Works of Ivan Turgenev (Illustrated) (412 page)

NATALYA PETROVNA
[going up to
VERA]. Verotchka. . . .
[Glances at her and breaks off.]
What’s the matter?

[VERA
holds out the note without a word.]
A note? From whom?

VERA
[in a toneless voice].
Read it.

NATALYA PETROVNA. You frighten me.
[Reads the note in silence and suddenly presses both hands to her face and sinks into an armchair. A long silence]

VERA
[approaching her].
Natalya Petrovna.

NATALYA PETROVNA
[not taking her hands from her face].
He is gone! . . . He wouldn’t even say good - bye to me. . . . Oh, to you he said good - bye, anyway!

VERA
[sadly].
He doesn’t love me. . . .

NATALYA PETROVNA
[taking her hands from her face and standing up].
But he has no right to go off like this. . . . I will ... He can’t do this. . . . Who told him he might break away so stupidly. . . . It’s simply contempt. ... I . . . how does he know I should never have the courage. . . .
[Sinks into the armchair.]
My God! my God!

VERA. Natalya Petrovna, you told me yourself just now that he must go. . . . Remember.

NATALYA PETROVNA. You are glad now. . . . He is gone. . . . Now we are equal.
[Her voice breaks]

VERA. Natalya Petrovna, you said to me just now; these were your very words; instead of tormenting each other hadn’t we better think together how to get out of this position, how to save ourselves. . . . We are saved now.

NATALYA PETROVNA
[turning away from her almost with hatred].
Ah! ...

VERA. I understand, Natalya Petrovna; don’t worry yourself. ... I shan’t burden you with my company long. We can’t live together.

NATALYA PETROVNA
[tries to hold out her hand to
VERA
but lets it fall on her lap].
Why do you say that, Verotchka? . . . Do you too want to leave me? Yes, you are right, we are saved now. All is over . . . everything is settled again. . . .

VERA
[coldly].
Don’t disturb yourself, Natalya Petrovna.
[She looks at
NATALYA PETROVNA
without speaking.
ISLAYEV
comes out of the study]

ISLAYEV
[after looking for a moment at
NATALYA PETROVNA,
aside to
VERA]. Does she know that he is going?

VERA
[puzzled].
Yes . . . she knows.

ISLAYEV
[to himself].
But why has he been in such a hurry? . . .
[Aloud.]
Natasha. . . .
[He takes her hand. She raises her head]
It’s I, Natasha.
[She tries to smile]
You’re not well, my darling? I should advise you to lie down, really. . . .

NATALYA PETROVNA. I’m quite well, Arkady; it’s nothing.

ISLAYEV But you’re pale . . . Come, do as I say. . . Rest a little.

NATALYA PETROVNA. Oh! very well. . . .
[She tries to get up, and cannot]

ISLAYEV
[helping her].
There you see. . . .
[She leans on his arm]
Shall I help you along?

NATALYA PETROVNA. Oh, I’m not so weak as all that! Come, Vera.
[Goes towards the study.
RAKITIN
comes in from the outer room.
NATALYA PETROVNA
stops]

RAKITIN. I have come, Natalya Petrovna, to ...

ISLAYEV
[interrupting him].
Ah, Michel, come here!
[Draws him aside -
 
- in an undertone with vexation.]
What made you tell her at once like this? Didn’t I beg you not to! Why be in such a hurry?... I found her here in such a state.

RAKITIN
[perplexed],
I don’t understand.

ISLAYEV. You’ve told Natasha you are going. . . .

RAKITIN. So you suppose that is what has upset her?

ISLAYEV. Sh! she is looking at us.
[Aloud.]
You’re not going to lie down, Natasha?

NATALYA PETROVNA. Yes. . . . I’m going. . . .

RAKITIN. Good - bye, Natalya Petrovna! [NATALYA PETROVNA
takes hold of the door - handle and makes no reply]

ISLAYEV
[laying his hand on
RAKITIN’S
shoulder].
Natasha, do you know this is one of the best of men. . . .

NATALYA PETROVNA
[with sudden vehemence].
Yes, I know he’s a splendid man . . . you’re all splendid men . . . all of you, all ... and yet. . . .
[She hides her face in her hands, pushes the door open with her knee and goes out hurriedly.
VERA
goes out after her.
ISLAYEV
in silence sits down to the table and leans on his elbows.]

RAKITIN
[looks at him for some time and with a bitter smile shrugs his shoulder.]
Nice position mine! Glorious, it certainly is! Really it’s positively refreshing. And what a farewell after four years of love! Excellent, serve the talker right. And thank God, it’s all for the best. It was high time to end these sickly, morbid relations. [
Aloud to
ISLAYEV.] Well, Arkady, good - bye.

ISLAYEV
[raises his head. There are tears in his eyes].
Good - bye, my dear, dear boy. It’s . . . not quite easy to bear. I didn’t expect it. It’s like a storm on a clear day. Well, grind the corn and there’ll be flour. But anyway, thank you, thank you. You’re a true friend.

RAKITIN
[aside through his teeth].
This is too much.
[Abruptly.]
Good - bye.
[Is about to go into outer room.
SHPIGELSKY
runs in, meeting him.]

SHPIGELSKY. What is it? They tell me Natalya Petrovna is ill. . . .

ISLAYEV
[getting up].
Who told you so?

SHPIGELSKY. The girl. . . her maid. . . .

ISLAYEV. No, it’s nothing, Doctor. I think, better not disturb Natasha just now. . . .

SHPIGELSKY. Ah! well, that’s all right. [To RAKITIN.] I hear you’re going to town?

RAKITIN. Yes, on business.

SHPIGELSKY. Ah! on business!. . . [
At that instant
ANNA SEMYONOVNA, LIZAVETA BOGDANOVNA, KOLYA and SCHAAF
burst in from the outer room, all at once.]

ANNA SEMYONOVNA. What is it? What’s the matter? What’s wrong with Natasha?

KOLYA. What’s the matter with Mamma? What is it?

ISLAYEV. Nothing’s the matter with her. ... I saw her a minute ago. What’s the matter with all of you?

ANNA SEMYONOVNA. Really, Arkasha, we were told Natasha’s been taken ill. . . .

ISLAYEV. Well, you shouldn’t have believed it.

ANNA SEMYONOVNA. But why are you so cross, Arkasha? Our sympathy’s only natural.

ISLAYEV. Of course ... of course.

RAKITIN. It’s time for me to start.

ANNA SEMYONOVNA. You are going away?

RAKITIN. Yes. ... I am going.

ANNA SEMYONOVNA
[to herself].
Ah! Well, now I understand.

KOLYA
[to
ISLAYEV]. Papa . ..

ISLAYEV. What do you want?

KOLYA. Why has Alexey Nikolaitch gone out?

ISLAYEV. Where’s he gone?

KOLYA. I don’t know. . . He kissed me, put on his cap and went out. . . . And it’s time for my Russian lesson.

ISLAYEV. I expect he’ll be back soon. . . . We can send to look for him, though.

RAKITIN
[aside to
ISLAYEV]. Don’t send after him, Arkady, he won’t come back. [ANNA SEMYONOVNA
tries to overhear;
SHPIGELSKY
is whispering with
LIZAVETA BOGDANOVNA.]

ISLAYEV. What’s the meaning of that?

RAKITIN. He’s going away, too.

ISLAYEV. Going away . . . where?

RAKITIN. To Moscow.

ISLAYEV. To Moscow? Why, is everybody going mad to - day, or what?

RAKITIN
[in a still lower voice].
Well, the fact is ... Verotchka’s fallen in love with him ... so being an honourable man he decided to go.
[
ISLAYEV
, flinging up his hands, sinks into an arm - chair.]
You understand now, why. . . .

ISLAYEV
[leaping up].
Understand? I understand nothing. My head’s going round. What is one to make of it? All fluttering off in different directions like a lot of partridges, and all because they’re honourable men. . . . And all at once on the same day. . . .

ANNA SEMYONOVNA
[coming up from one side].
But what’s this? Mr. Beliayev, you say . . .

ISLAYEV
[shouts hysterically].
Never mind, Mamma, never mind! Herr Schaaf, kindly give Kolya his lesson now instead of Mr. Beliayev. Take him away.

SCHAAF. Yes, Sir.
[Takes
KOLYA’S
hand.]

KOLYA. But, Papa . . .

ISLAYEV
[shouting].
Go along, go along! [SCHAAF
leads
KOLYA
away.]
I’ll come part of the way with you, Rakitin. . . . I’ll have my horse saddled, and wait for you at the dam. . . . And you, Mamma, meanwhile, for God’s sake, don’t disturb Natasha, nor you either, Doctor. . . . Matvey! Matvey!
[Goes out hurriedly.
ANNA SEMYONOVNA
sits down with melancholy dignity.
LIZAVETA BOGDANOVNA
takes her stand behind her.
ANNA SEMYONOVNA
turns her eyes upwards, as though disclaiming all connexion with what is going on around her.]

SHPIGELSKY
[slyly and stealthily to
RAKITIN]. Well, Mihail Alexandritch, may I have the honour of driving you along the high road with my three new horses?

RAKITIN. Why? Have you got the horses already?

SHPIGELSKY
[discreetly].
I had a little talk with Vera Alexandrovna. ... So may I?

RAKITIN. By all means!
[Bows to
ANNA SEMYONOVNA.] Anna Semyonovna, I have the honour to ...

ANNA SEMYONOVNA
[still as majestically, not getting up].
Good - bye, Mihail Alexandritch.... I wish you a successful journey. . . .