He uttered the last words in a low and emotional voice, as if to
contradict the statement that he was not sentimental. The poor heart
needed love, and was as capable of it as any other heart; but misfortune
from years of childhood, poverty, and the indifference of people had
taught that heart to withdraw into itself. His soul was a proud one,
though ardent, hence always full of fear of being rejected should it
incline first to some person too cordially.
We remained alone for a while, and under the influence of a certain
sadness. Those were perhaps gloomy forebodings, for we were not to see
our poor master again in life. Neither he nor we divined that in his
breast had been inherent for a long time elements of mortal disease,
from which there was no rescue. Misery, too much exertion, feverish
labor over books, sleepless nights, and hunger had hastened the crisis.
In the autumn, at the beginning of October, our master died of
consumption. Not many comrades followed his coffin, for it was the time
of vacation; but his poor mother, a dealer in wax candles and holy
images under the Dominican church, wept aloud for the son whom often she
had not understood during life, though, like a mother, she loved him.
CHAPTER V.
The next day after that feast, horses came from the old Mirza in Horeli,
and we set out for home on the following morning. We had two long days'
ride before us, so we started at dawn. In our stone house everything
was asleep yet; but in the place opposite Yozia's face gleamed in the
window, amid geraniums, yellow violets, and fuchsias. Selim, when he had
put on his travelling bag and student's cap, stood in the window, ready
for the road, to announce that he was going; to this an answer was given
from among the geraniums by a melancholy glance. But when he placed one
hand on his heart and sent a kiss with the other, the face between the
flowers grew red and pushed back quickly into the dark interior of the
room.
Below, on the pavement of the yard, a brichka, drawn by four sturdy
horses, rolled in. It was time to take farewell and sit in the wagon;
but Selim waited, and stood in the window persistently, hoping to see
something more. Hope deceived him, however; the window remained empty.
Only when we had descended and were passing the dark entrance of the
building opposite, did we see on the steps two white stockings, a
nut-colored dress, a bosom bent forward, and two bright eyes shaded by a
hand; the eyes were looking out of darkness into daylight.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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