blessed stagnation ! And all live unconfined, with space to move in ; no one is cooped up; even the cocks and hens can run about in the streets, while the goats and cows nip the grass and the children are flying kites.
It is even more painful for the provincial when he comes to one of those houses with a letter of introduction. He imagines that they will receive him with open arms, that they will make much of him, give him the most comfortable chair, and the best of everything; that they will skilfully sound him as to his favourite dishes; how he will be em-
barrassed by their warmth, and how finally he will throw aside all ceremony and embrace his host and hostess, will call them ' thou,' as though they had been friends for twenty years; how all would drink together, perhaps sing songs in chorus
When he is there! they hardly look at him, and frowning, excuse themselves on the plea of engagement; if they have a business., then it begins at a fixed hour, and then they do not dine or sup, and of taking ' nips ' they know nothing —not even vodka and biscuits. The host retreats from his embrace and looks in a strange way at his guest. In the next room he hears the clatter of knives and forks; they should invite him in there, but they try to avoid his skilful
hints Everywhere there are closed doors, everywhere
bells; isn't it pitiful ? and such cold inhospitable faces. But away at home one may venture to walk in; if they have finished dinner, why they will dine again with their guest; the samovar is on the table from morning till night, and there are no bells even in the shops. They embrace, they kiss every one who comes. A neighbour there is really a neighbour, they live hand in hand, and heart in heart; a kinsman is so much a kinsman; he would die for one of his own people—ah ! it is depressing !
Alexandr went as far as the Admiralty Square, and stood there quite overwhelmed. He stopped in rapt enthusiasm before the statue of Peter the Great. He gazed at the Neva and the buildings surrounding it, and his eyes sparkled. He felt suddenly ashamed of his preference for shaky bridges, little gardens and tumble-down fences. He grew happy and lighthearted. Even the bustle and the crowd all took a different significance in his eyes. His aspirations, which had been overclouded for a time by painful impressions, grew bright again; a new life seemed to open its arms to him, and tempted him to the unknown. His heart beat violently. He dreamt of noble effort, of lofty aspirations and stepped proudly along the Nevsky Prospect,
considering himself a citizen of a new world Full
of such dreams, he returned home.
In the evening at eleven o'clock, his uncle sent up to summon him to tea.
'I am only just home from the theatre,' said his uncle, lying down on the sofa.
' What a pity you did not tell me sooner, uncle, I would have gone with you.'
'' I was in the stalls. Where would you have been, sitting on my knee ? ' said Piotr I vanitch. ' Go by yourself to-morrow,'
' It's so depressing to be alone in a crowd, uncle, to have no one to share your impressions with.'
' And why should you? You will have to learn to think, and to feel, in fact to live alone ; it is necessary now. But you pjLijj&kJx^be suit ably p ressed before you go tO .the tneatre.'
Alexandr looked at his clothes and wondered at his uncle's words. ' In what way am I unsuitably dressed ? ' he thought, ' I have a blue coat and blue trousers.
' I have a lot of clothes, uncle,'* he said, ' made by
Kcenigstein; he makes for our governor.'
j ' Never mind; still it will not do; in a day or two I will
I .send you to my own tailorj ) but that's a detail. We have
something more importantio talk about. Tell me, why did
you come here ? '
' I came .... to live here.'
' To live ? Well if you understand by that term, to eat, to drink, and to sleep, then it was not worth the trouble of coming so far : you will not be able either to sleep or to eat here as you can there at home; but if you meant something else please explain yourself.'
' To enjoy life, I meant to say,' said Alexandr, blushing all over; ' I was tired of the country—it is always the same and . . . .'
' Ah ! that's another thing ! What, you want to take aflat in the Nevsky Prospect, set up a carrage, make a large circle of acquaintances and have reception-days ? '
'But would not that cost a great deal?' remarked Alexandr naively.
' Your mother writes that she has given you a thousand roubles; that is not much,' said Piotr Ivanitch. 'An acquaintance of mine came here not long ago, he, too, was tired of the country ; he wanted to enjoy life, so he brought fifty thousand and will receive as much every year. He will certainly enjoy life in Petersburg, but you—no ! you did not come up for that.'
' From your words, uncle, it seems to follow that I don't know myself why I came.'
' Exactly so; that's well said; that's the truth; only I don't quite approve of it Did you not, when you prepared to come here, put to yourself the question: why am I going ? That would not have been inappropriate.'
' Before putting to myself the question, I had the answer ready,' replied Alexandr with pride.
' Then why did you not tell it ? Well, why ? '
' I was carried along by an irresistible yearning, by a thirst for noble activity; a longing burned within me to illustrate and to realise . . . .'
Piotr Ivanitch rose a little from the sofa, took his cigar out of his mouth and pricked up his ears.
'To give effect to the aspirations, which surged '
' Don't you write verses ?' asked Piotr Ivanitch suddenly.
' Yes, and prose, too, uncle shall I fetch some ? '
'No, no !—some future time; I only asked.'
'And why?'
' Because you talk so. . . .'
' Badly ? '
' No—perhaps very well, only strangely.'
'Our professor of aesthetics talked like that, and he was considered the most eloquent of the professors,' said Alex-andr in confusion. . ' What did he talk about in that way ? '
'About his subject.'
'Ah!'
' How am I to talk then, uncle?'
' Rather more simply, like everyone else, and not like a lecturer on aesthetics. However, it is impossible for you to change all of a sudden; later on you will see for yourself. You mean to say, it appears, so far as I can recall your University jargon and translate your words, that youj:ame here to make a career and a fortune. . . . Isn't it so ? '
' Yes, uncle, a career.'
' And fortune ? ' added Piotr Ivanitch; ' what is a career without a fortune ? The idea is very fine; only—it was a mistake for you to come.'
'Why so? I hardly think you say that from your own experience?' said Alexandr looking around him.
'That's neatly said. Certainly I am well off and my
business is pretty fair. But I only consider—you and I— there's a great difference.'
' I never ventured to compare myself with you.'*
' That's not the point, you are perhaps ten times as wise and good as I ... . but your nature, I fancy, is not capable of adapting itself to a new standard, and your standard at home—oh, oh ! You have been petted and spoiled by your mother; how are you to put up with what I put up with ? r You are bound to be a dreamer, and a dreamer is nowhere I at all here; people like us come here to work.'
' Perhaps I am fit for work of some sort, if you will give me the benefit of your advice and experience.'
' Advise you—I am afraid to do it. I could not answer for your countryman's nature; things would go wrong, and you would reproach me; but as for telling you my opinions —well—I will not refuse, you may listen or not as you please. But no! I don't expect success. You have your own way of looking at life in the country; how are you to work it in ? You country-people are mad over love and friendship and the delights of life and happiness; you imagine that
