登陆注册
5380600000032

第32章

THE KORNAKOFFS

MY second call on the route lay at the Kornakoffs', who lived on the first floor of a large mansion facing the Arbat.The staircase of the building looked extremely neat and orderly, yet in no way luxurious--being lined only with drugget pinned down with highly-polished brass rods.Nowhere were there any flowers or mirrors to be seen.The salon, too, with its polished floor, which I traversed on my way to the drawing-room, was decorated in the same cold, severe, unostentatious style.Everything in it looked bright and solid, but not new, and pictures, flower-

stands, and articles of bric-a-brac were wholly absent.In the drawing-room I found some of the young princesses seated, but seated with the sort of correct, "company" air about them which gave one the impression that they sat like that only when guests were expected.

"Mamma will be here presently," the eldest of them said to me as she seated herself by my side.For the next quarter of an hour, this young lady entertained me with such an easy flow of small-

talk that the conversation never flagged a moment.Yet somehow she made so patent the fact that she was just entertaining me that I felt not altogether pleased.Amongst other things, she told me that their brother Stephen (whom they called Etienne, and who had been two years at the College of Cadets) had now received his commission.Whenever she spoke of him, and more particularly when she told me that he had flouted his mother's wishes by entering the Hussars, she assumed a nervous air, and immediately her sisters, sitting there in silence, also assumed a nervous air.When, again, she spoke of my grandmother's death, she assumed a MOURNFUL air, and immediately the others all did the same.Finally, when she recalled how I had once struck St.Jerome and been expelled from the room, she laughed and showed her bad teeth, and immediately all the other princesses laughed and showed their bad teeth too.

Next, the Princess-Mother herself entered--a little dried-up woman, with a wandering glance and a habit of always looking at somebody else when she was addressing one.Taking my hand, she raised her own to my lips for me to kiss it--which otherwise, not supposing it to be necessary, I should not have done.

"How pleased I am to see you!" she said with her usual clearness of articulation as she gazed at her daughters."And how like your mother you look! Does he not, Lise?"

Lise assented, though I knew for a fact that I did not resemble my mother in the least.

"And what a grown-up you have become! My Etienne, you will remember, is your second cousin.No, not second cousin--what is it, Lise? My mother was Barbara Dimitrievna, daughter of Dimitri Nicolaevitch, and your grandmother was Natalia Nicolaevna."

"Then he is our THIRD cousin, Mamma," said the eldest girl.

"Oh, how you always confuse me!" was her mother's angry reply.

"Not third cousin, but COUSIN GERMAN--that is your relationship to Etienne.He is an officer now.Did you know it? It is not well that he should have his own way too much.You young men need keeping in hand, or--! Well, you are not vexed because your old aunt tells you the plain truth? I always kept Etienne strictly in hand, for I found it necessary to do so."

"Yes, that is how our relationship stands," she went on."Prince Ivan Ivanovitch is my uncle, and your late mother's uncle also.

Consequently I must have been your mother's first cousin--no, second cousin.Yes, that is it.Tell me, have you been to call on Prince Ivan yet?"

I said no, but that I was just going to.

"Ah, is it possible?" she cried."Why, you ought to have paid him the first call of all! Surely you know that he stands to you in the position of a father? He has no children of his own, and his only heirs are yourself and my children.You ought to pay him all possible deference, both because of his age, and because of his position in the world, and because of everything else.I know that you young fellows of the present day think nothing of relationships and are not fond of old men, yet do you listen to me, your old aunt, for I am fond of you, and was fond of your mother, and had a great--a very great-liking and respect for your grandmother.You must not fail to call upon him on any account."

I said that I would certainly go, and since my present call seemed to me to have lasted long enough, I rose, and was about to depart, but she restrained me.

"No, wait a minute," she cried."Where is your father, Lise? Go and tell him to come here.He will be so glad to see you," she added, turning to me.

Two minutes later Prince Michael entered.He was a short, thick-

set gentleman, very slovenly dressed and ill-shaven, yet wearing such an air of indifference that he looked almost a fool.He was not in the least glad to see me--at all events he did not intimate that he was; but the Princess (who appeared to stand in considerable awe of him) hastened to say:

"Is not Woldemar here" (she seemed to have forgotten my name)

"exactly like his mother?" and she gave her husband a glance which forced him to guess what she wanted.Accordingly he approached me with his usual passionless, half-discontented expression, and held out to me an unshaven cheek to kiss.

"Why, you are not dressed yet, though you have to go out soon!"

was the Princess's next remark to him in the angry tone which she habitually employed in conversation with her domestics."It will only mean your offending some one again, and trying to set people against you."

"In a moment, in a moment, mother," said Prince Michael, and departed.I also made my bows and departed.

This was the first time I had heard of our being related to Prince Ivan Ivanovitch, and the news struck me unpleasantly.

同类推荐
  • The Bickerstaff-Partridge Papers

    The Bickerstaff-Partridge Papers

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • INTENTIONS

    INTENTIONS

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛顶尊胜陀罗尼注义

    佛顶尊胜陀罗尼注义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 续齐谐记

    续齐谐记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 戏中戏

    戏中戏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 杀出天际

    杀出天际

    世界末日仅存的幸存者狼狈渡日。相互猜忌,争斗和妥协成为生存游戏的内容。是孤军奋战还是抱团取暖!抉择在自己的手中。原始的野性可以战胜一切人类自以为信的哲学。活着!每个人都需要活着!等待时间的救赎!
  • 这样的青春刚刚好

    这样的青春刚刚好

    这本书将带领读者进入一个与众不同的初中生活,女主角活泼开朗性格直爽她的初中生活将会发生怎样的故事呢?
  • 明威天下

    明威天下

    同名同姓又长得一模一样的毛文龙,穿越回明朝崇祯二年。不甘心再次沦为朝廷的牺牲品,潜逃他乡,另起炉灶。扯起大旗,佛挡杀佛,神挡杀神,复我汉儿之威!
  • 花姐

    花姐

    杨袭,女,1976年出生于黄河口,08年始在《大家》《作品》《黄河文学》《飞天》《山东文学》等文学杂志发表小说。
  • 家政工

    家政工

    牵藤的一天,最早是在城中村的亲嘴里醒过来的。窗户外投进来一点晨曦,窗台上晾晒着衣衫,在晨风里吹拂着,在瓷地板上投射出摇曳的花影。牵藤睡在双层床的下铺,铺着艳艳的牡丹花凤凰的棉布床单,布枕头里塞满菊花,旧到褴褛的蓝花薄被单,这一套被褥,都是从家带出来的,用了这么些年。躺下来挨上旧棉布,就扑入了睡梦里。起床时亦备觉踏实,格外依恋。因为再见到这套床褥,就是夜了。里的人早起来了,都是急急忙忙的,洗漱的,在厨房里热早饭。牵藤快手快脚地去浴室接了一盆水,洗漱过,从枕头底下摸出一把梳子,飞快地梳好头发,擦点面霜,整整床褥,便扬声出门去。
  • 跛脚的皇帝

    跛脚的皇帝

    他,一个扑街小写手,有朝一日穿越成一个跛脚的皇帝,在这架空的历史王朝,朝局诡诈,宫庭险恶,铁马兵戈,血雨腥风……在这里,有三大王爷的朝局争斗;在这里,有九大美人的宫庭争艳;在这里,有九大皇子的夺嫡之势……他,六下江南又为那般;他,一生都在发动战争,却又如何;他,兴教育,革弊政……而他是又如何在这里,开创出一片大事业?敬请期待《跛脚的皇帝》!书友QQ群:948506569!
  • 天道惆情

    天道惆情

    生来平凡却人人把我当异类,立志要强可人人都来泼冷水,想去忘记但人人都把旧事提。谁说神师是虚妄,谁说凝魂太飘渺,谁说武道多夭折,谁说术法难登天。修仙哪有什么捷径,道途从来都不平坦,天理昭昭造化弄人。就偏不信这个邪与天争命,非得把那条路给走出来,届时强者已成黄土英雄化为传说,站在这世界之巅与你携手冲出这六界轮回藩篱。跳出安乐于祥和的世外桃源,拜别柔情似水的神仙眷侣,放下翻云覆雨的通天权柄。纵然是资质平庸无奇,纵然是道路荆棘丛生,纵然是前途飘渺莫测,直指天心不得大道誓不罢休。看田道清如何纵横捭阖于明争暗斗的轮回旋涡,又是如何一步一步证道明悟。
  • 英雄联盟之最脏新秀

    英雄联盟之最脏新秀

    白峰,把青春献给了电子竞技。为了电竞,他放弃了恋爱,以27岁高龄坚持在电竞是赛场上。结果他迎来的是无尽的羞辱,和粉丝的唾弃!作为一个失败者,他因心脏脱落死在了赛场上。但是上天仿佛听见了他的呐喊,他重生了,拥有十二个赛季的比赛经验,拥有如同黑科技般的未来战术,这一世,他绝对会不一样。更优秀的他虽然依然全身心地把精力投给电竞,但是他曾经喜欢的女生却对他改变了态度。他成为新秀的教科书,他的战术骚不可耐,他是最骚新秀,白峰。
  • 打动人心的68个处世技巧(教你成功丛书)

    打动人心的68个处世技巧(教你成功丛书)

    你的世界由你的嘴巴筑造是否善于说话,关乎一生成败,要闯荡人生必靠说话功夫。翻开这本书,改变就已经开始!口才欠佳的人生是黑白的,口才的好坏可以决定你的一生!本书助你快速掌握各种场合下的口才技巧。快速掌握说话技巧的实用读本。
  • 魔女郡主的绝世家仆

    魔女郡主的绝世家仆

    我,莫湮然——南诏国的纯月郡主,因着小时候的一段过往使我变得身性孤傲,不可一世。我以为这辈子只会爱这一个男人——我的太子哥哥霁弦。小时候的孤寂总有你陪在我身边,于是小小心里种下一颗小小种子——长大了要成为你的太子妃,做你唯一的女人。却不曾想这一小小愿望让我卷进了一个大大的阴谋中。——·——·——·——·——·——·——·——·——·——·——一次偶遇、一场风波、从此一位绝色美男闯入我的世界。父亲突然的叛国,家道中落。为查明这其中真相我毅然踏上寻父路。只是这条路有多远我也不知。幸得遇上这个酷酷山贼——焕琅。你说你从不把任何女人放在眼里,除了我。你为我披荆斩棘,浴血千里,只为帮我寻个答案。我问:“我值得你这样吗”你只默默点头望向我。如何选?如何择?剑不伤人,情伤人!英雄最难过情关!----------------------------------------夜---空---精---灵------------------------------------------------推荐下夜空精灵的最新作品:《魔君,不可以》女主是初化人身的三尾小狐狸,男主是灵力超脱六界的残暴到变态的叱魔帝君殿下!且看,一代狐狸精VS一代魔君完结作品推荐:《帝国之妃》《魔女郡主的绝世家仆》《快感恋人》一杯香茗一卷书,一壶浊酒对斜阳。精灵只想给你闲暇时光带来一点轻松和愉悦。(注:本文是一篇通俗的小白文,没有精美华丽的词句,有的只是它曲折感人的情节!)