CHAPTER XXII
Two days had passed, and Raisky had had small opportunity of seeingVera alone, though she came to dinner and to tea, and spoke of ordinarythings. Raisky turned once more to his novel, or rather to the plan ofit. He visited Leonti, and did not neglect the Governor and otherfriends. But in order to keep watch on Vera he wandered about the parkand the garden. Two days were now gone, he thought, since he sat on thebench by the precipice, but there were still five days of danger.Marfinka's birthday lay two days' ahead, and on that day Vera wouldhardly leave the family circle. On the next Marfinka was to go with herfiance and his mother to Kolchino, and Vera would not be likely to leaveTatiana Markovna alone. By that time the week would be over and thethreatening clouds dispersed.
After dinner Vera asked him to come over to her in the evening, as shewished him to undertake a commission for her. When he arrived shesuggested a walk, and, as she chose the direction of the fields herealised that she wished to go to the chapel, and took the field pathaccordingly.
As she crossed the threshold, she looked up at the thoughtful face ofthe Christ.
"You have sought more powerful aid than mine," said Raisky. "Moreover,you will not now go there without me."
She nodded in assent. She seemed to be seeking strength, sympathy andsupport from the glance of the Crucified, but His eyes kept theirexpression of quiet thought and detachment.
When she turned her eyes from the picture she reiterated, "I will notgo." Raisky read on her face neither prayer nor desire; it wore anexpression of weariness, indifference and submission.
He suggested that they should return, and reminded her that she had acommission for him.
"Will you take the bouquet-holder that I chose the other week forMarfinka's birthday to the goldsmith?" she said, handing him her purse."I gave him some pearls to set in it, and her name should be engraved.And could you be up as early as eight o'clock on her birthday?"
"Of course. If necessary, I can stay up all night!"
"I have already spoken to the gardener, who owns the big orangery. Wouldyou choose me a nice bouquet and send it to me. I have confidence inyour taste."
"Your confidence in me makes progress, Vera," he laughed. "You alreadytrust my taste and my honour."
"I would have seen to all this myself," she went on, "but I have not thestrength."
Next day Raisky took the bouquet holder, and discussed the arrangementof the flowers with the gardener. He himself bought for Marfinka anelegant watch and chain, with two hundred roubles which he borrowed fromTiet Nikonich, for Tatiana Markovna would not have given him so muchmoney for the purpose, and would have betrayed the secret. In TietNikonich's room he found a dressing table decked with muslin and lace,with a mirror encased in a china frame of flowers and Cupids, abeautiful specimen of Sevres work.
"Where did you get this treasure?" cried Raisky, who could not take hiseyes from the thing. "What a lovely piece!"
"It is my gift for Marfa Vassilievna," said Tiet Nikonich with his kindsmile. "I am glad it pleases you, for you are a connoisseur. Your likingfor it assures me that the dear birthday child will appreciate it as awedding gift. She is a lovely girl, just like these roses. The Cupidswill smile when they see her charming face in the mirror. Please don'ttell Tatiana Markovna of my secret."
"This beautiful piece must have cost over two thousand roubles, and youcannot possibly have bought it here."
"My Grandfather gave five thousand roubles for it, and it was part of myMother's house-furnishing and until now it stood in her bedroom, leftuntouched in my birth-place. I had it brought here last month, and tomake sure it should not be broken, six men carried it in alternateshifts for the whole hundred and fifty versts. I had a new muslin covermade, but the lace is old; you will notice how yellow it is. Ladies likethese things, although they don't matter to us."
"What will Grandmother say?"
"There will be a storm. I do feel rather uneasy about it, but perhapsshe will forgive me. I may tell you, Boris Pavlovich, that I love boththe girls, as if they were my own daughters. I held them on my knee asbabies, and with Tatiana Markovna gave them their first lessons. I tellyou in confidence that I have also arranged a wedding present for VeraVassilievna which I hope she will like when the time comes." He showedRaisky a magnificent antique silver dinner service of fine workmanshipfor twelve persons. "I may confess to you, as you are her cousin, thatin agreement with Tatiana Markovna I have a splendid and a rich marriagein view for her, for whom nothing can be too good. The finest_partie_ in this neighbourhood," he said in a confidential tone,"is Ivan Ivanovich Tushin, who is absolutely devoted to her, as he wellmay be."
Raisky repressed a sigh and went home where he found Vikentev and hismother, who had arrived for Marfinka's birthday, with Paulina Karpovnaand other guests from the town, who stayed until nearly seven o'clock.Tatiana Markovna and Marfa Egorovna carried on an interminableconversation about Marfinka's trousseau and house furnishing. The loverswent into the garden, and from there to the village. Vikentev carrying aparcel which he threw in the air and caught again as he walked. Marfinkaentered every house, said good-bye to the women, and caressed thechildren. In two cases she washed the children's faces, she distributedcalico for shirts and dresses, and told two elder children to whom shepresented shoes that it was time they gave up paddling in the puddles.
"God reward you, our lovely mistress, Angel of God!" cried the women inevery yard as she bade them farewell for a fortnight.
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