Chapter 8 Chapter 06

I read my novel to them all at once.We read aloud as soon as we finished our tea, and sat until two o'clock in the evening.At first, the old man's brows were deeply furrowed.He thought he was going to hear something unattainable, maybe he couldn't understand it at all , but it must be something unattainable; but suddenly I heard some common and well-known things, just like what usually happened around me.If the protagonist is a big or interesting person, or some kind of historical person People like Roslavlev or Yuri Miloslavsky, it's okay to say, but it never occurred to me that the book was written about a small person, a small official who was squeezed by others, and even a little stupid. , and this person even uniform

Almost all the buttons on the top are falling off; and all this is described in a very common style, just like we usually talk... Weird thing!The old lady looked at Nikolai Sergeyitch suspiciously, and even sulked, as if something had happened to her. It seemed human; "To be honest, is it worth it? Print this kind of nonsense and read it to others, and you have to pay them," the expression on her face clearly meant.Natasha was engrossed and listened attentively, she couldn't turn her eyes away She stared at me and watched my mouth. Every time I read a word, her beautiful lips trembled slightly with me.How did this happen?I had not read half of it, and my whole audience was in tears.Anna Andreyev

Na was crying with all her heart, pitying my hero from the bottom of her heart, and I understood from her long sighs that she was willing to do something to help him and save him from his misery.The old man completely lost his respect for the unattainable All West's fantasies: You can see it from the first step: you are too young and have many shortcomings; so-so, an ordinary story; but this story can capture people's hearts," he said, "and Make you gradually understand and unforgettable what happened around you and make you realize that the most resigned and inferior is also a human being, and can be called my brother! ①" Natasha cried while listening, and secretly shook my hand tightly under the table. The reading is over

.She got up; her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were full of tears; suddenly she seized my hand, kissed it, and ran out of the room.Her father and mother looked at each other and winked at each other. ①The protagonist of two historical novels by the Russian writer Kongoskin (1789-1852).Both books have been recommended as family reading in the past. ② refers to Dostoyevsky's novel "The Poor" in the hero Makar Devushkin. "Well! look at her excited look," said the old man, who was taken aback by his daughter's behavior, "but it's all right, very well, well, it's a noble emotion! She's a good-natured Girl..." He squinted

Looking at Madame, he muttered, as if he wanted to defend Natasha, and at the same time, for some reason, he also wanted to use this to defend her. Although Anna Andreyevna herself was a little excited and deeply moved when I listened to the novel, she now looks as if she wants to say: "Of course, Alexander the Macedonian is a hero, but why?" take out the chair angry? ②" and so on. Natasha was back soon, happy and beaming, and gave me a small pinch as she walked past me.The old man started to comment on my novel "seriously" again, but because he was happy and didn't stick to it to the end, he kept

I can't control myself anymore: "I say, little Vanya, well, well! It makes me so happy, I didn't expect you to make me so happy. Neither sublime nor great, you can see that... Look, I There is a copy of "The Liberation of Moscow", which was published in Written by Moscow—you can see it the moment you look at it, boy, you can say that this man is flying like an eagle... But I say, Vanya, you can write it simply, it’s better understand.I like it because it is easy to understand!somehow It's relatable; it's all like my own personal experience.As for what is sublime?I don't even touch it myself.As for the style, I think it can be changed: although I also say it is good, but anyway, there are few sublime things after all.

A little... But it's too late now: the books are all printed.Can we only talk about it when the second edition is out?Well, little brother, maybe there will be a second edition?Then there was money again... umm! " ① Here Ikhmenev repeats what Belinsky said in his review of "The Poor". ② It comes from the words of the mayor in Gogol's play "The Imperial Envoy" (Act 1, Scene 1).He was talking about a history teacher who got so excited during class that he broke his chairs. ③This is a thrilling novel that filled bookstores in Russia in the 1830s. "Ivan Petrovitch, did you really get that much money?" said Anna Andreyevna. "The way you look, I don't know how to make people believe it. Oh, ask the Lord, nowadays, even doing such a little thing has to be paid.

money! " "I said Vanya," the old man went on, more and more vigorously, "although this is not a job, it is still a way. Those big people will see it. Didn't you just say that Gogol can get a prize every year?" received a stipend, and Have you been sent abroad②?If only you could do the same!ah?Otherwise, is it too early?Need to write something more?Then you write, little brother, write quickly!Don't cock your tail and get a good night's sleep.Don't be indifferent! " He spoke these words with an air of worldliness and good advice, and with such good intentions that one would be ashamed to discourage him from fantasizing.

"Otherwise, for example, maybe I will give you a snuff bottle... How about it? The emperor's gift is not fixed. I want to encourage you. Who knows, maybe you will be an official in the court, ’ he added in a low voice, And squinted his left eye, and made a gesture of mutual understanding, "Isn't it? Or, it's too early to be an official in the court?" "Oh, I'm going to be an official at the court!" said Anna Andreevna, as if angry. "In a little while, you will promote me to be a general," I replied with a smile from my heart. The old man was also happy and very proud.

"My lord general, please have dinner!" Natasha, who loves to laugh and make trouble, shouted. At this time, she had already set the dinner table for us and was ready to serve. She laughed loudly, ran to her father, stretched out two warm jade arms, and hugged his neck tightly: "Good father, good father!" ①Vanya's name and paternal title.Russian custom: It is polite and courteous to address people by name and father. ②Gogol was living in Italy at that time.Sha Nicholas I once rewarded him with a subsidy of 3,000 rupees, and since 1845, he has been given 1,000 rupees every year.

The elderly were deeply moved. "Oh, okay, okay! I'm just saying it casually. It doesn't matter whether it's a general or not, let's go to dinner. You are too affectionate!" He added, stretching out his hand to pat Natasha. With a blushing little face, whenever there is a suitable opportunity, he Just love to pat her on the face, "I said Vanya, I said this out of love for you. Well, it doesn't matter if you don't become a general (we are far from a general!), anyway, it is a well-known Rentu is a writer!" "Dad, I'm called a writer now." "Isn't it called a writer? I don't know. Well, let's call it a writer; what I want to say is this. Of course, if you write novels, people will not let you be an imperial servant; this matter, there is no need Think about it; but at least you can get a job .For example, as an attache at an embassy or something.It may also send you abroad, to Italy, to recuperate or study abroad; it may also sponsor you and give you some money①.Of course, all of this has to be done by yourself; to do things, do it seriously. Do things, so that you can gain both fame and fortune, instead of trying to find ways to trust favors and go out of your way..." "Don't be proud then, Ivan Petrovitch," added Anna Andreyevna, laughing. "Father, you'd better give him a star medal as soon as possible, otherwise, really, the long suite is always short!" She twisted my arm slightly again. "The damn girl keeps making fun of me!" cried the old man, looking at Natasha happily. Natasha's face was flushed red again at his shout, but her eyes were shining like two little stars. flashing. "Children, it seems that I It's really going too far, it's a bit dreamy; I'm always like this... But I said Vanya, I looked at you: you are too ordinary, too ordinary..." "Oh, my God! And what do you want him to be, papa?" "No, that's not what I meant. I meant, Vanya, your face is kind of that... I mean it's not like a poet's face at all... that's how it should be, you know, the poets, they say, They all have pale faces and hair like this , there is an indescribable look in the eyes... Do you know, like Goethe or something... I read it in "Abadonna"... What's the matter?Am I wrong again?Look, this naughty girl is making fun of me , laughed like this!My children, I may be unlearned, but I can feel it.Well, don't worry about your face, it doesn't matter what your face looks like; I think your face is pretty good, I like it very much... You know, I want That's not what I meant... But be decent, Vanya, be decent, that's the most important thing;You have a great future ahead of you.Get down to business; that's what I'm going to say, and that's what I'm going to say! " ①See Gogol in Italy, Tsar Nicholas I gave him a subsidy. ②This is a novel written by the Russian writer Levoy (1796-1846); the protagonist in his book, William Rechenbach, is a poet, and his appearance is as described by Iyan Heinev . What a time!All my free time and all my evenings are spent at their house.I brought all kinds of news about the literary world and writers to the old man. For some reason, he suddenly became interested in writers; Here comes a critical article from B.I have told him a great deal about B, of whom he knows next to nothing, but he is full of praise for B, and berates his opponents who write against him in the Northern Bee.The old lady opened her eyes wide Staring at me and Natasha; but she can't see much!We were already in love, and I finally heard Natasha, with her head bowed and her mouth half-opened, almost whispering to me: I love you.But the two old men knew it after all; After guessing and pondering, it was all understood; Anna Andreyevna shook her head again and again.She felt both strange and terrible.She is worried about me. "If everything goes well, that's all right, Ivan Petrovitch," she said, "but if it hits a snag or makes a mistake; so what? You'd better find something serious to do!" "Let me tell you, Vanya," said the old man, after much thought, "I saw it, I noticed it, and I'll tell you the truth, I'm even glad to see you and Natasha... well, this Nothing! But you see, Vanya, After all, you are still very young, and my wife, Anna Andreyevna, is right.Hold on.Even if you are a talent, even outstanding talent... But after all, you are not a genius, not as people yelled at the beginning, but generally a little Brilliant (I read a review of you in the Bee today; they despised you for nothing; alas, what a paper it is!) Yes!You have to understand: after all, this is not money stored in a bank, I mean talent; Both of you are poor.Let's wait another year and a half, or just a year: if you play well, and stand on the road you're on—Natasha's yours; if you stumble— Just figure it out! ...you are honest People in Badjao; think about it, is this reasonable? ..." ① "Bee" is a reactionary newspaper published in Petersburg from the 1830s to the 1840s. It often attacked and abused Belinsky and the "naturalists" in the Russian literary circle. ②The content roughly repeats what Belinsky said in the article "Contemporary Short Commentary": "Anyone with brains and aesthetics will not deny that Dostoevsky's talent, even outstanding talent, so it can be seen, ask The question is just how high and how big this talent is. " ② Refers to an article published in the "Northern Bee" (January 30, 1846, issue 25), signed BBB (ie BB Brandt).The article said that the author was disappointed after reading this novel, and a "not Totally incapable" young authors are ruined by the principles promoted by some critics (meaning Belinsky). That's all for us.But a year later the situation changed suddenly. Yes, this happened almost a full year later!On a sunny day in September, in the evening, I was sick and went to visit two elderly people. My heart was pounding and I almost fainted on the chair. terrified.But the reason why I was dizzy and preoccupied at that time was not because I had walked to their door many times and retreated many times, and finally stepped into the threshold bravely, nor was it because I was frustrated in the literary world. name, Nor is it advantageous; not because I have not yet become an "attachment" and is far from qualified to send me to Italy to recuperate; but because I seem to have survived ten years in this year, my Nata Sha also seemed to have passed ten years in this year. There is already a gap between the two of us... I remember, I sat blankly in front of his old man, silently, absent-mindedly crouching at the brim of my top hat that was already broken; I don’t know why, i sat there waiting for na Tasha comes out.The suit I was wearing was ugly and shabby; my cheeks were sunken, my face was thin, and my face was yellow--anyway, I was far from the appearance of a poet, and I didn't have a single bit of the good-hearted Nicholas in my eyes. Sergey Ich very close The kind of amazing demeanor that I paid attention to.The old lady looked at me with an attitude of pity that was not pretended, but a little hasty, and she seemed to be talking to herself: "Such a person almost didn't become Natasha's fiancé, thankfully my lord Sad and bless! " "Well, Ivan Petrovitch, would you like some tea? (The samovar on the table opens.) How are you doing, my little boy? You look sick," she said with a pitiful air. asked in a voice that is still ringing in my ears. I seem to see now that her mouth is talking to me, but her eyes can see that she has other things on her mind, and her wife is also worried about this matter. The tea is cold, and he is still sitting sullenly. There, there are many things on my mind.I know this At the time they were very worried, because the lawsuit with Prince Valkovsky was now becoming more and more dangerous for them, and some new unpleasant things happened, which disturbed Nikolai Sergeyitch. Chaos, actually got sick.That The young prince (for whom the lawsuit was brought) had actually found an opportunity to visit Ikhmenev about five months ago.The old man liked his sweetheart Alyosha very much, he regarded him as his own son, and he was reciting almost every day. Nag him.When he came this time, of course the old man's family received him happily.Seeing him, Anna Andreevna thought of Vasilyevskoe, and wept.From then on, without telling his father, Alyosha came to see them often, and came more and more frequently. Nikolai Sergeyitch was a decent man, open-minded, and angrily rejected the advice to be more careful.He doesn't even want to think about it out of lofty pride: once the duke knows his son has become Yihe again A frequent visitor to the Meneves' house, what would he say?He despised all those wild suspicions with all his heart.But whether the old man had the strength to endure this new insult, he didn't know.The little duke came to their house almost every day.two old people with He also felt very happy together.He often came to their house and sat for the whole night, even lingering in the middle of the night.Needless to say the old prince finally knew everything.There were gossip, and it was ugly.The duke wrote an unsightly letter to Nikolai Sergeyitch, insulting him, and, as in the past, dwelling on old issues, categorically forbidding his son to visit the Ikhgenevs'.This happened two weeks before I went to their house.The old man was very sad.how to connect him Natasha, such a naive and noble girl, was dragged into this sordid slander, such a despicable affair!Those who insulted him in the past are now wantonly ruining her name... Is it okay to be kind to all of this? Let it go!For the first few days he lay down with grief.I know all these situations.I have also heard the details of this matter, although recently I have been sick, depressed and unhappy, and have been bedridden, and Du has been out for three or four weeks. I can't wait to go to their house.Besides, I know... NO!I just had a hunch, I knew, but I didn't believe it. Apart from this, what else did they have now, which made them feel the most disturbed in the world. Painful and troubled, he watched the two old men carefully.Yes, I am in pain; I am afraid that the misfortune will be true to my words, I am afraid to believe it, so I try to make this unfortunate moment far away from us.But that's what I'm here for.tonight it seems There is an attraction that makes me walk into their house involuntarily! "By the way, Vanya," the old man asked suddenly, as if he had come to his senses, "are you ill? Why haven't you come to see us for a long time? I'm sorry: I've wanted to see you for a long time, but I don't know Why is it always like this..." He fell into another Into deep thought. "I'm not feeling well," finds the answer. "Hmm! It's uncomfortable!" After five minutes, he repeated my words. "Isn't it uncomfortable! I told you that at the time, I reminded you,--you didn't listen! Well! No, Vanya, my little brother: it seems that since ancient times the muse God ① sits in the attic hungry, and will continue to do so.is not that right! " Yes, the old man is in a bad mood, and he wouldn't have talked to me of the starving muse if he hadn't hurt his heart.I stared at his face: his skin was sallow, and there seemed to be a kind of confusion and doubt in his eyes, but he was still thinking Puzzled.He seemed a little restless and extremely restless.His wife looked up at him uneasily, shaking her head.Once, when he turned around, she secretly shook her head at me to let me look at him. ①The goddess of literature and art in Greek mythology. "Is Natalya Nikolaevna well? Is she at home?" I asked Anna Andreyevna, who was very preoccupied. "At home, little man, at home," she replied, as if she had difficulty answering my question. "She's been coming out to see you every now and then. No joke! Haven't seen you in three weeks! She's gotten a little bit of that--you can't get her What's the matter: sick or not, really! " She then looked timidly at her husband. "What? She's all right," interrupted Nikolai Sergeyitch gruffly and gruffly. "She's in good health. That's how the girl grows up, and she's no longer a baby, isn't it? What's going on? Who can tell the girl's heart? What worries and whimsy are there? " "Oh, what a whim!" Anna Andreyevna began in a complaining voice. The old man closed his mouth and tapped his fingers on the table. "God, has something happened to them?" I thought terrified. "I said, how is it, how is your place?" He asked again, "What is B doing? Are you still writing reviews?" "Yes, still writing," I replied. "Oh, Vanya, Vanya!" he said at last, waving his hand, "and now comments are worthless again!" The door opened and Natasha came in.