按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
which forced him to guess what she wanted。 Accordingly he
approached me with his usual passionless； half…discontented
expression； and held out to me an unshaven cheek to kiss。
〃Why； you are not dressed yet； though you have to go out soon！〃
was the Princess's next remark to him in the angry tone which she
habitually employed in conversation with her domestics。 〃It will
only mean your offending some one again； and trying to set people
against you。〃
〃In a moment； in a moment； mother；〃 said Prince Michael； and
departed。 I also made my bows and departed。
This was the first time I had heard of our being related to
Prince Ivan Ivanovitch； and the news struck me unpleasantly。
XX
THE IWINS
As for the prospect of my call upon the Prince； it seemed even
more unpleasant。 However； the order of my route took me first to
the Iwins； who lived in a large and splendid mansion in Tverskaia
Street。 It was not without some nervousness that I entered the
great portico where a Swiss major…domo stood armed with his staff
of office。
To my inquiry as to whether any one was at home he replied： 〃Whom
do you wish to see； sir？ The General's son is within。〃
〃And the General himself？〃 I asked with forced assurance。
〃I must report to him your business first。 What may it be； sir？〃
said the major…domo as he rang a bell。 Immediately the gaitered
legs of a footman showed themselves on the staircase above；
whereupon I was seized with such a fit of nervousness that I
hastily bid the lacquey say nothing about my presence to the
General； since I would first see his son。 By the time I had
reached the top of the long staircase； I seemed to have grown
extremely small （metaphorically； I mean； not actually）； and had
very much the same feeling within me as had possessed my soul
when my drozhki drew up to the great portico； namely； a feeling
as though drozhki； horse； and coachman had all of them grown
extremely small too。 I found the General's son lying asleep on a
sofa； with an open book before him。 His tutor； Monsieur Frost；
under whose care he still pursued his studies at home； had
entered behind me with a sort of boyish tread； and now awoke his
pupil。 Iwin evinced no particular pleasure at seeing me； while I
also seemed to notice that； while talking to me； he kept looking
at my eyebrows。 Although he was perfectly polite； I conceived
that he was 〃entertaining〃 me much as the Princess Valakhin had
done； and that he not only felt no particular liking for me； but
even that he considered my acquaintance in no way necessary to
one who possessed his own circle of friends。 All this arose out
of the idea that he was regarding my eyebrows。 In short； his
bearing towards me appeared to be （as I recognised with an
awkward sensation） very much the same as my own towards Ilinka
Grap。 I began to feel irritated； and to interpret every fleeting
glance which he cast at Monsieur Frost as a mute inquiry： 〃Why
has this fellow come to see me？〃
After some conversation he remarked that his father and mother
were at home。 Would I not like to visit them too？
〃First I will go and dress myself；〃 he added as he departed to
another room； notwithstanding that he had seemed to be perfectly
well dressed （in a new frockcoat and white waistcoat） in the
present one。 A few minutes later he reappeared in his University
uniform； buttoned up to the chin； and we went downstairs
together。 The reception rooms through which we passed were lofty
and of great size； and seemed to be richly furnished with marble
and gilt ornaments； chintz…covered settees； and a number of
mirrors。 Presently Madame Iwin met us； and we went into a little
room behind the drawing…room； where； welcoming me in very
friendly fashion； she seated herself by my side； and began to
inquire after my relations。
Closer acquaintance with Madame （whom I had seen only twice
before； and that but for a moment on each occasion） impressed me
favourably。 She was tall； thin； and very pale； and looked as
though she suffered from chronic depression and fatigue。 Yet；
though her smile was a sad one； it was very kind； and her large；
mournful eyes； with a slight cast in their vision； added to the
pathos and attractiveness of her expression。 Her attitude； while
not precisely that of a hunchback； made her whole form droop；
while her every movement expressed languor。 Likewise； though her
speech was deliberate； the timbre of her voice； and the manner in
which she lisped her r's and l's； were very pleasing to the ear。
Finally； she did not 〃ENTERTAIN〃 me。 Unfortunately； the answers
which I returned to her questions concerning my relations seemed
to afford her a painful interest； and to remind her of happier
days： with the result that when； presently； her son left the
room； she gazed at me in silence for a moment； and then burst
into tears。 As I sat there in mute bewilderment； I could not
conceive what I had said to bring this about。 At first I felt
sorry for her as she sat there weeping with downcast eyes。 Next
I began to think to myself： 〃Ought I not to try and comfort her；
and how ought that to be done？〃 Finally； I began to feel vexed
with her for placing me in such an awkward position。 〃Surely my
appearance is not so moving as all that？〃 I reflected。 〃Or is she
merely acting like this to see what I shall do under the
circumstances？〃
〃Yet it would not do for me to go；〃 I continued to myself； for
that would look too much as though I were fleeing to escape her
tears。〃 Accordingly I began fidgeting about on my seat； in order
to remind her of my presence。
〃Oh； how foolish of me！〃 at length she said； as she gazed at me
for a moment and tried to smile。 〃There are days when one weeps
for no reason whatever。〃 She felt about for her handkerchief； and
then burst out weeping more violently than before。
〃Oh dear！ How silly of me to be for ever crying like this！ Yet I
was so fond of your mother！ We were such friends！ We…we〃
At this point she found her handkerchief； and； burying her face
in it； went on crying。 Once more I found myself in the same
protracted dilemma。 Though vexed； I felt sorry for her； since her
tears appeared to be genuineeven though I also had an idea that
it was not so much for my mother that she was weeping as for the
fact that she was unhappy； and had known happier days。 How it
would all have ended I do not know； had not her son reappeared
and said that his father desired to see her。 Thereupon she rose；
and was just about to leave the room； when the General himself
entered。 He was a small； grizzled； thick…set man； with bushy
black eyebrows； a grey； close…cropped head； and a very stern；
haughty expression of countenance。
I rose and bowed to him； but the General （who was wearing three
stars on his green frockcoat） not only made no response to my
salutation； but scarcely even looked at me； so that all at once I
felt as though I were not a human being at all； but