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Updated: May 20, 2025
Why, she was nothing to him? was she? 'But, perhaps, it's not true after all, the thought came as a sudden relief to him. 'I must find out! But from whom? From the princess? No, from Kupfer ... from Kupfer? But they say he's not in Moscow no matter, I must try him first! With these reflections in his head, Aratov dressed himself in haste, called a cab and drove to Kupfer's.
Aratov found his sanguine friend at home. He chatted a little with him, reproached him for having quite forgotten his aunt and himself, listened to fresh praises of that heart of gold, the princess, who had just sent Kupfer from Yaroslav a smoking-cap embroidered with fish-scales ... and all at once, sitting just opposite Kupfer and looking him straight in the face, he announced that he had been a journey to Kazan.
Kupfer came on the following day to dinner; but he did not enlarge upon the preceding evening, he did not even reproach Arátoff for his hasty flight, and merely expressed regret that he had not waited for supper, at which champagne had been served!
Because she forgives everything, and everything will be forgiven her. It was said of her too that when she disappeared from a town, she always left as many creditors behind as persons she had befriended. A soft heart readily turned in any direction. Kupfer, as might have been anticipated, found his way into her house, and was soon on an intimate evil tongues said a too intimate footing with her.
Luckily Kupfer did not turn up at all; he was in fact out of Moscow. Not long before the incident, Aratov had begun to work at painting in connection with his photographic plans; he set to work upon it now with redoubled zest. Only somewhere down below, under the surface of his life, something like a dark and burdensome secret dogged him wherever he went.
'Especially, she added, 'as I've perfect confidence in Fyodor Fedoritch! He'll take you to no bad place!... 'I'll bring him back in all his maiden innocence, shouted Kupfer, at which Platonida Ivanovna, in spite of her confidence, cast uneasy glances upon him. Aratov blushed up to his ears, but ceased to make objections.
The door softly opened, and in the doorway appeared a girl no longer very young, looking ill and plain but with very soft and mournful eyes. Aratov got up from his seat to meet her, and introduced himself, mentioning his friend Kupfer. 'Ah! Fyodor Fedoritch? the girl articulated softly, and softly she sank into a chair.
Kupfer overtook him.... 'I say, where are you off to? he called; 'would you like me to present you to Clara? 'No, thanks, Aratov returned hurriedly, and he went homewards almost at a run. He was agitated by strange sensations, incomprehensible to himself. In reality, Clara's recitation, too, had not been quite to his taste ... though he could not quite tell why.
The door opened softly and on the threshold appeared a girl no longer young, of sickly aspect, and homely, but with very gentle and sorrowful eyes. Arátoff rose from his seat to greet her, and introduced himself, at the same time mentioning his friend Kupfer. "Ah! Feódor Feódoritch!" ejaculated the girl softly, as she softly sank down on a chair.
'With an actor? put in Aratov. 'No, not with an actor, with an actress, to whom she became attached.... It's true this actress had a protector, a wealthy gentleman, no longer young, who did not marry her simply because he happened to be married and indeed I fancy the actress was a married woman. Furthermore Kupfer informed Aratov that Clara had even before her coming to Moscow acted and sung in provincial theatres, that, having lost her friend the actress the gentleman, too, it seemed, had died, or else he had made it up with his wife Kupfer could not quite remember this she had made the acquaintance of the princess, 'that heart of gold, whom you, my dear Yakov Andreitch, the speaker added with feeling, 'were incapable of appreciating properly'; that at last Clara had been offered an engagement in Kazan, and that she had accepted it, though before then she used to declare that she would never leave Moscow!
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