第498章

第498章ellenperceivedthatthematterwasverysimpleandeasyfromtheecclesiasticalpointofview，butthatherspiritualcounsellorsraiseddifficultiessimplybecausetheywereapprehensiveofthewayinwhichitmightbelookedatbythetemporalauthorities.

and，consequently，ellendecidedinherownmindthatthewaymustbepavedforsocietytolookatthematterinthetruelight.sheexcitedthejealousyoftheolddignitary，andsaidthesamethingtohimasshehadtoherothersuitor—thatis，gavehimtounderstandthatthesolemeansofobtainingexclusiverightsoverherwastomarryher.theelderlydignitarywas，liketheyoungforeignprince，forthefirstmomenttakenabackatthisproposalofmarriagefromawifewhosehusbandwasliving.butellen’sunfalteringconfidenceinassertingthatitwasamatterassimpleandnaturalasthemarriageofanunmarriedgirlhaditseffectonhimtoo.hadtheslightesttracesofhesitation，shame，orreservebeenperceptibleinellenherself，hercasewouldhavebeenundoubtedlylost.butfarfromit；withperfectdirectnessandsimple-heartedna？veté，shetoldherintimatefriends（andthattermincludedallpetersburg），thatboththeprinceandthedignitaryhadmadeherproposalsofmarriage，andthatshelovedboth，andwasafraidofgrievingeither.

therumourwasimmediatelyalloverpetersburg—notthatellenwantedadivorcefromherhusband（hadsucharumourbeendiscussedverymanypersonswouldhavesetthemselvesagainstanysuchillegalproceeding）—butthattheunhappy，interestingellenwasinhesitationwhichofhertwosuitorstomarry.thequestionwasnolongerhowfaranymarriagewaspossible，butsimplywhichwouldbethemoresuitablematchforher，andhowthecourtwouldlookatthequestion.therewere，indeed，certainstrait-lacedpeoplewhocouldnotrisetothehighlevelofthesubject，andsawintheprojectadesecrationofthesanctityofmarriage；butsuchpersonswerefewinnumber，andtheyheldtheirtongues；whilethemajoritywereinterestedinthequestionofellen’shappiness，andwhichwouldbethebettermatchforher.astowhetheritwererightorwrongforawifetomarrywhenherhusbandwasalive，thatwasnotdiscussed，asthequestionwasevidentlynotasubjectofdoubtforpersons“wiserthanyouandme”（aswassaid），andtodoubtthecorrectnessoftheirdecisionwouldberiskingthebetrayalofone’signoranceandabsenceofsavoirfaire.

maryadmitryevnaahrosimov，whohadcomethatsummertopetersburgtoseeoneofhersons，wastheonlypersonwhoventuredonthedirectexpressionofacontraryopinion.meetingellenataball，maryadmitryevnastoppedherinthemiddleoftheroom，andinthemidstofageneralsilencesaidtoher，inherharshvoice：

“soyouaregoingtopassonfromonehusbandtoanother，ihear！youthink，idaresay，it’sanewfashionyouaresetting.butyouarenotthefirst，madam.that’saveryoldidea.theydothesameinallthe…”andwiththesewords，maryadmitryevnatuckedupherbroadsleeveswithherusualmenacingaction，andlookingseverelyroundher，walkedacrosstheballroom.

thoughpeoplewereafraidofmaryadmitryevna，yetinpetersburgtheylookedonherasasortofbuffoon，andthereforeofallherwordstheynoticedonlythelastcoarseone，andrepeatedittooneanotherinwhispers，supposingthatthewholepointofherutterancelayinthat.

princevassilyhadoflatedroppedintoveryfrequentlyforgettingwhathehadsaid，andrepeatingthesamephraseahundredtimes；andeverytimehehappenedtoseehisdaughterheusedtosay：

“ellen，ihaveawordtosaytoyou，”hewouldsay，drawingherasideandpullingherarmdownwards.“ihavegotwindofcertainprojectsrelativeto…youknow.well，mydearchild，youknowhowmyfather’sheartrejoicestoknowyouare…youhavesufferedsomuch.but，mydearchild，consultonlyyourheart.that’sallitellyou.”andconcealinganemotionidenticaloneachoccasion，hepressedhischeektohisdaughter’scheekandlefther.

bilibin，whohadnotlosthisreputationasawit，wasadisinterestedfriendofellen’s；oneofthosefriendsalwaystobeseeninthetrainofbrilliantwomen，menfriendswhocanneverpassintotherankoflovers.oneday，ina“smallandintimatecircle，”bilibingavehisfriendellenhisviewsonthesubject.