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Rudin himself shed tears too, but he was not weeping because he was parting from Bassistoff. His tears were the tears of wounded vanity. Natalya had gone to her own room, and there she read Rudin's letter. 'Dear Natalya Alexyevna, he wrote her, 'I have decided to depart. There is no other course open to me. I have decided to leave before I am told plainly to go.
'Why, were you asking your way of that girl, am I to suppose? said Bassistoff, shifting his eyes to right and to left. He felt that Pandalevsky was looking him straight in the face, and this fact was exceedingly unpleasant to him. 'I repeat, a materialist and nothing more. 'You certainly prefer to see only the prosaic side in everything.
Bassistoff, in his enthusiasm, almost cracked his glass and drained it off at a draught. Alexandra Pavlovna pressed Lezhnyov's hand. 'Why, Mihailo Mihailitch, I did not suspect you were an orator, remarked Pigasov; 'it was equal to Mr. Rudin himself; even I was moved by it. 'I am not at all an orator, replied Lezhnyov, not without annoyance, 'but to move you, I fancy, would be difficult.
Bassistoff was rolling up pellets of bread and thinking of nothing at all; even Pigasov was silent, and when Darya Mihailovna remarked to him that he had not been very polite to-day, he replied crossly, 'When am I polite? that's not in my line; and smiling grimly he added, 'have a little patience; I am only kvas, you know, du simple Russian kvas; but your Gentleman of the Bedchamber
Darya Mihailovna's children worshipped Bassistoff, and yet were not in the least afraid of him; he was on a friendly footing with all the rest of the household, a fact which was not altogether pleasing to its mistress, though she was fond of declaring that for her social prejudices did not exist. 'Good-morning, my dears, began Konstantin Diomiditch, 'how early you have come for your walk to-day!
For the last time he looked at Natalya, and his heart throbbed; her eyes were bent upon him in sad, reproachful farewell. He ran quickly down the steps, and jumped into his carriage. Bassistoff had offered to accompany him to the next station, and he took his seat beside him.
'I know him well, continued Lezhnyov, 'I am well aware of his faults. They are the more conspicuous because he himself is not on a small scale. 'Rudin has character, genius! cried Bassistoff. 'Genius, very likely he has! replied Lezhnyov, 'but as for character ... That's just his misfortune, that there's no character in him... But that's not the point.
In the first transport of joy he informed his sister that he had made Natalya an offer, and received her consent and Darya Mihailovna's; and he promised to write more by the next post, and sent embraces and kisses to all. It was clear he was writing in a state of delirium. Tea was served, Bassistoff sat down. Questions were showered upon him.
'He is sleepy, remarked the nurse. 'Yes, said Bassistoff, going up to Alexandra Pavlovna, 'I have come to-day from Moscow on business for Darya Mihailovna to go over the accounts on the estate. And here is the letter. Alexandra Pavlovna opened her brother's letter in haste. It consisted of a few lines only.
The egoist withers like a solitary barren tree; but pride, ambition, as the active effort after perfection, is the source of all that is great.... Yes! a man must prune away the stubborn egoism of his personality to give it the right of self-expression. 'Can you lend me a pencil? Pigasov asked Bassistoff. Bassistoff did not at once understand what Pigasov had asked him.
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