第322章

第322章“stillascharmingandasmelancholyasever,mysweetjulie,”shewouldsaytothedaughter.“borissayshefindsspiritualrefreshmentinyourhouse.hehassufferedsuchcrueldisillusionment,andheissosensitive,”shewouldsaytothemother.

“ah,mydear,howattachedihavegrowntojulielately,”shewouldsaytoherson,“ican’ttellyou.but,indeed,whocouldhelplovingher！acreaturenotofthisearth！ah,boris！boris！”shepausedforamoment.“andhowifeelforhermother,”shewouldgoon.“sheshowedmetodaythelettersandaccountsfrompenza（theyhaveanimmenseestatethere）,andshe,poorthing,withnoonetohelpher.theydotakesuchadvantageofher！”

borisheardhismotherwithafaintlyperceptiblesmile.helaughedblandlyathersimple-heartedwiles,buthelistenedtoherandsometimesquestionedhercarefullyaboutthepenzaandnizhnigorodestates.

juliehadlongbeenexpectinganofferfromhermelancholyadorer,andwasfullypreparedtoacceptit.butasortofsecretfeelingofrepulsionforher,forherpassionatedesiretobemarried,forheraffectationandafeelingofhorroratrenouncingallpossibilityofreallovemadeborisstilldelay.thetermofhisleavewasdrawingtoaclose.wholedaysatatime,andeverydayhespentatthekaragins’;andeachdayborisresolved,ashethoughtthingsover,thathewouldmakeanofferonthemorrow.butinjulie’spresence,ashewatchedherredfaceandherchin,almostalwayssprinkledwithpowder,hermoisteyes,andtheexpressionofhercountenance,whichbetokenedacontinualreadinesstopassatoncefrommelancholytotheunnaturalecstasiesofconjugallove,boriscouldnotutterthedecisiveword,althoughinimaginationhehadlongregardedhimselfastheownerofthepenzaandnizhnigorodestates,andhaddisposedoftheexpenditureoftheirseveralrevenues.juliesawthehesitationofboris,andtheideadidsometimesoccurtoherthatshewasdistastefultohim.butfeminineself-flatterypromptlyaffordedhercomfort,andsheassuredherselfthatitwaslovethatmadehimretiring.hermelancholywas,however,beginningtopassintoirritability,andnotlongbeforetheendofboris’sleavesheadoptedadecisiveplanofaction.justbeforetheexpirationofboris’sleavethereappearedinmoscow,and—itneedhardlybesaid—alsointhedrawing-roomofthekaragins’,nolessapersonthananatolekuragin,andjulie,abruptlyabandoninghermelancholy,becameexceedinglylivelyandcordialtokuragin.

“mydear,”saidannamihalovnatoherson,“iknowfromatrust-worthysourcethatprincevassilyissendinghissontomoscowtomarryhimtojulie.iamsofondofjuliethatishouldbemostsorryforher.whatdoyouthinkaboutit,mydear？”saidannamihalovna.

boriswasmortifiedattheideaofbeingessful,ofhavingwastedallthatmonthoftedious,melancholycourtshipofjulie,andofseeingalltherevenuesofthosepenzaestates—whichhehadmentallyassignedtothevariouspurposesforwhichheneededthem—passintootherhands,especiallyintothehandsofthatfoolanatole.hedroveofftothekaragins’withthefirmdeterminationtomakeanoffer.juliemethimwithagayandcarelessface,casuallymentionedhowmuchshehadenjoyedtheballoftheevening,andaskedhimwhenhewasleaving.althoughborishadcomewiththeintentionofspeakingofhislove,andwasthereforeresolvedtotakeatendertone,hebegantospeakirritablyoftheficklenessofwoman;sayingthatwomencouldsoeasilypassfromsadnesstojoy,andtheirstateofminddependedentirelyonwhatsortofmanhappenedtobepayingthemattention.juliewasoffended,andsaidthatthatwasquitetrue,indeed,thatawomanwantedvariety,andthatalwaysthesamethingwouldboreanyone.

“theniwouldadviseyou…”boriswasbeginning,meaningtosaysomethingcutting;butatthatinstantthemortifyingreflectionoccurredtohimthathemightleavemoscowwithouthavingattainedhisobject,andhavingwastedhiseffortsinvain（anexperiencehehadneverhadyet）.hestoppedshortinthemiddleofasentence,droppedhiseyes,toavoidseeingherdisagreeablyexasperatedandirresoluteface,andsaid,“butitwasnottoquarrelwithyouthatihavecomehere.onthecontrary…”heglancedathertomakesurewhetherhecouldgoon.allirritationhadinstantlyvanishedfromherface,andheruneasyandimploringeyeswerefasteneduponhimingreedyexpectation.

“icanalwaysmanagesoastoseeverylittleofher,”thoughtboris.“andthething’sbeenbegunandmustbefinished！”heflushedcrimson,raisedhiseyestoherface,andsaidtoher,“youknowmyfeelingforyou！”therewasnoneedtosaymore.julie’scountenancebeamedwithtriumphandself-satisfaction;butsheforcedboristosayeverythingthatisusuallysaidonsuchoccasions,tosaythathelovedher,andhadneverlovedanywomanmorethanher.sheknewthatforherpenzaestatesandhernizhnigorodforestsshecoulddemandthat,andshegotallshedemanded.

theyoungengagedcouple,withnofurtherallusionstotreesthatenfoldedthemingloomandmelancholy,madeplansforabrilliantestablishmentinpetersburg,paidvisits,andmadeeverypreparationforasplendidwedding.