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me for having to speak with her 〃homme d'affaires；〃 and finally
gave me a glance which said： 〃Well； if you DO mean to go on
sitting there for ever； at least I can't drive you away。〃
Accordingly； with a great effort I also rose； but； finding it
impossible to do any leave…taking； moved away towards the door；
followed by the pitying glances of mother and daughter。 All at
once I stumbled over a chair； although it was lying quite out of
my route： the reason for my stumbling being that my whole
attention was centred upon not tripping over the carpet。 Driving
through the fresh air； howeverwhere at first I muttered and
fidgeted about so much that Kuzma； my coachman； asked me what was
the matterI soon found this feeling pass away； and began to
meditate quietly concerning my love for Sonetchka and her
relations with her mother； which had appeared to me rather
strange。 When； afterwards； I told my father that mother and
daughter had not seemed on the best of terms with one another； he
said：
〃Yes； Madame leads the poor girl an awful life with her meanness。
Yet；〃 added my father with a greater display of feeling than a
man might naturally conceive for a mere relative； 〃she used to be
such an original； dear； charming woman！ I cannot think what has
made her change so much。 By the way； you didn't notice a
secretary fellow about； did you？ Fancy a Russian lady having an
affaire with a secretary！〃
〃Yes； I saw him；〃 I replied。
〃And was he at least good…looking？〃
〃No； not at all。〃
〃It is extraordinary！〃 concluded Papa； with a cough and an
irritable hoist of his shoulder。
〃Well； I am in love！〃 was my secret thought to myself as I drove
along in my drozhki。
XIX
THE KORNAKOFFS
MY second call on the route lay at the Kornakoffs'； who lived on
the first floor of a large mansion facing the Arbat。 The
staircase of the building looked extremely neat and orderly； yet
in no way luxuriousbeing lined only with drugget pinned down
with highly…polished brass rods。 Nowhere were there any flowers
or mirrors to be seen。 The salon； too； with its polished floor；
which I traversed on my way to the drawing…room； was decorated in
the same cold； severe； unostentatious style。 Everything in it
looked bright and solid； but not new； and pictures； flower…
stands； and articles of bric…a…brac were wholly absent。 In the
drawing…room I found some of the young princesses seated； but
seated with the sort of correct； 〃company〃 air about them which
gave one the impression that they sat like that only when guests
were expected。
〃Mamma will be here presently；〃 the eldest of them said to me as
she seated herself by my side。 For the next quarter of an hour；
this young lady entertained me with such an easy flow of small…
talk that the conversation never flagged a moment。 Yet somehow
she made so patent the fact that she was just entertaining me
that I felt not altogether pleased。 Amongst other things； she
told me that their brother Stephen （whom they called Etienne； and
who had been two years at the College of Cadets） had now received
his commission。 Whenever she spoke of him； and more particularly
when she told me that he had flouted his mother's wishes by
entering the Hussars； she assumed a nervous air； and immediately
her sisters； sitting there in silence； also assumed a nervous
air。 When； again； she spoke of my grandmother's death； she
assumed a MOURNFUL air； and immediately the others all did the
same。 Finally； when she recalled how I had once struck St。 Jerome
and been expelled from the room； she laughed and showed her bad
teeth； and immediately all the other princesses laughed and
showed their bad teeth too。
Next； the Princess…Mother herself entereda little dried…up
woman； with a wandering glance and a habit of always looking at
somebody else when she was addressing one。 Taking my hand； she
raised her own to my lips for me to kiss itwhich otherwise； not
supposing it to be necessary； I should not have done。
〃How pleased I am to see you！〃 she said with her usual clearness
of articulation as she gazed at her daughters。 〃And how like your
mother you look！ Does he not； Lise？〃
Lise assented； though I knew for a fact that I did not resemble
my mother in the least。
〃And what a grown…up you have become！ My Etienne； you will
remember； is your second cousin。 No； not second cousinwhat is
it； Lise？ My mother was Barbara Dimitrievna； daughter of Dimitri
Nicolaevitch； and your grandmother was Natalia Nicolaevna。〃
〃Then he is our THIRD cousin； Mamma；〃 said the eldest girl。
〃Oh； how you always confuse me！〃 was her mother's angry reply。
〃Not third cousin； but COUSIN GERMANthat is your relationship
to Etienne。 He is an officer now。 Did you know it？ It is not well
that he should have his own way too much。 You young men need
keeping in hand； or！ Well； you are not vexed because your old
aunt tells you the plain truth？ I always kept Etienne strictly in
hand； for I found it necessary to do so。〃
〃Yes； that is how our relationship stands；〃 she went on。 〃Prince
Ivan Ivanovitch is my uncle； and your late mother's uncle also。
Consequently I must have been your mother's first cousinno；
second cousin。 Yes； that is it。 Tell me； have you been to call on
Prince Ivan yet？〃
I said no； but that I was just going to。
〃Ah； is it possible？〃 she cried。 〃Why； you ought to have paid him
the first call of all！ Surely you know that he stands to you in
the position of a father？ He has no children of his own； and his
only heirs are yourself and my children。 You ought to pay him all
possible deference； both because of his age； and because of his
position in the world； and because of everything else。 I know
that you young fellows of the present day think nothing of
relationships and are not fond of old men； yet do you listen to
me； your old aunt； for I am fond of you； and was fond of your
mother； and had a greata very great…liking and respect for your
grandmother。 You must not fail to call upon him on any account。〃
I said that I would certainly go； and since my present call
seemed to me to have lasted long enough； I rose； and was about to
depart； but she restrained me。
〃No； wait a minute；〃 she cried。 〃Where is your father； Lise？ Go
and tell him to come here。 He will be so glad to see you；〃 she
added； turning to me。
Two minutes later Prince Michael entered。 He was a short； thick…
set gentleman； very slovenly dressed and ill…shaven； yet wearing
such an air of indifference that he looked almost a fool。 He was
not in the least glad to see meat all events he did not intimate
that he was； but the Princess （who appeared to stand in
considerable awe of him） hastened to say：
〃Is not Woldemar here〃 （she seemed to have forgotten my name）
〃exactly like his mother？〃 and she gave her husband a glance
which forced him to guess what she wanted。 Accordingly he
approached me with his usual passionless； half…disc