CHAPTER VIII
The sun was setting when Raisky returned home, and was received at thedoor by Marfinka.
"Where did you get lost, Cousin?" she asked him. "Grandmother is veryangry, and is grumbling...."
"I was with Leonti," returned Raisky indifferently.
"I thought so, and told Grandmother so, but she won't listen and willhardly speak even to Tiet Nikonich. He is with her now and PaulinaKarpovna too. Go to Grandmother, and it will be all right. Are youafraid. Does your heart beat fast?"
Raisky had to laugh.
"She is very angry. We had prepared so many dishes."
"We will eat them up for supper."
"Will you? Grandmother, Grandmother," she cried happily, "Cousin hascome and wants his supper."
His aunt sat severely there, and did not look up when Raisky entered.Tiet Nikonich embraced him. He received an elegant bow from PaulinaKarpovna, an elaborately got-up person of forty-five in a low cut muslingown, with a fine lace handkerchief and a fan, which she kept constantlyin motion although there was no heat.
"What a man you have grown! I should hardly have known you," said TietNikonich, beaming with kindness and pleasure.
"He has grown very, very handsome," said Paulina Karpovna Kritzki.
"You have not altered, Tiet Nikonich," remarked Raisky. "You have hardlyaged at all, and are as gay, as fresh, as kind and amiable...."
"Thank God! there is nothing worse than rheumatism the matter with me,and my digestion is no longer quite as good as it was. That is age, age.But how glad I am that you, our guest, have arrived in such good spirits.Tatiana Markovna was anxious about you. You will be staying here forsome time?"
"Of course you will spend the summer with us," said Paulina Karpovna."Here is nature, and fine air, and so many people are interested inyou."
He looked at her askance, and said nothing.
"Do you remember me?" she asked. Boris's aunt noticed with displeasurethat Paulina Karpovna was ogling her nephew.
"No, I must confess I forgot."
"Yes, impressions are quickly forgotten in the capital," she said ina languishing tone. She looked him up and down and then added, "What anadmirable travelling suit."
"That reminds me I am still in my travelling clothes. Egor must be sentfor and must take my clothes and linen out of the trunk. For you, Granny,and for you, my dear sisters, I have brought some small things forremembrance."
Marfinka grew crimson with pleasure.
"Granny, where are you going to put me up?"
"The house belongs to you. Where you will," she returned coldly.
"Don't be angry, Granny," he laughed. "It won't happen twice."
"You may laugh, you may laugh, Boris Pavlovich. Here, in the presence ofour guests, I tell you you have behaved badly. You have hardly put yournose inside the house, and straightway vanish. That is an insult to yourGrandmother."
"Surely, Granny, we shall be together every day. I have been visiting anold friend, and we forgot ourselves in talking."
"Cousin Boris did not do it on purpose, Granny," said Marfinka. "LeontiIvanovich is so good."
"Please be silent when you are not addressed. You are too young tocontradict your Grandmother, who knows what she is saying."
Smilingly Marfinka drew back into her corner.
"No doubt Juliana Andreevna was able to entertain you better, and knowsbetter than I how to entertain a Petersburger. What friccassee did shegive you?" asked his aunt, not without a little real curiosity.
"Vermicelli soup, pastry with cabbage, then beef and potatoes."
Tatiana Markovna laughed ironically, "Vermicelli soup and beef!"
"And groats in the pan...."
"It's a long time since you tasted such delicacies."
"Excellent dishes," said Tiet Nikonich kindly, "but heavy for thedigestion."
"To-morrow, Marfinka," said the old lady, "we will entertain our guestwith a gosling, pickled pork, carrots, and perhaps with a goose."
"A goose, stuffed with groats, would be acceptable," put in Raisky.
"Indigestible!" protested Tiet Nikonich. "The best is a light soup, withpearl barley, a cutlet, pastries and jelly; that is the proper middaymeal."
"But I should like groats."
"Do you like mushrooms too, Cousin?" asked Marfinka. "Because we have somany."
"Rather! Can't we have them for supper tonight?"
In spite of Tiet Nikonich's caution against this heavy food, TatianaMarkovna sent Marfinka to Peter and to the cook to order mushrooms forsupper.
"If there is any champagne in the cellar, Granny, let us have a bottleup. Tiet Nikonich and I would like to drink your health. Isn't that so,Tiet Nikonich?"
"Yes, to celebrate your arrival, though mushrooms and champagne areindigestible."
"Tell the cook to bring champagne on ice, Marfinka," said the old lady.
_"Ce que femme veut,"_ said Tiet Nikonich amiably, with a slightbow.
"Supper is a special occasion, but one ought to dine at home too. Youhave vexed your Grandmother by going out on the very day of yourreturn."
"Ah, Tatiana Markovna," sighed Paulina Karpovna, "our ways here are sobourgeois, but in the capital...."
The old lady's eyes blazed, as she pointed to the wall where hung theportraits of Raisky's and the young girls' parents, and exclaimed:"There was nothing bourgeois about those, Paulina Karpovna."
"Granny," said Raisky, "let us allow one another absolute freedom. I amnow making up for my absence at midday, and shall be here all night. ButI can't tell where I shall dine to-morrow, or where I shall sleep."
Paulina Karpovna could not refrain from applauding, but his aunt lookedat him with amazement, and inquired if he were really a gipsy.
"Monsieur Raisky is a poet, and poets are as free as air," remarkedPaulina Karpovna. Again she made play with her eyes, shifted the pointedtoes of her shoes in an effort to arouse Raisky's attention. The moreshe twisted and turned, the more icy was his indifference, for herpresence made an uncomfortable impression on him. Marfinka observed theby-play and smiled to herself.
"You have two houses, land, peasants, silver and glass, and talk ofwandering about from one shelter to another like a beggar, likeMarkushka, the vagrant."
"Markushka again! I must certainly make his acquaintance."
"No, don't do that and add to your Grandmother's anxieties. If you seehim, make your escape."
"But why?"
"He will lead you astray."
"That's of no consequence, Grandmother. It looks as if he were aninteresting individual, doesn't it, Tiet Nikonich?"
"He is a riddle to everybody," Tiet Nikonich answered with a smile. "Hemust have gone astray very early in life, but he has apparently goodbrains and considerable knowledge, and might have been a useful memberof society."
Paulina Karpovna turned her head away, and dismissed Mark with thecriticism, "No manners."
"Brains! You bought his brains for three hundred roubles. Has he repaidthem?" asked Tatiana Markovna.
"I did not remind him of his debt. But to me he is, for the matter ofthat, almost polite."
"That is to say he does not strike you, or shoot in your direction. Justimagine, Boris, that he nearly shot Niel Andreevich."
"His dogs tore my train," complained Paulina Karpovna.
"Did he never visit you unceremoniously at dinner again?" TatianaMarkovna asked Tiet Nikonich.
"No, you don't like me to receive him, so I refuse him admission. Heonce came to me at night," he went on, addressing Raisky. "He had beenout hunting, and had eaten nothing for twenty-four hours. I gave himfood, and we passed the time very pleasantly."
"Pleasantly!" exclaimed Tatiana Markovna. "How can you say such things?If he came to me at that hour, I would settle him. No, Boris Pavlovich,live like other decent people. Stay with us, have dinner with us, go outwith us, keep suspicious people at a distance, see how I administer yourestate, and find fault if I do anything wrong."
"That is so m
onotonous, Grandmother. Let us rather live each one afterhis own ideas and inclinations."
"You are an exception," sighed his aunt.
"No, Grandmother, it is you who are an exceptional woman. Why should webother about one another."
"To please your Grandmother."
"Why don't you want to please your Grandson? You are a despot,Grandmother."
"A despot! Boris Pavlovich, I have waited anxiously for you, I havehardly slept, have tried to have everything as you liked it."
"But you did all that because activity is a pleasure to you. All thiscare and trouble is a pleasant stimulant, keeps you busy. If Markushkacame to you, you would receive him in the same fashion."
"You are right, Cousin," broke in Marfinka. "Grandmother is kindnessitself, but she tries to disguise it."
"Don't give your opinion when it is not asked. She contradicts herGrandmother only when you are here, Boris Pavlovich; at other times sheis modest enough. And now the ideas she suddenly takes into her head. I?entertain Markushka!"
"You did as you pleased," continued Raisky. "And then when it entered myhead too to do as I pleased, I disturbed your arrangements and made abreach in your despotism. Isn't that so, Granny? And now kiss me, and wewill give one another full liberty."
"What a strange boy? Do you hear, Tiet Nikonich, what nonsense hetalks."
On that evening Tatiana Markovna and Raisky concluded, if not peace, atleast a truce. She was assured that Boris loved and esteemed her; shewas, in truth, easily convinced. After supper Raisky unpacked his trunk,and brought down his gifts; for his aunt, a few pounds of excellent tea,of which she was a connoisseur, a coffee machine of a new kind, with acoffee-pot, and a dark brown silk dress; bracelets with monograms forhis cousins; and for Tiet Nikonich vest and hose of Samian leather, ashis aunt had desired.
Tatiana Markovna, with tears in her eyes, sat down beside him, andputting her hand on his shoulder said, "And you remembered me?"
"Whom else should I remember? You are my nearest and dearest,Grandmother."
When Tiet Nikonich and Paulina Karpovna took leave, the lady said thatshe had left orders with no one to fetch her, and that she hoped someonewould accompany her, looking towards Raisky as she spoke. Tiet Nikonichexpressed himself ready to see her home.
"Egorka could have taken her," whispered Tatiana Markovna. "Why didn'tshe stay at home; she was not invited."
"Thank you, thank you," said Paulina Karpovna to Raisky as she passedhim.
"What for?" asked Raisky in amazement.
"For the pleasant, witty conversation, although it was not directed tome. What pleasure it gave me!"
"A practical conversation about groats, a goose, and a quarrel withGrandmother."
"Ah, I understand," she continued, "but I caught two glances, which wereintended for me, confess they were. I am filled with hope andexpectation."
As she went out Raisky asked Marfinka what she was talking about.
"She's always like that," laughed Marfinka.
Tatiana Markovna followed Raisky to his room, smoothed the sheets of hisbed once more, drew the curtains so that the sun should not awaken himin the morning, felt the feather bed to test its softness, and had a jugof water placed on the table beside him. She came back three times tosee if he were asleep or wanted anything. Touched by so much kindlythought he recognised that his grandmother's activity was not onlyexerted to gratify herself.