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Updated: June 1, 2025
A sudden change in my fortunes carried me off to the other end of Russia, and I bade a long farewell to Petersburg, to the Zlotnitsky family, and, what was most grievous of all for me, to dear Yakov Pasinkov. Seven years had passed by. I don't think it necessary to relate all that happened to me during that period.
The door on to the stairs was opened.... I listened.... Asanov was asking my servant if I were at home. Pasinkov got up; he did not care for Asanov, and telling me in a whisper that he would go and lie down on my bed, he went into my bedroom. A minute later Asanov entered.
'Poetry's a dream too, but a dream of paradise. Pasinkov closed his eyes. I stood for a little while at his bedside. I did not think he would get to sleep quickly, but soon his breathing became more even and prolonged. I went away on tiptoe, turned into my own room, and lay down on the sofa.
I advised him to have a little nap, adding that I should not go on further till he was well again, and that I should establish myself in a room beside him. 'It's very nasty here ... Pasinkov was beginning, but I stopped his mouth, and went softly out. Elisei followed me. 'What is it, Elisei? Why, he's dying, isn't he? I questioned the faithful servant.
'Please come up, sir! Elisei shouted to me from the staircase; 'Yakov Ivanitch is very anxious to see you. I ran hurriedly up the tottering stairs, went into a dark little room and my heart sank.... On a narrow bed, under a fur cloak, pale as a corpse, lay Pasinkov, and he was stretching out to me a bare, wasted hand. I rushed up to him and embraced him passionately.
'Will you go to the devil! I shouted, stamping, 'and send me a second; I don't mean to talk to you. 'Kindly refrain from telling me what to do, Asanov retorted frigidly; 'but I certainly will send a second to you. He went away. I fell on the sofa and hid my face in my hands. Some one touched me on the shoulder; I moved my hands before me was standing Pasinkov.
For a long while I mused on what Pasinkov had told me, recalled many things, wondered; at last I too fell asleep.... Some one touched me; I started up; before me stood Elisei. 'Come in to my master, he said. I got up at once. 'What's the matter with him? 'He's delirious. 'Delirious? And hasn't it ever been so before with him?
'Tell me, please, all you know about Pasinkov. I began telling her his story. I sketched in brief words the whole life of my friend; tried, as far as I was able, to give an idea of his soul; described his last meeting with me and his end. 'And a man like that, I cried, as I finished my story 'has left us, unnoticed, almost unappreciated! But that's no great loss.
Sophia was just getting up, but Varvara asked her to go on, went up to Pasinkov, and holding out her hand, with an awkward smile, said, 'Will you like a turn? Pasinkov was surprised, but he jumped up he was always distinguished by the most delicate courtesy and took Varvara by the waist, but he slipped down at the first step, and leaving hold of his partner at once, rolled right under the pedestal on which the parrot's cage was standing.... The cage fell, the parrot was frightened and shrieked, 'Present arms! Every one laughed.... Zlotnitsky appeared at his study door, looked grimly at us, and slammed the door to.
One bright summer day I happened to go out of the playground after a noisy game of leap-frog, and walking into the garden I saw Pasinkov sitting on a bench under a high lilac-bush. He was reading. I glanced at the cover of the book as I passed, and read Schiller's Werke on the back. I stopped short. 'Do you mean to say you know German? I questioned Pasinkov....
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