Viérotchka bent her head on her husband’s breast, and hid her face. “My dear, you have praised me to death.”
Her husband kissed her head. “What a clever little head!”
“Mílenki moï, stop! It is impossible to tell you anything! Do you know what kind of a man you are?”
“I will stop. Tell me, my tenderhearted girl.”
“Don’t you dare to address me so!”
“Well, you hard-hearted one.”
“Akh! what kind of a man are you, all the time interrupting me? Just listen. Sit down quietly. Here, it seems to me, is the main thing: that at the very beginning, when you select a few, to make the selection very carefully. You must have really honorable, good people, not narrow-minded, not fickle, but steady, and at the same time gentle, so that there should not be any idle quarrels among them, and that they should be able to select others of the same kind. Isn’t that so?”
“Yes, dear.”
“Now, I have three such girls. Akh! how long I had to hunt! Now here, my dearest, for the last three months I have been going round among the shops trying to make acquaintances, and I have succeeded. Such nice girls! I have got thoroughly acquainted with them.”
“And then, moreover, they must be thoroughly up in their art. The business must stand on its own merits. Everything must have a solid foundation of mercantile calculations.”
“Akh! of course it must.”
“What more is left? Why do you need my advice, then?”
“In regard to the details, moï mílenki.”
“Tell me the details. Of course you must have thought yourself about everything, and you will be able to accommodate yourself to circumstances. You know that the most important thing here is principle, character, and knowledge. Details come of themselves from the conditions peculiar to every circumstance.”
“I know; but after all, when you give your approval, I shall be more assured.”
They talked for a long time. Lopukhóf found nothing to correct in his wife’s plan; but as far as she was concerned, the plan developed and became more and more clear as she talked it over with him.
On the next day Lopukhóf took to the office of the “Police News” an advertisement: “Viéra Pavlovna Lopukhóva would take orders for sewing ladies’ garments, linen, etc., at moderate prices, etc.”
On that very morning Viéra Pavlovna went to see Julie.
“She does not know my married name. Tell her Mademoiselle Rozalskaïa.”
“My child, you are without a veil. You come to me openly, and tell your name to the servant. Now this is sheer folly. You are ruining yourself, my child!”
“Yes, but I am married now, and I can go wherever I please, and do what I want to.”
“But your husband; he may find it out.”
“He will be here in an hour.”
Then the questions began as to how she got married. Julie was delighted. She hugged her, she kissed her, she wept. When she became calmer, Viéra Pavlovna told her the purpose of her visit.
“You know that old friends are not thought of, except when their help is needed. I have a great favor to ask of you. I am going to establish a sewing shop. Give me your orders and recommend me to your acquaintances. I myself sew nicely and I have good apprentices. You know one of them.” And, in fact, Julie knew one of them to be a good seamstress. “Here are specimens of my work. This garment I made myself; you see how nicely it fits.”
Julie examined very carefully the fit of the garment; she looked at the embroidery of the shawl, at the little cuffs, and she was satisfied.
“My child, you might be very successful; you have both skill and taste. But to succeed you must have a great shop on the Nevsky.”
“Yes, I shall establish one there in good time. Now I take orders at home.”
Having finished talking about business, they began to talk again about Viérotchka’s marriage.
“And that Storeshnik drank terribly for a couple of weeks, and then he made up with Adèle. And I am very glad for Adèle’s sake. He is a kind fellow. I am only sorry that Adèle has not a better reputation.”
As it came up naturally, Julie began to talk about the adventures of Adèle and others. Now Mademoiselle Rozalskaïa is a married lady, and Julie does not think it necessary to hold her tongue. At first she spoke reasonably; then she was drawn away, drawn away, and began with delight to depict their dissipated existence, and she went on and on. Viéra Pavlovna was embarrassed, but Julie did not heed it. Viéra Pavlovna recovered her self-possession, and listened with that cruel interest with which you examine the features of a lovely face disfigured by disease. But Lopukhóf came in. Julie in an instant was changed into a stately woman of the world, full of the sternest dignity. However, she did not keep up that role very long. After she had congratulated Lopukhóf on his wife, “such a beauty,” she again got excited. “Now, we must celebrate your wedding.” She ordered a breakfast offhand; she offered champagne. Viérotchka had to drink half a glass in honor of her wedding, half a glass in honor of her “union,” and half a glass in honor of Julie herself. Her head began to turn. She and Julie shout, laugh, and get excited. Julie pinches Viérotchka; she jumps; she runs away, Viérotchka after her; they run all over the apartment, jumping over the chairs; Lopukhóf sits and laughs. It ended with Julie making up her mind to exhibit her strength.
“I am going to lift you up with one hand!”
“You can’t do it!”
They began to wrestle; they both fell on the sofa and neither felt like getting up, and so they lay there laughing until they fell asleep.
For the first time in many years Lopukhóf did not know what to do. “Should he waken them? It is a pity; you may spoil a pleasant meeting
