复活 Resurrection 3

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复活Resurrection3
NEKHLUDOFF.
WhenMaslova,weariedoutbythelongwalk,reachedthebuilding,accompaniedbytwosoldiers,PrinceDmitriIvanovitchNekhludoff,whohadducedher,wasstilllyingonhishighbedstead,withafeatherbedonthetopofthespringmattress,inafine,clean,wellironedlinennightshirt,smokingacigarette,andconsideringwhathehadtodotoday,andwhathadhappenedyesterday.
RecallingtheeveninghehadspentwiththeKorchagins,awealthyandaristocraticfamily,whodaughtereveryoneexpectedhewouldmarry,hesighed,and,throwingawaytheendofhiscigarette,wasgoingtotakeanotheroutofthesilverca;but,changinghismind,heresolutelyraidhissolidframe,and,puttingdownhissmooth,whitelegs,steppedintohisslippers,threwhissilkdressinggownoverhisbroadshoulders,andpasdintohisdressingroom,walkingheavilyandquickly.Therehecarefullycleanedhisteeth,manyofwhichwerefilled,withtoothpowder,andrindhismouthwithscentedelixir.Afterthathewashedhishandswithperfumedsoap,cleanedhislongnailswithparticularcare,then,fromatapfixedtohismarblewashstand,heletasprayofcoldwaterrunoverhisfaceandstoutneck.Havingfinishedthispartofthebusiness,hewentintoathirdroom,whereashowerbathstoodreadyforhim.Havingrefreshedhisfull,white,muscularbody,anddrieditwitharoughbathsheet,heputonhisfineundergarmentsandhisboots,andsatdownbeforetheglasstobrushhisblackbeardandhiscurlyhair,thathadbeguntogetthinabovetheforehead.Everythingheud,everythingbelongingtohistoilet,hislinen,hisclothes,boots,necktie,pin,studs,wasofthebestquality,veryquiet,simple,durableandcostly.
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Nekhludoffdresdleisurely,andwentintothediningroom.Atable,whichlookedveryimposingwithitsfourlegscarvedintheshapeoflions'paws,andahugesideboardtomatch,stoodintheoblongroom,thefloorofwhichhadbeenpolishedbythreementhedaybefore.Onthetable,whichwascoveredwithafine,starchedcloth,stoodasilvercoffeepotfullofaromaticcoffee,asugarbasin,ajugoffreshcream,andabreadbasketfilledwithfreshrolls,rusks,andbiscuits;andbesidetheplatelaythelastnumberofthe_RevuedesDeuxMondes_,anewspaper,andveralletters.
Nekhludoffwasjustgoingtoopenhisletters,whenastout,middleagedwomaninmourning,alacecapcoveringthewideningpartingofherhair,glidedintotheroom.ThiswasAgraphenaPetrovna,formerlylady'smaidtoNekhludoff'smother.Hermistresshaddiedquiterecentlyinthisveryhou,andsheremainedwiththesonashishoukeeper.AgraphenaPetrovnahadspentnearlytenyears,atdifferenttimes,abroadwithNekhludoff'smother,andhadtheappearanceandmannersofalady.ShehadlivedwiththeNekhludoffsfromthetimeshewasachild,andhadknownDmitriIvanovitchatthetimewhenhewasstilllittleMitinka.
"Goodmorning,DmitriIvanovitch."
"Goodmorning,AgraphenaPetrovna.Whatisityouwant?"Nekhludoffasked.
"Aletterfromtheprincess;eitherfromthemotherorthedaughter.Themaidbroughtitsometimeago,andiswaitinginmyroom,"answeredAgraphenaPetrovna,handinghimtheletterwithasignificantsmile.
"Allright!Directly!"saidNekhludoff,takingtheletterandfrowningashenoticedAgraphenaPetrovna'ssmile.
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ThatsmilemeantthattheletterwasfromtheyoungerPrincessKorchagin,whomAgraphenaPetrovnaexpectedhimtomarry.ThissuppositionofhersannoyedNekhludoff.
"ThenI'lltellhertowait?"andAgraphenaPetrovnatookacrumbbrushwhichwasnotinitsplace,putitaway,andsailedoutoftheroom.
Nekhludoffopenedtheperfumednote,andbeganreadingit.
Thenotewaswrittenonasheetofthickgreypaper,withroughedges;thewritinglookedEnglish.Itsaid:
Havingassumedthetaskofactingasyourmemory,Itakethelibertyofremindingyouthatonthisthe28thdayofAprilyouhavetoappearattheLawCourts,asjuryman,and,inconquence,canonnoaccountaccompanyusandKolosofftothepicturegallery,as,withyourhabitualflightiness,youpromidyesterday;_amoinsquevousnesoyezdispoapayerlacourd'assiles300roublesd'amendequevousvousrefuzpourvotrecheval,_fornotappearingintime.Iremembereditlastnightafteryouweregone,sodonotforget.
PrincessM.Korchagin.
Ontheothersidewasapostscript.
_Mamanvousfaitdirequevotreconvertvousattendrajusqu'alanuit.Venezabsolumentaquelleheurequecelasoit._
M.K.
Nekhludoffmadeagrimace.ThisnotewasacontinuationofthatskilfulmanoeuvringwhichthePrincessKorchaginhadalreadypractidfortwomonthsinordertobindhimclorandclorwithinvisiblethreads.Andyet,besidetheusualhesitationofmenpasttheiryouthtomarryunlesstheyareverymuchinlove,Nekhludoffhadverygoodreasonswhy,evenifhedidmakeuphismindtoit,hecouldnotpropoatonce.ItwasnotthattenyearspreviouslyhehadbetrayedandforsakenMaslova;hehadquiteforgottenthat,andhewouldnothaveconsidereditareasonfornotmarrying.No!Thereasonwasthathehadaliaisonwithamarriedwoman,and,thoughheconsidereditbrokenoff,shedidnot.
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Nekhludoffwasrathershywithwomen,andhisveryshynessawakenedinthismarriedwoman,theunprincipledwifeofthemarechaldenoblesofadistrictwhereNekhludoffwasprentatanelection,thedesireofvanquishinghim.Thiswomandrewhimintoanintimacywhichentangledhimmoreandmore,whileitdailybecamemoredistastefultohim.Havingsuccumbedtothetemptation,Nekhludofffeltguilty,andhadnotthecouragetobreakthetiewithoutherconnt.AndthiswasthereasonhedidnotfeelatlibertytopropotoKorchaginevenifhehadwishedtodoso.Amongthelettersonthetablewasonefromthiswoman'shusband.Seeinghiswritingandthepostmark,Nekhludoffflushed,andfelthinergiesawakening,astheyalwaysdidwhenhewasfacinganykindofdanger.
Buthixcitementpasdatonce.Themarechaldonobles,ofthedistrictinwhichhislargestestatelay,wroteonlytoletNekhludoffknowthattherewastobeaspecialmeetingtowardstheendofMay,andthatNekhludoffwastobesureandcometo"_donneruncoupd'epaule_,"attheimportantdebatesconcerningtheschoolsandtheroads,asastrongoppositionbythereactionarypartywaxpected.
Themarechalwasaliberal,andwasquiteengrosdinthisfight,notevennoticingthemisfortunethathadbefallenhim.
Nekhludoffrememberedthedreadfulmomentshehadlivedthrough;oncewhenhethoughtthatthehusbandhadfoundhimoutandwasgoingtochallengehim,andhewasmakinguphismindtofireintotheair;alsotheterriblescenehehadwithherwhensheranoutintothepark,andinherexcitementtriedtodrownherlfinthepond.
"Well,Icannotgonow,andcandonothinguntilIgetareplyfromher,"thoughtNekhludoff.Aweekagohehadwrittenheradecisiveletter,inwhichheacknowledgedhisguilt,andhisreadinesstoatoneforit;butatthesametimehepronouncedtheirrelationstobeatanend,forherowngood,asheexpresdit.Tothisletterhehadasyetreceivednoanswer.Thismightproveagoodsign,forifshedidnotagreetobreakofftheirrelations,shewouldhavewrittenatonce,orevencomeherlf,asshehaddonebefore.Nekhludoffhadheardthattherewassomeofficerwhowaspayinghermarkedattention,andthistormentedhimbyawakeningjealousy,andatthesametimeencouragedhimwiththehopeofescapefromthedeceptionthatwasoppressinghim.
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Theotherletterwasfromhissteward.Thestewardwrotetotellhimthatavisittohistateswasnecessaryinordertoenterintoposssion,andalsotodecideaboutthefurthermanagementofhislands;whetheritwastocontinueinthesamewayaswhenhismotherwasalive,orwhether,ashehadreprentedtothelatelamentedprincess,andnowadvidtheyoungprince,theyhadnotbetterincreatheirstockandfarmallthelandnowrentedbythepeasantsthemlves.Thestewardwrotethatthiswouldbeafarmoreprofitablewayofmanagingtheproperty;atthesametime,heapologidfornothavingforwardedthe3,000roublesincomedueonthe1st.Thismoneywouldhentonbythenextmail.Thereasonforthedelaywasthathecouldnotgetthemoneyoutofthepeasants,whohadgrownsountrustworthythathehadtoappealtotheauthorities.Thisletterwaspartlydisagreeable,andpartlypleasant.Itwaspleasanttofeelthathehadpoweroversolargeaproperty,andyetdisagreeable,becauNekhludoffhadbeenanenthusiasticadmirerofHenryGeorgeandHerbertSpencer.Beinghimlfheirtoalargeproperty,hewaspeciallystruckbythepositiontakenupbySpencerinSocialStatics,thatjusticeforbidsprivatelandholding,andwiththestraightforwardresolutenessofhisage,hadnotmerelyspokentoprovethatlandcouldnotbelookeduponasprivateproperty,andwrittenessaysonthatsubjectattheuniversity,buthadacteduptohisconvictions,and,consideringitwrongtoholdlandedproperty,hadgiventhesmallpieceoflandhehadinheritedfromhisfathertothepeasants.Inheritinghismother'slargeestates,andthusbecomingalandedproprietor,hehadtochoooneoftwothings:eithertogiveuphisproperty,ashehadgivenuphisfather'slandtenyearsbefore,orsilentlytoconfessthatallhisformerideasweremistakenandfal.
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Hecouldnotchootheformerbecauhehadnomeansbutthelandedestates(hedidnotcaretorve);moreover,hehadformedluxurioushabitswhichhecouldnoteasilygiveup.Besides,hehadnolongerthesameinducements;hisstrongconvictions,theresolutenessofyouth,andtheambitiousdesiretodosomethingunusualweregone.Astothecondcour,thatofdenyingthoclearandunanswerableproofsoftheinjusticeoflandholding,whichhehaddrawnfromSpencer'sSocialStatics,andthebrilliantcorroborationofwhichhehadatalaterperiodfoundintheworksofHenryGeorge,suchacourwasimpossibletohim.
当玛丝洛娃在士兵押送下走了许多路,筋疲力尽,好容易才走到州法院大厦时,她两个养母的侄儿,当年诱*她的德米特里·伊凡内奇·聂赫留朵夫公爵正躺在高高的弹簧床上,床上铺着鸭绒垫褥,被单被揉得很皱。他穿着一件前襟皱裥熨得笔挺的洁净荷兰细麻布睡衣,敞开领子,吸着香烟。他目光呆滞地瞪着前方,想着今天有什么事要做,昨天发生过什么事。
昨天他在有钱有势的柯察金家度过一个黄昏。大家都认为他应该同他们家的小姐结婚。他想起昨晚的事,叹了一口气,丢掉手里的烟蒂,想从银烟盒里再取出一支烟,可是忽然改变主意,从床上挂下两条光溜溜的白腿,用脚找到拖鞋。他拿起一件绸晨衣往胖胖的肩膀上一披,迈着沉重的步子,急速走到卧室旁的盥洗室里。盥洗室里充满甘香酒剂、花露水、发蜡和香水的香味。他在那里用特等牙粉刷他那口补过多处的牙齿,用香喷喷的漱口药水漱口。然后上上下下擦洗身子,再用几块不同的毛巾擦干。他拿香皂洗手,用刷子仔细刷净长指甲,在巨大的大理石洗脸盆里洗了脸和肥胖的脖子,然后走到卧室旁的第三间屋里,那里已为他准备好了淋浴。他用凉水冲洗丰满白净、肌肉累累的身子,拿软毛巾擦干,穿上熨得笔挺的洁净衬衫和擦得象镜子一样光亮的皮鞋,坐到梳妆台前,用两把刷子梳理他那鬈曲的黑胡子和头顶前面已变得稀疏的鬈发。
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凡是他使用的东西,衬衫、外衣、皮鞋、领带、别针、袖扣,样样都是最贵重最讲究的,都很高雅,大方,坚固,名贵。
聂赫留朵夫从好多领带和胸针中随手取了一条领带和一枚胸针(以前他对挑选领带和胸针很感兴趣,现在却毫不在意),又从椅子上拿起刷净的衣服穿好。这下子他虽算不上精神抖擞,却也浑身上下整洁芳香。他走进长方形饭厅。饭厅里的镶木地板昨天已由三个农民擦得锯光闪亮,上面摆着麻栎大酒台和一张活动大餐桌,桌腿雕成张开的狮爪,很有气派。桌上铺一块浆得笔挺、绣有巨大花体字母拼成的家徽的薄桌布,上面放着装有香气扑鼻的咖啡的银咖啡壶、银糖缸、盛有煮沸过的奶油的银壶和装满新鲜白面包、面包干和饼干的篮子。食具旁放着刚收到的信件、报纸和一本新出的法文杂志《两个世界》①。聂赫留朵夫刚要拆信,从通向走廊的门里忽然悄悄地进来一个肥胖的老妇人。她身穿丧服,头上扎着花边头带,把她那宽阔的头路都遮住了。她叫阿格拉斐娜,原是聂赫留朵夫母亲的侍女。前不久母亲在这个房子里去世,她就留下担任少爷的女管家。
①一八二九年起在巴黎印行的文艺和政论法语杂志,在俄国知识分子中间流行很广。这里原文为法语。以下原文凡用法语的,一律排仿微软雅黑,不再一一作注。
阿格拉斐娜跟随聂赫留朵夫母亲前后在国外待了十年,很有点贵妇人的风度和气派。她从小就生活在聂赫留朵夫家,在德米特里·伊凡内奇还叫小名米金卡的时候就知道他了。
“您早,德米特里·伊凡内奇!”
“您好,阿格拉斐娜!有什么新鲜事儿啊?”聂赫留朵夫戏谑地问。
“有一封信,也不知是公爵夫人写来的,还是公爵小姐写来的,她们家的女佣人送来有好半天了,现在她还在我屋里等着呢,”阿格拉斐娜说着把信交给聂赫留朵夫,脸上现出会心的微笑。
“好,等一下,”聂赫留朵夫接过信说,察觉阿格拉斐娜脸上的笑意,不由得皱起眉头。
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阿格拉斐娜的笑容表示,信是柯察金公爵小姐写来的。她以为聂赫留朵夫已准备同她结婚。阿格拉斐娜笑容的含义却使聂赫留朵夫不快。
“那我去叫她再等一下,”阿格拉斐娜拿起那把放错地方的扫面包屑小刷子,将它放回老地方,悄悄地走出饭厅。
聂赫留朵夫拆开阿格拉斐娜交给他的那封香气扑鼻的信,抽出一张曲边的灰色厚信纸,看见上面的字迹尖细而稀疏,读了起来:
“我既已承担责任,把您的事随时提醒您,现在就通知您,今天四月二十八日您应该出庭陪审,因此您不能照您一贯的轻率作风,如昨天所答应的那样,陪我们和柯洛索夫去观看画展,除非您情愿向州法院缴纳三百卢布罚金,相当于您舍不得买那匹马的数目,为的是您没有准时出庭。昨天您一走,我就记起这件事。请您务必不要忘记。
玛·柯察金公爵小姐。”
信纸背面又加了两句:
“妈要我告诉您,为您准备的晚餐将等您到深夜。请您务必光临,迟早听便。
玛·柯·”
聂赫留朵夫皱起眉头。这封信是柯察金公爵小姐两个月来向他巧妙进攻的又一招,目的是要用无形的千丝万缕把他同自己拴得越来越紧。凡是年纪已不很轻、又不是在热恋中的男人,对结婚问题往往患得患失,犹豫不决。不过,除了这一点,聂赫留朵夫还有一个重大原因,使他就算拿定主意,也不能立刻去求婚。这原因并非他在十年前诱*了卡秋莎又把她抛弃了。这件事他已经忘记得一干二净,即使想起来,也不会把它看作结婚的障碍。这原因是他同一个有夫之妇有过私情,虽然从他这方面来说,这种关系现在已经结束,但她却不认为已一刀两断。
聂赫留朵夫见到女人很腼腆。正因为他腼腆,这个有夫之妇才想要征服他。这个女人是聂赫留朵夫参加选举的那个县的首席贵族的妻子。她终于把聂赫留朵夫引入彀中。聂赫留朵夫一天比一天迷恋她,同时又一天比一天嫌恶她。聂赫留朵夫起初经不住她的诱惑,后来又在她面前感到内疚,因此若不取得她的同意,就不能断绝这种关系。也就因为这个缘故,聂赫留朵夫认为即使他心里愿意,也无权向柯察金小姐求婚。
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桌上正好放着那个女人的丈夫的来信。聂赫留朵夫一看见他的笔迹和邮戳,就脸红耳赤,心惊肉跳。他每次面临危险,总有这样的感觉。不过,他的紧张是多余的:那个丈夫,聂赫留朵夫主要地产所在县的首席贵族,通知聂赫留朵夫说,五月底将召开地方自治会非常会议,他要求聂赫留朵夫务必出席,以便在讨论有关学校和马路等当前重大问题时支持他,因为估计将遭到*的坚决反对。
首席贵族是个自由派,他和几个志同道合的人一起反对亚历山大三世①登位后逐渐抬头的反动势力,一心一意投入这场斗争,根本不知道家里出了不幸的变故。
①俄国沙皇,一八八一——一八九四年在位,因他父亲被民意党人杀害,实行恐怖统治,怂恿反动势力抬头。
聂赫留朵夫想起由于这个人而产生的种种烦恼。记得有一次他以为那女人的丈夫已知道这事,就做好同他决斗的准备,决斗时他将朝天开枪。还记得她跟他大闹过一场,她在绝望中奔往花园的池塘,想投水自尽,他连忙追了上去。“我现在不能到她那边去,在她没有答复我以前,我也不能采取任何措施,”聂赫留朵夫心里盘算着。一星期以前,他写了一封信给她,语气很坚决,承认自己有罪,不惜用任何方式赎罪,但认为为了她的幸福,他们的关系必须一刀两断。他现在就在等她的回信,但没有等到。没有回信多少也是个好兆头。她要是不同意断绝关系,早就该来信了,说不定还会象上次那样亲自赶来。聂赫留朵夫听说现在有个军官在追求她,这使他心里酸溜溜的,但同时又因为可以不再撒谎做假而感到高兴,并松了一口气。
另一封信是经管他地产的总管写来的。总管在信里说,他聂赫留朵夫必须亲自回乡一次,以便办理遗产过户手续,同时就农业的经营方式作出决定:继续照公爵夫人在世时那样经营呢,还是采取他总管以前曾向公爵夫人提出,如今再向公爵少爷提出的办法,也就是增加农具,把租给农民的土地全部收回自己耕种。总管认为自己耕种要划算得多。此外,总管还表示歉意说,原定月初汇出的三千卢布得耽搁几天,这笔钱将随下一班邮车汇出。耽搁的原因是农民不肯缴租,他收不齐租金,只得求助于官府,强制农民缴纳。聂赫留