Virgin Soil Part 29

"In the first place, I certainly do think it impossible, and in the second, it's hardly worthwhile wanting such a thing."

"But why, my dear sir?" Kollomietzev asked; the polite tone was intended to soothe Sipiagin, who sat very uneasily on his chair.

"Because in twenty or thirty years your landed gentry won't be here in any case."

"What makes you think so?"

"Because by that time the land will fall into the hands of people in no way distinguished by their origin."

"Do you mean the merchants?"

"For the most part probably the merchants."

"But how will it happen?"

"They'll buy it, of course."

"From the gentry?"

"Yes; from the gentry."

Kollomietzev smiled condescendingly. "If you recollect you said the very same thing about factories that you're now saying about the land."

"And it's quite true."

"You will no doubt be very pleased about it!"

"Not at all. I've already told you that the people won't be any the better off for the change."

Kollomietzev raised his hand slightly. "What solicitude on the part of the people, imagine!"

"Va.s.sily Fedot.i.tch!" Sipiagin called out as loudly as he could, "they have brought you some beer! Voyons, simeon!" he added in an undertone.

But Kollomietzev would not be suppressed.

"I see you haven't a very high opinion of the merchant cla.s.s," he began again, turning to Solomin, "but they've sprung from the people."

"So they have."

"I thought that you considered everything about the people, or relating to the people, as above criticism!"

"Not at all! You are quite mistaken. The ma.s.ses can be condemned for a great many things, though they are not always to blame. Our merchant is an exploiter and uses his capital for that purpose. He thinks that people are always trying to get the better of him, so he tries to get the better of them. But the people--"

"Well, what about the people?" Kollomietzev asked in falsetto.

"The people are asleep."

"And would you like to wake them?"

"That would not be a bad thing to do."

"Aha! aha! So that's what--"

"Gentlemen, gentlemen!" Sipiagin exclaimed imperatively. He felt that the moment had come to put an end to the discussion, and he did put an end to it. With a slight gesture of his right hand, while the elbow remained propped on the table, he delivered a long and detailed speech.

He praised the conservatives on the one hand and approved of the liberals on the other, giving the preference to the latter as he counted himself of their numbers. He spoke highly of the people, but drew attention to some of their weaknesses; expressed his full confidence in the government, but asked himself whether all its officials were faithfully fulfilling its benevolent designs. He acknowledged the importance of literature, but declared that without the utmost caution it was dangerous. He turned to the West with hope, then became doubtful; he turned to the East, first sighed, then became enthusiastic. Finally he proposed a toast in honour of the trinity: Religion, Agriculture, and Industry!

"Under the wing of authority!" Kollomietzev added sternly.

"Under the wing of wise and benevolent authority," Sipiagin corrected him.

The toast was drunk in silence. The empty s.p.a.ce on Sipiagin's left, in the form of Nejdanov, did certainly make several sounds of disapproval; but arousing not the least attention became quiet again, and the dinner, without any further controversy, reached a happy conclusion.

Valentina Mihailovna, with a most charming smile, handed Solomin a cup of coffee; he drank it and was already looking round for his hat when Sipiagin took him gently by the arm and led him into his study. There he first gave him an excellent cigar and then made him a proposal to enter his factory on the most advantageous terms. "You will be absolute master there, Va.s.sily Fedot.i.tch, I a.s.sure you!" Solomin accepted the cigar and declined the offer about the factory. He stuck to his refusal, however much Sipiagin insisted.

"Please don't say 'no' at once, my dear Va.s.sily Fedot.i.tch! Say, at least, that you'll think it over until tomorrow!"

"It would make no difference. I wouldn't accept your proposal."

"Do think it over till tomorrow, Va.s.sily Fedot.i.tch! It won't cost you anything."

Solomin agreed, came out of the study, and began looking for his hat again. But Nejdanov, who until that moment had had no opportunity of exchanging a word with him, came up to him and whispered hurriedly:

"For heaven's sake don't go yet, or else we won't be able to have a talk!"

Solomin left his hat alone, the more readily as Sipiagin, who had observed his irresoluteness, exclaimed:

"Won't you stay the night with us?"

"As you wish."

The grateful glance Mariana fixed on him as she stood at the drawing-room window set him thinking.

XXV

UNTIL his visit Mariana had pictured Solomin to herself as quite different. At first sight he had struck her as undefined, characterless.

She had seen many such fair, lean, sinewy men in her day, but the more she watched him, the longer she listened to him, the stronger grew her feeling of confidence in him--for it was confidence he inspired her with. This calm, not exactly clumsy, but heavy man, was not only incapable of lying or bragging, but one could rely on him as on a stone wall. He would not betray one; more than that, he would understand and help one. It seemed to Mariana that he aroused such a feeling, not only in herself alone, but in everyone present. The things he spoke about had no particular interest for her. She attached very little significance to all this talk about factories and merchants, but the way in which he spoke, the manner in which he looked round and smiled, pleased her immensely.

A straightforward man... at any rate! this was what appealed to her. It is a well-known fact, though not very easy to understand, that Russians are the greatest liars on the face of the earth, yet there is nothing they respect more than truth, nothing they sympathise with more. And then Solomin, in Mariana's eyes, was surrounded by a particular halo, as a man who had been recommended by Va.s.sily Nikolaevitch himself. During dinner she had exchanged glances with Nejdanov several times on his account, and in the end found herself involuntarily comparing the two, not to Nejdanov's advantage. Nejdanov's face was, it is true, handsomer and pleasanter to look at than Solomin's, but the very face expressed a medley of troubled sensations: embarra.s.sment, annoyance, impatience, and even dejection.

He seemed to be sitting on hot coals; tried to speak, but did not, and laughed nervously. Solomin, on the other hand, seemed a little bored, but looked quite at home and utterly independent of what was going on around him. "We must certainly ask advice of this man," Mariana thought, "he is sure to tell us something useful." It was she who had sent Nejdanov to him after dinner.

The evening went very slowly; fortunately dinner was not over until late and not very long remained before bedtime. Kollomietzev was sulky and said nothing.

"What is the matter with you?" Madame Sipiagina asked half-jestingly.