MISSY'S MOTHER.
Princess Sophia Vasilievna, Missy's mother, had finished her very elaborate and nourishing dinner. (She had it always alone, that no one should see her performing this unpoetical function.) By her couch stood a small table with her coffee, and she was smoking a pachitos. Princess Sophia Vasilievna was a long, thin woman, with dark hair, large black eyes and long teeth, and still pretended to be young.
Her intimacy with the doctor was being talked about. Nekhludoff had known that for some time; but when he saw the doctor sitting by her couch, his oily, glistening beard parted in the middle, he not only remembered the rumours about them, but felt greatly disgusted. By the table, on a low, soft, easy chair, next to Sophia Vasilievna, sat Kolosoff, stirring his coffee. A glass of liqueur stood on the table. Missy came in with Nekhludoff, but did not remain in the room.
"When mamma gets tired of you and drives you away, then come to me," she said, turning to Kolosoff and Nekhludoff, speaking as if nothing had occurred; then she went away, smiling merrily and stepping noiselessly on the thick carpet.
"How do you do, dear friend? Sit down and talk," said Princess Sophia Vasilievna, with her affected but very naturally-acted smile, showing her fine, long teeth--a splendid imitation of what her own had once been. "I hear that you have come from the Law Courts very much depressed. I think it must be very trying to a person with a heart," she added in French.
"Yes, that is so," said Nekhludoff. "One often feels one's own de--one feels one has no right to judge."
"Comme, c'est vrai," she cried, as if struck by the truth of this remark. She was in the habit of artfully flattering all those with whom she conversed. "Well, and what of your picture? It does interest me so. If I were not such a sad invalid I should have been to see it long ago," she said.
"I have quite given it up," Nekhludoff replied drily. The falseness of her flattery seemed as evident to him to-day as her age, which she was trying to conceal, and he could not put himself into the right state to behave politely.
"Oh, that _is_ a pity! Why, he has a real talent for art; I have it from Repin's own lips," she added, turning to Kolosoff.
"Why is it she is not ashamed of lying so?" Nekhludoff thought, and frowned.
When she had convinced herself that Nekhludoff was in a bad temper and that one could not get him into an agreeable and clever conversation, Sophia Vasilievna turned to Kolosoff, asking his opinion of a new play. She asked it in a tone as if Kolosoff's opinion would decide all doubts, and each word of this opinion be worthy of being immortalised. Kolosoff found fault both with the play and its author, and that led him to express his views on art. Princess Sophia Vasilievna, while trying at the same time to defend the play, seemed impressed by the truth of his arguments, either giving in at once, or at least modifying her opinion. Nekhludoff looked and listened, but neither saw nor heard what was going on before him.
Listening now to Sophia Vasilievna, now to Kolosoff, Nekhludoff noticed that neither he nor she cared anything about the play or each other, and that if they talked it was only to gratify the physical desire to move the muscles of the throat and tongue after having eaten; and that Kolosoff, having drunk vodka, wine and liqueur, was a little tipsy. Not tipsy like the peasants who drink seldom, but like people to whom drinking wine has become a habit. He did not reel about or talk nonsense, but he was in a state that was not normal; excited and self-satisfied. Nekhludoff also noticed that during the conversation Princess Sophia Vasilievna kept glancing uneasily at the window, through which a slanting ray of sunshine, which might vividly light up her aged face, was beginning to creep up.
"How true," she said in reference to some remark of Kolosoff's, touching the button of an electric bell by the side of her couch. The doctor rose, and, like one who is at home, left the room without saying anything. Sophia Vasilievna followed him with her eyes and continued the conversation.
"Please, Philip, draw these curtains," she said, pointing to the window, when the handsome footman came in answer to the bell. "No; whatever you may say, there is some mysticism in him; without mysticism there can be no poetry," she said, with one of her black eyes angrily following the footman's movements as he was drawing the curtains. "Without poetry, mysticism is superstition; without mysticism, poetry is--prose," she continued, with a sorrowful smile, still not losing sight of the footman and the curtains. "Philip, not that curtain; the one on the large window," she exclaimed, in a suffering tone. Sophia Vasilievna was evidently pitying herself for having to make the effort of saying these words; and, to soothe her feelings, she raised to her lips a scented, smoking cigarette with her jewel- bedecked fingers.
The broad-chested, muscular, handsome Philip bowed slightly, as if begging pardon; and stepping lightly across the carpet with his broad-calved, strong, legs, obediently and silently went to the other window, and, looking at the princess, carefully began to arrange the curtain so that not a single ray dared fall on her. But again he did not satisfy her, and again she had to interrupt the conversation about mysticism, and correct in a martyred tone the unintelligent Philip, who was tormenting her so pitilessly. For a moment a light flashed in Philip's eyes.
"'The devil take you! What do you want?' was probably what he said to himself," thought Nekhludoff, who had been observing all this scene. But the strong, handsome Philip at once managed to conceal the signs of his impatience, and went on quietly carrying out the orders of the worn, weak, false Sophia Vasilievna.
"Of course, there is a good deal of truth in Lombroso's teaching," said Kolosoff, lolling back in the low chair and looking at Sophia Vasilievna with sleepy eyes; "but he over-stepped the mark. Oh, yes."
"And you? Do you believe in heredity?" asked Sophia Vasilievna, turning to Nekhludoff, whose silence annoyed her. "In heredity?" he asked. "No, I don't." At this moment his whole mind was taken up by strange images that in some unaccountable way rose up in his imagination. By the side of this strong and handsome Philip he seemed at this minute to see the nude figure of Kolosoff as an artist's model; with his stomach like a melon, his bald head, and his arms without muscle, like pestles. In the same dim way the limbs of Sophia Vasilievna, now covered with silks and velvets, rose up in his mind as they must be in reality; but this mental picture was too horrid and he tried to drive it away.
"Well, you know Missy is waiting for you," she said. "Go and find her. She wants to play a new piece by Grieg to you; it is most interesting."
"She did not mean to play anything; the woman is simply lying, for some reason or other," thought Nekhludoff, rising and pressing Sophia Vasilievna's transparent and bony, ringed hand.
Katerina Alexeevna met him in the drawing-room, and at once began, in French, as usual:
"I see the duties of a juryman act depressingly upon you."
"Yes; pardon me, I am in low spirits to-day, and have no right to weary others by my presence," said Nekhludoff.
"Why are you in low spirits?"
"Allow me not to speak about that," he said, looking round for his hat.
"Don't you remember how you used to say that we must always tell the truth? And what cruel truths you used to tell us all! Why do you not wish to speak out now? Don't you remember, Missy?" she said, turning to Missy, who had just come in.
"We were playing a game then," said Nekhludoff, seriously; "one may tell the truth in a game, but in reality we are so bad--I mean I am so bad--that I, at least, cannot tell the truth."
"Oh, do not correct yourself, but rather tell us why _we_ are so bad," said Katerina Alexeevna, playing with her words and pretending not to notice how serious Nekhludoff was.
"Nothing is worse than to confess to being in low spirits," said Missy. "I never do it, and therefore am always in good spirits."
Nekhludoff felt as a horse must feel when it is being caressed to make it submit to having the bit put in its mouth and be harnessed, and to-day he felt less than ever inclined to draw.
"Well, are you coming into my room? We will try to cheer you up."
He excused himself, saying he had to be at home, and began taking leave. Missy kept his hand longer than usual.
"Remember that what is important to you is important to your friends," she said. "Are you coming tomorrow?"
"I hardly expect to," said Nekhludoff; and feeling ashamed, without knowing whether for her or for himself, he blushed and went away.
"What is it? _Comme cela m'intrigue_," said Katerina Alexeevna. "I must find it out. I suppose it is some _affaire d'amour propre; il est tres susceptible, notre cher Mitia_."
"_Plutot une affaire d'amour sale_," Missy was going to say, but stopped and looked down with a face from which all the light had gone--a very different face from the one with which she had looked at him. She would not mention to Katerina Alexeevna even, so vulgar a pun, but only said, "We all have our good and our bad days."
"Is it possible that he, too, will deceive?" she thought; "after all that has happened it would be very bad of him."
If Missy had had to explain what she meant by "after all that has happened," she could have said nothing definite, and yet she knew that he had not only excited her hopes but had almost given her a promise. No definite words had passed between them--only looks and smiles and hints; and yet she considered him as her own, and to lose him would be very hard.
沙斐雅公爵夫人剛吃完她那頓烹調(diào)講究、營養(yǎng)豐富的午飯。她總是單獨(dú)吃飯，免得人家看見她在做這種毫無詩意的俗事時(shí)的模樣。她的臥榻旁邊有一張小桌，上面擺著咖啡。她在吸煙。沙斐雅公爵夫人身材瘦長，黑頭發(fā)，牙齒很長，眼睛又黑又大。她總是竭力打扮成年輕的模樣。
關(guān)于她同醫(yī)生的關(guān)系，有不少流言蜚語。聶赫留朵夫以前沒把它放在心上，但今天他不僅想了起來，而且看見那個(gè)油光光的大胡子分成兩半的醫(yī)生坐在她旁邊的軟椅上，他感到有說不出的惡心。
沙斐雅公爵夫人身邊的矮沙發(fā)上坐著柯洛索夫，他正在攪動(dòng)小桌上的咖啡。小桌上還放著一杯甜酒。
米西陪聶赫留朵夫走到母親屋里，但她自己沒有留下來。
“等媽媽累了，趕你們走，你們再來找我，”她對(duì)柯洛索夫和聶赫留朵夫說，那語氣仿佛她跟聶赫留朵夫根本沒有鬧過什么別扭。她快樂地嫣然一笑，悄悄地踩著厚地毯走了出去。
“哦，您好，我的朋友，請坐，來給我們講講，”沙斐雅公爵夫人說，臉上掛著一種簡直可以亂真的假笑，露出一口同真牙一模一樣精致好看的長長的假牙?！奥犝f您從法院出來，心里十分愁悶。我明白，一個(gè)心地善良的人干這種事是很痛苦的，”她用法語說。
“對(duì)，這話一點(diǎn)也不錯(cuò)，”聶赫留朵夫說，“你會(huì)常常感到你沒有……你沒有權(quán)利去審判……”
“這話說得太對(duì)了！”她仿佛因?yàn)樗脑捳_而深受感動(dòng)，其實(shí)她一向就是這樣巧妙地討好同她談話的人的。
“那么，您那幅畫怎么樣了？我對(duì)它很感興趣，”她又說。
“要不是我有病，我早就到府上去欣賞欣賞了?！?BR> “我完全把它丟下了，”聶赫留朵夫干巴巴地回答，今天他覺得她的假意奉承就跟她的老態(tài)一樣使人一目了然。他怎么也不能勉強(qiáng)裝出親切的樣子。
“這可不行！不瞞您說，列賓親口對(duì)我說過，他很有才能，”
她對(duì)柯洛索夫說。
“她這樣撒謊怎么不害臊，”聶赫留朵夫皺著眉頭暗想。
等到沙斐雅公爵夫人確信聶赫留朵夫心情不佳，不可能吸引他參加愉快知趣的談話，她就把身子轉(zhuǎn)向柯洛索夫，征求他對(duì)一出新戲的意見，仿佛柯洛索夫的意見能消除一切疑問，他的每一句話都將永垂不朽。柯洛索夫?qū)@出戲批評(píng)了一通，還乘機(jī)發(fā)揮了他的藝術(shù)觀。沙斐雅公爵夫人對(duì)他的精辟見解大為驚訝，試圖為劇本作者辯護(hù)幾句，但立刻就認(rèn)輸了，最多只能提出折衷看法。聶赫留朵夫看著，聽著，可是他所看見和聽見的同眼前的情景完全不一樣。
聶赫留朵夫時(shí)而聽聽沙斐雅公爵夫人說話，時(shí)而聽聽柯洛索夫說話，他發(fā)現(xiàn)：第一，沙斐雅公爵夫人也好，柯洛索夫也好，他們對(duì)戲劇都毫無興趣，彼此也漠不關(guān)心，他們之所以要說說話，無非是為了滿足飯后活動(dòng)活動(dòng)舌頭和喉嚨肌肉的生理要求罷了；第二，柯洛索夫喝過伏特加、葡萄酒和甜酒，有了幾分酒意，但不象難得喝酒的農(nóng)民那樣爛醉如泥，而是嗜酒成癖的那種人的微醺。他身子并不搖晃，嘴里也不胡言亂語，只是情緒有點(diǎn)反常，揚(yáng)揚(yáng)自得，十分興奮；第三，聶赫留朵夫看到，沙斐雅公爵夫人在談話時(shí)總是心神不定地望望窗子，因?yàn)橛幸坏狸柟庑鄙溥M(jìn)窗口，這樣就可能把她的老態(tài)照得一清二楚。
“這話真對(duì)，”她就柯洛索夫的一句評(píng)語說，接著按了按床邊的電鈴。
這時(shí)醫(yī)生站起身來，一句話不說就走了出去，仿佛是家里人一樣。沙斐雅公爵夫人邊說話邊目送他出去。
“菲利浦，請您把這窗簾放下來，”那個(gè)模樣漂亮的侍仆聽到鈴聲走進(jìn)來，公爵夫人用眼睛示意那窗簾說。
“不，不管您怎么說，其中總有點(diǎn)神秘的地方，沒有神秘就不成其為詩，”她說，同時(shí)斜著一只黑眼睛怒容滿面地瞅著那個(gè)正在放窗簾的侍仆。
“沒有詩意的神秘主義是迷信，而沒有神秘主義的詩就成了散文，”她憂郁地微笑著，眼睛沒有離開那正在拉直窗簾的侍仆。
“菲利浦，您不該放那塊窗簾，要放大窗子上的窗簾，”沙斐雅公爵夫人痛苦地說，為了說出這兩句話得費(fèi)那么大的勁，她顯然很憐惜自己。接著提起戴滿戒指的手，把那支冒煙的香氣撲鼻的紙煙送到嘴邊，使自己平靜下來。
胸膛寬闊、肌肉發(fā)達(dá)的美男子菲利浦仿佛表示歉意似地微微鞠了一躬，在地毯上輕輕邁動(dòng)兩條腿肚發(fā)達(dá)的強(qiáng)壯的腿，一言不發(fā)，順從地走到另一個(gè)窗口，留神瞧著公爵夫人，動(dòng)手拉窗簾，使她的身上照不到一絲陽光?？伤€是沒有做對(duì)，害得苦惱不堪的沙斐雅公爵夫人不得不放下關(guān)于神秘主義的談話，去糾正頭腦遲鈍、無情地使她煩惱的菲利浦。菲利浦的眼睛里有個(gè)火星亮了一亮。
“‘鬼才知道你要怎么樣！’——他心里大概在這么說吧，”聶赫留朵夫冷眼旁觀著這一幕，暗自想著。不過，菲利浦，這個(gè)美男子和大力士，立刻掩藏住不耐煩的態(tài)度，沉住氣，按照這位筋疲力盡、虛弱不堪而又矯揉造作的沙斐雅公爵夫人的話做去。
“達(dá)爾文學(xué)說自然有部分道理，”柯洛索夫說，伸開手腳懶洋洋地靠在矮沙發(fā)上，同時(shí)睡眼蒙眬地瞧著沙斐雅公爵夫人，“但他有點(diǎn)過頭了。對(duì)了?！?BR> “那么您相信遺傳嗎？”沙斐雅公爵夫人問聶赫留朵夫，對(duì)他的沉默感到難受。
“遺傳？”聶赫留朵夫反問道。“不，不信，”他嘴里這樣說，頭腦里不知怎的卻充滿了各種古怪的形象。他想象大力士和美男子菲利浦赤身露體，旁邊則是一絲不掛的柯洛索夫，肚子象個(gè)西瓜，腦袋光禿，兩條沒有肌肉的手臂好象兩根枯藤。他還模模糊糊地想象著，沙斐雅公爵夫人用綢緞和絲絨裹著的肩膀其實(shí)是什么樣子，不過這種想象太可怕了，他連忙把它驅(qū)除。
沙斐雅公爵夫人卻用眼睛上上下下打量著他。
“米西可在等您了，”她說?！澳剿抢锶グ?，她要給您彈舒曼的新作呢……挺有意思。”
“她根本不想彈什么琴。她這都是有意撒謊，”聶赫留朵夫暗自想，站起身來，握了握沙斐雅公爵夫人戴滿戒指的枯瘦的手。
卡吉琳娜在客廳里迎接他，立刻就同他談了起來。
“我看得出來，陪審員的職務(wù)可把您累壞了，”她照例用法語說。
“哦，對(duì)不起，我今天情緒不好，可我也沒有權(quán)利使別人難受，”聶赫留朵夫說。
“您為什么情緒不好哇？”
“我不愿意說，請您原諒，”他一面說，一面找他的帽子。
“您該記得，您曾經(jīng)說過做人要永遠(yuǎn)說實(shí)話，而且您還給我們講過一些極其可怕的事。為什么您今天就不愿意說呢？你還記得嗎，米西？”卡吉琳娜對(duì)走近來的米西說。
“因?yàn)楫?dāng)時(shí)只是開開玩笑，”聶赫留朵夫一本正經(jīng)地回答。
“開開玩笑是可以的。可是在實(shí)際生活里我們太糟糕了，我是說，我太糟糕了，至少我無法說實(shí)話?！?BR> “您不用改口，還是說說，我們糟在什么地方，”卡吉琳娜說。她抓住聶赫留朵夫的語病，仿佛沒有注意到他的臉色是那么嚴(yán)肅。
“再?zèng)]有比承認(rèn)自己情緒不好更糟的事了，”米西說?！拔揖蛷膩聿怀姓J(rèn)，因此情緒總是很好。走，到我那兒去吧。讓我們來努力驅(qū)散你的不佳情緒?！?BR> 聶赫留朵夫覺得他好象一匹被人撫摩著而要它戴上籠頭、套上車子的馬。今天他特別不高興拉車。他道歉說他得回家去，就向大家告辭。米西比平時(shí)更長久地握住他的手。
“您要記住，凡是對(duì)您重要的事，對(duì)您的朋友也同樣重要，”她說?！懊魈炷鷣韱幔俊?BR> “多半不來，”聶赫留朵夫說著感到害臊，但他自己也不知道，究竟是為自己害臊還是為她害臊。他漲紅了臉，匆匆走了。
“這是怎么回事？我可很感興趣呢，”等聶赫留朵夫一走，卡吉琳娜說?！拔乙欢ㄒ獋€(gè)明白。準(zhǔn)是一件有關(guān)體面的事：
我們的米哈伊爾慪氣了?！?BR> “恐怕是件不體面的桃色案件吧，”米西原想這樣說，但是沒有出口，她癡呆呆地瞪著前方，那陰郁的神色同剛才望著他時(shí)完全不同。不過，即使對(duì)卡吉琳娜她也沒有把這句酸溜溜的俏皮話說出來，而只是說：
“我們?nèi)巳硕加虚_心的日子，也有不開心的日子?！?BR> “難道連這個(gè)人都要欺騙我嗎？”米西暗自想。“事到如今他還要這樣，未免太不象話了?！?BR> 要是叫米西解釋一下她所謂的“事到如今”是什么意思，她準(zhǔn)說不出一個(gè)所以然來。不過她無疑知道，他不僅使她心里存著希望，而且簡直已經(jīng)答應(yīng)她了。倒不是說他已經(jīng)明確對(duì)她說過，而是通過眼神、微笑、暗示和默許表明了這一點(diǎn)。她始終認(rèn)為他是屬于她的，要是失掉他，那她真是太難堪了。
Princess Sophia Vasilievna, Missy's mother, had finished her very elaborate and nourishing dinner. (She had it always alone, that no one should see her performing this unpoetical function.) By her couch stood a small table with her coffee, and she was smoking a pachitos. Princess Sophia Vasilievna was a long, thin woman, with dark hair, large black eyes and long teeth, and still pretended to be young.
Her intimacy with the doctor was being talked about. Nekhludoff had known that for some time; but when he saw the doctor sitting by her couch, his oily, glistening beard parted in the middle, he not only remembered the rumours about them, but felt greatly disgusted. By the table, on a low, soft, easy chair, next to Sophia Vasilievna, sat Kolosoff, stirring his coffee. A glass of liqueur stood on the table. Missy came in with Nekhludoff, but did not remain in the room.
"When mamma gets tired of you and drives you away, then come to me," she said, turning to Kolosoff and Nekhludoff, speaking as if nothing had occurred; then she went away, smiling merrily and stepping noiselessly on the thick carpet.
"How do you do, dear friend? Sit down and talk," said Princess Sophia Vasilievna, with her affected but very naturally-acted smile, showing her fine, long teeth--a splendid imitation of what her own had once been. "I hear that you have come from the Law Courts very much depressed. I think it must be very trying to a person with a heart," she added in French.
"Yes, that is so," said Nekhludoff. "One often feels one's own de--one feels one has no right to judge."
"Comme, c'est vrai," she cried, as if struck by the truth of this remark. She was in the habit of artfully flattering all those with whom she conversed. "Well, and what of your picture? It does interest me so. If I were not such a sad invalid I should have been to see it long ago," she said.
"I have quite given it up," Nekhludoff replied drily. The falseness of her flattery seemed as evident to him to-day as her age, which she was trying to conceal, and he could not put himself into the right state to behave politely.
"Oh, that _is_ a pity! Why, he has a real talent for art; I have it from Repin's own lips," she added, turning to Kolosoff.
"Why is it she is not ashamed of lying so?" Nekhludoff thought, and frowned.
When she had convinced herself that Nekhludoff was in a bad temper and that one could not get him into an agreeable and clever conversation, Sophia Vasilievna turned to Kolosoff, asking his opinion of a new play. She asked it in a tone as if Kolosoff's opinion would decide all doubts, and each word of this opinion be worthy of being immortalised. Kolosoff found fault both with the play and its author, and that led him to express his views on art. Princess Sophia Vasilievna, while trying at the same time to defend the play, seemed impressed by the truth of his arguments, either giving in at once, or at least modifying her opinion. Nekhludoff looked and listened, but neither saw nor heard what was going on before him.
Listening now to Sophia Vasilievna, now to Kolosoff, Nekhludoff noticed that neither he nor she cared anything about the play or each other, and that if they talked it was only to gratify the physical desire to move the muscles of the throat and tongue after having eaten; and that Kolosoff, having drunk vodka, wine and liqueur, was a little tipsy. Not tipsy like the peasants who drink seldom, but like people to whom drinking wine has become a habit. He did not reel about or talk nonsense, but he was in a state that was not normal; excited and self-satisfied. Nekhludoff also noticed that during the conversation Princess Sophia Vasilievna kept glancing uneasily at the window, through which a slanting ray of sunshine, which might vividly light up her aged face, was beginning to creep up.
"How true," she said in reference to some remark of Kolosoff's, touching the button of an electric bell by the side of her couch. The doctor rose, and, like one who is at home, left the room without saying anything. Sophia Vasilievna followed him with her eyes and continued the conversation.
"Please, Philip, draw these curtains," she said, pointing to the window, when the handsome footman came in answer to the bell. "No; whatever you may say, there is some mysticism in him; without mysticism there can be no poetry," she said, with one of her black eyes angrily following the footman's movements as he was drawing the curtains. "Without poetry, mysticism is superstition; without mysticism, poetry is--prose," she continued, with a sorrowful smile, still not losing sight of the footman and the curtains. "Philip, not that curtain; the one on the large window," she exclaimed, in a suffering tone. Sophia Vasilievna was evidently pitying herself for having to make the effort of saying these words; and, to soothe her feelings, she raised to her lips a scented, smoking cigarette with her jewel- bedecked fingers.
The broad-chested, muscular, handsome Philip bowed slightly, as if begging pardon; and stepping lightly across the carpet with his broad-calved, strong, legs, obediently and silently went to the other window, and, looking at the princess, carefully began to arrange the curtain so that not a single ray dared fall on her. But again he did not satisfy her, and again she had to interrupt the conversation about mysticism, and correct in a martyred tone the unintelligent Philip, who was tormenting her so pitilessly. For a moment a light flashed in Philip's eyes.
"'The devil take you! What do you want?' was probably what he said to himself," thought Nekhludoff, who had been observing all this scene. But the strong, handsome Philip at once managed to conceal the signs of his impatience, and went on quietly carrying out the orders of the worn, weak, false Sophia Vasilievna.
"Of course, there is a good deal of truth in Lombroso's teaching," said Kolosoff, lolling back in the low chair and looking at Sophia Vasilievna with sleepy eyes; "but he over-stepped the mark. Oh, yes."
"And you? Do you believe in heredity?" asked Sophia Vasilievna, turning to Nekhludoff, whose silence annoyed her. "In heredity?" he asked. "No, I don't." At this moment his whole mind was taken up by strange images that in some unaccountable way rose up in his imagination. By the side of this strong and handsome Philip he seemed at this minute to see the nude figure of Kolosoff as an artist's model; with his stomach like a melon, his bald head, and his arms without muscle, like pestles. In the same dim way the limbs of Sophia Vasilievna, now covered with silks and velvets, rose up in his mind as they must be in reality; but this mental picture was too horrid and he tried to drive it away.
"Well, you know Missy is waiting for you," she said. "Go and find her. She wants to play a new piece by Grieg to you; it is most interesting."
"She did not mean to play anything; the woman is simply lying, for some reason or other," thought Nekhludoff, rising and pressing Sophia Vasilievna's transparent and bony, ringed hand.
Katerina Alexeevna met him in the drawing-room, and at once began, in French, as usual:
"I see the duties of a juryman act depressingly upon you."
"Yes; pardon me, I am in low spirits to-day, and have no right to weary others by my presence," said Nekhludoff.
"Why are you in low spirits?"
"Allow me not to speak about that," he said, looking round for his hat.
"Don't you remember how you used to say that we must always tell the truth? And what cruel truths you used to tell us all! Why do you not wish to speak out now? Don't you remember, Missy?" she said, turning to Missy, who had just come in.
"We were playing a game then," said Nekhludoff, seriously; "one may tell the truth in a game, but in reality we are so bad--I mean I am so bad--that I, at least, cannot tell the truth."
"Oh, do not correct yourself, but rather tell us why _we_ are so bad," said Katerina Alexeevna, playing with her words and pretending not to notice how serious Nekhludoff was.
"Nothing is worse than to confess to being in low spirits," said Missy. "I never do it, and therefore am always in good spirits."
Nekhludoff felt as a horse must feel when it is being caressed to make it submit to having the bit put in its mouth and be harnessed, and to-day he felt less than ever inclined to draw.
"Well, are you coming into my room? We will try to cheer you up."
He excused himself, saying he had to be at home, and began taking leave. Missy kept his hand longer than usual.
"Remember that what is important to you is important to your friends," she said. "Are you coming tomorrow?"
"I hardly expect to," said Nekhludoff; and feeling ashamed, without knowing whether for her or for himself, he blushed and went away.
"What is it? _Comme cela m'intrigue_," said Katerina Alexeevna. "I must find it out. I suppose it is some _affaire d'amour propre; il est tres susceptible, notre cher Mitia_."
"_Plutot une affaire d'amour sale_," Missy was going to say, but stopped and looked down with a face from which all the light had gone--a very different face from the one with which she had looked at him. She would not mention to Katerina Alexeevna even, so vulgar a pun, but only said, "We all have our good and our bad days."
"Is it possible that he, too, will deceive?" she thought; "after all that has happened it would be very bad of him."
If Missy had had to explain what she meant by "after all that has happened," she could have said nothing definite, and yet she knew that he had not only excited her hopes but had almost given her a promise. No definite words had passed between them--only looks and smiles and hints; and yet she considered him as her own, and to lose him would be very hard.
沙斐雅公爵夫人剛吃完她那頓烹調(diào)講究、營養(yǎng)豐富的午飯。她總是單獨(dú)吃飯，免得人家看見她在做這種毫無詩意的俗事時(shí)的模樣。她的臥榻旁邊有一張小桌，上面擺著咖啡。她在吸煙。沙斐雅公爵夫人身材瘦長，黑頭發(fā)，牙齒很長，眼睛又黑又大。她總是竭力打扮成年輕的模樣。
關(guān)于她同醫(yī)生的關(guān)系，有不少流言蜚語。聶赫留朵夫以前沒把它放在心上，但今天他不僅想了起來，而且看見那個(gè)油光光的大胡子分成兩半的醫(yī)生坐在她旁邊的軟椅上，他感到有說不出的惡心。
沙斐雅公爵夫人身邊的矮沙發(fā)上坐著柯洛索夫，他正在攪動(dòng)小桌上的咖啡。小桌上還放著一杯甜酒。
米西陪聶赫留朵夫走到母親屋里，但她自己沒有留下來。
“等媽媽累了，趕你們走，你們再來找我，”她對(duì)柯洛索夫和聶赫留朵夫說，那語氣仿佛她跟聶赫留朵夫根本沒有鬧過什么別扭。她快樂地嫣然一笑，悄悄地踩著厚地毯走了出去。
“哦，您好，我的朋友，請坐，來給我們講講，”沙斐雅公爵夫人說，臉上掛著一種簡直可以亂真的假笑，露出一口同真牙一模一樣精致好看的長長的假牙?！奥犝f您從法院出來，心里十分愁悶。我明白，一個(gè)心地善良的人干這種事是很痛苦的，”她用法語說。
“對(duì)，這話一點(diǎn)也不錯(cuò)，”聶赫留朵夫說，“你會(huì)常常感到你沒有……你沒有權(quán)利去審判……”
“這話說得太對(duì)了！”她仿佛因?yàn)樗脑捳_而深受感動(dòng)，其實(shí)她一向就是這樣巧妙地討好同她談話的人的。
“那么，您那幅畫怎么樣了？我對(duì)它很感興趣，”她又說。
“要不是我有病，我早就到府上去欣賞欣賞了?！?BR> “我完全把它丟下了，”聶赫留朵夫干巴巴地回答，今天他覺得她的假意奉承就跟她的老態(tài)一樣使人一目了然。他怎么也不能勉強(qiáng)裝出親切的樣子。
“這可不行！不瞞您說，列賓親口對(duì)我說過，他很有才能，”
她對(duì)柯洛索夫說。
“她這樣撒謊怎么不害臊，”聶赫留朵夫皺著眉頭暗想。
等到沙斐雅公爵夫人確信聶赫留朵夫心情不佳，不可能吸引他參加愉快知趣的談話，她就把身子轉(zhuǎn)向柯洛索夫，征求他對(duì)一出新戲的意見，仿佛柯洛索夫的意見能消除一切疑問，他的每一句話都將永垂不朽。柯洛索夫?qū)@出戲批評(píng)了一通，還乘機(jī)發(fā)揮了他的藝術(shù)觀。沙斐雅公爵夫人對(duì)他的精辟見解大為驚訝，試圖為劇本作者辯護(hù)幾句，但立刻就認(rèn)輸了，最多只能提出折衷看法。聶赫留朵夫看著，聽著，可是他所看見和聽見的同眼前的情景完全不一樣。
聶赫留朵夫時(shí)而聽聽沙斐雅公爵夫人說話，時(shí)而聽聽柯洛索夫說話，他發(fā)現(xiàn)：第一，沙斐雅公爵夫人也好，柯洛索夫也好，他們對(duì)戲劇都毫無興趣，彼此也漠不關(guān)心，他們之所以要說說話，無非是為了滿足飯后活動(dòng)活動(dòng)舌頭和喉嚨肌肉的生理要求罷了；第二，柯洛索夫喝過伏特加、葡萄酒和甜酒，有了幾分酒意，但不象難得喝酒的農(nóng)民那樣爛醉如泥，而是嗜酒成癖的那種人的微醺。他身子并不搖晃，嘴里也不胡言亂語，只是情緒有點(diǎn)反常，揚(yáng)揚(yáng)自得，十分興奮；第三，聶赫留朵夫看到，沙斐雅公爵夫人在談話時(shí)總是心神不定地望望窗子，因?yàn)橛幸坏狸柟庑鄙溥M(jìn)窗口，這樣就可能把她的老態(tài)照得一清二楚。
“這話真對(duì)，”她就柯洛索夫的一句評(píng)語說，接著按了按床邊的電鈴。
這時(shí)醫(yī)生站起身來，一句話不說就走了出去，仿佛是家里人一樣。沙斐雅公爵夫人邊說話邊目送他出去。
“菲利浦，請您把這窗簾放下來，”那個(gè)模樣漂亮的侍仆聽到鈴聲走進(jìn)來，公爵夫人用眼睛示意那窗簾說。
“不，不管您怎么說，其中總有點(diǎn)神秘的地方，沒有神秘就不成其為詩，”她說，同時(shí)斜著一只黑眼睛怒容滿面地瞅著那個(gè)正在放窗簾的侍仆。
“沒有詩意的神秘主義是迷信，而沒有神秘主義的詩就成了散文，”她憂郁地微笑著，眼睛沒有離開那正在拉直窗簾的侍仆。
“菲利浦，您不該放那塊窗簾，要放大窗子上的窗簾，”沙斐雅公爵夫人痛苦地說，為了說出這兩句話得費(fèi)那么大的勁，她顯然很憐惜自己。接著提起戴滿戒指的手，把那支冒煙的香氣撲鼻的紙煙送到嘴邊，使自己平靜下來。
胸膛寬闊、肌肉發(fā)達(dá)的美男子菲利浦仿佛表示歉意似地微微鞠了一躬，在地毯上輕輕邁動(dòng)兩條腿肚發(fā)達(dá)的強(qiáng)壯的腿，一言不發(fā)，順從地走到另一個(gè)窗口，留神瞧著公爵夫人，動(dòng)手拉窗簾，使她的身上照不到一絲陽光?？伤€是沒有做對(duì)，害得苦惱不堪的沙斐雅公爵夫人不得不放下關(guān)于神秘主義的談話，去糾正頭腦遲鈍、無情地使她煩惱的菲利浦。菲利浦的眼睛里有個(gè)火星亮了一亮。
“‘鬼才知道你要怎么樣！’——他心里大概在這么說吧，”聶赫留朵夫冷眼旁觀著這一幕，暗自想著。不過，菲利浦，這個(gè)美男子和大力士，立刻掩藏住不耐煩的態(tài)度，沉住氣，按照這位筋疲力盡、虛弱不堪而又矯揉造作的沙斐雅公爵夫人的話做去。
“達(dá)爾文學(xué)說自然有部分道理，”柯洛索夫說，伸開手腳懶洋洋地靠在矮沙發(fā)上，同時(shí)睡眼蒙眬地瞧著沙斐雅公爵夫人，“但他有點(diǎn)過頭了。對(duì)了?！?BR> “那么您相信遺傳嗎？”沙斐雅公爵夫人問聶赫留朵夫，對(duì)他的沉默感到難受。
“遺傳？”聶赫留朵夫反問道。“不，不信，”他嘴里這樣說，頭腦里不知怎的卻充滿了各種古怪的形象。他想象大力士和美男子菲利浦赤身露體，旁邊則是一絲不掛的柯洛索夫，肚子象個(gè)西瓜，腦袋光禿，兩條沒有肌肉的手臂好象兩根枯藤。他還模模糊糊地想象著，沙斐雅公爵夫人用綢緞和絲絨裹著的肩膀其實(shí)是什么樣子，不過這種想象太可怕了，他連忙把它驅(qū)除。
沙斐雅公爵夫人卻用眼睛上上下下打量著他。
“米西可在等您了，”她說?！澳剿抢锶グ?，她要給您彈舒曼的新作呢……挺有意思。”
“她根本不想彈什么琴。她這都是有意撒謊，”聶赫留朵夫暗自想，站起身來，握了握沙斐雅公爵夫人戴滿戒指的枯瘦的手。
卡吉琳娜在客廳里迎接他，立刻就同他談了起來。
“我看得出來，陪審員的職務(wù)可把您累壞了，”她照例用法語說。
“哦，對(duì)不起，我今天情緒不好，可我也沒有權(quán)利使別人難受，”聶赫留朵夫說。
“您為什么情緒不好哇？”
“我不愿意說，請您原諒，”他一面說，一面找他的帽子。
“您該記得，您曾經(jīng)說過做人要永遠(yuǎn)說實(shí)話，而且您還給我們講過一些極其可怕的事。為什么您今天就不愿意說呢？你還記得嗎，米西？”卡吉琳娜對(duì)走近來的米西說。
“因?yàn)楫?dāng)時(shí)只是開開玩笑，”聶赫留朵夫一本正經(jīng)地回答。
“開開玩笑是可以的。可是在實(shí)際生活里我們太糟糕了，我是說，我太糟糕了，至少我無法說實(shí)話?！?BR> “您不用改口，還是說說，我們糟在什么地方，”卡吉琳娜說。她抓住聶赫留朵夫的語病，仿佛沒有注意到他的臉色是那么嚴(yán)肅。
“再?zèng)]有比承認(rèn)自己情緒不好更糟的事了，”米西說?！拔揖蛷膩聿怀姓J(rèn)，因此情緒總是很好。走，到我那兒去吧。讓我們來努力驅(qū)散你的不佳情緒?！?BR> 聶赫留朵夫覺得他好象一匹被人撫摩著而要它戴上籠頭、套上車子的馬。今天他特別不高興拉車。他道歉說他得回家去，就向大家告辭。米西比平時(shí)更長久地握住他的手。
“您要記住，凡是對(duì)您重要的事，對(duì)您的朋友也同樣重要，”她說?！懊魈炷鷣韱幔俊?BR> “多半不來，”聶赫留朵夫說著感到害臊，但他自己也不知道，究竟是為自己害臊還是為她害臊。他漲紅了臉，匆匆走了。
“這是怎么回事？我可很感興趣呢，”等聶赫留朵夫一走，卡吉琳娜說?！拔乙欢ㄒ獋€(gè)明白。準(zhǔn)是一件有關(guān)體面的事：
我們的米哈伊爾慪氣了?！?BR> “恐怕是件不體面的桃色案件吧，”米西原想這樣說，但是沒有出口，她癡呆呆地瞪著前方，那陰郁的神色同剛才望著他時(shí)完全不同。不過，即使對(duì)卡吉琳娜她也沒有把這句酸溜溜的俏皮話說出來，而只是說：
“我們?nèi)巳硕加虚_心的日子，也有不開心的日子?！?BR> “難道連這個(gè)人都要欺騙我嗎？”米西暗自想。“事到如今他還要這樣，未免太不象話了?！?BR> 要是叫米西解釋一下她所謂的“事到如今”是什么意思，她準(zhǔn)說不出一個(gè)所以然來。不過她無疑知道，他不僅使她心里存著希望，而且簡直已經(jīng)答應(yīng)她了。倒不是說他已經(jīng)明確對(duì)她說過，而是通過眼神、微笑、暗示和默許表明了這一點(diǎn)。她始終認(rèn)為他是屬于她的，要是失掉他，那她真是太難堪了。