Works of Ivan Turgenev (Illustrated) (460 page)

Stratilat [entering and announcing]: Petr Ilich Vilitski and Mr. von — [stammering] — fon — F - fo - ok - i - nn.

Moshkin [in an undertone, to Stratilat]: Who? Did he tell you to announce him that way?

Stratilat [also in a whisper]: He did.

Moshkin [still in an undertone]: Uh - uh. [Aloud.] Ask them in.

[Stratilat goes out.] [Fonk and Vilitski, wearing dress - coats, enter. Vilitski is pale and looks somewhat agitated. Fonk appears quite dignified.]

Vilitski [to Moshkin]: Mikhail Ivanych! Permit me to introduce to you my friend, Eodion Karlych von Fonk. [Fonk bows affectedly.]

Moshkin [somewhat confused]: I am very pleased — I have heard so much about your excellent qualities — I am extremely much obliged to Petr Ilich
 

Fonk: I am also very glad to meet you. [Bows.]

Moshkin: Pardon me — [A short pause.] Please be seated. [All sit down. Silence again. Fonk looks around the room. Moshkin coughs a little.] What a beautiful day it is! It’s a little cold, but it is very agreeable.

Fonk: Yes, it is a little cold to - day.

Moshkin: So, so. [To Vilitski, in a low voice.] Why didn’t you come in to - day, Petrusha? Are you well?

Vilitski: I am well, thank God. How is Maria Vasil - evna?

Moshkin: Masha is well. Hm! [To Fonk.] Have you been for a walk to - day?

Fonk: Yes, I walked up and down the Nevski Prospect.

Moshkin: That’s quite an agreeable walk. Nice people, and there is sand on the sidewalks. The stores, — all these things are quite well arranged. [After a moment’s silence.] St. Petersburg may be called the first capital of the world.

Fonk: St. Petersburg is a nice city.

Moshkin [timidly]: There is nothing like it abroad, is there?

Fonk: I don’t think there is.

Moshkin: Especially, when the St. Isaac Cathedral is finished. Then it will surely have considerable prominence.

Fonk: The St. Isaac Cathedral is a most splendid building in every way.

Moshkin: I fully agree with you in that. May I know, Your Excellency, how your health it?

Fonk: Thank God!

Moshkin: Well, thank God. [A moment’s silence.] Hm! [Smiles.] Rodion . . . Rodion Karlych, I hope you will honor us — in two weeks from now, at his marriage . . . [Pointing to Vilitski] . . . with your presence.

Fonk: I shall be very pleased
 

Moshkin: The pleasure will be ours, on the contrary. [After a moment’s silence.] You won’t believe me, Rodion Karlych, — how happy I am when I look at them both. . . . [Pointing to Vilitski and the door on the left.] For an old man, a bachelor, you cannot imagine what unexpected happiness that is!

Fonk: Yes, a marriage, based upon mutual affection and upon reason, is one of the greatest happinesses of a man’s life.

Moshkin [listening to Fonk reverently]: Yes, sir; yes, sir.

Fonk: And therefore I, on my part, fully approve of the intentions of those young people, who thoughtfully fulfill that . . . that holy debt.

Moshkin [listening even more reverently]: Yes, sir; yes, sir. I positively and fully agree with you.

Fonk: For what can be more agreeable than family life? But reason is absolutely necessary, — in fact, essential, — to the selection of a wife.

Moshkin: You are right, sir; you are right, sir. All that you have said, Rodion Karlych, is so sensible and so just. I confess, — you will pardon me, — that Petrusha ought to consider himself fortunate in having deserved your counsel and good - will.

Fonk [with a deprecatory gesture]: Not at all.

Moshkin: No, I assure you that — I
  

Vilitski [interrupting him hurriedly’]: Tell me, Mikhail Ivanych, — I want to see Maria Vasilevna. I want to say a few words to her
        

Moshkin: She is in her room. Must be getting dressed. However, you can knock.

Vilitski: I’ll be back presently. [To Fonk.] With your permission.

Fonk: Surely, suit yourself.

[Vilitski goes out the door on the left.] Moshkin [looking after him; moves up to Fonk and takes his hand]: Eodion Karlych! Pardon me. I am a plain man; what I have in my heart, comes out on my tongue — Let me, once more, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for your
     

Fonk [with cold civility]: For what, if you please? Moshkin: First of all, for your call; secondly ... I see that you love Petrusha. I have had no children, Eodion Karlych, but I do not think that any one could love his own son more than I love him. And that’s just “what touches me; it simply touches me, affects me, in a way that I cannot even tell. [Tears comes to his eyes.] Pardon me. [As though talking to himself.] What’s the matter with me? Shame! [Laughs; reaches for his pocket handkerchief; blows his nose first, and then wipes his eyes.]

Fonk: Believe me, I like to see such feelings. . . . Moshkin [having fixed himself up]: Pardon the frankness of an old man, but I have heard so much about you. Petrusha speaks of you with so much respect. He thinks so much of your opinion. You’ll see Masha, Rodion Karlych. You’ll see her. I confess to you, as to the Lord, that she will make him happy. She is a real good girl.

Fonk: I don’t doubt that for a minute. The very fact that my friend, Petr Ilich, is in love with her says a whole lot in her favor.

Moshkin [reverently]: Yes, sir; yes, sir.

Fonk: I, for my part, wish Petr Ilich all the good in the world. [After a moment’s silence.] I think you are the chairman of the first department, are you not?

Moshkin: Yes, sir.

Fonk: In whose section, may I ask?

Mosiikin: In Kufnagel’s; in Adam Andreich’s.

Fonk [respectfully]: Oh, he is an excellent official. I know him. He is a most excellent official.

Moshkin: Surely, surely, he is. [After a moment’s silence.] May I be so curious — You have known my Petrusha for the last six months or so, haven’t you?

Fonk: Yes, about six months.

[Priazhkina comes in through the side door. She is dressed to kill, with a long yellow ribbon on her bonnet. She moves up to the two men slowly, sits down in back of them, and starts to play with the strings of her reticule.]

Fonk: What I like most about your friend is, so to say, the fact that he is a young man with rules. [Moshkin listens attentively.] Such young men are rare nowadays. He isn’t volatile — [makes a motion with his fingers in the air; Moshkin imitates him, and nods his head in approval.] That’s very important. I am a young man myself. [Moshkin nods consent.] I am no weathercock.

Priazhkina [coughing modestly but loudly]: Kh - Khem! [Fonk stops and looks at her. Also Moshkin. Priazhkina sits down comfortably.]

Moshkin [somewhat vexed]: What do you want, Ekater - ina Savishna?

[Fonk rises slowly and Moshkin follows suit.]

Priazhkina [confusedly]: I — I — I have come to you
         

[Fonk bows. She settles herself more comfortably.] Moshkin: Ah — Permit me, Rodion Karlych, to introduce to you Priazhkina, Ekaterina Savishna. She is Maria Vasil - evna’s aunt. [Priazhkina gets up.]

Fonk [bowing coldly]: I am very glad
           

[Priazhkina sits down again.] Moshkin [to Priazhkina]: Do you want something? Priazhkina: Yes. Maria Vasilevna asked me, — that is, she didn’t ask me, only she thought if you could come in for a minute
          

Moshkin [reproachfully]: What’s the matter, there?

How can I do that now? [Looks at Fonk.] Oh
          

Fonk: Please, don’t stand on any ceremony. If you are wanted
       

Moshkin: You are very kind — Truly, I don’t know why they want me there. However, I’ll return in just a minute. Fonk [lifting his hand]: Of course, go right along. Moshkin: I’ll be back right away; I’ll be back right away. [4s he goes out with Priazhkina, he murmurs his displeasure to her.] Fonk [alone, looks after htm, and having shrugged his shoulders, he begins to pace the room. Goes up to the looking - glass and fixes himself up a little; then he picks up the hairbrush and examines it; then he looks at the screen and wonders]: What’s all this? Why have they brought me here? What a funny woman! And the old man chatters, cries, — what a peculiar old man, — and he gets so familiar! And what a queer, dirty boy. In fact, nothing is clean he - e. Here is the bed, right in the room. What does it all mean? The dinner, I dare say, will be the worst I have ever eaten, and the champagne will be no better, but I’ll have to drink it. [Stratilat enters and hangs burning lamps on the wall. Fonk looks at him, with his arms crossed over his chest. Stratilat looks at him timidly, and goes out.] What on earth does all this mean? I positively can’t understand it. Well, I hope I’ll see the bride. [Vilitski enters through the side door.] Ah, Vilitski!

Vilitski: Mikhail Ivanych told me that you were here alone. Pardon me, the old man is so worried.

Fonk: That’s nothing.

Vilitski [pressing his hand]: You are very kind and indulgent. I told you — Mikhail Ivanych is a very good man. . . . I can really call him my benefactor. ... He is quite a simple man. . . . [Vilitski is waiting for Fonk to interrupt him, but Fonk keeps quiet.] Isn’t he? . . .

Fonk: Why, no, I think Mr. Moshkin is quite a nice man. Of course, as far as I have seen him, he hasn’t had a very good education, but thafs of secondary consideration. By the way, I saw a lady here. ... Is she the aunt of your bride?

Vilitski [blushing slightly, and smiling forcedly]: She . . . she isn’t a rich woman. However, she is very kind and
 

Fonk: I don’t doubt that. [After a moment’s silence.] Have you been acquainted with Mr. Moshkin long?

Vilitski: Three years.

Fonk: Has he been working long in St. Petersburg?

Vilitski: Yes, a long time.

Fonk: How old is Mr. Moshkin?

Vilitski: About fifty, i think.

Fonk: Will he remain chairman much longer? — How soon may I have the pleasure of seeing your bride?

Vilitski: She will be in presently.

Fonk: Mr. Moshkin spoke very highly of her.

Vilitski: That isn’t at all surprising. Mikhail Ivanych thinks the world of her. And really, Masha is a very amiable, very kind girl. To be sure, she grew up in poverty, in seclusion; she saw hardly anybody. Well, on account of that, of course, she is a little timid; even a little unconventional. She hasn’t that dash, you know, and — but don’t judge her severely from the first meeting.