United States or Anguilla ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Shurotchka was an orphan of the tradesman class. Marfa Timofyevna had taken her to her heart like Roska, from compassion; she had found the little dog and the little girl too in the street; both were thin and hungry, both were being drenched by the autumn rain; no one came in search of Roska, and Shurotchka was given up to Marfa Timofyevna with positive eagerness by her uncle, a drunken shoemaker, who did not get enough to eat himself, and did not feed his niece, but beat her over the head with his last.
"She was not quite well. Shurotchka, where are you? Come here, my girl; why can't you sit still a little? My head aches too. It must be the effect of the singing and music." "What singing, auntie?" "Why, we have been having those upon my word, what do you call them duets here.
He remembered that the back staircase from the servants' entrance led straight to her apartment. He acted on this plan; fortune favoured him; he met Shurotchka in the court-yard; she conducted him up to Marfa Timofyevna's. He found her, contrary to her usual habit, alone; she was sitting without a cap in a corner, bent, and her arms crossed over her breast.
"Yes, yes, you guess why," Lavretsky cried suddenly, "in the course of this fortnight I have come to know the value of a pure woman's heart, and my past seems further from me than ever." Lisa was confused, and went gently into the flower-garden towards Lenotchka and Shurotchka.
You must treat the old with respect." Shurotchka departed "But where is my cap? Where has it got to?" "Let me look for it," said Lisa. "Sit down, sit down; I have still the use of my legs. It must be inside in my bedroom." And flinging a sidelong glance in Lavretsky's direction, Marfa Timofyevna went out. She left the door open; but suddenly she came back to it and shut it.
Lenotchka, transformed into a slim, beautiful young girl, and her betrothed lover a fair-haired officer of hussars; Marya Dmitrievna's son, who had just been married in Petersburg and had come with his young wife for the spring to O ; his wife's sister, a school-girl of sixteen, with glowing cheeks and bright eyes; Shurotchka, grown up and also pretty, made up the youthful household, whose laughter and talk set the walls of the Kalitins' house resounding.
"Now, please, don't try to deny it," pursued Marfa Timofyevna; "Shurotchka herself saw it all and told me. I have had to forbid her chattering, but she is not a liar." "I don't deny it, auntie," Lisa uttered scarcely audibly. "Ah, ah! That's it, is it, miss; you made an appointment with him, that old sinner, who seems so meek?" "No." "How then?"
And as she did not regard him as a visitor, and did not consider it necessary to entertain a relation, almost one of the family, it came to pass that in less than half-an hour's time he found himself walking in an avenue in the grounds with Lisa. Lenotchka and Shurotchka were running about a few paces from them in the flower-garden. Lisa was as calm as usual but more than usually pale.
Fedya," she began, directly she saw him, "last night you did not see my family, you must admire them, we are all here together for tea; this is our second, holiday tea. You can make friends with them all; only Shurotchka won't let you, and the cat will scratch. Are you starting to-day?" "Yes." Lavretsky sat down on a low seat, "I have just said good-bye to Marya Dmitrievna.
In the hall he met no one; but the door of a room was suddenly! flung open, and out of it rushed Shurotchka, flushed and hot, and instantly, with a ringing shout, all the young party in pursuit of her.
Word Of The Day