登陆注册
5382300000143

第143章 CHAPTER XXI(7)

The difference in their lives and characters is reflected in their outward appearance. Ivan Ivan'itch, as we know, is portly in form and heavy in all his movements, and loves to loll in his arm-chair or to loaf about the house in a capacious dressing-gown. The General, on the contrary, is thin, wiry, and muscular, wears habitually a close-buttoned military tunic, and always has a stern expression, the force of which is considerably augmented by a bristly moustache resembling a shoe-brush. As he paces up and down the room, knitting his brows and gazing at the floor, he looks as if he were forming combinations of the first magnitude; but those who know him well are aware that this is an optical delusion, of which he is himself to some extent a victim. He is quite innocent of deep thought and concentrated intellectual effort. Though he frowns so fiercely he is by no means of a naturally ferocious temperament. Had he passed all his life in the country he would probably have been as good-natured and phlegmatic as Ivan Ivan'itch himself, but, unlike that worshipper of tranquillity, he had aspired to rise in the service, and had adopted the stern, formal bearing which the Emperor Nicholas considered indispensable in an officer. The manner which he had at first put on as part of his uniform became by the force of habit almost a part of his nature, and at the age of thirty he was a stern disciplinarian and uncompromising formalist, who confined his attention exclusively to drill and other military duties. Thus he rose steadily by his own merit, and reached the goal of his early ambition--the rank of general.

As soon as this point was reached he determined to leave the service and retire to his property. Many considerations urged him to take this step. He enjoyed the title of Excellency which he had long coveted, and when he put on his full uniform his breast was bespangled with medals and decorations. Since the death of his father the revenues of his estate had been steadily decreasing, and report said that the best wood in his forest was rapidly disappearing. His wife had no love for the country, and would have preferred to settle in Moscow or St. Petersburg, but they found that with their small income they could not live in a large town in a style suitable to their rank.

The General determined to introduce order into his estate, and become a practical farmer; but a little experience convinced him that his new functions were much more difficult than the commanding of a regiment. He has long since given over the practical management of the property to a steward, and he contents himself with exercising what he imagines to be an efficient control.

Though he wishes to do much, he finds small scope for his activity, and spends his days in pretty much the same way as Ivan Ivan'itch, with this difference, that he plays cards whenever he gets an opportunity, and reads regularly the Moscow Gazette and Russki Invalid, the official military paper. What specially interests him is the list of promotions, retirements, and Imperial rewards for merit and seniority. When he sees the announcement that some old comrade has been made an officer of his Majesty's suite or has received a grand cordon, he frowns a little more than usual, and is tempted to regret that he retired from the service. Had he waited patiently, perhaps a bit of good fortune might have fallen likewise to his lot. This idea takes possession of him, and during the remainder of the day he is taciturn and morose. His wife notices the change, and knows the reason of it, but has too much good sense and tact to make any allusion to the subject.

Anna Alexandrovna--as the good lady is called--is an elderly dame who does not at all resemble the wife of Ivan Ivan'itch. She was long accustomed to a numerous military society, with dinner-

parties, dancing, promenades, card-playing, and all the other amusements of garrison life, and she never contracted a taste for domestic concerns. Her knowledge of culinary affairs is extremely vague, and she has no idea of how to make preserves, nalivka, and other home-made delicacies, though Maria Petrovna, who is universally acknowledged to be a great adept in such matters, has proposed a hundred times to give her some choice recipes. In short, domestic affairs are a burden to her, and she entrusts them as far as possible to the housekeeper. Altogether she finds country life very tiresome, but, possessing that placid, philosophical temperament which seems to have some casual connection with corpulence, she submits without murmuring, and tries to lighten a little the unavoidable monotony by paying visits and receiving visitors. The neighbours within a radius of twenty miles are, with few exceptions, more or less of the Ivan Ivan'itch and Maria Petrovna type--decidedly rustic in their manners and conceptions; but their company is better than absolute solitude, and they have at least the good quality of being always able and willing to play cards for any number of hours. Besides this, Anna Alexandrovna has the satisfaction of feeling that amongst them she is almost a great personage, and unquestionably an authority in all matters of taste and fashion; and she feels specially well disposed towards those of them who frequently address her as "Your Excellency."

The chief festivities take place on the "name-days" of the General and his spouse--that is to say, the days sacred to St. Nicholas and St. Anna. On these occasions all the neighbours come to offer their congratulations, and remain to dinner as a matter of course.

同类推荐
  • 聊斋志异

    聊斋志异

    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。
  • 铁关刀

    铁关刀

    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。
  • 十二门论品

    十二门论品

    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。
  • The Lady From The Sea

    The Lady From The Sea

    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。
  • 归戒要集

    归戒要集

    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
  • 魔武横歌

    魔武横歌

    魔帝猖獗出乱世,狼烟四起为八方。武帝雄威震四方,踏足顶峰两相忘。横扫天武谁能敌,风云涌动震八荒。歌唱别曲相思雨,欢聚离别天地殇。修炼一途哪有聚,九死一生英雄场。消沉渡日梦何在,平定乱世自逍遥。
  • 国民老公娶回家

    国民老公娶回家

    豪华婚礼上前男友突然出现随之新婚丈夫的追求者前来捣乱!这是一场注定艰难的协议婚姻!情敌不断然而偏偏还不能离婚不说,对眼前这个完美丈夫脸红心跳会不会算犯规呢?
  • 夫如一夜春风来

    夫如一夜春风来

    东羽国国舅宋意天因风流多情而备受这个国家的女人倾慕,外号国民相公。东羽国才女上官想因为一个意外与宋意天传绯闻传的沸沸扬扬。皇帝为了解决掉宋意天这个行走着的四处勾人烂桃花,于是一纸婚书让两个画风完全不一致的冤家成了一家。婚后,宋意天为完成救国就民的英雄大业,抛家弃妻,闯荡江湖,上官想为了完成宋家指标传宗接代,顶风作案,夫唱妇随,从帝京追他到了益州。上官想也因此结识了宋意天的师父,名门剑派的庄主章玦,身兼数职多重身份的江湖游侠夏游,流镜派美女掌门风涵秀,强盗联盟女当家余瑛则。
  • 神医贵女:腹黑将军请留步

    神医贵女:腹黑将军请留步

    大陆天才神医炼药师云诗瑶,虽然头顶光环,身边却是杀机四伏。神秘铁血将军百里子谦,神秘莫测,冷血霸道。当云诗瑶一次又一次有意无意的对他出手相救之后。他霸道的说:“你就是我命中注定的那个贵人,所以,从此以后,你只能留在我的身边。”云诗瑶呵呵一笑:“要留住我,那也要你有那个本事才行。”可刚一离开,云诗瑶就后悔了。她回头追上百里子谦:“喂,那个什么将军,请留步!”
  • TF少年盛世

    TF少年盛世

    我本是女娲娘娘身边最后一诛幸存的"四叶草",我因受天上"三位天使"两千年来细心的照料,幸而转化成人,取名戚百草。本来已经动心的他,却在野营的途中看着她在他眼前坠落悬崖,当她再次回到他的身边的时候,她已经完完全全的忘记了他,他痛苦并难过着,他该如何去追回她呢。"爱情"是人类永恒的主题,看由四叶草仙子转化而成的人类戚百草是如何进行一场爱恋的吧。羽毛家庭群号码:493983351欢迎大家加入讨论哦。
  • 萌妖来袭:邪王敛财妃

    萌妖来袭:邪王敛财妃

    她是二十一世纪的狐妖,因为渡劫失败穿越。他,天下人敬畏的战神,更是身份高贵的王族之后,实力卓越,颜高钱多。她,却是一个人见人欺的草包,偏偏跟他自小就有婚约。她敛财喜欢顺手牵羊,却成为了他与她早就轻易相通。她喜欢卖萌耍贱,他全心全力的配合,简称:夫妻同心。大婚当天,两人写下协议,他却不要脸道:”娘子,你若服侍好我,你想要的店铺,条件都依你如何?嗯哼?“卖萌邀请,这换做谁能够抗住?节操什么的都见鬼去吧“
  • 喀尔巴阡城堡(语文新课标课外必读第八辑)

    喀尔巴阡城堡(语文新课标课外必读第八辑)

    国家教育部颁布了最新《语文课程标准》,统称新课标,对中、小学语文教学指定了阅读书目,对阅读的数量、内容、质量以及速度都提出了明确的要求,这对于提高学生的阅读能力,培养语文素养,陶冶情操,促进学生终身学习和终身可持续发展,对于提高广大人民的文学素养具有极大的意义。
  • 贞陵遗事

    贞陵遗事

    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。
  • Legends and Lyrics

    Legends and Lyrics

    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。
  • 秋灯对雨寄史近崔积

    秋灯对雨寄史近崔积

    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。