友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!
the forged coupon()-第26部分
快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完,想下次继续接着阅读,可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能!
submission to her husband's will。 But to many she seemed a crank; and
some did not hesitate to call her a fool。 She was pretty; but her hair was
always carelessly dressed; and she herself was untidy and absent…minded。
She had; also; the strangest; most unaristocratic ideas; by no means fitting
in the wife of a high official。 These ideas she would express most
unexpectedly; to everybody's astonishment; her husband's no less than her
friends'。
〃Fous pouvez me renvoyer; mais je ne m'en irai pas; je vous le dis
d'avance;〃 she began; in her characteristic; indifferent way。
〃Dieu preserve;〃 answered her brother…in…law; with his usual
somewhat exaggerated politeness; and brought forward a chair for her。
〃Ca ne vous derange pas?〃 she asked; taking out a cigarette。 〃I'm not
going to say anything unpleasant; Michael。 I only wanted to say something
about Lisochka。〃
Michael Ivanovich sighedthe word pained him; but mastering
himself at once; he answered with a tired smile。 〃Our conversation can
94
… Page 95…
THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
only be on one subject; and that is the subject you wish to discuss。〃 He
spoke without looking at her; and avoided even naming the subject。 But
his plump; pretty little sister…in…law was unabashed。 She continued to
regard him with the same gentle; imploring look in her blue eyes; sighing
even more deeply。
〃Michael; mon bon ami; have pity on her。 She is only human。〃
〃I never doubted that;〃 said Michael Ivanovich with a bitter smile。
〃She is your daughter。〃
〃She wasbut my dear Aline; why talk about this?〃
〃Michael; dear; won't you see her? I only wanted to say; that the one
who is to blame〃
Prince Michael Ivanovich flushed; his face became cruel。
〃For heaven's sake; let us stop。 I have suffered enough。 I have now
but one desire; and that is to put her in such a position that she will be
independent of others; and that she shall have no further need of
communicating with me。 Then she can live her own life; and my family
and I need know nothing more about her。 That is all I can do。〃
〃Michael; you say nothing but 'I'! She; too; is 'I。'〃
〃No doubt; but; dear Aline; please let us drop the matter。 I feel it too
deeply。〃
Alexandra Dmitrievna remained silent for a few moments; shaking her
head。 〃And Masha; your wife; thinks as you do?〃
〃Yes; quite。〃
Alexandra Dmitrievna made an inarticulate sound。
〃Brisons la dessus et bonne nuit;〃 said he。 But she did not go。 She
stood silent a moment。 Then;〃Peter tells me you intend to leave the
money with the woman where she lives。 Have you the address?〃
〃I have。〃
〃Don't leave it with the woman; Michael! Go yourself。 Just see how
she lives。 If you don't want to see her; you need not。 HE isn't there; there
is no one there。〃
Michael Ivanovich shuddered violently。
〃Why do you torture me so? It's a sin against hospitality!〃
95
… Page 96…
THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
Alexandra Dmitrievna rose; and almost in tears; being touched by her
own pleading; said; 〃She is so miserable; but she is such a dear。〃 He got
up; and stood waiting for her to finish。 She held out her hand。
〃Michael; you do wrong;〃 said she; and left him。
For a long while after she had gone Michael Ivanovich walked to and
fro on the square of carpet。 He frowned and shivered; and exclaimed;
〃Oh; oh!〃 And then the sound of his own voice frightened him; and he was
silent。
His wounded pride tortured him。 His daughterhisbrought up in
the house of her mother; the famous Avdotia Borisovna; whom the
Empress honoured with her visits; and acquaintance with whom was an
honour for all the world! His daughter; and he had lived his life as a
knight of old; knowing neither fear nor blame。 The fact that he had a
natural son born of a Frenchwoman; whom he had settled abroad; did not
lower his own self…esteem。 And now this daughter; for whom he had not
only done everything that a father could and should do; this daughter to
whom he had given a splendid education and every opportunity to make a
match in the best Russian society this daughter to whom he had not only
given all that a girl could desire; but whom he had really LOVED; whom
he had admired; been proud ofthis daughter had repaid him with such
disgrace; that he was ashamed and could not face the eyes of men!
He recalled the time when she was not merely his child; and a member
of his family; but his darling; his joy and his pride。 He saw her again; a
little thing of eight or nine; bright; intelligent; lively; impetuous; graceful;
with brilliant black eyes and flowing auburn hair。 He remembered how
she used to jump up on his knees and hug him; and tickle his neck; and
how she would laugh; regardless of his protests; and continue to tickle him;
and kiss his lips; his eyes; and his cheeks。 He was naturally opposed to all
demonstration; but this impetuous love moved him; and he often submitted
to her petting。 He remembered also how sweet it was to caress her。 To
remember all this; when that sweet child had become what she now was; a
creature of whom he could not think without loathing。
He also recalled the time when she was growing into womanhood; and
96
… Page 97…
THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
the curious feeling of fear and anger that he experienced when he became
aware that men regarded her as a woman。 He thought of his jealous love
when she came coquettishly to him dressed for a ball; and knowing that
she was pretty。 He dreaded the passionate glances which fell upon her; that
she not only did not understand but rejoiced in。 〃Yes;〃 thought he; 〃that
superstition of woman's purity! Quite the contrary; they do not know
shamethey lack this sense。〃 He remembered how; quite inexplicably to
him; she had refused two very good suitors。 She had become more and
more fascinated by her own success in the round of gaieties she lived in。
But this success could not last long。 A year passed; then two; then
three。 She was a familiar figure; beautifulbut her first youth had passed;
and she had become somehow part of the ball…room furniture。 Michael
Ivanovich remembered how he had realised that she was on the road to
spinsterhood; and desired but one thing for her。 He must get her married
off as quickly as possible; perhaps not quite so well as might have been
arranged earlier; but still a respectable match。
But it seemed to him she had behaved with a pride that bordered on
insolence。 Remembering this; his anger rose more and more fiercely
against her。 To think of her refusing so many decent men; only to end in
this disgrace。 〃Oh; oh!〃 he groaned again。
Then stopping; he lit a cigarette; and tried to think of other things。 He
would send her money; without ever letting her see him。 But memories
came again。 He rememberedit was not so very long ago; for she was
more than twenty thenher beginning a flirtation with a boy of fourteen; a
cadet of the Corps of Pages who had been staying with them in the country。
She had driven the boy half crazy; he had wept in his distraction。 Then
how she had rebuked her father severely; coldly; and even rudely; when; to
put an end to this stupid affair; he had sent the boy away。 She seemed
somehow to consider herself insulted。 Since then father and daughter
had drifted into undisguised hostility。
〃I was right;〃 he said to himself。 〃She is a wicked and shameless
woman。〃
And then; as a last ghastly memory; there was the letter from Moscow;
97
… Page 98…
THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
in which she wrote that she could not return home; that she was a
miserable; abandoned woman; asking only to be forgiven and fo
快捷操作: 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!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!