LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1870, 20 February 1880, Page 3

LITERATURE.

RARATAEF.

Two years ago next autumn I was obliged to stay over one entire day at a small relay station between Moscow and Toula. I was on my way (back from the chase, ibut had been imprudent enough to send away my troika, and now, here at the post, there were no horses. The Inspector of the station, a morose old man with long hair hanging over his nose and with small, sleepy eyes,|answered my entreaties and complaints by a grumbling far from courteous, as he walked heavily around, opening and shutting the doors roughly, as if he was cursing his employment. Three times I ordered tea and three times I tried to sleep. I read and reread all the mottoes and witticisrr s which travellers in idleness, mischief or stupidity had written on the windows and walls, and just as I was overwhelmed with the monotony of these amusements a bell jingled, a small carriage drawn by three emaciated, jaded horses stopped before the steps. The traveller threw himself out of the conveyance and entered the room, saying;—“Hey! quick, some horses.” Whilst he listened to the negative response of the inspector, with the strange, blank look usual in such cases, I bad time to study, with the eager curiosity of a man who is dying of ennui, the companion in misery which this ill-kept house offered me He appeared to be about thirty years of age; his face was of a coppery yellow, and on it were traces of the ravages which the smallpox had made. His long hair, black as a crow’s wing, waved over the collar of his coat, his small black eyes were piercing but unobservant, and on his lip was a short, rough ‘moustache. His dress indicated a gentleman sportsman—an amateur of horse fairs. A mottled overcoat, threadbare, faded and wrinkled ; a cravat of lilac silk, a vest with brass buttons, gray pantaloons very wide at the ankles, and below them peeped the toes of boots to whom the blacking-brush seemed unknown. On his fingers were rings of silver and Toula iron, and he exhaled a bitter odor of tobacco and brandy. In short, ho was one of the men so often seen In Russia, who, to tell the truth, are far from attractive, If they are not repugnant. Therefore it was not without an unfavorable bias that I examined my newfound companion, yet, at the end of several minutes, I thought I saw in him a certain expression of frankness and cordiality. ‘Here is a gentleman who has been waiting more than an hour, ’ said the inspector, pointing to me. More than an hour! The wretch was laughing at ma in his sleeve. 1 Perhaps the gentleman is not so hurried as I am.’ ‘Ah I that is what I cannot say,’ replied the inspector, with humor. * And so there are no horses ? What, not even a pair of hacks ? * ‘I have not a single horse to give you.’ ‘ Well, send me some tea, I will wait since I can do nothing else.

The bronzed traveller sat down on the bench, threw off his hat, and ran his fingers through his hair. * Have yon had any tea,’ he asked, turning to me. 4 Will you not have some more with me now? Do, I beg of you.’ 1 consented, and tho huge red samavar reappeared for the fourth time. I drew out a bottle of good rum and we soon began to talk. In. half an hour he had told me all his circumstances, without reticence or circumlotion. His name was Poetre Petrovltch Earataef, and I had not been mistaken in judging him to be a country gentleman. ‘Now,’ said he, as he took his fourth glass of tea, ‘ I am going to Moscow. I have nothing further to do in the country.’ 4 Nothing to do?’ ’Nothing. Everything is in disorder on my estates ; the peasants are rained ; there have been several bad years in succession, no harvest, no happiness—and, moreover, I don’t understand farming.’

1 With a little study and a little will ’ — 1 No, no, I am not made of the same stuff as farmers. See here,’ he went on holding his head on one side and breathing; out great throatfula of smoke, —I know that when you first saw me you thought ‘ here is a hum—hum—’ It is true, I know I received but a slender education, the money gave out, but I am a good fellow, stupid I’ll allow, and for that reason, yon’—and he made a gesture common in Russia and from which only those those who have travelled abroad abstain, I said all I could to convince him that he was mistaken as to the opinion I had formed of him, and that I was very glad to have met him, and, I added, in order to lead the conversation back to its starting point, that, to govern a farm, there was no need of a superior education. ‘ Yes,’ he said, * I’ll acknowledge that, but all the same, I have not the disposition for this life. Excuse me, do yon come from Bt, Petersburg or Moscow ?’ ‘ I live at St. Petersburg,’ My interlocutor blew from hia nostrils two long quick streams of smoke and then said : *As for me—l am going to Moscow to find work.’

‘ln what part of the public service will you seek office?’ ‘1 have no idea —I am very much afraid of all responsibility. I have always lived in the country and am accustomed to its ways, but necessity forces me—ah, cursed necessity 1 ’ * Was is really impossible to live any longer on your land ? ’ * Ah, yes, impossible,’ sighed the poor fellow, passing his hand over his face as he pensively shook his head, ‘ bnt, sir. I’ll not add to my other mistakes that of complaining ; that would be ridiculous and absurd. I have loved pleasure too well, and, devil take me, I love it yet.’ His face lightened up with a flash of wild mirth, bnt, suddenly, he began to twist and turn on the bench, then he sat quiet and held out his empty glass—‘Give me some more of your rum. * * But there is no tea.’ ‘Never mind, I’ll take it without—so.’ Karataef put his head in his hands and his elbows on the table. I looked at him in silence, waiting for one of those outbursts of sentiment or even of tears of which men are so prodigal after drinking, and I was so struck by his expression of dejection and despair that I could not help asking him what was the matter. ‘Nothing,’ he answered, ‘only the past comes back to my memory, one part of it in particular. I would willingly tell it to you, but I have some conscience about boring yon.’ ‘Yes,’ he stammered, ‘there are circumstances —I. for instance—do you really wish I should tell you ?’ 1 Go on, go on.’ ‘ You see I am a country gentleman ; you can’t doubt it, and yet, I—well, first of all you must know what happened, I lived on my farm and when I hunted I sometimes got into the neighborhing estates. One day a young girl caught my eye—oh, what a lovely creature, what a beauty, and so much intelligence and goodness with it. Her name was Matrena—she was a daughter of the people you understand ?—a servant—a slave. She did not belong to me, and there was the trouble. She was the property of another, and here I was madly in love with her. It is such a strange story. Can you believe it ; she loved me, too, and begged and prayed me every day to buy her, to go to her mistress, pay her price and then take her home with me. Her mistress was a wealthy lady, who belonged to one of our oldest families. One morning I had my finest horses harnessed to my droohka; I dressed myself in |my best and drove to the lady’s house, which was some fifteen verstes from mine. *At a certain turn Matrena was waiting for me, she wished to speak but could only kiss my hands. I entered the house and a tall lackey came forward to ask mo how I was to be announced. ‘Say Mr Karataef —a neighboring landlord —come on business.’ While waiting I said to myself, ‘ shall I succeed, shall I fail? If the old witch should ask too high a price 1 She is rich, but that makes no difference ; she is none the less capable of asking 500 roubles for Matrena 1 ’ The lackey soon came back to show me into the parlor where, seated in an armchair, was a tiny old woman with a billions complexion and blinking eyes. As I went np to her, she ashed me point blank what I wanted. You understand that without playing the gallant I thought it proper to say to the old lady that I was glad *to make her acquaintance. ‘You are mistaken,’ said she, ‘I am not the mistress of this place ; I am a relative of the lady’s. What is it you would have ? ’ ‘ Permit to say that it ;ia with the lady I must speak. ’ * Maria Illinichna does not receive to-day, she is not well. What do you want

‘ Well, there is nothing for It, thought I, so I named Matrena and explained my errand. -

‘ Matrena, Matrena,’ muttered the cld blinker; * who can that be ? ’ ‘'t i-» Matrena Fedorovna, the daughter of Fed-r Koulikof.’

‘Ah, yes, Matrena, the daughter of big Koulik, and how does it happen that you know of this girl ? ’ ‘ By a chance.’ • And does she know of your intention to buy her ? ’ ‘ Yes, Madam.’

‘ Very well, I’ll settle with her—the imp,’ said the lady, after a long silence, which argued badly. I was thunderstruck, never having dreamed that my proposition could in any way injure the poor girl. ‘Matrena is not in any way to blame,’ said I, ‘ I am ready to pay a reasonable som for her, and I beg you to name your price.’ The bunches of crimped hair on each side the old lady’s forehead fairly stood up. ‘Ah a fine idea, as if we needed your money ! I'll give it to that girl—l’ll make her forget this foolishness, the receipt is well known/ And she coughed maliciously. 1 The idiot is not contented with us, then. Little devil, she shall pay for this.’ At these words I was weak enough to flash up. ‘ Why this auger against tho poor girl—m what has she been culpable ? ’ She crossed herself as she said, ‘ Good heaven ! this girl does not belong to you. It is you who meddle ; it is not your business ; as, for me. I take upon myself the task of teaching Matrena to whom she owes duty." ‘I could willingly have broken the old fury’s bead, but the thought of Matrena controlled me. I lost my presence of mind and said : • Ask for Matrena whatever price you will. ’

‘ What do yon want her for ?’ 'She has pleased me, madame, and I like her. Put yourself in my place for a moment,’ and I actually kissed her hand, the cursed sorceress!

‘Very well/ muttered she, 'I will lay your proposal before Maria Illiniohna ; she shall decide.’

* I went home a prey to the wildest agitation. I was convinced that I bad managed matters very badly, that I ought never to have shown what I felt, and I said to!mvadf that 1 was now too late to p’ay the indifferent. Two days later. I was once more at the lady’s house. This time I was shown into her private room; she was there herself. stretched nearly full length on a wonderful mechanical chair with cushions supporting her head The old relative who had received me before was there, and also a younger woman who had white eyebrows and lashes, a crooked mouth, and who wore a grass-green dress. ‘ The lady, after inviting me to sit down, asked me my age, where 1 had served in the army, and how X expected to live henceforth. I answered her triple question. She took her handkerchief and began to fan herself with it, as if to drive away soma vapor, then dropping her words ont one by one she said :

‘Katrina Karpovna has made me her report upon your intentions, although she knows 1 have a rale from which I never depart. I never allow one of my people to pass into the hands of another master, be he whom he may. In my eyes this is not respectable ; but I have arranged everything satisfactorily, and you will have no farther annoyance.’ ‘ Annoyance ! I beg you pardon, but I don’t understand. Am I to infer that the services of Matrena are absolutely indispensable to you ?’ ‘ Not at all. I have no need of this girl and her services.

‘Then why not consent to sell me Ma trena 1 ’

‘ Because Ido not wish to, Ido not wish to, and that is the end of It. I have given my orders, they are irrevocable, and Matrena goes to a farm I own in the steppes. ‘ I thought the lightning had passed through my brain. The old lady said a fe_w words in French to the young person in green, who immediately left the room ; ‘ I am, you see, a woman of firm principles and my delicate health admits of no agitation. You are still young and I am old, therefore I have a right to give you counsel. Would you not do well to think of settling down, to choose a suitable mate, and marry honestly and quietly ? Large dots are rare, and, moreover, it is a mistake for a man to marry out of his own position. ‘I can find you a good young girl, poor in purse but rich in heart and virtues.’

‘ I stared at the old lady. I looked and looked, but could make nothing of all this raving. Of course, I saw that she had some one to settle in life before she died. It is a charitable thing and less expensive than a legacy. But she had spoken of & farm In the steppes, and perhaps, even now they were dragging Matrena toward it— now, while they were talking to me of marriage. What the devil

(To be continued.)