“Such and such is the state of things, Alekséi Petróvitch: I know that it is a very serious risk for you to undertake; it is right enough if we get reconciled with the parents, but suppose they begin a lawsuit? There may be some trouble for you, and there probably will be; but—”
Lopukhóf could not find in his mind anything to attach to his “but,” for how in the world can you persuade a man to put his neck for your sake into a noose?
Mertsálof was also in a quandary, and tried hard to find a “but” which would authorize him to run such a risk, and he had no better success in getting beyond the “but.”
“How can we arrange this matter? I should certainly like to. What you are doing now, I did a year ago, and I gave up my liberty just as you are going to do! I have some scruples, but I must help you out of it. Yet when one has a wife, it is rather dangerous to go ahead without precaution.”
“How are you? good evening, Alósha: all my people send their best regards to you. How are you, Lopukhóf; we haven’t seen you for a long time. What is this that you are speaking here about a wife? Oh, yes, the wives are always to blame!”
This was said by a young married woman of about seventeen who had just come in from a visit to her parents; she was a pretty and lively blondinka.
Mertsálof told his wife about the state of things. The young woman’s eyes flashed.
“Alósha, they will not eat you up!”
“There is a risk, Natasha!”
“A very large risk,” said Lopukhóf in corroboration.
“Well, what can be done? you must run the risk, Alósha, I beg of you.”
“If you will not blame me, Natasha, for not taking you into account in running into this danger, then that settles it. When do you want to get married, Dmitri Sergéitch?”
In point of fact all hindrances were set aside. On Monday morning Lopukhóf said to Kirsánof:—
“Do you know, Aleksandr, that I am going to make you a present of my half of our work. Take my papers and preparations; I give it all up; I am going to leave the medical school; this is my last request! I am going to be married!”
Lopukhóf told him the whole story in a few words.
“If you were stupid or I were stupid, I should tell you, Dmitri, that this is the way that insane men act. But now I shall not say any such thing. All the objections that I could raise you must have thought over more than I have done. And even if you have not thought them over, it does not make any difference. Whether you are acting foolishly or wisely I do not know, but at least I shall not attempt to act so foolishly as to dissuade you, when I know that your mind is made up. Can I be of any service or not?”
“I want to find an apartment somewhere in an inexpensive neighborhood—three rooms; and I must make application to get my medical school papers right away, tomorrow, if possible; so you will look us up a house.”28
On Tuesday Lopukhóf got his papers, went to Mertsálof and said that the wedding would be on the next day. “At what time would be most convenient for you, Alekséi Petróvitch?”
It makes no difference to Alekséi Petróvitch, as he stays at home all day. “I think, though, that I shall have time to send Kirsánof to let you know.”
On Wednesday, at eleven o’clock, Lopukhóf went to the boulevard, and after waiting for some time for Viérotchka began to get worried; but here she is, all out of breath.
“Viérotchka, my dear [drūg moï], has anything happened to you?”
“No, mílenki, nothing; I was late only because I overslept.”
“That means—what time did you go to bed?”
“Mílenki, I didn’t want to tell you; at seven o’clock, mílenki; but I was thinking all night long; no, it was earlier, it was six!”
“I want to ask you about something, my dear Viérotchka: we must get married soon, mustn’t we? so that we may both be comfortable?”
“Yes, mílenki, we must; we must very soon!”
“Then in four days, in three—”
“Akh! if it could be so, mílenki; then you would be a smart boy!”
“In three days I will surely find a house; will buy everything for housekeeping, and then will it be possible for us to live in it together?”
“It will, my golubtchik, it certainly will!”
“But it will be necessary to get married first.”
“Akh! I forgot, mílenki, that it was necessary to get married first!”
“Well, we can get married today; that was the very thing that I wanted to ask you about.”
“Let us go right away and get married; and how have you managed everything? What a bright boy you are, mílenki!”
“I will tell you everything on our way; let us go!”
Here they are! they have passed through the long corridors into the church, they have found the sexton, they have sent for Mertsálof; Mertsálof lived in the house where the endless corridors were.
“Now, Viérotchka, I have to ask of you still another favor. You know that they make young couples kiss each other in church?”
“Yes, my mílenki; only how ridiculous it is!”
“Well, lest it should be too ridiculous then, let us kiss each other now.”
“Very well, let us kiss each other; but could it not be done without it?”
“Yes, but it is impossible to get along without it in church; so let us prepare ourselves.”
They kissed each other.
“Mílenki, it is well that we have had time to prepare ourselves; here comes the sexton; now it will not seem so ridiculous in church!”
But it was not the sexton who came—the sexton
