Works of Ivan Turgenev (Illustrated) (418 page)

Stupendyev. From the study . . . from the study, your Excellency. I’ve been here, in the study, your Excellency. . . .

Count. I thought you were at your office. Here your wife and I have been making music. Mr. Stupendyev, you are the happiest of men! I tell you this so simply, so directly, because I’ve known your wife from a child.

Stupendyev. You are too kind, your Excellency.

Count. Yes, yes . . . you are a happy man!

Darya. My dear, you may thank the Count . . .

Count [quickly interrupting], Permettez. ... Je le lui dirai moi - meme . . plus tard . . . quand nous serons plus d’accord.
[Aloud to Stupendyev.] You are a happy man! Are you fond of music?

Stupendyev. Oh, yes, your Excellency. ... I . . .

Count [turning to Darya Ivanovna]. By the way . . . there was something you meant to show me, have you forgotten?

Darya. To show you?

Count.
Yes ... you ... Vous avez dejk oublie?

Darya [in a rapid aside]. II est jaloux et il comprend le frangais.
Oh yes, of course ... I remember now: I meant to ... I meant to show you our garden; there is still time before dinner.

Count. Ah! [A pause.] So you have a garden?

Darya. A little one, but plenty of flowers in it.

Count. Yes, yes, I remember; you were always very fond of flowers. Show me your garden, do, please do. [Goes to piano for his hat.]

Stupendyev [going up to Darya, in an undertone]. What’s this ... what’s this . . . what does this mean, eh?

Darya [in an undertone]. Three o’clock ... or you won’t get the post. [Moves away from him and takes her parasol from the table.]

Count [coming back to her]. Give me your arm. [Aside.] I understand you.

Darya [with a scarcely perceptible smile]. You think so?

Stupendyev [as though waking up]. Allow me, allow me . . . I’ll come with you.

Darya [stopping and looking round.]. You’d like to come too, mon ami? Come along, come with us. [She goes with the Count towards the door into garden.]

Stupendyev. Yes . . . yes, I’m coming. [Seizes his hat and takes a few steps.]

Darya. Come along, come along. . . .
 
goes out with the Count.]

Stupendyev [takes a few steps further, crushes up his hat and flings it on the floor]. No, hang it all! I’ll stay here! I’m not going! [Walks about the room.] I’m a man of action, I don’t like half - measures. I want to see how far ... I want to see this through to the end. I want the evidence of my own eyes. That’s what I want.... Why, it’s something unheard of! What though she did know him in childhood, what though she is a woman of culture, a woman of the highest culture — what does she want to make a fool of me for? Is it because I’ve not had a good education? In the first place that’s not my fault. Talking of a post up in Petersburg — why, what nonsense! Am I to believe that? Is it likely? This Count’s going to give me a post all at once! And after all he’s nobody so high and mighty himself — his affairs are in a shocking mess. . . . Even supposing he really is going to get me a post of some sort up in Petersburg — why all this tfete and tete with him the whole day? . . . It’s not proper! Why, he’s promised — and that’s the end of it. Three o’clock. . . . Tells me, too, to wait till three o’clock [Looks at his watch] and now it’s only a quarter past two! [Stops short.] I will go into the garden, so there! [Looks out.] I say, they’re not in sight. [Picks up hat and straightens it.] I will go, dash it all, I will. She herself, she actually said [Mimics his wife] do come, mon ami, come along! [A pause.] Yes, going indeed, not likely! No, my dear, I know you ... as though you’d go! You’re going this minute, are you? Ugh! [With vexation flings his hat on floor again. Misha walks in.]

Misha [going up to Stupendyev]. What’s the matter, Alexey Ivanitch? You don’t seem quite yourself. [Picks up hat, straightens it and lays it on the table.] What’s wrong?

Stupendyev. Let me alone, please. You needn’t come bothering me anyway.

Misha. Alexey Ivanitch, please don’t say such things; I hope I haven’t been worrying you in any way?

Stupendyev [a pause]. It’s not you who’s worrying me, but [waves arm in direction of the garden] that’s who is!

Misha [glancing towards the door, in an innocent voice]. Who’s that, may I ask?

Stupendyev. Who?.. . He. . . .

Misha. Who is he, Alexey Ivanitch?

Stupendyev. As though you don’t know! This Count!

Misha. In what way can he be worrying you?

Stupendyev. In what way! . . . Here he’s not left Darya Ivanovna’s side all the morning, singing with her, going for a walk. . . . Do you suppose . . . that . . . that’s pleasant? Is it pleasant — eh? for a husband, that is.

Misha. For a husband it does not matter.

Stupendyev. Doesn’t matter? Don’t you hear: he’s walking with her, singing with her.

Misha. Is that all? . . . Really, Alexey Ivanitch, it’s too bad of you to ... be worried. You know it’s all being done for your benefit, so to speak. The Count is a person of consequence, with influence, and knew Darya Ivanovna as a child — what, are we to refuse to take advantage of it? Good gracious, Alexey Ivanitch! Why, we should be ashamed to look any right - thinking man in the face if we did! I feel I’m expressing myself strongly, too strongly, but it’s my devotion to you. . . .

Stupendyev. Get along with your devotion! down and turns away.]

Misha. Alexey Ivanitch. ... [A pause.] Alexey Ivanitch!

Stupendyev [without stirring]. Well, what do you want?

Misha. Why are you sitting like this? Let’s go for a walk.

Stupendyev. I don’t want to.

Misha. Come along . . . really, we’d better, Alexey Ivanitch.

Stupendyev [turning quickly and folding his arms]. And what are you after, eh? Why have you been following me about all the morning? Have you been told off to look after me like a nurse, or what?

Misha [dropping his eyes’]. Well, yes, Alexey Ivanitch.

Stupendyev [getting up]. Who put you up to it, if I may ask?

Misha. It’s all for your good, Alexey Ivanitch.

Stupendyev. Kindly inform me who set you to look after me?

Misha [with a sort of moan]. Only for goodness sake, do listen to me, Alexey Ivanitch. Two words, Alexey Ivanitch, just two words. ... I can’t explain exactly. There, I do believe it’s coming on to rain . . . they’ll be here in a minute....

Stupendyev. It’s coming on to rain and you ask me to come for a walk!

Misha. But we needn’t go out of doors. . . . Really, Alexey Ivanitch, don’t be so upset.. . . What are you afraid of? . . . We are here, you know, we are watching. . . . Why, the whole thing seems so ordinary. . . . You’ll be back, you see, at three o’clock. . . .

Stupendyev. But what are you fussing about? What did she tell you?

Misha. She didn’t tell me anything, Alexey Ivanitch, precisely... but only ... Oh dear, you know you are both my benefactors. You are my benefactor, and Darya Ivanovna is my benefactress, and besides, she’s a relation. How can I help doing my best? . . . [Takes him by the arm.]

Stupendyev. I shall stay, I tell you! My place is here! I’m master in this house. ... I will defeat their plot! Here!

Misha. Of course you are master, Alexey Ivanitch; but since I tell you I know all about it. . .

Stupendyev. What of it? Do you suppose she can’t bamboozle you? No fear, you’re young and foolish, my boy. You don’t know what women are. . . .

Misha. How should I?.. . Only you see .. .

Stupendyev. I found the Count here and with my own ears heard him persisting: you don’t know my feelings, madam, he said; I’ll reveal them, my feelings, that is, he said. . . . And you ask me to go for a walk!

Misha [miserably]. I do believe it’s spotting with rain. . . . Alexey Ivanitch! Alexey Ivanitch!

Stupendyev. How he keeps on! [Apause.] It really is raining!

Misha. They are coming here, they are coming. . . . [Again takes him by the arm.]

Stupendyev [resisting], I won’t, I tell you! [Apause.] Well, hang it all, then, let’s go!

Misha. The hat! The hat! Let me get it. . . .

Stupendyev. Never mind the hat! Leave it! [They run out into hall. Darya and the Count come in from garden.]

Count. Charmant, charmant!

Darya. You like it?

Count. Your garden is extremely nice, like everything else here. [A pause.] Darya Ivanovna, I must own ... I didn’t expect all this; I’m enchanted, simply enchanted. . . .

Darya. What didn’t you expect, Count?

Count. You understand me. But when will you show me that letter?

Darya. What do you want it for?

Count. What for? ... I should like to know whether I felt the same in those days, those splendid days when we were both so young. . ..

Darya. Count, I think we had better not recall those days.

Count. But why not? Surely, Darya Ivanovna, you must see what an impression you have made on me! . . .

Darya [embarrassed]. Count. . . .

Count. Do, do listen to me. ... I am telling you the truth. When I came here, when I saw you, I confess that I thought — forgive me, please — I thought that you only wanted to renew your acquaintance with me. ...

Darya [raising her eyes’]. And you were not mistaken.

Count. And so I . . .I . . .

Darya [with a smile]. Go on, Count, go on.

Count. Then I suddenly realized that I have to do with an exceedingly fascinating woman, and now I must frankly acknowledge you have completely turned my head. . . .

Darya. You are laughing at me, Count.

Count. Me laughing at you?

Darya. Yes, you are. Let us sit down, Count. Allow me to say a few words. [Sits down.]

Count [sitting down]. You still won’t believe me!

Darya. And would you have me believe you? Nonsense. ... As though I don’t know the sort of impression I’m making on you. To - day, goodness knows why, you find me attractive; to - morrow you will forget me. [He tries to break in but she stops him.] Put yourself in my position. . . . You are still young and brilliant, you live in the great world; you are only a chance visitor here! . . .