United States or Puerto Rico ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Kollomietzev felt it too; he removed his monocle, turned away, and tried to laugh carelessly but it did not come off somehow. Only Anna Zaharovna, who secretly worshipped him, was on his side, and became even angrier than before with the unwelcome neighbour separating her from Kolia. Soon after this dinner came to an end. The company went out on the terrace to drink coffee.
However, they were set on edge again at dinner, although Kollomietzev was not present, and the kind attention of host and hostess remained unchanged; but it was this very attention that made Nejdanov angry. To make matters worse, the old maiden lady, Anna Zaharovna, was obviously antagonistic, Mariana continued serious, and Kolia rather unceremoniously kicked him under the table.
"What were you on earth?" "A sinner. . . ." "There, you see!" whispered his wife, "and you did not believe!" Navagin conversed for a long time with Fedyukov, and then called up Napoleon, Hannibal, Askotchensky, his aunt Klavdya Zaharovna, and they all gave him brief but correct answers full of deep significance.
Sipiagin, with a stately air, began taking Nejdanov's part; Valentina Mihailovna, of course, sided with her husband; Anna Zaharovna tried to distract Kolia's attention, looking furiously at everybody; Mariana did not move, she seemed turned to stone.
Mariana felt that he was laughing at her a little, but this smile could not have offended any one. "But, my dear lady, I don't know who Anna Zaharovna is, nor what tree you are talking about. A foolish woman says some foolish things to you and you can't endure it! How will you live in that case? The whole world is composed of fools. Your reason is not good enough. Have you any other?"
Meanwhile Sipiagin, his wife, Kollomietzev, and Anna Zaharovna sat down to cards. Kolia came to say goodnight, and, receiving his parents' blessing and a large glass of milk instead of tea, went off to bed. His father called after him to inform him that tomorrow he was to begin his lessons with Alexai Dmitritch.
"But I can't stay here any longer! I am being insulted by everybody. Only today that idiot Anna Zaharovna said before Kolia, alluding to my father, that a bad tree does not bring forth good fruit! Kolia was even surprised, and asked what it meant. Not to speak of Valentina Mihailovna!" Solomin stopped her again, this time with a smile.
"You are insulting me," Valentina Mihailovna whispered. "Be kind enough to leave the room!" But Mariana could no longer contain herself. "Your household, you said, all your household, Anna Zaharovna and everybody knows of my behaviour! And every one is horrified and indignant... But am I asking anything of you, of all these people? Do you think I care for their good opinion?
Anna Zaharovna was an old maid, a sister of Sipiagin's father; she exhaled a smell of camphor, like a garment that had been put away for a long time, and had a nervous, dejected look. She had acted as Kolia's nurse or governess, and her wrinkled face expressed displeasure when Nejdanov sat down between her and her charge.
Nejdanov followed the stream up the wide stairs. As soon as they reached the hall, Sipiagin, who had been searching for Nejdanov with his eyes, introduced him to his wife, Anna Zaharovna, and Mariana, and said to Kolia, "This is your tutor. Mind you do as he tells you. Give him your hand."
Word Of The Day