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He received an elegant bow from Paulina Karpovna, an elaborately got-up person of forty-five in a low cut muslin gown, with a fine lace handkerchief and a fan, which she kept constantly in motion although there was no heat. "What a man you have grown! I should hardly have known you," said Tiet Nikonich, beaming with kindness and pleasure.
She was paler than before, her eyes were less sparkling, and she had lost some of her vivacity of gesture; but these changes were put down by everyone to her narrow escape from nervous fever. In fulfilment of Tatiana Markovna's insistently expressed wish, Vera had spoken to Raisky of their aunt's passion, of which Tiet Nikonich had been the object, but she said nothing of the sin.
Tiet Nikonich and I would like to drink your health. Isn't that so, Tiet Nikonich?" "Yes, to celebrate your arrival, though mushrooms and champagne are indigestible." "Tell the cook to bring champagne on ice, Marfinka," said the old lady. "Ce que femme veut," said Tiet Nikonich amiably, with a slight bow. "Supper is a special occasion, but one ought to dine at home too.
"According to Tatiana Markovna," continued Juliana Andreevna, "everybody should stay on one spot, turn his head neither to right nor left, and never exchange a word with his neighbours. She is a past mistress in fault-finding; nevertheless she and Tiet Nikonich are inseparable, he spends his days and nights with her."
"To-morrow, Marfinka," said the old lady, "we will entertain our guest with a gosling, pickled pork, carrots, and perhaps with a goose." "A goose, stuffed with groats, would be acceptable," put in Raisky. "Indigestible!" protested Tiet Nikonich. "The best is a light soup, with pearl barley, a cutlet, pastries and jelly; that is the proper midday meal." "But I should like groats."
It looks as if he were an interesting individual, doesn't it, Tiet Nikonich?" "He is a riddle to everybody," Tiet Nikonich answered with a smile. "He must have gone astray very early in life, but he has apparently good brains and considerable knowledge, and might have been a useful member of society." Paulina Karpovna turned her head away, and dismissed Mark with the criticism, "No manners."
"How lovely you are to-day, Grandmother. Cousin is right. Tiet Nikonich will fall in love with you." "Nonsense, chatterbox. Go to Veroshka, and tell her not to be late for Mass. I would have gone myself, but am afraid of the steps." "Directly, Grandmother," cried Marfinka, and hastened to change her dress. Vera lay unconscious for half an hour before she came to herself.
She ate no supper; Tiet Nikonich politely said that he had no appetite either. Then came Raisky, who also wanted no supper, but sat silently at table pretending not to notice the glances which Tatiana Markovna directed towards him from time to time. When Tiet Nikonich had made his bow and departed, Tatiana Markovna prepared to retire.
"Come to the point, Granny! You don't really want to leave this nest in your old age." "We'll see, we'll see. Give them the lace on their wedding-day. I can do nothing with you; talk to Tiet Nikonich who is coming to dinner." And she wondered what would come of such strangeness. Raisky took his cap to go out, and Marfinka went with him.
Tiet Nikonich Vatutin, for instance, goes out of his way to speak well of you." "Is it possible! The sugar marquis! I left him some souvenirs of my presence. More than once I have waked him in the night by opening his bedroom window. He is always fussing about his health, but in all the forty years since he came here no one remembers him to have been ill. I shall never return the money he lent me.
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