CHAPTER XII. 15th June.
AT eleven o'clock in the morning--the hour at which Princess Ligovskiis usually perspiring in the Ermolov baths--I walked past her house.Princess Mary was sitting pensively at the window; on seeing me shesprang up.
I entered the ante-room, there was nobody there, and, availing myself ofthe 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 anarm-chair; her hand was very faintly trembling. I went up to her softlyand said:
"You are angry with me?"...
She lifted a deep, languid glance upon me and shook her head. Her lipswere 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 eyessparkled.
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 happenanother time; I shall see to that... But how can you know what has beentaking place hitherto within my soul? That you will never learn, and somuch 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 thatimportant piece of news; but you know what these patients are: they knoweverything."
"This is one of Grushnitski's tricks," I said to myself.
"To prove the falsity of these rumours, doctor, I may mention, as asecret, 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 anysuch 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 suchoccasions... And so, as a friend, I should advise you to be morecautious. The air of these parts is very dangerous. How many handsomeyoung men, worthy of a better fate, have I not seen departing from herestraight to the altar!... Would you believe me, they were even going tofind a wife for me! That is to say, one person was--a lady belongingto this district, who had a very pale daughter. I had the misfortune totell her that the latter's colour would be restored after wedlock, andthen with tears of gratitude she offered me her daughter's hand and thewhole of her own fortune--fifty souls, [28] I think. But I replied thatI 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 beingspread about the town on the subject of Princess Mary and myself:Grushnitski shall smart for this!
A Hero of Our Time Page 27