Chekhov, Anton Pavlovich, 1860-1904 -- Translations into English; Russia -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
And Liza went off into a giggle when Mishutka stirred his father's
tea with a spoon. "And how Vanya loves Misha! My darlings!"
Liza's heart throbbed, and her head went round with joy and happiness.
She sank into an armchair and went on observing them, sitting down.
"How did they come here?" she wondered as she sent airy kisses to
Mishutka. "Who gave them the idea of coming here? Heavens! Can all
that wealth belong to them? Can those swan-like horses that were
led in at the gate belong to Ivan Petrovitch? Ah!"
When he had finished his tea, Ivan Petrovitch went into the house.
Ten minutes later, he appeared on the steps and Liza was astounded
. . . . He, who in his youth only seven years ago had been called
Vanushka and Vanka and had been ready to punch a man in the face
and turn the house upside down over twenty kopecks, was dressed
devilishly well. He had on a broad-brimmed straw hat, exquisite
brilliant boots, a piqué waistcoat. . . . Thousands of suns, big
and little, glistened on his watch-chain. With much _chic_ he held
in his right hand his gloves and cane.
And what swagger, what style there was in his heavy figure when,
with a graceful motion of his hand, he bade the footman bring the
horse round.
He got into the chaise with dignity, and told the footmen standing
round the chaise to give him Mishutka and the fishing tackle they
had brought. Setting Mishutka beside him, and putting his left arm
round him, he held the reins and drove off.
"Ge-ee up!" shouted Mishutka.
Liza, unaware of what she was doing, waved her handkerchief after
them. If she had looked in the glass she would have been surprised
at her flushed, laughing, and, at the same time, tear-stained face.
She was vexed that she was not beside her gleeful boy, and that she
could not for some reason shower kisses on him at once.
For some reason! . . . Away with all your petty delicacies!
"Grisha! Grisha!" Liza ran into Groholsky's bedroom and set to work
to wake him. "Get up, they have come! The darling!"
"Who has come?" asked Groholsky, waking up.
"Our people . . . Vanya and Misha, they have come, they are in the
villa opposite. . . . I looked out, and there they were drinking
tea. . . . And Misha too. . . . What a little angel our Misha has
grown! If only you had seen him! Mother of God!"
"Seen whom? Why, you are. . . . Who has come? Come where?"
"Vanya and Misha. . . . I have been looking at the villa opposite,
while they were sitting drinking tea. Misha can drink his tea by
himself now. . . . Didn't you see them moving in yesterday, it was
they who arrived!"
Groholsky rubbed his forehead and turned pale.
"Arrived? Your husband?" he asked.
"Why, yes."
"What for?"
"Most likely he is going to live here. They don't know we are here.
If they did, they would have looked at our villa, but they drank
their tea and took no notice."
"Where is he now? But for God's sake do talk sense! Oh, where is
he?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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