A House of Gentlefolk Part 8

"That is beautiful music you have set to Fridolin, Christopher Fedoritch," he said aloud, "but what do you suppose, did that Fridolin do, after the Count had presented him to his wife... became her lover, eh?"

"You think so," replied Lemm, "probably because experience,"--he stopped suddenly and turned away in confusion. Lavretsky laughed constrainedly, and also turned away and began gazing at the road.

The stars had begun to grow paler and the sky had turned grey when the carriage drove up to the steps of the little house in Va.s.silyevskoe.

Lavretsky conducted his guest to the room prepared for him, returned to his study and sat down before the window. In the garden a nightingale was singing its last song before dawn, Lavretsky remember that a nightingale had sung in the garden at the Kalitins'; he remembered, too, the soft stir in Lisa's eyes, as at its first notes, they turned towards the dark window. He began to think of her, and his heart was calm again.

"Pure maiden," he murmured half-aloud: "pure stars," he added with a smile, and went peacefully to bed.

But Lemm sat a long while on his bed, a music-book on his knees. He felt as though sweet, unheard melody was haunting him; already he was all aglow and astir, already he felt the languor and sweetness of its presence.. but he could not reach it.

"Neither poet nor musician!" he muttered at last... And his tired head sank wearily on to the pillows.

Chapter XXIII

The next morning the master of the house and his guest drank tea in the garden under an old time-tree.

"Master!" said Lavretsky among other things, "you will soon have to compose a triumphal cantata."

"On what occasion?"

"For the nuptials of Mr. Panshin and Lisa. Did you notice what attention he paid her yesterday? It seems as though things were in a fair way with them already."

"That will never be!" cried Lemm.

"Why?"

"Because it is impossible. Though, indeed," he added after a short pause, "everything is possible in this world. Especially here among you in Russia."

"We will leave Russia out of the question for a time; but what do you find amiss in this match?"

"Everything is amiss, everything. Lisaveta Mihalovna is a girl of high principles, serious, of lofty feelings, and he... he is a dilettante, in a word."

"But suppose she loves him"

Lemm got up from the bench.

"No, she does not love him, that is to say, she is very pure in heart, and does not know herself what it means... love. Madame von Kalitin tells her that he is a fine young man, and she obeys Madame von Kalitin because she is still quite a child, though she is nineteen; she says her prayers in the morning and in the evening--and that is very well; but she does not love him. She can only love what is beautiful, and he is not, that is, his soul is not beautiful."

Lemm uttered this whole speech coherently, and with fire, walking with little steps to and fro before the tea-table, and running his eyes over the ground.

"Dearest maestro!" cried Lavretsky suddenly, "it strikes me you are in love with cousin yourself."

Lemm stopped short all at once.

"I beg you," he began in an uncertain voice, "do not make fun of me like that. I am not crazy; I look towards the dark grave, not towards a rosy future."

Lavretsky felt sorry for the old man; he begged his pardon. After morning tea, Lemm played him his cantata, and after dinner, at Lavretsky's initiative, there was again talk of Lisa. Lavretsky listened to him with attention and curiosity.

"What do you say, Christopher Fedoritch," he said at last, "you see everything here seems in good order now, and the garden is in full bloom, couldn't we invite her over here for a day with her mother and my old aunt... eh? Would you like it?"

Lemm bent his head over his plate.

"Invite her," he murmured, scarcely audibly.

"But Panshin isn't wanted?"

"No, he isn't wanted," rejoined the old man with an almost child-like smile.

Two days later Fedor Ivanitch set off to the town to see the Kalitins.

Chapter XXIV

He found them all at home, but he did not at once disclose his plan to them; he wanted to discuss it first with Lisa alone. Fortune favoured him; they were left alone in the drawing-room. They had some talk; she had had time by now to grow used to him--and she was not shy as a rule with any one. He listened to her, watched her, and mentally repeated Lemm's words, and agreed with them. It sometimes happens that two people who are acquainted, but not on intimate terms with one another, all of sudden grow rapidly more intimate in a few minutes, and the consciousness of this greater intimacy is at once expressed in their eyes, in their soft and affectionate smiles, and in their very gestures.

This was exactly what came to pa.s.s with Lavretsky and Lisa. "So he is like that," was her thought, as she turned a friendly glance on him; "so you are like that," he too was thinking. And so he was not very much surprised when she informed him, not without a little faltering, however, that she had long wished to say something to him, but she was afraid of offending him.

"Don't be afraid; tell me," he replied, and stood still before her.

Lisa raised her clear eyes to him.

"You are so good," she began, and at the same time, she thought: "Yes, I am sure he is good"... "you will forgive me, I ought not dare to speak of it to you... but--how could you... why did you separate from your wife?"

Lavretsky shuddered: he looked at Lisa, and sat down near her.

"My child," he began, "I beg you, do not touch upon that wound; your hands are tender, but it will hurt me all the same."

"I know," Lisa went on, as though she did not hear him, "she has been to blame towards you. I don't want to defend her; but what G.o.d has joined, how can you put asunder?"

"Our convictions on that subject are too different, Lisaveta Mihalovna,"

Lavretsky observed, rather sharply; "we cannot understand one another."

Lisa grew paler: her whole frame was trembling slightly; but she was not silenced.

"You must forgive," she murmured softly, "if you wish to be forgiven."

"Forgive!" broke in Lavretsky. "Ought you not first to know whom you are interceding for? Forgive that woman, take her back into my home, that empty, heartless creature! And who told you she wants to return to me?

She is perfectly contented with her position, I can a.s.sure you... But what a subject to discuss here! Her name ought never to be uttered by you. You are too pure, you are not capable of understanding such a creature.

"Why abuse her?" Lisa articulated with an effort. The trembling of her hands was perceptible now. "You left her yourself, Fedor Ivanitch."

"But I tell you," retorted Lavretsky with an involuntary outburst of impatience, "you don't know what that woman is!"

"Then why did you marry her?" whispered Lisa, and her eyes feel.

Lavretsky got up quickly from his seat.