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the forged coupon()-第26部分

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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 



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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!〃 



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     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 



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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; 



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in   which    she   wrote   that   she  could    not  return   home;    that  she   was    a 

miserable;   abandoned   woman;   asking   only  to   be   forgiven   and   fo
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