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Thats all nonsense! said Svidrigailov, wetting a towel and putting it to his head. But I can answer you in one word and annihilate all your suspicions. Do you know that I am going to get married? You told me so before. Did I? Ive forgotten. But I couldnt have told you so for certain for I had not even seen my betrothed; I only meant to. But now I really have a betrothed and its a settled thing, and if it werent that I have business that cant be put off, I would have taken you to see them at once, for I should like to ask your advice. Ach, hang it, only ten minutes left! See, look at the watch. But I must tell you, for its an interesting story, my marriage, in its own way. Where are you off to? Going again? No, Im not going away now. Not at all? We shall see. Ill take you there, Ill show you my betrothed, only not now. For youll soon have to be off. You have to go to the right and I to the left. Do you know that Madame Resslich, the woman I am lodging with now, eh? I know what youre thinking, that shes the woman whose girl they say drowned herself in the winter. Come, are you listening? She arranged it all for me. Youre bored, she said, you want something to fill up your time. For, you know, I am a gloomy, depressed person. Do you think Im light-hearted? No, Im gloomy. I do no harm, but sit in a corner without speaking a word for three days at a time. And that Resslich is a sly hussy, I tell you. I know what she has got in her mind; she thinks I shall get sick of it, abandon my wife and depart, and shell get hold of her and make a profit out of herin our class, of course, or higher. She told me the father was a broken-down retired official, who has been sitting in a chair for the last three years with his legs paralysed. The mamma, she said, was a sensible woman. There is a son serving in the provinces, but he doesnt help; there is a daughter, who is married, but she doesnt visit them. And theyve two little nephews on their hands, as though their own children were not enough, and theyve taken from school their youngest daughter, a girl wholl be sixteen in another month, so that then she can be married. She was for me. We went there. How funny it was! I present myselfa landowner, a widower, of a well-known name, with connections, with a fortune. What if I am fifty and she is not sixteen? Who thinks of that? But its fascinating, isnt it? It is fascinating, ha-ha! You should have seen how I talked to the papa and mamma. It was worth paying to have seen me at that moment. She comes in, curtseys, you can fancy, still in a short frockan unopened bud! Flushing like a sunsetshe had been told, no doubt. I dont know how you feel about female faces, but to my mind these sixteen years, these childish eyes, shyness and tears of bashfulness are better than beauty; and she is a perfect little picture, too. Fair hair in little curls, like a lambs, full little rosy lips, tiny feet, a charmer! Well, we made friends. I told them I was in a hurry owing to domestic circumstances, and the next day, that is the day before yesterday, we were betrothed. When I go now I take her on my knee at once and keep her there. Well, she flushes like a sunset and I kiss her every minute. Her mamma of course impresses on her that this is her husband and that this must be so. Its simply delicious! The present betrothed condition is perhaps better than marriage. Here you have what is called la nature et la verite, ha-ha! Ive talked to her twice, she is far from a fool. Sometimes she steals a look at me that positively scorches me. Her face is like Raphaels Madonna. You know, the Sistine Madonnas face has something fantastic in it, the face of mournful religious ecstasy. Havent you noticed it? Well, shes something in that line. The day after wed been betrothed, I bought her presents to the value of fifteen hundred roublesa set of diamonds and another of pearls and a silver dressing- case as large as this, with all sorts of things in it, so that even my Madonnas face glowed. I sat her on my knee, yesterday, and I suppose rather too unceremoniouslyshe flushed crimson and the tears started, but she didnt want to show it. We were left alone, she suddenly flung herself on my neck (for the first time of her own accord), put her little arms round me, kissed me, and vowed that she would be an obedient, faithful, and good wife, would make me happy, would devote all her life, every minute of her life, would sacrifice everything, everything, and that all she asks in return is my respect, and that she wants nothing, nothing more from me, no presents. Youll admit that to hear such a confession, alone, from an angel of sixteen in a muslin frock, with little curls, with a flush of maiden shyness in her cheeks and tears of enthusiasm in her eyes is rather fascinating! Isnt it fascinating? Its worth paying for, isnt it? Well listen, well go to see my betrothed, only not just now! |
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