Chapter 14 Chapter 12

The old couple are very affectionate.Love and years of staying together have linked the two inseparably.But Nikolai Sergeyitch not only now, but even in the past, in the happiest of times, for his wife Anna Andreev Na also seemed a little withdrawn somehow, even harsh at times, especially in public.In some people with gentle and delicate feelings, sometimes there is often a kind of self-cleaning stubbornness, unwilling to expose themselves, even to their beloved ones. Even those who are not willing to show their tenderness openly, not only in front of people, but even in private; and in private, they are even more reluctant; longer, burst

The hotter the hair, the more impulsive.Old Ikhmenev's relationship with his wife, Anna Andreyevna, had been close even from his youth.He respected her and loved her infinitely.Though she is but a good-natured, A woman who has nothing to do but love him.Because of her simple heart, she was sometimes too reserved and too revealing to him, which made him sigh three times and was very annoyed.However, since Natasha left, they have somehow become each other They made out; they both felt painfully alone in the world.Nikolai Sergeyitch sometimes became very melancholy, but even so, if they did not see each other for a while, even for two hours, they would miss each other painfully.

read.There seemed to be a tacit agreement between them, that is, they didn't mention Natasha at all, as if she didn't exist in the world at all.In the presence of her husband, Anna Andreevna did not even dare to mention her insinuatingly and visibly, although it would be too much for her to do so. It was very painful, but she had long since forgiven Natasha in her own heart.We also seem to be used to each other, and every time I go, I must bring her some news about her precious daughter that she will never forget. As long as the old lady does not hear the news for a long time, she will get sick. If I bring the news, she will ask endlessly anxiously and curiously, even the smallest details. "A feeling of missing a girl", there is a

Once, when Natasha was ill, she almost died of fright, and almost didn't even run to see her in person.However, this is extreme.At first, she wouldn't even say to me that she wanted to see her daughter, and whenever we had a long talk, she was already After I had asked all I knew, she thought it necessary to shrink back in front of me, and would certainly add that although she still cared about her daughter's fate, Natasha After all, it is an unforgivable the great sinner.But all this is just a show.It often happened that when Anna Andreyevna loved her, she wept bitterly, even called Natasha in my presence by the most affectionate name, and complained bitterly about Nikolai Tse.

Ergeitch, and even insinuating to his face, though very cautious, that some people are just too proud and hard-hearted, and that we just don't forgive those annoying things, God will not forgive those who do not People who are willing to forgive others, but beyond this limit, she dare not say more in front of him.Whenever this happened, the old man immediately put on a straight face, sullenly, frowned his eyebrows, and said nothing, or he suddenly looked around and talked about him, with a demeanor Usually behaved very awkwardly and very loudly, or, in the end, walked away, leaving us both, so that Anna Andreyevna could pour out her heart with tears and sighs in front of me. grief.every time i visit

, he greeted me and retired as usual to his room, giving me time to tell Anna Andreyevna everything I had recently heard about Natasha.This time he did the same. "My clothes are soaked," he said to her as soon as he stepped into the room. "I'll go in and you sit here a while, Vanya. He's rented a room and something happened; tell me first." She got it. I'll be here in a minute..." After saying this, he hurried away, even trying not to look at us, as if he himself had brought us together and was guilty of it.Under these circumstances, especially when he came back to us again, he often became very hostile to me and Ann.

Na Andreyevna was stern and very angry, as if she was angry with herself, annoyed at her own kindness and accommodating. "That's the way he is," said the old lady, who of late had put aside all her formality and all inhumane thoughts about me, "he's always been like that to me; , the trick he played We all know the game.Why are you pretending in front of me!Am I his someone, an irrelevant outsider?The same goes for him and his daughter.He would have forgiven her, and, perhaps, would have liked to, God only knows what was in his heart. What do you think.Crying every night, I heard it with my own ears!But on the surface, he pretends to be a hero.This man is desperate for face... Tell me, Ivan Petrovich, boy: where is he? "

"Ask Nikolay Sergeitch? I don't know; I want to ask you." "I was astounded when I saw him go out. He's sick, and it's this weather, and it's getting dark again; well, I thought, maybe there's something important; but there's nothing better than you know Is that more important? I just keep in mind Pondering, asking, I dare not.Now, I don't dare to ask him about anything, life, God, for him and for her, I'm worried to death.I don't think I'm going to find her; I don't want to forgive her, do I?To know , he knows everything, the latest news about her, he knows everything; I'm sure, he must know, but where he got the news, I can't figure it out. Yesterday he was depressed, today the same.why don't you say

language!Come on, little brother, what else happened there?I have been waiting for you, just like waiting for an angel sent by God, it is really hopeless.Well, I said, is the villain really going to abandon Natasha? " I immediately told Anna Andreyevna everything I knew.I was always open and honest with her.I told her that Natasha and Alyosha seemed to be in real danger of divorce, which was far more serious than their past quarrels; Said that Natasha sent me a private note yesterday, begging me to go and see her at nine o'clock tonight, so I didn't intend to see them today; I am here.I told her and explained in detail

, in general, the present situation is very critical; Alyosha's father has been away for two weeks, and he will not listen to anything, and insists on holding on to Alyosha; but the most important thing is Alyosha himself. I can't bear to part with this fiancée, so I wish He fell in love with her, heard that, and even fell in love with her.I added that it was evident that Natasha had written this note in a state of great agitation; she said in it that everything would be revealed tonight, and what would be revealed? --The language is vague; It is also strange that the letter was written last night, but he asked me to go again today, and the time was agreed: nine o'clock, so I must go, and quickly.

"Go, go, boy, you must go," said the old lady hastily, "but you'd better wait until you come out and have a cup of tea first... Oh, the samovar hasn't been brought yet! Matryo! You What's the matter with the tea? What a robber, not a servant!  … Well, after you finish your tea, find a good-sounding reason to leave quickly.But you must come tomorrow and tell me all; and come early.Oh God!Could it be that something bad happened again!What could be worse than this situation , really!You know, Nikolay Sergeitch knows everything, my heart tells me he must know everything.I had heard many things from Matrona, and she had heard them from Agatha, who lived in the park. Marya Vasilyevna's goddaughter... Oh, yes, you know that too.My nicholas is in a bad temper today.I was babbling here and there, he almost didn't yell at me, and then he had something on his mind Ashamed, what to say he is tight.As if he was yelling because of the money.After lunch, he went to take a nap.I went and looked through the crack in the door (he didn't know there was such a crack in his door) and saw my darling kneeling in the shrine Pray to God.When I saw this, my legs went weak.Later, he picked up his top hat and went out without drinking tea or taking a nap.I went out at four o'clock.I didn't even dare to ask: if I asked him, he would yell at me.Recently, he has He started yelling, mostly at Matrona, and sometimes at me; and when he yelled, I lost all feeling in my legs, and I was out of my mind with fright.I know he's just messing around and letting it out, but it's scary after all.he After I left, I hurriedly prayed to God for an entire hour, begging God to let him open his mind and stop admitting death.What about the letter she wrote, can you show me? " I showed it to her.I know that Anna Andreyev has no wishful thinking, although she often calls Alyosha a villain, a heartless and a wretch, but she wishes that in the end Alyosha will be able to marry Natasha, and Alyosha's father, Pyotr Alexandrovitch, would agree.She even revealed it to me, though she regretted it and insisted she hadn't said it at all.But in the presence of Nikolai Sergeyitch, No matter what, she didn't dare to express her hope for the first time, although she also knew that the old man had long suspected that she had this idea, and even blamed her more than once insinuatingly.I think if he learns that this marriage is really possible He must curse Natasha thoroughly, and make up his mind to dig her out of his heart and forget her forever. We all thought so at the time.He yearned for his daughter to come back, but what he hoped was that she would come back alone, and she would repent of her past mistakes, break up with Alyosha, and completely forget him.That's the only way he forgives her Although he didn't say it clearly, it was self-evident and unquestionable from his appearance. "This kid has no ideas, is weak-willed, has no ideas, and has a cruel heart, I've always said that." Anna Andreevna continued, "He can't even teach a child, and he taught such a child." Capricious, mindless stuff ;Love him so much, and want to abandon her, my lord!What will become of my poor child!What on earth did he set his sights on in that new woman? It was really puzzling! " "I have heard, Anna Andreyevna," I disagreed, "that the betrothed is a very charming girl, and even Natalya Nikolaevna said so." "Don't believe it!" The old lady interrupted me, "What is charming? For you guys who play with pens, as long as you are a woman, you are charming, and you will fall under her pomegranate skirt. As for Natasha's compliments on her, That's because she has a good heart. She won't Cling to him and always forgive him, preferring to suffer yourself.How many times had he changed his mind about her!These cruel bastards!It just frightens me, Ivan Petrovich.Everyone wants to save face.Even if my wife can be calmer , forgive her for being afraid, forgive my darling, and bring her home.I must hug her tightly and take a good look at her!Has she lost weight? " "You've lost weight, Anna Andreyevna." "My darling! Something has happened to me, Ivan Petrovich! I have cried all day and all night today... But what is the matter! I will tell you later! How many times have I hesitated and wandered far and wide told him that he hoped he would It is enough to forgive her; I dare not speak directly, so I can only go around in a big circle, play a narrow-minded, and say what I mean.After I finished speaking, I was terrified: I was afraid that he would get angry and curse her completely!I haven't heard him say anything cursing her yet... I'm afraid of him Curse ①.That would be bad!Father cursed, and God will punish her too.Every day I live with fear and trepidation.But you too, Ivan Petrovich, should be ashamed; you were brought up in our house, and we He treats you like his own child, and loves you a lot: you are ashamed to say that woman is very charming!Or their Marya Vasilyevna was right. (It’s really a crime. Once, I took advantage of my mouth to go out to work, and I went out for a whole day. In the morning, I invited her over for coffee. ) She told me all about his family, that the prince, that is, Alyosha's father, had had illicit relations with the countess.It is said that the Countess had long blamed the Duke for not marrying her. Marriage is always pushed back and forth.And the countess, while her husband was still alive, was unruly, and engaged in some unsightly deeds.Later, when her husband died, she went abroad and fooled around with some Italians and Frenchmen, stealing people to raise a man, and raising a man. a gang of barons and such; and there she was hooked up by Prince Pyotr Alexandrovitch, who had a step-daughter (the child of her former husband, who was a tax-consolidator), who was in At this time, it gradually grew up.Her stepmother, Bo Princess, she spent all her property, but Katerina Fyodorovna was grown up at this time, and her father, a tax collector, left her two million rubles in the bank. Interest is born in Li, and as the tide rises, all boats rise, and there are more and more. It is said that she now has three millions; the prince thought: it would be a good idea to marry this girl to Alyosha! (This man has always had a good abacus! Never miss this opportunity).Do you remember, they had a relation of the earl, a nobleman, a valet, who Agreed too; three million is no joke.He said, well, you talk to this countess first.The duke told the countess about his plan.She was 100% willing at first, but then changed her mind: I heard that this woman might be right, so she just Love to make trouble!I heard that here, not everyone welcomes her; here is no better than abroad.She said, no, Prince, you must marry me yourself, but as for my step-daughter and Alyosha, there is no way.The girl, the step-daughter, heard , I love my stepmother so much, I almost adore her, and I am obedient to her.It is said that this child is very gentle and has an angelic heart!When the Duke saw this, he said: Don't worry, Countess.You put all your property Spend it all, and you owe a debt that you can't pay off.If your stepdaughter marries Alyosha, they will be a couple: yours is innocent, and mine, Alyosha, is a fool; we can keep them together and guard them together; then When you want money, you will have money.He also said, what good will it do for you to marry me?This guy is a ghost!It's a Freemason!About half a year ago, the countess was still undecided, but now, I heard, they went to Warsaw, where A deal was struck there.That's what I heard.Maria Vasiliemina told me all this, told me all the details, and she also heard it from a trustworthy person.Well, the key here is money, millions of rubles.fan People are not charming, can they be involved? " ①Vulgarity: Yu Nu was cursed by her parents, which meant that she would cut off the relationship between father and son and mother and child, and would never be blessed by her parents, and would be deprived of inheritance rights and all other rights. I was taken aback by Anna Andreyevna's remarks.It coincides with what Alyosha himself told me not long ago, exactly the same.He clapped his chest when he told me that he would never marry money anyway.but card Terina Fyodorovna beat him, charmed him.I also heard from Alyosha that his father might also be married, although he repeatedly denied it, saying that it was a rumour, so as not to offend the countess, he wanted to stabilize her first.I've already said it Liao Sha loves his father very much, appreciates him, brags about him, and believes in his words like believing in an oracle. "You know, that charming lady you speak of is not a count!" continued Anna Andreyevna, who was very angry at me for complimenting the little prince's future bride. "Because Natasha is a better match for him. That woman is a tax-contractor. But Natasha is a lady of old family.My wife yesterday (I forgot to tell you) opened his box, the tin box--you know? --He sat face to face with me for a whole night, returning Those ancient papers that kept our home.He sat there solemnly.I sat on the side and knotted my socks, but I didn't dare to look at him, I was afraid.He got angry when he saw that I didn't say a word, and took the initiative to call me over, and talked to me about our family's genealogy, and talked all night .So it turns out that our Ikhmenev family was aristocratic during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, and my natal family, the Shumilov family, was still under Alexei Mikhail Lovech was famous during his reign, and I There are documents to prove it, and it is also mentioned in Karamzin's history books②.You understand this, little brother, in this regard, we are no worse than others.As soon as the old man told me about this, I knew what the old man was thinking.Probably, people see Sorry for Natasha, he was angry.Because they have money, they show off in front of us.Well, let that robber Pyotr Alexandrovitch dream of getting rich; he is known to be a cruel and greedy man.It is said that he was in China Sand secretly joined the Jesuits.Seriously? " ①A secret religious group popular in Western Europe and Russia in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. "Stupid rumour," I replied, but the rumour, by its own accord, interested me involuntarily.But I was curious about Nikolai Sergeyitch's cleaning up of his papers.He never boasted about himself before pedigree and genealogy. "Very hard-hearted wretches!" continued Anna Andreevna. "Well, how is my darling now, sad and crying? Oh, it's time for you to see her, Matt." Leona, Matrona! A robber, not a servant ! ... They didn't make her angry, did they?Say it, Vanya. " What can I say to her?The old lady cried.I asked her what she was going to tell me about something bad happened to her just now. "Oh, my little brother, it's true that misfortunes never come singly. It seems that this glass of bitter wine has not been finished! Do you remember, my dear, I'm afraid I don't remember? I have a gold necklace pendant, specially made as a souvenir Yes, there is a Nata in the gold box A portrait of Sha, a portrait of her childhood: my little angel was only eight years old.It was Nikolai Sergeyitch and I who asked a passing artist to paint it for her. It seems that you forgot, little brother!This artist is really good, he painted her Cupid ④: Her hair was fluffy and fluffy at that time; she was wearing a little shirt as thin as onion wings, through which her small body could be seen, how beautiful she looked in this portrait, Really makes people never get tired of watching.I would have asked the painter Then add two little wings to her, but the artist doesn't agree.And so, boy, since the dreadful disaster that befell my house, I took this pendant out of its box, hung it on a string, and hung it on my breast, with the crucifix. Together, I am always afraid that my wife will not be with me.You know, he had ordered her things to be thrown out of the house, or burned, so that nothing would remind us of her.I thought to myself, if only I could see a picture of her Well; sometimes, I cry while looking at her portrait—crying and crying, my heart will be relieved, and other times, I am left alone in the house, and I will try my best to kiss it, as if I was kissing her. ;I pick the most tender name to call her, every day I come Make the sign of the cross on it before going to bed.When I was home alone, I also talked to her aloud, asked her questions, and imagined that she seemed to be answering me, and then asked again, and asked again and again.Instigate, dear Vanya, it's hard to say !Well, I was quite happy at the time, at least he didn’t know, and he didn’t find the necklace pendant; but when I touched it yesterday morning, the necklace pendant was gone, only the pole strap was still hanging, which must have been worn out, so I threw it away .I was petrified.look for me Oh, look, look, look--I can't find it!It just disappeared without a trace.Where can it be lost?Going to bed, I thought; I turned the bed over and over—nothing!If it falls off and lands somewhere, it may be checked by others, who knows? Can it be seized, unless it is him or Matrona?Well, it's impossible to doubt Matrona; she's always been faithful to me... (Matrona, is your samovar ready yet?) Well, I thought, what if he picks it up? what to do I was worried there, crying and crying, and the tears couldn't stop flowing down.But Nikolai Sergeyitch was becoming more and more tender and considerate to me; he looked at me, too, sullenly, as if he knew why I was crying, and he pitied me.I I thought to myself: How could he know?Could it be that he really found the necklace pendant and threw it out through the transom.You know, when he was angry, he could do it; he threw it out, and now thinking about it, he felt sad again—he regretted throwing it away of.So I ran with Matt Leono to look under the windows and under the transom—and found nothing.It's like sinking into the sea.I cried all night.The first time I went to bed without crossing her.Oh, it's unlucky, it's unlucky, Ivan Peter That's not a good sign, Roerich; the next day I was crying again.I have been waiting for you, baby, as if waiting for the messenger of God, even if you let me vomit the bitterness in my heart..." ① Alexei Mikhailovich (1629-1676) Tsar of Russia, ascended the throne in 1645. ②Refers to the 12-volume "Russian National History" written by Karam Law Firm, but the two families are not mentioned in the book. ③A sect of Catholicism that despises the accepted moral norms of human beings, and believes that "in order to achieve the goal, any means can be used". ④The little love species in Roman mythology is equivalent to Eros in Greek mythology. The old lady cried sadly. "Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you one more thing!" she said suddenly, as if glad to have remembered it. "Did you hear him say anything about the adoption of orphans?" "I heard, Anna Andreyevna, he told me that it seems that you two, after much deliberation, agreed to adopt a poor boy, an orphan girl. Is that true?" "I don't have it at all, little brother, I don't mean it at all! I don't want any orphans! Her coming will remind me of my wretched child, of our misfortunes. Except for Natasha, I'm sure." No. I only have one girl Son, there will be only one daughter in the future.What the hell does that mean, little boy? How could he even think of adopting an orphan girl?You see, Ivan Petrovich wanted to comfort me when he saw me weeping, but he didn't want to remember My biological daughter, want to find another child to comfort my knees?What did he say when he mentioned recruiting to you on the way?How do you think he looked at that time--stern, unhappy?Hush!coming!Let's talk about it later, little brother, later Say it again! "Don't forget to come tomorrow..."