at eleven o’clock in the morning—the hour at which princess ligovski is usually perspiring in the ermolov baths—i walked past her house. princess mary was sitting pensively at the window; on seeing me she sprang up.
i entered the ante-room, there was nobody there, and, availing myself of the freedom afforded by the local customs, i made my way, unannounced, into the drawing-room.
princess mary’s charming countenance was shrouded with a dull pallor. she was standing by the pianoforte, leaning one hand on the back of an arm-chair; her hand was very faintly trembling. i went up to her softly and said:
“you are angry with me?”...
she lifted a deep, languid glance upon me and shook her head. her lips were about to utter something, but failed; her eyes filled with tears; she sank into the arm-chair and buried her face in her hands.
“what is the matter with you?” i said, taking her hand.
“you do not respect me!... oh, leave me!”...
i took a few steps... she drew herself up in the chair, her eyes sparkled.
i stopped still, took hold of the handle of the door, and said:
“forgive me, princess. i have acted like a madman... it will not happen another time; i shall see to that... but how can you know what has been taking place hitherto within my soul? that you will never learn, and so much the better for you. farewell.”
as i was going out, i seemed to hear her weeping.
i wandered on foot about the environs of mount mashuk till evening, fatigued myself terribly and, on arriving home, flung myself on my bed, utterly exhausted.
werner came to see me.
“is it true,” he asked, “that you are going to marry princess mary?”
“what?”
“the whole town is saying so. all my patients are occupied with that important piece of news; but you know what these patients are: they know everything.”
“this is one of grushnitski’s tricks,” i said to myself.
“to prove the falsity of these rumours, doctor, i may mention, as a secret, that i am moving to kislovodsk to-morrow”...
“and princess mary, too?”
“no, she remains here another week”...
“so you are not going to get married?”...
“doctor, doctor! look at me! am i in the least like a bridegroom, or any such thing?”
“i am not saying so... but you know there are occasions...” he added, with a crafty smile—“in which an honourable man is obliged to marry, and there are mothers who, to say the least, do not prevent such occasions... and so, as a friend, i should advise you to be more cautious. the air of these parts is very dangerous. how many handsome young men, worthy of a better fate, have i not seen departing from here straight to the altar!... would you believe me, they were even going to find a wife for me! that is to say, one person was—a lady belonging to this district, who had a very pale daughter. i had the misfortune to tell her that the latter’s colour would be restored after wedlock, and then with tears of gratitude she offered me her daughter’s hand and the whole of her own fortune—fifty souls, 28 i think. but i replied that i was unfit for such an honour.”
werner left, fully convinced that he had put me on my guard.
i gathered from his words that various ugly rumours were already being spread about the town on the subject of princess mary and myself: grushnitski shall smart for this!
