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Darya Mihailovna suspected that he was now aware of all that had happened. Pandalevsky's disclosure had greatly disturbed her. It touched on the worldly pride in her. Rudin, a poor man without rank, and so far without distinction, had presumed to make a secret appointment with her daughter the daughter of Darya Mihailovna Lasunsky.
'While he was abroad, he continued, 'Rudin wrote very rarely to his mother, and paid her altogether only one visit for ten days.... The old lady died without him, cared for by strangers; but up to her death she never took her eyes off his portrait. I went to see her when I was staying in T . She was a kind and hospitable woman; she always used to feast me on cherry jam.
Rudin was about to say something, but he only waved his hands, bowed and went away, and Volintsev flung himself on the sofa and turned his face to the wall. 'May I come in? Alexandra Pavlovna's voice was heard saying at the door. Volintsev did not answer at once, and stealthily passed his hand over his face. 'No, Sasha, he said, in a slightly altered voice, 'wait a little longer.
Pandalevsky began to play. Natalya was standing near the piano, directly facing Rudin. At the first sound his face was transfigured. His dark blue eyes moved slowly about, from time to time resting upon Natalya. Pandalevsky finished playing. Rudin said nothing and walked up to the open window. A fragrant mist lay like a soft shroud over the garden; a drowsy scent breathed from the trees near.
Darya Mihailovna spoke carelessly and listened with an air of indifference; but it was perfectly evident to Rudin that she was laying herself out to please him, even to flatter him. It was not for nothing that she had arranged this morning interview, and had dressed so simply yet elegantly a la Madame Recamier! But Darya Mihailovna soon left off questioning him.
She went up to him and said in an undertone, 'Why don't you speak instead of doing nothing but smile sarcastically? Make an effort, challenge him again, and without waiting for him to answer, she beckoned to Rudin.
"It sounds rather nonsensical, doesn't it?" he said. "Rudin often invents titles. I have heard efforts much more amusing." "That is when he is original. Unfortunately, in my case, he was merely accurate." Joan whirled round on him. "Are you a Prince?" she gasped, each word marking a crescendo of wonder. "Yes Joan." "But what am I to do? What am I to say?
I would not give a brass farthing for your civilisation! 'But what a poor sort of argument, African Semenitch! observed Darya Mihailovna, inwardly much pleased by the calmness and perfect good-breeding of her new acquaintance. 'Cest un homme comme il faut, she thought, looking with well-disposed scrutiny at Rudin; 'we must be nice to him! Those last words she mentally pronounced in Russian.
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.
At that time I was completely under his influence, and his influence, I will tell you frankly, was beneficial in many things. He was the first person who did not treat me with contempt, but tried to lick me into shape. I loved Pokorsky passionately, and felt a kind of awe before his purity of soul, but I came closer to Rudin.
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