Virgin Soil

n to the floor, walked over to the bed, and sat down on the very edge. An expression of annoyance and displeasure pa

nd bit her lip; Ostrodu

he first to

t of Russia? Has something happened, or are you j

ov exclaimed irritably. “I am not in the moo

n lau

is wit, then it can’t be blunt.

right! We know

Paklin remarked hesitatingly. “O

in this hateful town without knocking against some vulgarity, stupidity, t

ays that you want a place and have no objection

e greatest of pleasure, if some fool co

es here,” Mashurina remarked signif

jdanov asked, tur

her lip. “As

The latter hummed and hawed,

broke in, “have you he

scow News is triumphant! They want to introduce classicism, the students’ benefit clubs have been closed, spies everywhere, oppression, lies, betrayals, deceit! And it is n

dumov lifted their

what times and in what country we are living? Amongst us a drowning man must himself create the straw to clutch

desperately, frowning as if in pain. “We know

of anything?”

yed Basanov? “Nejdanov continu

soned your uncle and that on one occasion, when you were introduced into a certain house, you sat the whole evening with your back to the hostess and that she was so upset that she cried at the insult! What awful nonsense! What fools could possibly believe such things!’ Well, an

Mashurina exc

oice; he was evidently anxious to avoid a useless discussion

d slightly and c

e say? “ he

her.” Ostrodumov indicated t

y want

es

at’s the

ney, of

m the bed and walke

ch do y

than fifty

ov was

st, drumming his fingers on the window pane, “

that is . . .

served your confidence? Even if I were not fully in sympathy with what you are under

g to, perhaps,” O

on! Miss Mashurina is looking at

ling!” Mashur

re utterly incapable of recognising your real friends. If

so?” Mashur

ntinued with new force, paying no attention to Mash

led round fro

draw some of my allowance in advance. Now I recollect, the

p, also read it, and handed it back to Nejdanov, although Paklin had extended his hand for it. Nejdanov shrugged his shoulders and gave the secret letter to Paklin. The latter scanned the paper in his turn, pressed his lips together significantly, and laid it solemnly on the table. Ostrodumov took it, lit a large match, which exhaled a strong odour of sulphur, lifted t

, everyone feeling uncomfortable. Pak

of the fatherland? Am I permitted to bring, if not the whole at

ance, which was not lessened by the solemn burning of the l

! I’ll not allow it and I’ll not take it! I can get the mon

I see that you are not a democrat in

aight out that I

up to a ce

gave a fo

illegitimate. You can save yourself the troub

up his arms

th you? How can you twist my wo

hrugged hi

as upset you, but h

shurina put in gloomily. “It is not

e more consideration for others, who are

“Basanov has plenty of character, he will not betray anyone.

about to say something whe

s for a time, ladies and

ence

like a bottle of sour kvas. A waiter runs with it, his finger stuck in the bottle instead of a cork, a fat raisin in the neck, and when it has done frothing and foaming there is nothing left

y Nejdanov remarked that if young people were fools enough to interest themselves in

would be reduced to nothing more or less than mere fashion. A preposterous idea, not worth entertaining. If art has no firmer foundation than that, if it is not eternal, then it is utterly useless. Take science, for instance. In mathematics do you look upon Euler, Laplace, or Gauss as fools? Of course not

. They all sat with tightly closed mouth

I am not in the least sorry for the y

Paklin thought. “I h

, but the conversation took such a turn that it was impossible to raise the question. Paklin had already taken up his hat, when suddenly, without the slight

Nejdanov

d at one anoth

at home?” the b

Nejdanov rep

nd well-made, and dressed in a beautiful cloth coat with a gorgeous beaver collar, although it was already the end of April. He impressed Nejdanov and Pa