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'That's just what's wrong, Nikander Vavilitch, that she is, as you say, all tremor. If you love any one you don't feel tremors in their presence. 'But with that I can't agree! Here am I, for instance; no one, I suppose, could love Paramon Semyonitch more than I, but I ... tremble before him. 'Oh, you that's a different matter. 'How is it a different matter? how? how? interrupted Punin.
But he refused his dinner too: this was really too dreadful. The old lady set off to an acquaintance of hers, a district doctor, in whom she placed some confidence, simply because he did not drink and had a German wife. Paramon Paramonitch felt his pulse, looked at his tongue, asked a question, and announced at last that it was absolutely necessary for him to 'auscultate' him.
Musa heard me out, without stirring from the spot, or looking at me again. 'There's something else I ought to tell you, she began, moving forward again along the path, 'or else you may think I'm quite mad! I ought to tell you, that old man wants to marry me! 'What old man? The bald one? Punin? 'No not he! The other ... Paramon Semyonitch. 'Baburin? 'Yes. 'Is it possible?
Everything till now has gone on with us in the same old way: Paramon Semyonitch and I have been always busy with our schools, which are gradually making good progress; besides that, Paramon Semyonitch was taken up with reading and correspondence and his usual discussions with the Old-believers, members of the clergy, and Polish exiles; his health has been fairly good.... So has mine.
'Why, is life so sweet, then? Even your friend Vladimir Nikolaitch, I may say, I've come to love from being wretched and dull: and then Paramon Semyonitch with his offers of marriage.... Punin, though he bores me with his verses, he doesn't scare me, anyway; he doesn't make me read Karamzin in the evenings, when my head's ready to drop off my shoulders for weariness!
I was still in bed next morning, when my man handed me a letter from Musa. 'Dear Piotr Petrovitch! she wrote: 'Paramon Semyonitch has been this night arrested by the police and carried off to the fortress, or I don't know where; they did not tell me. They ransacked all our papers, sealed up a great many, and took them away with them. It has been the same with our books and letters.
I promised to let him know, as soon as I should find out anything positive.... Tarhov's name I did not, however, mention. Punin suddenly collapsed completely. 'Very good, very good, sir, thank you, he said with a pitiful face, using the word 'sir, which he had never done before; 'only mind, sir, do not say anything to Paramon Semyonitch ... or he'll be angry. In one word, he has forbidden it.
'Yes, my dear, yes; Paramon Semyonitch is a republican, repeated Punin; 'there, so you'll know for the future how one should speak of a man like that! But now let's go into the garden. Fancy what I've found there! A cuckoo's egg in a redstart's nest! a lovely thing! I went into the garden with Punin; but mentally I kept repeating: 'republican! re ... pub ... lican!
A few words but how much is said? The blood of King David! What do you think of that? And according to other accounts, the founder of the family of Paramon Semyonitch was an Indian Shah, Babur. Blue blood! That's fine too, isn't it? Eh? 'Well? I queried, 'and was he too, Baburin, flung to the hazards of destiny? Punin rubbed his pate again. 'To be sure he was!
They say a mass of people have been arrested in the town. You can fancy how I feel. It is well Nikander Vavilitch did not live to see it! He was taken just in time. Advise me what I am to do. For myself I am not afraid I shall not die of starvation but the thought of Paramon Semyonitch gives me no rest. Come, please, if only you are not afraid to visit people in our position. Yours faithfully,
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