'She's as lovely as a queen,' she murmured with motherly pride,'indeed there's no queen like her in the world!'
'There is no one like Gemma in the world!' Sanin chimed in.
'Yes; that's why she is Gemma!' (Gemma, as every one knows, means inItalian a precious stone.)
Gemma flew to kiss her mother.... It seemed as if only then shebreathed freely again, and the load that had been oppressing herdropped from off her soul.
Sanin felt all at once so happy, his heart was filled with suchchildish gaiety at the thought, that here, after all, the dreams hadcome true to which he had abandoned himself not long ago in these veryrooms, his whole being was in such a turmoil that he went quicklyout into the shop. He felt a great desire, come what might, to sellsomething in the shop, as he had done a few days before.... 'I have afull right to do so now!' he felt. 'Why, I am one of the family now!'And he actually stood behind the counter, and actually kept shop, thatis, sold two little girls, who came in, a pound of sweets, giving themfully two pounds, and only taking half the price from them.
At dinner he received an official position, as betrothed, besideGemma. Frau Lenore pursued her practical investigations. Emil keptlaughing and urging Sanin to take him with him to Russia. It wasdecided that Sanin should set off in a fortnight. Only Pantaleoneshowed a somewhat sullen face, so much so that Frau Lenore reproachedhim. 'And he was his second!' Pantaleone gave her a glance from underhis brows.
Gemma was silent almost all the time, but her face had never beenlovelier or brighter. After dinner she called Sanin out a minute intothe garden, and stopping beside the very garden-seat where she hadbeen sorting the cherries two days before, she said to him. 'Dimitri,don't be angry with me; but I must remind you once more that you arenot to consider yourself bound ...'
He did not let her go on....
Gemma turned away her face. 'And as for what mamma spoke of, do youremember, the difference of our religion--see here!...'
She snatched the garnet cross that hung round her neck on a thin cord,gave it a violent tug, snapped the cord, and handed him the cross.
'If I am yours, your faith is my faith!' Sanin's eyes were still wetwhen he went back with Gemma into the house.
By the evening everything went on in its accustomed way. They evenplayed a game of _tresette_.
XXXI
Sanin woke up very early. He found himself at the highest pinnacle ofhuman happiness; but it was not that prevented him from sleeping; thequestion, the vital, fateful question--how he could dispose of hisestate as quickly and as advantageously as possible--disturbed hisrest. The most diverse plans were mixed up in his head, but nothinghad as yet come out clearly. He went out of the house to get air andfreshen himself. He wanted to present himself to Gemma with a projectready prepared and not without.
What was the figure, somewhat ponderous and thick in the legs, butwell-dressed, walking in front of him, with a slight roll and waddlein his gait? Where had he seen that head, covered with tufts of flaxenhair, and as it were set right into the shoulders, that soft cushionyback, those plump arms hanging straight down at his sides? Could it bePolozov, his old schoolfellow, whom he had lost sight of for the lastfive years? Sanin overtook the figure walking in front of him, turnedround.... A broad, yellowish face, little pig's eyes, with whitelashes and eyebrows, a short flat nose, thick lips that looked gluedtogether, a round smooth chin, and that expression, sour, sluggish,and mistrustful--yes; it was he, it was Ippolit Polozov!
'Isn't my lucky star working for me again?' flashed through Sanin'smind.
'Polozov! Ippolit Sidorovitch! Is it you?'
The figure stopped, raised his diminutive eyes, waited a little, andungluing his lips at last, brought out in a rather hoarse falsetto,'Dimitri Sanin?'
'That's me!' cried Sanin, and he shook one of Polozov's hands; arrayedin tight kid-gloves of an ashen-grey colour, they hung as lifeless asbefore beside his barrel-shaped legs. 'Have you been here long? Wherehave you come from? Where are you stopping?'
'I came yesterday from Wiesbaden,' Polozov replied in deliberatetones, 'to do some shopping for my wife, and I'm going back toWiesbaden to-day.'
'Oh, yes! You're married, to be sure, and they say, to such a beauty!'
Polozov turned his eyes away. 'Yes, they say so.'
Sanin laughed. 'I see you're just the same ... as phlegmatic as youwere at school.'
'Why should I be different?'
'And they do say,' Sanin added with special emphasis on the word 'do,''that your wife is very rich.'
'They say that too.'
'Do you mean to say, Ippolit Sidorovitch, you are not certain on thatpoint?'
'I don't meddle, my dear Dimitri ... Pavlovitch? Yes, Pavlovitch!--inmy wife's affairs.'
'You don't meddle? Not in any of her affairs?'
Polozov again shifted his eyes. 'Not in any, my boy. She does as shelikes, and so do I.'
'Where are you going now?' Sanin inquired.
'I'm not going anywhere just now; I'm standing in the street andtalking to you; but when we've finished talking, I'm going back to myhotel, and am going to have lunch.'
'Would you care for my company?'
'You mean at lunch?'
'Yes.'
'Delighted, it's much pleasanter to eat in company. You're not a greattalker, are you?'
'I think not.'
'So much the better.'
Polozov went on. Sanin walked beside him. And Saninspeculated--Polozov's lips were glued together, again he snortedheavily, and waddled along in silence--Sanin speculated in what wayhad this booby succeeded in catching a rich and beautiful wife. Hewas not rich himself, nor distinguished, nor clever; at school he hadpassed for a dull, slow-witted boy, sleepy, and greedy, and had bornethe nickname 'driveller.' It was marvellous!
'But if his wife is very rich, they say she's the daughter of somesort of a contractor, won't she buy my estate? Though he does say hedoesn't interfere in any of his wife's affairs, that passes belief,really! Besides, I will name a moderate, reasonable price! Why nottry? Perhaps, it's all my lucky star.... Resolved! I'll have a try!'
Polozov led Sanin to one of the best hotels in Frankfort, in whichhe was, of course, occupying the best apartments. On the tables andchairs lay piles of packages, cardboard boxes, and parcels. 'Allpurchases, my boy, for Maria Nikolaevna!' (that was the name of thewife of Ippolit Sidorovitch). Polozov dropped into an arm-chair,groaned, 'Oh, the heat!' and loosened his cravat. Then he rang up thehead-waiter, and ordered with intense care a very lavish luncheon.'And at one, the carriage is to be ready! Do you hear, at one o'clocksharp!'
The head-waiter obsequiously bowed, and cringingly withdrew.
Polozov unbuttoned his waistcoat. From the very way in which he raisedhis eyebrows, gasped, and wrinkled up his nose, one could see thattalking would be a great labour to him, and that he was waiting insome trepidation to see whether Sanin was going to oblige him touse his tongue, or whether he would take the task of keeping up theconversation on himself.
Sanin understood his companion's disposition of mind, and so he didnot burden him with questions; he restricted himself to the mostessential. He learnt that he had been for two years in the service (inthe Uhlans! how nice he must have looked in the short uniform jacket!)that he had married three years before, and had now been for two yearsabroad with his wife, 'who is now undergoing some sort of cure atWiesbaden,' and was then going to Paris. On his side too, Sanin didnot enlarge much on his past life and his plans; he went straight tothe principal point--that is, he began talking of his intention ofselling his estate.
Polozov listened to him in silence, his eyes straying from time totime to the door, by which the luncheon was to appear. The luncheondid appear at last. The head-waiter, accompanied by two otherattendants, brought in several dishes under silver covers.
'Is the property in the Tula province?' said Polozov, seating himselfat the table, and tucking a napkin into his shirt collar.
'Yes.'
'In the Efremovsky district
... I know it.'
'Do you know my place, Aleksyevka?' Sanin asked, sitting down too atthe table.
'Yes, I know it.' Polozov thrust in his mouth a piece of omelettewith truffles. 'Maria Nikolaevna, my wife, has an estate in thatneighbourhood.... Uncork that bottle, waiter! You've a good piece ofland, only your peasants have cut down the timber. Why are you sellingit?'
'I want the money, my friend. I would sell it cheap. Come, you mightas well buy it ... by the way.'
Polozov gulped down a glass of wine, wiped his lips with the napkin,and again set to work chewing slowly and noisily.
'Oh,' he enunciated at last.... 'I don't go in for buying estates;I've no capital. Pass the butter. Perhaps my wife now would buy it.You talk to her about it. If you don't ask too much, she's not abovethinking of that.... What asses these Germans are, really! They can'tcook fish. What could be simpler, one wonders? And yet they go onabout "uniting the Fatherland." Waiter, take away that beastly stuff!'
'Does your wife really manage ... business matters herself?' Sanininquired.
'Yes. Try the cutlets--they're good. I can recommend them. I've toldyou already, Dimitri Pavlovitch, I don't interfere in any of my wife'sconcerns, and I tell you so again.'
Polozov went on munching.
'H'm.... But how can I have a talk with her, Ippolit Sidorovitch?'
'It's very simple, Dimitri Pavlovitch. Go to Wiesbaden. It's not farfrom here. Waiter, haven't you any English mustard? No? Brutes! Onlydon't lose any time. We're starting the day after to-morrow. Let mepour you out a glass of wine; it's wine with a bouquet--no vinegarystuff.'
Polozov's face was flushed and animated; it was never animated butwhen he was eating--or drinking.
'Really, I don't know, how that could be managed,' Sanin muttered.
'But what makes you in such a hurry about it all of a sudden?'
'There is a reason for being in a hurry, brother.'
'And do you need a lot of money?'
'Yes, a lot. I ... how can I tell you? I propose ... getting married.'
Polozov set the glass he had been lifting to his lips on the table.
'Getting married!' he articulated in a voice thick with astonishment,and he folded his podgy hands on his stomach. 'So suddenly?'
'Yes ... soon.'
'Your intended is in Russia, of course?'
'No, not in Russia.'
'Where then?'
'Here in Frankfort.'
'And who is she?'
'A German; that is, no--an Italian. A resident here.'
'With a fortune?'
'No, without a fortune.'
'Then I suppose your love is very ardent?'
'How absurd you are! Yes, very ardent.'
'And it's for that you must have money?'
'Well, yes ... yes, yes.'
Polozov gulped down his wine, rinsed his mouth, and washed his hands,carefully wiped them on the napkin, took out and lighted a cigar.Sanin watched him in silence.
'There's one means,' Polozov grunted at last, throwing his head back,and blowing out the smoke in a thin ring. 'Go to my wife. If shelikes, she can take all the bother off your hands.'
'But how can I see your wife? You say you are starting the day afterto-morrow?'
Polozov closed his eyes.
'I'll tell you what,' he said at last, rolling the cigar in his lips,and sighing. 'Go home, get ready as quick as you can, and come here.At one o'clock I am going, there's plenty of room in my carriage. I'lltake you with me. That's the best plan. And now I'm going to have anap. I must always have a nap, brother, after a meal. Nature demandsit, and I won't go against it And don't you disturb me.'
Sanin thought and thought, and suddenly raised his head; he had madeup his mind.
'Very well, agreed, and thank you. At half-past twelve I'll behere, and we'll go together to Wiesbaden. I hope your wife won't beangry....'
But Polozov was already snoring. He muttered, 'Don't disturb me!' gavea kick, and fell asleep, like a baby.
Sanin once more scanned his clumsy figure, his head, his neck, hisupturned chin, round as an apple, and going out of the hotel, set offwith rapid strides to the Rosellis' shop. He had to let Gemma know.
XXXII
He found her in the shop with her mother. Frau Lenore was stoopingdown, measuring with a big folding foot-rule the space between thewindows. On seeing Sanin, she stood up, and greeted him cheerfully,though with a shade of embarrassment.
'What you said yesterday,' she began, 'has set my head in a whirl withideas as to how we could improve our shop. Here, I fancy we might puta couple of cupboards with shelves of looking-glass. You know, that'sthe fashion nowadays. And then ...'
'Excellent, excellent,' Sanin broke in, 'we must think it all over....But come here, I want to tell you something.' He took Frau Lenpre andGemma by the arm, and led them into the next room. Frau Lenore wasalarmed, and the foot-rule slipped out of her hands. Gemma too wasalmost frightened, but she took an intent look at Sanin, and wasreassured. His face, though preoccupied, expressed at the same timekeen self-confidence and determination. He asked both the women to sitdown, while he remained standing before them, and gesticulating withhis hands and ruffling up his hair, he told them all his story; hismeeting with Polozov, his proposed expedition to Wiesbaden, the chanceof selling the estate. 'Imagine my happiness,' he cried in conclusion:'things have taken such a turn that I may even, perhaps, not haveto go to Russia! And we can have our wedding much sooner than I hadanticipated!'
'When must you go?' asked Gemma.
'To-day, in an hour's time; my friend has ordered a carriage--he willtake me.'
'You will write to us?'
'At once! directly I have had a talk with this lady, I will write.'
'This lady, you say, is very rich?' queried the practical Frau Lenore.
'Exceedingly rich! her father was a millionaire, and he lefteverything to her.'
'Everything--to her alone? Well, that's so much the better for you.Only mind, don't let your property go too cheap! Be sensible andfirm. Don't let yourself be carried away! I understand your wishingto be Gemma's husband as soon as possible ... but prudence beforeeverything! Don't forget: the better price you get for your estate,the more there will be for you two, and for your children.'
Gemma turned away, and Sanin gave another wave of his hand. 'You canrely on my prudence, Frau Lenore! Indeed, I shan't do any bargainingwith her. I shall tell her the fair price; if she'll give it--good; ifnot, let her go.'
'Do you know her--this lady?' asked Gemma.
'I have never seen her.'
'And when will you come back?'
'If our negotiations come to nothing--the day after to-morrow; if theyturn out favourably, perhaps I may have to stay a day or two longer.In any case I shall not linger a minute beyond what's necessary. I amleaving my heart here, you know! But I have said what I had to say toyou, and I must run home before setting off too.... Give me your handfor luck, Frau Lenore--that's what we always do in Russia.'
'The right or the left?'
'The left, it's nearer the heart. I shall reappear the day afterto-morrow with my shield or on it! Something tells me I shall comeback in triumph! Good-bye, my good dear ones....'
He embraced and kissed Frau Lenore, but he asked Gemma to follow himinto her room--for just a minute--as he must tell her something ofgreat importance. He simply wanted to say good-bye to her alone. FrauLenore saw that, and felt no curiosity as to the matter of such greatimportance.
Sanin had never been in Gemma's room before. All the magic of love,all its fire and rapture and sweet terror, seemed to flame up andburst into his soul, directly he crossed its sacred threshold.... Hecast a look of tenderness about him, fell at the sweet girl's feet andpressed his face against her waist....
'You are mine,' she whispered: 'you will be back soon?'
'I am yours. I will come back,' he declared, catching his breath.
'I shall be longing for you back, my dear one!'
A fe
w instants later Sanin was running along the street to hislodging. He did not even notice that Pantaleone, all dishevelled, haddarted out of the shop-door after him, and was shouting something tohim and was shaking, as though in menace, his lifted hand.
* * * * *
Exactly at a quarter to one Sanin presented himself before Polozov.The carriage with four horses was already standing at the hotel gates.On seeing Sanin, Polozov merely commented, 'Oh! you've made up yourmind?' and putting on his hat, cloak, and over-shoes, and stuffingcotton-wool into his ears, though it was summer-time, went out on tothe steps. The waiters, by his directions, disposed all his numerouspurchases in the inside of the carriage, lined the place where hewas to sit with silk cushions, bags, and bundles, put a hamper ofprovisions for his feet to rest on, and tied a trunk on to the box.Polozov paid with a liberal hand, and supported by the deferentialdoor-keeper, whose face was still respectful, though he was unseenbehind him, he climbed gasping into the carriage, sat down,disarranged everything about him thoroughly, took out and lighted acigar, and only then extended a finger to Sanin, as though to say,'Get in, you too!' Sanin placed himself beside him. Polozov sentorders by the door-keeper to the postillion to drive carefully--if hewanted drinks; the carriage steps grated, the doors slammed, and thecarriage rolled off.
XXXIII
It takes less than an hour in these days by rail from Frankfort toWiesbaden; at that time the extra post did it in three hours. Theychanged horses five times. Part of the time Polozov dozed and part ofthe time he simply shook from side to side, holding a cigar in histeeth; he talked very little; he did not once look out of the window;picturesque views did not interest them; he even announced that'nature was the death of him!' Sanin did not speak either, nor did headmire the scenery; he had no thought for it. He was all absorbed inreflections and memories. At the stations Polozov paid with exactness,took the time by his watch, and tipped the postillions--more orless--according to their zeal. When they had gone half way, he tooktwo oranges out of the hamper of edibles, and choosing out the better,offered the other to Sanin. Sanin looked steadily at his companion,and suddenly burst out laughing.
Veshnie vody. English Page 10
