Fyodor Fedoritch was not however quite at ease; he felt something like a stir of envy within him... and was generously indignant with himself.
Nenila Makarievna came down into the drawing-room. Tea was brought in.
Mr. Perekatov made his dog jump several times over a stick, and then explained he had taught it everything himself, while the dog wagged its tail deferentially, licked itself and blinked. When at last the great heat began to lessen, and an evening breeze blew up, the whole family went out for a walk in the birch copse. Fyodor Fedoritch was continually glancing at Masha, as though giving her to understand that he would carry out her behests; Masha felt at once vexed with herself, and happy and uncomfortable. Kister suddenly, apropos of nothing, plunged into a rather high-flown discourse upon love in the abstract, and upon friendship... but catching Nenila Makarievna"s bright and vigilant eye he, as abruptly, changed the subject. The sunset was brilliant and glowing. A broad, level meadow lay outstretched before the birch copse.
Masha took it into her head to start a game of "catch-catch."
Maid-servants and footmen came out; Mr. Perekatov stood with his wife, Kister with Masha. The maids ran with deferential little shrieks; Mr.
Perekatov"s valet had the temerity to separate Nenila Makarievna from her spouse; one of the servant-girls respectfully paired off with her master; Fyodor Fedoritch was not parted from Masha. Every time as he regained his place, he said two or three words to her; Masha, all flushed with running, listened to him with a smile, pa.s.sing her hand over her hair. After supper, Kister took leave.
It was a still, starlight night. Kister took off his cap. He was excited; there was a lump in his throat. "Yes," he said at last, almost aloud; "she loves him: I will bring them together; I will justify her confidence in me." Though there was as yet nothing to prove a definite pa.s.sion for Lutchkov on Masha"s part, though, according to her own account, he only excited her curiosity, Kister had by this time made up a complete romance, and worked out his own duty in the matter. He resolved to sacrifice his feelings--the more readily as "so far I have no other sentiment for her but sincere devotion," thought he. Kister really was capable of sacrificing himself to friendship, to a recognised duty. He had read a great deal, and so fancied himself a person of experience and even of penetration; he had no doubt of the truth of his suppositions; he did not suspect that life is endlessly varied, and never repeats itself. Little by little, Fyodor Fedoritch worked himself into a state of ecstasy. He began musing with emotion on his mission. To be the mediator between a shy, loving girl and a man possibly embittered only because he had never once in his life loved and been loved; to bring them together; to reveal their own feelings to them, and then to withdraw, letting no one know the greatness of his sacrifice, what a splendid feat! In spite of the coolness of the night, the simple-hearted dreamer"s face burned....
Next day he went round to Lutchkov early in the morning.
Avdey Ivanovitch was, as usual, lying on the sofa, smoking a pipe.
Kister greeted him.
"I was at the Perekatovs yesterday," he said with some solemnity.
"Ah!" Lutchkov responded indifferently, and he yawned.
"Yes. They are splendid people."
"Really?"
"We talked about you."
"Much obliged; with which of them was that?"
"With the old people... and the daughter too."
"Ah! that... little fat thing?"
"She"s a splendid girl, Lutchkov."
"To be sure, they"re all splendid."
"No, Lutchkov, you don"t know her. I have never met such a clever, sweet and sensitive girl."
Lutchkov began humming through his nose:
"In the Hamburg Gazette, You"ve read, I dare say, How the year before last, Munich gained the day...."
"But I a.s.sure you...."
"You "re in love with her, Fedya," Lutchkov remarked sarcastically.
"Not at all. I never even thought of it."
"Fedya, you"re in love with her!"
"What nonsense! As if one couldn"t..."
"You"re in love with her, friend of my heart, beetle on my hearth,"
Avdey Ivanovitch chanted drawling.
"Ah, Avdey, you really ought to be ashamed!" Kister said with vexation.
With any one else Lutchkov would thereupon have kept on more than before; Kister he did not tease. "Well, well, sprechen Sie deutsch, Ivan Andreitch," he muttered in an undertone, "don"t be angry."
"Listen, Avdey," Kister began warmly, and he sat down beside him. "You know I care for you." (Lutchkov made a wry face.) "But there"s one thing, I"ll own, I don"t like about you... it"s just that you won"t make friends with any one, that you will stick at home, and refuse all intercourse with nice people. Why, there are nice people in the world, hang it all! Suppose you have been deceived in life, have been embittered, what of it; there"s no need to rush into people"s arms, of course, but why turn your back on everybody? Why, you"ll cast me off some day, at that rate, I suppose."
Lutchkov went on smoking coolly.
"That"s how it is no one knows you... except me; goodness knows what some people think of you... Avdey!" added Kister after a brief silence; "do you disbelieve in virtue, Avdey?"
"Disbelieve... no, I believe in it,"... muttered Lutchkov.
Kister pressed his hand feelingly.
"I want," he went on in a voice full of emotion, "to reconcile you with life. You will grow happier, blossom out... yes, blossom out. How I shall rejoice then! Only you must let me dispose of you now and then, of your time. To-day it"s--what? Monday... to-morrow"s Tuesday... on Wednesday, yes, on Wednesday we"ll go together to the Perekatovs". They will be so glad to see you... and we shall have such a jolly time there... and now let me have a pipe."
Avdey Ivanovitch lay without budging on the sofa, staring at the ceiling. Kister lighted a pipe, went to the window, and began drumming on the panes with his fingers.
"So they"ve been talking about me?" Avdey asked suddenly.
"They have," Kister responded with meaning.
"What did they say?"
"Oh, they talked. There"re very anxious to make your acquaintance."
"Which of them"s that?"
"I say, what curiosity!"
Avdey called his servant, and ordered his horse to be saddled.
"Where are you off to?"
"The riding-school."
"Well, good-bye. So we"re going to the Perekatovs", eh?"
"All right, if you like," Lutchkov said lazily, stretching.
"Bravo, old man!" cried Kister, and he went out into the street, pondered, and sighed deeply.
IV