exasperation he always spoke slowly and precisely. ‘I say that youn

t your thinking of them,’

, or pleased with anything, or distressed, she is certain first to throw her person into some such elegant attitude (and Pigasov threw his figure into an unbecoming pose and spread out his hands) and then

d you d

s eyes s

shriek, and I said to her, “Bravo, bravo! that’s the voice of natur

in the roo

ried Darya Mihailovna. ‘Am I to believe that y

ry big stake, like those that ar

Monsieur,’ cried Mlle. Boncourt, looking angr

him,’ said Darya Mihailov

ot be pacified for a long while, and

th. Who should know if not I? After that perhaps you won’t believe that our neighbour, Madam

an inv

sn’t a single book in her house except a calendar, and she can’t read except aloud, and that exercise throws her into a violent perspiration, and she com

frican Semenitch has got on his hobbyhor

least, which they are never off, ex

e hobbies

eproach, re

ihailovna, ‘you cannot be so bitter against wom

y, you mean?’ Pig

rassed; she remembered Pigasov’s

injury,’ said Pigasov, ‘though

was t

id Pigasov, dro

t injury could sh

ht me into

hailovna

n. Constantin, play us Thalberg’s new etude. I daresay the musi

yed the etude very fairly well. Natalya Alexyevna at firs

lovna, ‘I love Thalberg. Il est si distingue.

themselves and let others live; the egoists who live themselves and don’t let others live; and the egoists

thing, African Semenitch; your confidence in your

n’s mistakes and a woman’s? Don’t you know? Well, here it is; a man may say, for example, that twice tw

to ask what connection had your idea of the three kind

t I did not list

nswered Darya Mihailovna, slightly altering Griboyedov’s line.

only not our conte

hy

d a very heavy coach. While the ferrymen were straining themselves to drag the coach on to the bank, the gentleman groaned so, standing in the ferry, that one felt quite sorry for hi

hailovna

d Pigasov indefatigably, ‘profound sympathy with the social

tack so — they at least

rugged his

m because they don’

lovna flush

tinent, African Semenitch!’ sh

plete stillne

asked one of the boys

.’ (He was glad of an opportunity of changing the conversation.) ‘We were talking of litera

d make!’ retorted Darya Mihailov

but it isn’t

neces

Nalivaiko was sitting on a hill and then on the mountain, under the green tree the birds are singing, grae, voropae, gop, gop!” or something of that kind. And the

bsurd for anything. I have lived in Little Russia, I love it and k

. . . But is there a Little Russian language? Is it a language, in your opinion? an in

was about

ilovna, ‘you know that you will he

came in and announced the arrival o

vna rose to m

going up to her, ‘how good of you to co

h Darya Mihailovna and we

our new acquaintance, is he

he is

they say; he is just brimmin

aking Alexandra Pavlovna sit down on

bomination of mine; these elevated points of view. And what can one see from abov

o bring you an essay?’

tures in Russia. . . . But don’t be afraid; we will not read it here. . . . I did not invite you for that. Le bar

lly,’ grumbled Pigasov, ‘that

der, though, why he does not come. Do you know what, messieurs et mesdames‘ added Darya Mihailovna, looking r

rose and went

ys of old lime-trees in it, full of sunlight and shade and fragrance and glimpses

with Natalya and Mlle. Boncourt. He walked beside Nata

ed Volintsev at last, pulling the ends

there was less movement and life in his expression

istening to Pigasov’s sarcasms, I have done som

ave you bee

f the Crusades,’ said Nat

v looked

d at last, ‘that m

o twirl it in the air. They

mother has made acquaintance

mber, a new arrival; maman

quick to take fa

heart is still youn

is almost quite broken in now. I want to tea

d. You are breaking her in yoursel

know, Natalya Alexyevna, I am ready

v grew c

th friendly encouragemen

ng pause, ‘that not such things. . . . But why a

nt a bell ran

iner!’ cried Mlle.

Volintsev and Natalya, ‘quel dommage que ce charmant garcon ait si peu de ressources dans la

nothing but gaze at Natalya, near whom he was sitting, and zealously filled up her glass with water. Pandalevsky tried in vai

rked to him that he had not been very polite to-day, he replied crossly, ‘When am I polite? that’s not in my line;’ and smiling gr

ilovna, ‘Pigasov is jealo

rejoinder, and only gave

they were all assembled

, clearly,’ said

t, and a few instants later a footman entered the drawing-room and gave Darya Mihailov

gentleman who br

e carriage. Shall I

im to

an we

rsburg. He has sent me his essay by a certain Mr. Rudin, a friend of his. The baron wanted to introduce him to

din,’ announced the s