THE HOUSE OF KORCHAGIN.
"Please to walk in, your excellency," said the friendly, fat doorkeeper of the Korchagins' big house, opening the door, which moved noiselessly on its patent English hinges; "you are expected. They are at dinner. My orders were to admit only you." The doorkeeper went as far as the staircase and rang.
"Are there any strangers?" asked Nekhludoff, taking off his overcoat.
"Mr. Kolosoff and Michael Sergeivitch only, besides the family."
A very handsome footman with whiskers, in a swallow-tail coat and white gloves, looked down from the landing.
"Please to walk up, your excellency," he said. "You are expected."
Nekhludoff went up and passed through the splendid large dancing-room, which he knew so well, into the dining-room. There the whole Korchagin family--except the mother, Sophia Vasilievna, who never left her cabinet--were sitting round the table. At the head of the table sat old Korchagin; on his left the doctor, and on his right, a visitor, Ivan Ivanovitch Kolosoff, a former Marechal de Noblesse, now a bank director, Korchagin's friend and a Liberal. Next on the left side sat Miss Rayner, the governess of Missy's little sister, and the four-year-old girl herself. Opposite them, Missy's brother, Petia, the only son of the Korchagins, a public-school boy of the Sixth Class. It was because of his examinations that the whole family were still in town. Next to him sat a University student who was coaching him, and Missy's cousin, Michael Sergeivitch Telegin, generally called Misha; opposite him, Katerina Alexeevna, a 40-year-old maiden lady, a Slavophil; and at the foot of the table sat Missy herself, with an empty place by her side.
"Ah! that's right! Sit down. We are still at the fish," said old Korchagin with difficulty, chewing carefully with his false teeth, and lifting his bloodshot eyes (which had no visible lids to them) to Nekhludoff.
"Stephen!" he said, with his mouth full, addressing the stout, dignified butler, and pointing with his eyes to the empty place. Though Nekhludoff knew Korchagin very well, and had often seen him at dinner, to-day this red face with the sensual smacking lips, the fat neck above the napkin stuck into his waistcoat, and the whole over-fed military figure, struck him very disagreeably. Then Nekhludoff remembered, without wishing to, what he knew of the cruelty of this man, who, when in command, used to have men flogged, and even hanged, without rhyme or reason, simply because he was rich and had no need to curry favour.
"Immediately, your excellency," said Stephen, getting a large soup ladle out of the sideboard, which was decorated with a number of silver vases. He made a sign with his head to the handsome footman, who began at once to arrange the untouched knives and forks and the napkin, elaborately folded with the embroidered family crest uppermost, in front of the empty place next to Missy. Nekhludoff went round shaking hands with every one, and all, except old Korchagin and the ladies, rose when he approached. And this walk round the table, this shaking the hands of people, with many of whom he never talked, seemed unpleasant and odd. He excused himself for being late, and was about to sit down between Missy and Katerina Alexeevna, but old Korchagin insisted that if he would not take a glass of vodka he should at least take a bit of something to whet his appetite, at the side table, on which stood small dishes of lobster, caviare, cheese, and salt herrings. Nekhludoff did not know how hungry he was until he began to eat, and then, having taken some bread and cheese, he went on eating eagerly.
"Well, have you succeeded in undermining the basis of society?" asked Kolosoff, ironically quoting an expression used by a retrograde newspaper in attacking trial by jury. "Acquitted the culprits and condemned the innocent, have you?"
"Undermining the basis--undermining the basis," repeated Prince Korchagin, laughing. He had a firm faith in the wisdom and learning of his chosen friend and companion.
At the risk of seeming rude, Nekhludoff left Kolosoff's question unanswered, and sitting down to his steaming soup, went on eating.
"Do let him eat," said Missy, with a smile. The pronoun him she used as a reminder of her intimacy with Nekhludoff. Kolosoff went on in a loud voice and lively manner to give the contents of the article against trial by jury which had aroused his indignation. Missy's cousin, Michael Sergeivitch, endorsed all his statements, and related the contents of another article in the same paper. Missy was, as usual, very distinguee, and well, unobtrusively well, dressed.
"You must be terribly tired," she said, after waiting until Nekhludoff had swallowed what was in his mouth.
"Not particularly. And you? Have you been to look at the pictures?" he asked.
"No, we put that off. We have been playing tennis at the Salamatoffs'. It is quite true, Mr. Crooks plays remarkably well."
Nekhludoff had come here in order to distract his thoughts, for he used to like being in this house, both because its refined luxury had a pleasant effect on him and because of the atmosphere of tender flattery that unobtrusively surrounded him. But to-day everything in the house was repulsive to him--everything: beginning with the doorkeeper, the broad staircase, the flowers, the footman, the table decorations, up to Missy herself, who to-day seemed unattractive and affected. Kolosoff's self-assured, trivial tone of liberalism was unpleasant, as was also the sensual, self-satisfied, bull-like appearance of old Korchagin, and the French phrases of Katerina Alexeevna, the Slavophil. The constrained looks of the governess and the student were unpleasant, too, but most unpleasant of all was the pronoun _him_ that Missy had used. Nekhludoff had long been wavering between two ways of regarding Missy; sometimes he looked at her as if by moonlight, and could see in her nothing but what was beautiful, fresh, pretty, clever and natural; then suddenly, as if the bright sun shone on her, he saw her defects and could not help seeing them. This was such a day for him. To-day he saw all the wrinkles of her face, knew which of her teeth were false, saw the way her hair was crimped, the sharpness of her elbows, and, above all, how large her thumb-nail was and how like her father's.
"Tennis is a dull game," said Kolosoff; "we used to play lapta when we were children. That was much more amusing."
"Oh, no, you never tried it; it's awfully interesting," said Missy, laying, it seemed to Nekhludoff, a very affected stress on the word "awfully." Then a dispute arose in which Michael Sergeivitch, Katerina Alexeevna and all the others took part, except the governess, the student and the children, who sat silent and wearied.
"Oh, these everlasting disputes!" said old Korchagin, laughing, and he pulled the napkin out of his waistcoat, noisily pushed back his chair, which the footman instantly caught hold of, and left the table.
Everybody rose after him, and went up to another table on which stood glasses of scented water. They rinsed their mouths, then resumed the conversation, interesting to no one.
"Don't you think so?" said Missy to Nekhludoff, calling for a confirmation of the statement that nothing shows up a man's character like a game. She noticed that preoccupied and, as it seemed to her, dissatisfied look which she feared, and she wanted to find out what had caused it.
"Really, I can't tell; I have never thought about it," Nekhludoff answered.
"Will you come to mamma?" asked Missy.
"Yes, yes," he said, in a tone which plainly proved that he did not want to go, and took out a cigarette.
She looked at him in silence, with a questioning look, and he felt ashamed. "To come into a house and give the people the dumps," he thought about himself; then, trying to be amiable, said that he would go with pleasure if the princess would admit him.
"Oh, yes! Mamma will be pleased. You may smoke there; and Ivan Ivanovitch is also there."
The mistress of the house, Princess Sophia Vasilievna, was a recumbent lady. It was the eighth year that, when visitors were present, she lay in lace and ribbons, surrounded with velvet, gilding, ivory, bronze, lacquer and flowers, never going out, and only, as she put it, receiving intimate friends, i.e., those who according to her idea stood out from the common herd.
Nekhludoff was admitted into the number of these friends because he was considered clever, because his mother had been an intimate friend of the family, and because it was desirable that Missy should marry him.
Sophia Vasilievna's room lay beyond the large and the small drawing-rooms. In the large drawing-room, Missy, who was in front of Nekhludoff, stopped resolutely, and taking hold of the back of a small green chair, faced him.
Missy was very anxious to get married, and as he was a suitable match and she also liked him, she had accustomed herself to the thought that he should be hers (not she his). To lose him would be very mortifying. She now began talking to him in order to get him to explain his intentions.
"I see something has happened," she said. "Tell me, what is the matter with you?"
He remembered the meeting in the law court, and frowned and blushed.
"Yes, something has happened," he said, wishing to be truthful; "a very unusual and serious event."
"What is it, then? Can you not tell me what it is?" She was pursuing her aim with that unconscious yet obstinate cunning often observable in the mentally diseased.
"Not now. Please do not ask me to tell you. I have not yet had time fully to consider it," and he blushed still more.
"And so you will not tell me?" A muscle twitched in her face and she pushed back the chair she was holding. "Well then, come!" She shook her head as if to expel useless thoughts, and, faster than usual, went on in front of him.
He fancied that her mouth was unnaturally compressed in order to keep back the tears. He was ashamed of having hurt her, and yet he knew that the least weakness on his part would mean disaster, i.e., would bind him to her. And to-day he feared this more than anything, and silently followed her to the princess's cabinet.
“老爺，請進，都在等您呢，”柯察金家那個和藹可親的胖門房一面說，一面拉開裝有英國餃鏈、開時沒有聲音的麻櫟大門?！八麄円呀?jīng)入席了，但關照過，您一到就請進。”
門房走到樓梯口，拉了拉通到樓上的鈴。
“有客人嗎？”聶赫留朵夫一面脫衣服，一面問?！翱侣逅鞣蛳壬?，還有米哈伊爾少爺，其余都是家里人，”
門房回答。
一個穿燕尾服、戴白手套的漂亮侍仆從樓梯頂上往下看了看。
“您請，老爺，”他說?！瓣P照過了，請您上來。”
聶赫留朵夫上了樓，穿過熟識的華麗寬敞的大客廳，走進餐廳。餐廳里，一家人都已圍坐在飯桌旁，除了母親沙斐雅公爵夫人之外。她是從來不出房門一步的。飯桌上首坐著柯察金老頭；他的左邊坐著醫(yī)生，右邊坐著客人柯洛索夫，柯洛索夫當過省首席貴族，如今是銀行董事，又是柯察金的具有自由派思想的朋友；左邊再下去是米西的小妹的家庭教師藍德小姐，還有就是才四歲的小妹；她們對面，右邊再下去是米西的哥哥，柯察金的獨生子，六年級中學生彼嘉，一家人就是因為等他考試而留在城里沒有走；彼嘉旁邊是那個擔任補習教師的大學生；左邊再下去是斯拉夫派信徒，四十歲的老姑娘卡吉琳娜；她對面是米哈伊爾，或者叫米沙，他是米西的表哥。飯桌下首是米西本人，她旁邊放著一份沒有動用過的餐具。
“哦，這就好了。請坐，我們剛開始吃魚，”柯察金老頭費力地用假牙小心咀嚼著，說道，抬起看不出眼皮的充血眼睛望望聶赫留朵夫。“斯吉邦，”他嘴里塞滿食物，用眼睛示意那副沒有用過的餐具，轉(zhuǎn)身對那個神情莊重的餐廳胖侍仆說。
聶赫留朵夫同柯察金老頭雖然很熟，同他一起吃過多次飯，可是今天聶赫留朵夫不知怎的特別討厭他那張紅臉、他那被背心上掖著的餐巾襯托著的兩片吃得津津有味的貪婪嘴唇、他那粗大的脖子，尤其是他那吃得大腹便便的將軍式身軀。聶赫留朵夫不由得想起這個老頭的殘酷。他在任地區(qū)長官的時候，常常無緣無故把人鞭笞一頓，甚至把人絞死，其實他既有錢又有勢，根本沒有必要這樣來邀功請賞。
“馬上就來，老爺，”斯吉邦一面說，一面從擺滿銀餐具的酒櫥里拿出一個大湯勺，又向那個蓄絡腮胡子的漂亮侍仆點點頭。那個侍仆就把米西旁邊那副沒有用過的餐具擺擺正。那副餐具上原來蓋著一塊折疊得整整齊齊的漿過的餐巾，餐巾上面繡著家徽。
聶赫留朵夫繞飯桌一周，同大家一一握手。他走過的時候，除了柯察金老頭和太太小姐們，一個個都站起來。聶赫留朵夫跟多數(shù)人雖然從沒交談過，但還是一一握手問好。這種應酬他今天覺得特別嫌惡，特別無聊。他為自己的遲到表示了歉意，正想在米西和卡吉琳娜之間的空位上坐下，但柯察金老頭要他即使不喝酒，也先到那張擺著龍蝦、魚子醬、干酪和咸青魚的冷菜桌上去吃一點。聶赫留朵夫自己也沒想到肚子那么餓，一吃干酪面包就放不下，竟狼吞虎咽地吃起來。
“哦，怎么樣，把是非徹底顛倒了？”柯洛索夫借用反動報紙抨擊陪審制度的用語挖苦說?！鞍延凶锏呐谐蔁o罪，把無罪的判成有罪，是不是？”
“把是非徹底顛倒了……把是非徹底顛倒了……”老公爵笑著連聲說，他無限信任這位自由派同志和朋友的博學多才。
聶赫留朵夫不顧是否失禮，沒有答理柯洛索夫，卻坐到一盤剛端上來的熱氣騰騰的湯旁邊，繼續(xù)吃著。
“您讓他先吃吧，”米西笑瞇瞇地說，用他這個代詞表示他們之間的親密關系。
這時柯洛索夫情緒激動，大聲講到那篇使他生氣的反對陪審制的文章。公爵的表侄米哈伊爾附和他的看法，介紹了那家報紙另一篇文章的內(nèi)容。
米西打扮得象平時一樣雅致，她衣著講究，但講究得并不刺眼。
“您一定累壞了，餓壞了，是不是？”她等聶赫留朵夫咽下食物，說。
“不，還好。那么您呢？去看過畫展嗎？”聶赫留朵夫問。
“不，我們改期了。我們在薩拉瑪托夫家打草地網(wǎng)球①。說實在的，密絲脫克魯克斯打得真漂亮?！?BR> --------
①原文是英語。
聶赫留朵夫到這里來是為了散散心。平時他在這座房子里總感到很愉快，不僅因為這種豪華的氣派使他覺得舒服，而且周圍那種親切奉承的氣氛使他高興。今天呢，說也奇怪，這座房子里的一切，從門房、寬闊的樓梯、鮮花、侍仆、桌上的擺設起，直到米西本人，什么都使他嫌惡。他覺得米西今天并不可愛，裝腔作勢，很不自然。他討厭柯洛索夫那種妄自尊大的自由派論調(diào)，討厭柯察金老頭那種得意揚揚的好色的公牛般身材，討厭斯拉夫派信徒卡吉琳娜的滿口法國話，討厭家庭女教師和補習教師那種拘謹?shù)臉幼樱绕溆憛捗孜髡f到他時單用代詞他……聶赫留朵夫?qū)γ孜鞯膽B(tài)度常常搖擺不定：有時他仿佛瞇細眼睛或者在月光底下瞅她，看到了她身上的種種優(yōu)點，他覺得她又嬌嫩，又美麗，又聰明，又大方……有時他仿佛在燦爛的陽光下瞧她，這樣就不能不看到她身上的種種缺點。今天對他來說就是這樣的日子。今天他看見她臉上的每道皺紋，看見她頭發(fā)蓬亂，看見她的臂肘尖得難看，尤其是看見她大拇指上寬大的指甲，簡直同她父親的手指甲一模一樣。
“那玩意兒沒意思，”柯洛索夫談到網(wǎng)球說，“我們小時候玩的棒球要有趣多了?！?BR> “不，您沒有嘗到那個樂趣。那種球好玩極了，”米西不同意他的話，但聶赫留朵夫覺得她說好玩極了幾個字有點裝腔作勢，怪不自然的。
于是展開了一場爭論，米哈伊爾和卡吉琳娜也都參加進去。只有家庭女教師、補習教師和孩子們沒作聲，顯然不感興趣。
“老是吵嘴！”柯察金老頭哈哈大笑，從背心上拉下餐巾，嘩啦啦地推開椅子，從桌旁站起來。仆人把他的椅子接過去。其余的人也跟著他紛紛起立，走到放有漱口杯和香噴噴溫水的小桌旁，漱了一下口，繼續(xù)那種誰也不感興趣的談話。
“您說是嗎？”米西轉(zhuǎn)身對聶赫留朵夫說，要他贊成她的意見，她認為，人的性格再沒有比在運動中暴露得更清楚的了。可她在他臉上卻看到那種心事重重而且——她覺得——
憤憤不平的神色。她感到害怕，很想知道那是什么緣故。
“說實話，我不知道。這問題我從來沒有考慮過，”聶赫留朵夫回答。
“您去看看媽媽，好嗎？”米西問。
“好，好，”他一面說，一面拿出香煙，但他的口氣分明表示他不愿意去。
她不作聲，困惑地對他瞧瞧。他感到有點不好意思?！安诲e，既然來看人家，可不能弄得人家掃興啊，”他暗自想，就竭力做出親切的樣子說，要是公爵夫人肯接見，他是高興去的。
“當然，當然，您去，媽媽會高興的。煙到那邊也可以抽。
伊凡·伊凡內(nèi)奇也在那里。”
這家的女主人沙斐雅公爵夫人長期臥病在床。她躺著會客已經(jīng)有八年了，身上穿的滿是花邊、緞帶和絲絨，周圍都是鍍金、象牙、青銅擺件和漆器，還有各種花草。她從不出門，一向只接見她所謂“自己的朋友”，其實就是她認為出類拔萃的人物。聶赫留朵夫?qū)儆谶@種被接見的“朋友”之列，因為她認為他是個聰明的年輕人，又因為他的母親是他們家的老朋友，更因為米西如能嫁給他，那就更加稱心了。
沙斐雅公爵夫人的房間在大客廳和小客廳后面。米西走在聶赫留朵夫前面，但一走進大客廳，她就突然站住，雙手扶著涂金椅子背，對他瞧了瞧。
米西很想出嫁，而聶赫留朵夫是個好配偶。再說，她喜歡他，她慣于想：他是屬于她的（不是她屬于他，而是他屬于她）。她還用精神病患者常用的那種無意而又固執(zhí)的狡詐手法來達到目的。此刻她同他說話，就要他說出他的心事來。
“我看出您遇到什么事了，”米西說?！澳@是怎么了？”
聶赫留朵夫想到他在法庭上見到了卡秋莎，就皺起眉頭，臉漲得通紅。
“是的，遇到了事，”他說，想把今天的事老實說出來，“一件奇怪的、不尋常的大事?！?BR> “什么事啊？您不能告訴我嗎？”
“這會兒我不能。請您別問我。這件事我還來不及好好考慮，”聶赫留朵夫說著，臉漲得更紅了。
“您對我都不肯講嗎？”她臉上的肌肉跳動了一下，手里的椅子也挪了挪。
“不，我不能，”他回答，覺得這樣回答她，等于在回答自己，承認確實遇到了一件非同小可的事。
“噢，那么我們走吧?！?BR> 米西搖搖頭，仿佛要甩掉不必要的想法，接著邁開異乎尋常的步子急急向前走去。
聶赫留朵夫覺得她不自然地咬緊嘴唇，忍住眼淚。他弄得她傷心，他覺得又不好意思又難過，但他知道只要心一軟，就會把自己毀掉，也就是說同她結(jié)合在一起，再也拆不開。而這是他現(xiàn)在最害怕的事。于是他就一言不發(fā)地同她一起來到公爵夫人屋里。
"Please to walk in, your excellency," said the friendly, fat doorkeeper of the Korchagins' big house, opening the door, which moved noiselessly on its patent English hinges; "you are expected. They are at dinner. My orders were to admit only you." The doorkeeper went as far as the staircase and rang.
"Are there any strangers?" asked Nekhludoff, taking off his overcoat.
"Mr. Kolosoff and Michael Sergeivitch only, besides the family."
A very handsome footman with whiskers, in a swallow-tail coat and white gloves, looked down from the landing.
"Please to walk up, your excellency," he said. "You are expected."
Nekhludoff went up and passed through the splendid large dancing-room, which he knew so well, into the dining-room. There the whole Korchagin family--except the mother, Sophia Vasilievna, who never left her cabinet--were sitting round the table. At the head of the table sat old Korchagin; on his left the doctor, and on his right, a visitor, Ivan Ivanovitch Kolosoff, a former Marechal de Noblesse, now a bank director, Korchagin's friend and a Liberal. Next on the left side sat Miss Rayner, the governess of Missy's little sister, and the four-year-old girl herself. Opposite them, Missy's brother, Petia, the only son of the Korchagins, a public-school boy of the Sixth Class. It was because of his examinations that the whole family were still in town. Next to him sat a University student who was coaching him, and Missy's cousin, Michael Sergeivitch Telegin, generally called Misha; opposite him, Katerina Alexeevna, a 40-year-old maiden lady, a Slavophil; and at the foot of the table sat Missy herself, with an empty place by her side.
"Ah! that's right! Sit down. We are still at the fish," said old Korchagin with difficulty, chewing carefully with his false teeth, and lifting his bloodshot eyes (which had no visible lids to them) to Nekhludoff.
"Stephen!" he said, with his mouth full, addressing the stout, dignified butler, and pointing with his eyes to the empty place. Though Nekhludoff knew Korchagin very well, and had often seen him at dinner, to-day this red face with the sensual smacking lips, the fat neck above the napkin stuck into his waistcoat, and the whole over-fed military figure, struck him very disagreeably. Then Nekhludoff remembered, without wishing to, what he knew of the cruelty of this man, who, when in command, used to have men flogged, and even hanged, without rhyme or reason, simply because he was rich and had no need to curry favour.
"Immediately, your excellency," said Stephen, getting a large soup ladle out of the sideboard, which was decorated with a number of silver vases. He made a sign with his head to the handsome footman, who began at once to arrange the untouched knives and forks and the napkin, elaborately folded with the embroidered family crest uppermost, in front of the empty place next to Missy. Nekhludoff went round shaking hands with every one, and all, except old Korchagin and the ladies, rose when he approached. And this walk round the table, this shaking the hands of people, with many of whom he never talked, seemed unpleasant and odd. He excused himself for being late, and was about to sit down between Missy and Katerina Alexeevna, but old Korchagin insisted that if he would not take a glass of vodka he should at least take a bit of something to whet his appetite, at the side table, on which stood small dishes of lobster, caviare, cheese, and salt herrings. Nekhludoff did not know how hungry he was until he began to eat, and then, having taken some bread and cheese, he went on eating eagerly.
"Well, have you succeeded in undermining the basis of society?" asked Kolosoff, ironically quoting an expression used by a retrograde newspaper in attacking trial by jury. "Acquitted the culprits and condemned the innocent, have you?"
"Undermining the basis--undermining the basis," repeated Prince Korchagin, laughing. He had a firm faith in the wisdom and learning of his chosen friend and companion.
At the risk of seeming rude, Nekhludoff left Kolosoff's question unanswered, and sitting down to his steaming soup, went on eating.
"Do let him eat," said Missy, with a smile. The pronoun him she used as a reminder of her intimacy with Nekhludoff. Kolosoff went on in a loud voice and lively manner to give the contents of the article against trial by jury which had aroused his indignation. Missy's cousin, Michael Sergeivitch, endorsed all his statements, and related the contents of another article in the same paper. Missy was, as usual, very distinguee, and well, unobtrusively well, dressed.
"You must be terribly tired," she said, after waiting until Nekhludoff had swallowed what was in his mouth.
"Not particularly. And you? Have you been to look at the pictures?" he asked.
"No, we put that off. We have been playing tennis at the Salamatoffs'. It is quite true, Mr. Crooks plays remarkably well."
Nekhludoff had come here in order to distract his thoughts, for he used to like being in this house, both because its refined luxury had a pleasant effect on him and because of the atmosphere of tender flattery that unobtrusively surrounded him. But to-day everything in the house was repulsive to him--everything: beginning with the doorkeeper, the broad staircase, the flowers, the footman, the table decorations, up to Missy herself, who to-day seemed unattractive and affected. Kolosoff's self-assured, trivial tone of liberalism was unpleasant, as was also the sensual, self-satisfied, bull-like appearance of old Korchagin, and the French phrases of Katerina Alexeevna, the Slavophil. The constrained looks of the governess and the student were unpleasant, too, but most unpleasant of all was the pronoun _him_ that Missy had used. Nekhludoff had long been wavering between two ways of regarding Missy; sometimes he looked at her as if by moonlight, and could see in her nothing but what was beautiful, fresh, pretty, clever and natural; then suddenly, as if the bright sun shone on her, he saw her defects and could not help seeing them. This was such a day for him. To-day he saw all the wrinkles of her face, knew which of her teeth were false, saw the way her hair was crimped, the sharpness of her elbows, and, above all, how large her thumb-nail was and how like her father's.
"Tennis is a dull game," said Kolosoff; "we used to play lapta when we were children. That was much more amusing."
"Oh, no, you never tried it; it's awfully interesting," said Missy, laying, it seemed to Nekhludoff, a very affected stress on the word "awfully." Then a dispute arose in which Michael Sergeivitch, Katerina Alexeevna and all the others took part, except the governess, the student and the children, who sat silent and wearied.
"Oh, these everlasting disputes!" said old Korchagin, laughing, and he pulled the napkin out of his waistcoat, noisily pushed back his chair, which the footman instantly caught hold of, and left the table.
Everybody rose after him, and went up to another table on which stood glasses of scented water. They rinsed their mouths, then resumed the conversation, interesting to no one.
"Don't you think so?" said Missy to Nekhludoff, calling for a confirmation of the statement that nothing shows up a man's character like a game. She noticed that preoccupied and, as it seemed to her, dissatisfied look which she feared, and she wanted to find out what had caused it.
"Really, I can't tell; I have never thought about it," Nekhludoff answered.
"Will you come to mamma?" asked Missy.
"Yes, yes," he said, in a tone which plainly proved that he did not want to go, and took out a cigarette.
She looked at him in silence, with a questioning look, and he felt ashamed. "To come into a house and give the people the dumps," he thought about himself; then, trying to be amiable, said that he would go with pleasure if the princess would admit him.
"Oh, yes! Mamma will be pleased. You may smoke there; and Ivan Ivanovitch is also there."
The mistress of the house, Princess Sophia Vasilievna, was a recumbent lady. It was the eighth year that, when visitors were present, she lay in lace and ribbons, surrounded with velvet, gilding, ivory, bronze, lacquer and flowers, never going out, and only, as she put it, receiving intimate friends, i.e., those who according to her idea stood out from the common herd.
Nekhludoff was admitted into the number of these friends because he was considered clever, because his mother had been an intimate friend of the family, and because it was desirable that Missy should marry him.
Sophia Vasilievna's room lay beyond the large and the small drawing-rooms. In the large drawing-room, Missy, who was in front of Nekhludoff, stopped resolutely, and taking hold of the back of a small green chair, faced him.
Missy was very anxious to get married, and as he was a suitable match and she also liked him, she had accustomed herself to the thought that he should be hers (not she his). To lose him would be very mortifying. She now began talking to him in order to get him to explain his intentions.
"I see something has happened," she said. "Tell me, what is the matter with you?"
He remembered the meeting in the law court, and frowned and blushed.
"Yes, something has happened," he said, wishing to be truthful; "a very unusual and serious event."
"What is it, then? Can you not tell me what it is?" She was pursuing her aim with that unconscious yet obstinate cunning often observable in the mentally diseased.
"Not now. Please do not ask me to tell you. I have not yet had time fully to consider it," and he blushed still more.
"And so you will not tell me?" A muscle twitched in her face and she pushed back the chair she was holding. "Well then, come!" She shook her head as if to expel useless thoughts, and, faster than usual, went on in front of him.
He fancied that her mouth was unnaturally compressed in order to keep back the tears. He was ashamed of having hurt her, and yet he knew that the least weakness on his part would mean disaster, i.e., would bind him to her. And to-day he feared this more than anything, and silently followed her to the princess's cabinet.
“老爺，請進，都在等您呢，”柯察金家那個和藹可親的胖門房一面說，一面拉開裝有英國餃鏈、開時沒有聲音的麻櫟大門?！八麄円呀?jīng)入席了，但關照過，您一到就請進。”
門房走到樓梯口，拉了拉通到樓上的鈴。
“有客人嗎？”聶赫留朵夫一面脫衣服，一面問?！翱侣逅鞣蛳壬?，還有米哈伊爾少爺，其余都是家里人，”
門房回答。
一個穿燕尾服、戴白手套的漂亮侍仆從樓梯頂上往下看了看。
“您請，老爺，”他說?！瓣P照過了，請您上來。”
聶赫留朵夫上了樓，穿過熟識的華麗寬敞的大客廳，走進餐廳。餐廳里，一家人都已圍坐在飯桌旁，除了母親沙斐雅公爵夫人之外。她是從來不出房門一步的。飯桌上首坐著柯察金老頭；他的左邊坐著醫(yī)生，右邊坐著客人柯洛索夫，柯洛索夫當過省首席貴族，如今是銀行董事，又是柯察金的具有自由派思想的朋友；左邊再下去是米西的小妹的家庭教師藍德小姐，還有就是才四歲的小妹；她們對面，右邊再下去是米西的哥哥，柯察金的獨生子，六年級中學生彼嘉，一家人就是因為等他考試而留在城里沒有走；彼嘉旁邊是那個擔任補習教師的大學生；左邊再下去是斯拉夫派信徒，四十歲的老姑娘卡吉琳娜；她對面是米哈伊爾，或者叫米沙，他是米西的表哥。飯桌下首是米西本人，她旁邊放著一份沒有動用過的餐具。
“哦，這就好了。請坐，我們剛開始吃魚，”柯察金老頭費力地用假牙小心咀嚼著，說道，抬起看不出眼皮的充血眼睛望望聶赫留朵夫。“斯吉邦，”他嘴里塞滿食物，用眼睛示意那副沒有用過的餐具，轉(zhuǎn)身對那個神情莊重的餐廳胖侍仆說。
聶赫留朵夫同柯察金老頭雖然很熟，同他一起吃過多次飯，可是今天聶赫留朵夫不知怎的特別討厭他那張紅臉、他那被背心上掖著的餐巾襯托著的兩片吃得津津有味的貪婪嘴唇、他那粗大的脖子，尤其是他那吃得大腹便便的將軍式身軀。聶赫留朵夫不由得想起這個老頭的殘酷。他在任地區(qū)長官的時候，常常無緣無故把人鞭笞一頓，甚至把人絞死，其實他既有錢又有勢，根本沒有必要這樣來邀功請賞。
“馬上就來，老爺，”斯吉邦一面說，一面從擺滿銀餐具的酒櫥里拿出一個大湯勺，又向那個蓄絡腮胡子的漂亮侍仆點點頭。那個侍仆就把米西旁邊那副沒有用過的餐具擺擺正。那副餐具上原來蓋著一塊折疊得整整齊齊的漿過的餐巾，餐巾上面繡著家徽。
聶赫留朵夫繞飯桌一周，同大家一一握手。他走過的時候，除了柯察金老頭和太太小姐們，一個個都站起來。聶赫留朵夫跟多數(shù)人雖然從沒交談過，但還是一一握手問好。這種應酬他今天覺得特別嫌惡，特別無聊。他為自己的遲到表示了歉意，正想在米西和卡吉琳娜之間的空位上坐下，但柯察金老頭要他即使不喝酒，也先到那張擺著龍蝦、魚子醬、干酪和咸青魚的冷菜桌上去吃一點。聶赫留朵夫自己也沒想到肚子那么餓，一吃干酪面包就放不下，竟狼吞虎咽地吃起來。
“哦，怎么樣，把是非徹底顛倒了？”柯洛索夫借用反動報紙抨擊陪審制度的用語挖苦說?！鞍延凶锏呐谐蔁o罪，把無罪的判成有罪，是不是？”
“把是非徹底顛倒了……把是非徹底顛倒了……”老公爵笑著連聲說，他無限信任這位自由派同志和朋友的博學多才。
聶赫留朵夫不顧是否失禮，沒有答理柯洛索夫，卻坐到一盤剛端上來的熱氣騰騰的湯旁邊，繼續(xù)吃著。
“您讓他先吃吧，”米西笑瞇瞇地說，用他這個代詞表示他們之間的親密關系。
這時柯洛索夫情緒激動，大聲講到那篇使他生氣的反對陪審制的文章。公爵的表侄米哈伊爾附和他的看法，介紹了那家報紙另一篇文章的內(nèi)容。
米西打扮得象平時一樣雅致，她衣著講究，但講究得并不刺眼。
“您一定累壞了，餓壞了，是不是？”她等聶赫留朵夫咽下食物，說。
“不，還好。那么您呢？去看過畫展嗎？”聶赫留朵夫問。
“不，我們改期了。我們在薩拉瑪托夫家打草地網(wǎng)球①。說實在的，密絲脫克魯克斯打得真漂亮?！?BR> --------
①原文是英語。
聶赫留朵夫到這里來是為了散散心。平時他在這座房子里總感到很愉快，不僅因為這種豪華的氣派使他覺得舒服，而且周圍那種親切奉承的氣氛使他高興。今天呢，說也奇怪，這座房子里的一切，從門房、寬闊的樓梯、鮮花、侍仆、桌上的擺設起，直到米西本人，什么都使他嫌惡。他覺得米西今天并不可愛，裝腔作勢，很不自然。他討厭柯洛索夫那種妄自尊大的自由派論調(diào)，討厭柯察金老頭那種得意揚揚的好色的公牛般身材，討厭斯拉夫派信徒卡吉琳娜的滿口法國話，討厭家庭女教師和補習教師那種拘謹?shù)臉幼樱绕溆憛捗孜髡f到他時單用代詞他……聶赫留朵夫?qū)γ孜鞯膽B(tài)度常常搖擺不定：有時他仿佛瞇細眼睛或者在月光底下瞅她，看到了她身上的種種優(yōu)點，他覺得她又嬌嫩，又美麗，又聰明，又大方……有時他仿佛在燦爛的陽光下瞧她，這樣就不能不看到她身上的種種缺點。今天對他來說就是這樣的日子。今天他看見她臉上的每道皺紋，看見她頭發(fā)蓬亂，看見她的臂肘尖得難看，尤其是看見她大拇指上寬大的指甲，簡直同她父親的手指甲一模一樣。
“那玩意兒沒意思，”柯洛索夫談到網(wǎng)球說，“我們小時候玩的棒球要有趣多了?！?BR> “不，您沒有嘗到那個樂趣。那種球好玩極了，”米西不同意他的話，但聶赫留朵夫覺得她說好玩極了幾個字有點裝腔作勢，怪不自然的。
于是展開了一場爭論，米哈伊爾和卡吉琳娜也都參加進去。只有家庭女教師、補習教師和孩子們沒作聲，顯然不感興趣。
“老是吵嘴！”柯察金老頭哈哈大笑，從背心上拉下餐巾，嘩啦啦地推開椅子，從桌旁站起來。仆人把他的椅子接過去。其余的人也跟著他紛紛起立，走到放有漱口杯和香噴噴溫水的小桌旁，漱了一下口，繼續(xù)那種誰也不感興趣的談話。
“您說是嗎？”米西轉(zhuǎn)身對聶赫留朵夫說，要他贊成她的意見，她認為，人的性格再沒有比在運動中暴露得更清楚的了。可她在他臉上卻看到那種心事重重而且——她覺得——
憤憤不平的神色。她感到害怕，很想知道那是什么緣故。
“說實話，我不知道。這問題我從來沒有考慮過，”聶赫留朵夫回答。
“您去看看媽媽，好嗎？”米西問。
“好，好，”他一面說，一面拿出香煙，但他的口氣分明表示他不愿意去。
她不作聲，困惑地對他瞧瞧。他感到有點不好意思?！安诲e，既然來看人家，可不能弄得人家掃興啊，”他暗自想，就竭力做出親切的樣子說，要是公爵夫人肯接見，他是高興去的。
“當然，當然，您去，媽媽會高興的。煙到那邊也可以抽。
伊凡·伊凡內(nèi)奇也在那里。”
這家的女主人沙斐雅公爵夫人長期臥病在床。她躺著會客已經(jīng)有八年了，身上穿的滿是花邊、緞帶和絲絨，周圍都是鍍金、象牙、青銅擺件和漆器，還有各種花草。她從不出門，一向只接見她所謂“自己的朋友”，其實就是她認為出類拔萃的人物。聶赫留朵夫?qū)儆谶@種被接見的“朋友”之列，因為她認為他是個聰明的年輕人，又因為他的母親是他們家的老朋友，更因為米西如能嫁給他，那就更加稱心了。
沙斐雅公爵夫人的房間在大客廳和小客廳后面。米西走在聶赫留朵夫前面，但一走進大客廳，她就突然站住，雙手扶著涂金椅子背，對他瞧了瞧。
米西很想出嫁，而聶赫留朵夫是個好配偶。再說，她喜歡他，她慣于想：他是屬于她的（不是她屬于他，而是他屬于她）。她還用精神病患者常用的那種無意而又固執(zhí)的狡詐手法來達到目的。此刻她同他說話，就要他說出他的心事來。
“我看出您遇到什么事了，”米西說?！澳@是怎么了？”
聶赫留朵夫想到他在法庭上見到了卡秋莎，就皺起眉頭，臉漲得通紅。
“是的，遇到了事，”他說，想把今天的事老實說出來，“一件奇怪的、不尋常的大事?！?BR> “什么事啊？您不能告訴我嗎？”
“這會兒我不能。請您別問我。這件事我還來不及好好考慮，”聶赫留朵夫說著，臉漲得更紅了。
“您對我都不肯講嗎？”她臉上的肌肉跳動了一下，手里的椅子也挪了挪。
“不，我不能，”他回答，覺得這樣回答她，等于在回答自己，承認確實遇到了一件非同小可的事。
“噢，那么我們走吧?！?BR> 米西搖搖頭，仿佛要甩掉不必要的想法，接著邁開異乎尋常的步子急急向前走去。
聶赫留朵夫覺得她不自然地咬緊嘴唇，忍住眼淚。他弄得她傷心，他覺得又不好意思又難過，但他知道只要心一軟，就會把自己毀掉，也就是說同她結(jié)合在一起，再也拆不開。而這是他現(xiàn)在最害怕的事。于是他就一言不發(fā)地同她一起來到公爵夫人屋里。