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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。



XX



THE　IWINS



As　for　the　prospect　of　my　call　upon　the　Prince；　it　seemed　even

more　unpleasant。　However；　the　order　of　my　route　took　me　first　to

the　Iwins；　who　lived　in　a　large　and　splendid　mansion　in　Tverskaia

Street。　It　was　not　without　some　nervousness　that　I　entered　the

great　portico　where　a　Swiss　major…domo　stood　armed　with　his　staff

of　office。



To　my　inquiry　as　to　whether　any　one　was　at　home　he　replied：　〃Whom

do　you　wish　to　see；　sir？　The　General's　son　is　within。〃



〃And　the　General　himself？〃　I　asked　with　forced　assurance。



〃I　must　report　to　him　your　business　first。　What　may　it　be；　sir？〃

said　the　major…domo　as　he　rang　a　bell。　Immediately　the　gaitered

legs　of　a　footman　showed　themselves　on　the　staircase　above；

whereupon　I　was　seized　with　such　a　fit　of　nervousness　that　I

hastily　bid　the　lacquey　say　nothing　about　my　presence　to　the

General；　since　I　would　first　see　his　son。　By　the　time　I　had

reached　the　top　of　the　long　staircase；　I　seemed　to　have　grown

extremely　small　（metaphorically；　I　mean；　not　actually）；　and　had

very　much　the　same　feeling　within　me　as　had　possessed　my　soul

when　my　drozhki　drew　up　to　the　great　portico；　namely；　a　feeling

as　though　drozhki；　horse；　and　coachman　had　all　of　them　grown

extremely　small　too。　I　found　the　General's　son　lying　asleep　on　a

sofa；　with　an　open　book　before　him。　His　tutor；　Monsieur　Frost；

under　whose　care　he　still　pursued　his　studies　at　home；　had

entered　behind　me　with　a　sort　of　boyish　tread；　and　now　awoke　his

pupil。　Iwin　evinced　no　particular　pleasure　at　seeing　me；　while　I

also　seemed　to　notice　that；　while　talking　to　me；　he　kept　looking

at　my　eyebrows。　Although　he　was　perfectly　polite；　I　conceived

that　he　was　〃entertaining〃　me　much　as　the　Princess　Valakhin　had

done；　and　that　he　not　only　felt　no　particular　liking　for　me；　but

even　that　he　considered　my　acquaintance　in　no　way　necessary　to

one　who　possessed　his　own　circle　of　friends。　All　this　arose　out

of　the　idea　that　he　was　regarding　my　eyebrows。　In　short；　his

bearing　towards　me　appeared　to　be　（as　I　recognised　with　an

awkward　sensation）　very　much　the　same　as　my　own　towards　Ilinka

Grap。　I　began　to　feel　irritated；　and　to　interpret　every　fleeting

glance　which　he　cast　at　Monsieur　Frost　as　a　mute　inquiry：　〃Why

has　this　fellow　come　to　see　me？〃



After　some　conversation　he　remarked　that　his　father　and　mother

were　at　home。　Would　I　not　like　to　visit　them　too？



〃First　I　will　go　and　dress　myself；〃　he　added　as　he　departed　to

another　room；　notwithstanding　that　he　had　seemed　to　be　perfectly

well　dressed　（in　a　new　frockcoat　and　white　waistcoat）　in　the

present　one。　A　few　minutes　later　he　reappeared　in　his　University

uniform；　buttoned　up　to　the　chin；　and　we　went　downstairs

together。　The　reception　rooms　through　which　we　passed　were　lofty

and　of　great　size；　and　seemed　to　be　richly　furnished　with　marble

and　gilt　ornaments；　chintz…covered　settees；　and　a　number　of

mirrors。　Presently　Madame　Iwin　met　us；　and　we　went　into　a　little

room　behind　the　drawing…room；　where；　welcoming　me　in　very

friendly　fashion；　she　seated　herself　by　my　side；　and　began　to

inquire　after　my　relations。



Closer　acquaintance　with　Madame　（whom　I　had　seen　only　twice

before；　and　that　but　for　a　moment　on　each　occasion）　impressed　me

favourably。　She　was　tall；　thin；　and　very　pale；　and　looked　as

though　she　suffered　from　chronic　depression　and　fatigue。　Yet；

though　her　smile　was　a　sad　one；　it　was　very　kind；　and　her　large；

mournful　eyes；　with　a　slight　cast　in　their　vision；　added　to　the

pathos　and　attractiveness　of　her　expression。　Her　attitude；　while

not　precisely　that　of　a　hunchback；　made　her　whole　form　droop；

while　her　every　movement　expressed　languor。　Likewise；　though　her

speech　was　deliberate；　the　timbre　of　her　voice；　and　the　manner　in

which　she　lisped　her　r's　and　l's；　were　very　pleasing　to　the　ear。

Finally；　she　did　not　〃ENTERTAIN〃　me。　Unfortunately；　the　answers

which　I　returned　to　her　questions　concerning　my　relations　seemed

to　afford　her　a　painful　interest；　and　to　remind　her　of　happier

days：　with　the　result　that　when；　presently；　her　son　left　the

room；　she　gazed　at　me　in　silence　for　a　moment；　and　then　burst

into　tears。　As　I　sat　there　in　mute　bewilderment；　I　could　not

conceive　what　I　had　said　to　bring　this　about。　At　first　I　felt

sorry　for　her　as　she　sat　there　weeping　with　downcast　eyes。　Next

I　began　to　think　to　myself：　〃Ought　I　not　to　try　and　comfort　her；

and　how　ought　that　to　be　done？〃　Finally；　I　began　to　feel　vexed

with　her　for　placing　me　in　such　an　awkward　position。　〃Surely　my

appearance　is　not　so　moving　as　all　that？〃　I　reflected。　〃Or　is　she

merely　acting　like　this　to　see　what　I　shall　do　under　the

circumstances？〃



〃Yet　it　would　not　do　for　me　to　go；〃　I　continued　to　myself；　for

that　would　look　too　much　as　though　I　were　fleeing　to　escape　her

tears。〃　Accordingly　I　began　fidgeting　about　on　my　seat；　in　order

to　remind　her　of　my　presence。



〃Oh；　how　foolish　of　me！〃　at　length　she　said；　as　she　gazed　at　me

for　a　moment　and　tried　to　smile。　〃There　are　days　when　one　weeps

for　no　reason　whatever。〃　She　felt　about　for　her　handkerchief；　and

then　burst　out　weeping　more　violently　than　before。



〃Oh　dear！　How　silly　of　me　to　be　for　ever　crying　like　this！　Yet　I

was　so　fond　of　your　mother！　We　were　such　friends！　We…we〃



At　this　point　she　found　her　handkerchief；　and；　burying　her　face

in　it；　went　on　crying。　Once　more　I　found　myself　in　the　same

protracted　dilemma。　Though　vexed；　I　felt　sorry　for　her；　since　her

tears　appeared　to　be　genuineeven　though　I　also　had　an　idea　that

it　was　not　so　much　for　my　mother　that　she　was　weeping　as　for　the

fact　that　she　was　unhappy；　and　had　known　happier　days。　How　it

would　all　have　ended　I　do　not　know；　had　not　her　son　reappeared

and　said　that　his　father　desired　to　see　her。　Thereupon　she　rose；

and　was　just　about　to　leave　the　room；　when　the　General　himself

entered。　He　was　a　small；　grizzled；　thick…set　man；　with　bushy

black　eyebrows；　a　grey；　close…cropped　head；　and　a　very　stern；

haughty　expression　of　countenance。



I　rose　and　bowed　to　him；　but　the　General　（who　was　wearing　three

stars　on　his　green　frockcoat）　not　only　made　no　response　to　my

salutation；　but　scarcely　even　looked　at　me；　so　that　all　at　once　I

felt　as　though　I　were　not　a　human　being　at　all；　but　only　some

negligible　object　such　as　a　settee　or　window；　or；　if　I　were　a

human　being；　as　though　I　were　quite　indistinguishable　from　such　a

negligible　object。



〃Then　you　have　not　yet　written　to　the　Countess；　my　dear？〃　he　said

to　his　wife　in　French；　and　with　an　imperturbable；　yet　determined；

expression　on　his　countenance。



〃Good…bye；　Monsieur　Irtenieff；〃　Madame　said　to　me；　in　her　turn；

as　she　made　a　proud　gesture　with　her　head　and　looked　at　my

eyebrows　just　as　her　son　had　done。　I　bowed　to　her；　and　again　to

her　husband；　but　my　second　salutation　made　no　more　impression

upon　him　than　if　a　window　had　just　been　opened　or　closed。

Nevertheless　the　younger　Iwin　accompanied　me　to　the　door；　and　on

the　way　told　me　that　he　was　to　go　to　St。　Petersburg　University；

since　his　father　had　been　appointed　to　a　post　in　that　city　（and

young　Iwin　named　a　very　high　office　in　the　service）。



〃Well；　his　Papa　may　do　whatsoever　he　likes；〃　I　muttered　to　myself

as　I　climbed　into　the　drozhki；　〃but　at　all　events　I　will　never

set　foot　in　that　house　again。　His　wife　weeps　and　looks　at　me　as

though　I　were　the　embodiment　of　woe；　while　that　old　pig　of　a

General　does　not　even　give　me　a　bow。　However；　I　will　get　even

with　him　some　day。〃　How　I　meant　to　do　that　I　do　not　know；　but　my

words　nevertheless　came　true。



Afterwards；　I　frequently　found　it　necessary　to　remember　the　advice

of　my　father　when　he　said　that　I　must　cultivate　the

acquaintanceship　of　the　Iwins；　and　not　expect　a　man　in　the

position　of　General　Iwin　to　pay　any　attention　to　a　boy　like

myself。　But　I　had　figured　in　that　position　long　enough。



XXI



PRINCE　IVAN　IVANOVITCH



〃Now　for　the　last　callthe　visit　to　Nikitskaia　Street；〃　I　said

to　Kuzma；　and　we　started　for　Prince　Ivan　Ivanovitch's　mansion。



Towards　the　end；　a　round　of　calls　usually　brings　one　a　certain

amount　of　self…assurance：　consequently　I　was　approaching　the

Prince's　abode　in　quite　a　tranquil　frame　of　mind；　when　suddenly　I

remembered　the　Princess　Kornakoff's　words　that　I　was　his　heir；

and　at　the　same　moment　caught　sight　of　two　carriages　waiting　at

the　portico。　Instantly；　my　former　nervousness　returned。



Both　the　old　major…domo　who　opened　the　door　to　me；　and　the

footman　who　took　my　coat；　and　the　two　male　and　three　female

visitors　whom　I　found　in　the　drawing…room；　and；　most　of　all；

Prince　Ivan　Ivanovitch　himself　（whom　I　found　clad　in　a　〃company〃

frockcoat　and　seated　on　a　sofa）　seemed　to　look　at　me　as　at　an

HEIR；　and　so　to　eye　me　with　ill…will。　Yet　the　Prince　was　very

gracious　and；　after　kissing　me　（that　is　to　say；　after　pressing

his　cold；　dry；　flabby　lips　to　my　cheek　for　a　second）；　asked　me

about　my　plans　and　pursuits；　jested　with　me；　inquired　whether　I

still　wrote　verses　of　the　kind　which　I　used　to　indite　in　honour

of　my　grandmother's　birthdays；　and　invited　me　to　dine　with　him

that　day。　Nevertheless；　in　proportion　as　he　grew　the　kinder；　the

more　did　I　feel　persuaded　that