"we'll stretch our legs, change horses, then we'll move on yes your honour, I'll try to get some help from the stables" "he, postmaster where's the guy, postmaster!" "there are no horses left." " always the same excuses - if you would have a little patience... there'll be fresh horses soon" " don't tire the horse too much - hurry up, will you soon, your honor as soon as..." "I guess even this backward province will have railways one day" "I made a train journey once too." "at the time when my little dove, my little daughter married in Petersburg at that time I traveled with a real railway train" "and now she's dead." "she went into the grave before her father my Dunja my little Dunja" "maybe I have been too proud of her and then God took her away from me" "God's thoughts aren't our thoughts, sir and our ways aren't God's ways because I had been too proud... he took her away from me" "but she had been an angel on earth she had been a real angel" "everybody loved her all she had to do was sit there, that's how she was" "and she loved me too, very much" "when I get into heaven, she'll be the first to wait for me at heaven's gate, and... she'll say: "papushka, where did you come from, there you are at last..."" "I've waited for you for so long, papushka then she'll shower me with kisses" "just like the last day in petersburg, when I went away" "psst, he's asleep the horses have arrived" "Mitja, what's the matter with you?" "what's so interesting in there?" "did you know that Dunja too, he's talking about?" "how could I not have known her?" "I even knew her as a little girl she sat on my knees" "tell the old man that's he's not the only one who is grieving for her and that he's not the only one who's loved her" "have a mess read for her soul, for the maid of God here drive on" "you've been here before?" "not I another had been here" "Minsky" "I see, Minsky" "go on, tell me what's there to tell?" "it's been 10 years ago or even longer" "at the time she lived here in that desolate place, with her father with the same old man who's still sitting here now you can well imagine, a fresh young-blooded girl in that desolate place always new travelers, all lusty... to taste from that flower" "just taste, you know, then drive on a little, a bit more, depends" "and she was bored longed to get away" "little daughter, give me a hand with my heavy task drawing all those lines, all that writing, that's too hard for me papushka, I'm bored" "Dunja, Dunjitchka but it's not boring!" "look, so many travelers pass through from far away sometimes ordinary ones, sometimes better ones but the things they know, the things they talk about..." " oh well - and even if they're angry because I don't have any horses for them and even if they threaten me with their whip then I call my little Dunjitchka, because I pretend I cannot read" "I'll be back soon yes your excellency" "there you are." "get me my horses!" " I'm sorry, there are no horses." " what do you mean, no horses?" "I swear by all the saints, by the memory of mother, there isn't a single horse available not even a horse's tail, so no horse" " I'll teach you!" " if your excellency would wait another hour, perhaps... some fresh and beautiful horses will arrive... this is an order issued personally by the governor, read it yourself" "I'm just a simple person, your excellency" "I cannot read or write but my daughter" " Dunja" "that's my daughter" "Arkadina Semenovna that's your daughter?" "of course it's my daughter and how clever she is, how quick, just like her late mother" " come here, little dove, read..." " leave it not that important not important at all" "how is it possible that... such a rose can blossom here?" "don't trouble yourself, your excellency my hands are rough you're beautiful you're really beautiful but I don't have to tell you that, you know it yourself" "you cannot find such a face in Petersburg, and... you cannot find such a figure." "it's really amazing perhaps you'll prepare some tea for the cavalry captain so that your excellency won't find the waiting too long how could I find the waiting too long?" "if I may look at your little daughter the whole time..." "I don't think I'll notice how the hours pass" "don't!" "let go of me!" " your excellency!" "no!" " just a kiss father is coming the water" "that was quite a slap but you're wonderful" "I'm madly in love with you do you hear, you don't belong here you belong to someplace else why?" "where to?" "to Petersburg into a boudoir, with lots of carpets and a canopy bed you're not the first one to tell me that and, well, like this you see, your excellency, now you've burnt yourself" "I think I put my hand into hot water is it really that hot?" "it is." "I'll fetch oil and potatoes" "come with me, do you hear!" "come with me to St. Petersburg!" "that would suit you well will you come?" "will you?" "cavalry captain!" "as I promised your excellency the horses have arrived horses?" "what horses?" "the best horses of the whole province they'll last till Petersburg if necessary, I'll have them harnessed at once" "Pjotr!" "the cavalry captain is in a hurry your excellency, everything's ready" "good heavens, what's the matter?" "I don't know, I think I won't be able to travel" "I'm not feeling well" "I am really ill, yes..." "I don't think I'll be able to sit in the carriage for a mile ill?" "good gracious!" "that's a fine mess!" "how now?" "ill all of a sudden?" "so really won't be able to travel?" "I hope it's nothing grave?" "where's the pain?" "in your bowels?" "I don't know, maybe in the bowels too" "Jesus, I hope it isn't dysentry our water is bad sometimes maybe it isn't dysentry, I'm not sure because my heart hurts too my chest feels all hot isn't there a doctor in the village?" "no your excellency, there isn't a doctor around but we elders know the best remedies there is no doctor around don't be worried, your excellency" "I myself have healed many a sick person in my time" "Dunja, his excellency is ill prepare the bed in the chamber" "the best would be for you to sweat lots of sweating, that always helps the sweat will wash all the poison from the body your excellency, I had dysentry once such sweat!" "holy Ivan of Novgorod!" "the sweat ran down my whole body, down to my boots two drops fell on the floor, just two drops along comes a rat, your excellency licks up those two drops, licks them... falls on its back, trembles, is dead" "the whole poison had been in just those two drops" "I can't sweat, I have a weak heart!" "your tea, your excellency" "I haven't done a sweating cure before, just to be able to stay near my adored girl its a martyrium what did you say?" "a martyrium" "I'm a martyr now I can well imagine the agonies of St. Laurentius on his horse no no, keep yourself well covered your excellency, up to your neck you are ill yes, but I sweat like a roast" "that's good now the tea" "how can I drink the tea if I'm not allowed to use my arms?" "I'll help you." "lie still, raise your head" "now you've burned my mouth, the tea is red-hot is that so?" "right onto the hand" "how delicate you are look here, I hold the glass in my hand" "I don't mind if I only knew that all the pain and suffering I have to bear would prove to you how much I love you, my angel you've really burned my tongue, it hurts a lot" "your excellency... you've told me... you wanted to take me with you" "to Petersburg" "so you've changed your mind?" "by all the saints, cover yourself!" "this is worse than hell, my hearts beats like mad you're really... now quick, the tea is it still hot?" "you'll really come with me?" "how can you imagine such a thing?" "your excellency what business could I have in Petersburg?" "what business you could have there?" "live with me, my child go to balls wear beautiful dresses now you're making fun of me where could I find the money for those beautiful dresses?" "if one has your looks, money will come all by its own you can ask of me whatever you wish if only you could be a little nice to me, Dunjasha just a little nice... the heaven knows where she is" "I haven't seen her all morning, your excellency she'll turn up here you are, your excellency as I told you, now you're as fit as a fiddle again after the sweating cure and the tea made of cucumber peel" "especially your cucumber peel tea restored my health tasted bitter, eh?" "not that bitter" "I wonder what's taking Dunja maybe she went to the aunt early in the morning to Mirodkawa she often goes to the aunt listen, you love your daughter very much, don't you?" "but your excellency, how could I not love her?" "my Dunja her clever and quick ways everyone must love her" "I thank God with all my heart, you can believe me that He let me have such a daughter and she's clever and quick and educated she can read better than I can but you old crook, you told me yesterday you couldn't read at all!" "I only said, I could hardly read listen papushka, it's a pity that your Dunjasha should wither here like a scullery maid how so, wither?" "she has a fine life here every day new guests and travelers arrive and she enchants everybody's heart you're a real tyrant, you just think about yourself, about your eyes' delight" "I'm convinced that your Dunjasha... wants to get away from here for instance to Petersburg where she can live in splendor" "away from me?" "Did Dunja speak with you about it?" "why should she have spoken about it with me?" "no." "it's just my opinion it's my opinion that you have no right to keep Dunjasha here, where she'll just wither no, your Dunjasha belongs to Petersburg in Petersburg she'll create a sensation will be invited to every ball" "they'll say: "who is that young lady?"" ""she's surely a princess"" ""how so?" "a postmaster's daughter?"" ""bring us that postmaster." "he'll be appointed Postmaster General"" "how could my Dunja ever get to Petersburg?" "that's the least worry" "I'll just take her with me how?" "take you with her?" "just take her with you?" "and right away?" "that's not possible that's not possible, your excellency just take her with you as your maid perhaps, no..." "I won't allow that!" "not as maid!" "but not as a maid!" "of course not as a maid but sort of, as my bride" "how so?" "as your bride?" "without marriage ceremony?" "of course there'll be a marriage ceremony in Petersburg but I must get some clothes for your Dunjasha first and then she'll have to learn how to behave in society piano playing, speaking French the best would be if I took her to my uncle to Datchina" "into the family, of course my uncle is chief hunting master with the Czar there she'll learn everything you understand that, don't you?" "excuse me, your excellency, I cannot think as quickly as you can and I don't know whether Dunja wants to go it's possible that she'll say that she'll prefer to stay with me her life with me is not bad" "I give her everything her heart desires excuse me, your excellency" "I must ask her first if she wants to maybe she doesn't want to but she wants to!" "she even told me herself well, maybe your Dunjasha will return from the aunt soon." "so it's you, old man hasn't she come back yet, your Dunja?" "not back yet, your excellency she won't be lost to the world no, she won't be lost to the world" "why do you look at me like that?" "do you imagine I've eaten your Dunja?" "my Dunja has never been away from me the whole day" "I don't know why I live when she's away" "Dunja!" "I was so afraid, my little dove, the whole day why afraid, I'd been at the aunt didn't I tell you, your excellency, she'd been with the aunt with the aunt... why did you stay away so long?" "I've had a dress made a nice dress, auntie makes dresses" "do you like it?" "what a beautiful dress doesn't she look like a real princess?" "and the hair, like a crown am I right, your excellency?" "I think you're very pretty but your Dunjasha can wear what she likes, she'd look charming even in rags but I couldn't travel in rags with your excellency" "couldn't I?" "travel?" "to Petersburg, papuchka" "to Petersburg?" "travel to Petersburg?" "Papuchka, we mustn't keep his excellency waiting, he's not used to it." "one learns to be patient when women are concerned all ready" "Dunja, now wait a moment if your excellency could wait just a moment, don't be angry, but it's the custom with us before a departure" "That's right, the "minute"" "of course, we have the same custom in Petersburg let's sit down for a minute" "I completely forgot" "holy mother of God, protect and guard the travelers and you, dear benefactor, protect my little Dunichka on her dangerous travels to strange lands accompany her on all roads and stay with her" "so, now" "well, good bye, old man" "farewell, papuchka" "I'll write you from Petersburg, I'll write everything, I'll write every day and for the wedding you'll come to Petersburg, won't you?" "in honour of your Dunjacha's great day, won't you?" "farewell" "May God protect you, papuchka" "Dunjasha" "I'll write soon" "Minsky told me all that later much later, when everything had been over when it had been too late for everything, too late for repentance and the old man?" "did he really believe it?" "I mean, the story about the marriage maybe he believed it, maybe he doubted it who knows what about you?" "you've met her in Petersburg?" "yes I did." "I was just an ensign at the time she's left Minsky long ago and had had a string of rich lovers but I..." "I knew nothing about it nothing about the life she led" "she was without guilt, that girl" "I want to dance the Krapassa!" "You won't dance the Krapassa!" "and you won't get undressed either!" "and what about you and your young ensign?" "which ensign?" "Masha is lying." " I want to leave." " sit down hey you gypsies, play the Krapassa!" "so you're in a bad mood, eh?" "did your landowner annoy you?" "but you're wearing an expensive dress that Stepan Fyodorovich doesn't seen to be stingy" "I can't stand the sight of you!" "you're becoming more of a fool every day everyone according to his abilities but I had been the most foolish when I let you go my angel let go of me!" "cavalry captain, you surely won't touch another gentleman's property" "I beg your pardon, Stepan Fyodorovich" "alright, if it pleases you, I'll ask your forgiveness" "you don't have to ask my forgiveness" "it's very simple" "it's over between us" "such childishness alright, I'll no longer mention that ensign" "do with him what you like it doesn't work, Stepan Fyodorovich" "the life I've led till now... must end" "how so?" "why should it end?" "you know that I love you don't you understand what I'm telling you?" "I've fallen in love with the ensign" "I love only him." "then you're sentimental tell me straight out what you really want!" "how clumsy you are" "I thank you for everything" "Stepan Fyodorovich" "I'll leave this apartment tonight and I'll leave all this behind" "adieu" "you won't get away so easily, my little bird first you eat up lots of my money, and now you want to get rid of me?" "to fool another man open the door, Dunja!" "Dunjasha haven't I always treated you fair?" "I'll break every bone in your body, you slut!" "if I catch you, may God help you!" "Dunja" "Elizawetha?" "my dear, my good Elisawetha" "I have so much to tell you" "I'll always stay with you now" "you've no idea how happy I am" "Dunja, here we don't know what happiness means" "you'll learn about our life here too" "Mitja and I will be very happy it's a whole new life" "I'll be starting now but he must never know... what I had been before" "Elisawetha, he mustn't know, never!" "never ... but now I'm fine, I have everything I could wish for" "I often think of you and then I start crying" "Pjotr" "Pjotr!" "where in heavens name is he?" "Pjotr, come here, listen to me, Dunjichka has written just imagine, she's written to us our Dushka she's written to us, from Petersburg from the Nevsky prospect, there must be houses four stories tall" "just imagine, four apartments on top of each other" "here she writes dear papushka" "I haven't given you my news for a long time that's good" "you must have been worried about it but now I'm fine" "I have everything I could wish for you, Pjotr" "Pjotr, she has everything she could wish for" "now my pretty ones our Dunichka has written to us our Dunichka shall I give you an extra ration, yes?" "so you'll be happy with me everybody shall be happy with me" "come here, because our Dunichka has written and do you know what she wrote?" "listen:" "Dear papuchka, I haven't written for a long time you must have been worried but now I'm fine and I have everything I could wish for" "I often think about you and then I start crying then I imagine the solitary house and you walking over to the stables and I imagine Pjotr too, and everybody else very clearly in my mind write me soon, my good father, I'm staying with my friend Elisawetha Petrovna in the Sapenyeva ulitsa" "I kiss you lovingly, I always think of you, Dunyasha what do you think, Dunja  the affair with the general hadn't lasted long either now I heard she's with a landowner he has piles of money" "that's what I'd do with her if she were my daughter five storied buildings, she writes but that, that she doesn't write!" "his Dunja his Dunjashka, his little dove that she became a whore that she didn't write" "I told him at once what the Petersburg gentlemen would turn his Dunjashka into" "Pjotr?" "Pjotr!" "whom were you talking about?" "about my ... why don't you answer?" "answer me!" "how dare you insult my daughter!" "you scoundrel!" "you liar!" "I'll tear you..." "Grisha!" "Semyon Semyonovich!" "get some water" "I've always dreams about standing before the altar in such a dress" "such dreams!" "I don't understand why you've left the fine life to toil here but I told you look here, the new one!" "if you think that you're being paid for gossiping" "I have no use for you, lazy girl where did you work before?" "I've done sewing in private homes show me your hands" "you don't seem to have worked much no, that's I was so glad that you took me on Elisawetha's recommendation, madam is that so?" "you, Vassilissa, if I catch you again leave those large spaces between stitches, your fired, my little dove" "if the Grandduchess Natalia notices just one fault, then... help you God!" "lazy idlers" "farewell, Elisawetha" " come home soon." " I'll go just to the ice-scating rink for an hour there you are how nice" " I wasn't sure at all..." " you weren't sure?" "how so, not sure?" "I mean, I wasn't sure whether you'd be here did you imagine that I lied to you?" "no, but frankly... you don't look like a seamstress how do I look then?" "more like a lady, Dunjasha" "you must swing out a bit more, Dunja that easily said" "now you've profited by the occasion how couldn't I?" "you look so lovely the fur cap slid over your ear, your hair is showing you, Mitja" "Mitja, that hadn't been your first kiss you've quite good at it you think so?" "say, who had been there before me?" "nobody honestly" "Mitja, you mustn't lie who had been there before me?" "honestly, nobody only... my cousin... but the good Lord created cousins for us ensigns to practice upon" "it's a pity, Mitja do you really have to go home?" "already?" "I must" "the tea vendor" "I must tell you how much I love you" "I even wrote my parents why your parents?" "about me?" "yes about you, Dunjasha" "I was going to tell you later but I can't keep the secret any longer" "I'll resign from the army, you know and I wrote my parents that I'll be returning in spring with you" "how so?" "with me?" "no, that's impossible but why?" "so you're afraid of them?" "no Dunja, they're great people you'll like them at once we'll drive to them to the province, away from Petersburg and then we'll get married and we'll be very happy that's out of the question" "Mitja, I don't want you to resign from the army on my account why shouldn't I?" "your fellow officers will laugh at you let them laugh, what do they know about happiness they only know their dames they can buy with money, they know nothing about happiness what kind of dames?" "I see you despise them, those dames, don't you?" "I don't despise them they only disgust me" "Dunja, I shouldn't have said that about those women excuse me now Mitja, I really must go home just one kiss" "now I must go" "by all the saints, who are you?" "what do you want?" "are you Elisawetha?" "my daughter has written about?" "yes I am" "I don't understand how did you get in here?" "how did I get in here what do you think?" "you don't have to be afraid if my Dunja would be afraid of me... she would have a reason to" "come here, little worm" "now we're all alone we two" "only God can hear us" "where is Dunja?" "where is Dunja?" "I want to know where is Dunja?" "answer me where's my daughter?" "you're wondering perhaps about the disorder in here" "but it was a good thing that I searched everything now you cannot lie to me that Dunja doesn't live here or anything like that" "I found all my letters" "I wrote to her to that liar" "I wrote to this address" "maybe she thought I'd never come here but now I'm here" "now I'm here and do you know why I'm here?" "because I'll beat her to death that dame" "so that she cannot sin any longer" "how so, sin?" "you're wrong!" "Dunichka don't lie to me" "I know everything in Nasta Gornika... the rumour had been spread around that she's a whore stay" "do you know the cavalry captain Minsky?" "do you know the guy?" "who dragged her away my Dunichka" "answer me you don't have to be afraid of me" "tell me, don't you know him?" "no" "yes, I don't know there are many Minskys" "there are many of them, eh?" "I'll settle my accounts with him too but first with Dunja then with him and then with myself" "perhaps perhaps I am guilty" "perhaps I am guilty myself that everything turned out that way" "Oh God, it's terrible it's so terrible" "Oh God God" "Help!" " don't run away you!" "stay!" "don't run away so you've a bad conscience?" "I don't believe Dunja to be guilty you couldn't speak so bad about your daughter" "I don't want to be the father of a whore answer me..." "I want to know where Minsky lives" "I'll kill everybody" "I'll kill Minsky, you, myself, everybody!" "Help" "aren't you ashamed?" "such an old man, and still wanting to force himself upon a young girl pfui he's drunk take away the bottle, in his coat pocket" "how is it possible that you could sin so much against God's will leave it, Sasha, I'll take him downstairs" "did you hurt your foot?" "fresh air will do you good, old man" "papuchka" "I myself am guilty" "I myself calm yourself you don't know what you're saying" "I certainly do" "I certainly know what I'm saying" "I can walk alone" "I've not far to go you won't jump into the Neva?" "yes I will perhaps into the Neva too" "but first I must go... to that bastard who seduced my Dunichka first to the Kazakhstan then I'll look for my daughter" "and then perhaps into the water" "forgive me" "I think he's an unhappy man" "I think we must pray for him he doesn't live here, for sure how so, not here, in your house?" "no, he doesn't live in my house if he doesn't live here, maybe he lives in this street?" "I wouldn't know, maybe he lives here, how could I know thank you" "if he doesn't live in this house either... maybe he lives next door" " ah, madam is your master in?" "the cavalry captain is in in the billiard room, madam" "go outside and knock before you enter, you lout it is I, Alexej" "you're coming to me, Dunjasha?" "yes, I've come to you you haven't been here for a long time it had been too long forgive me, I know I no longer have the right then you must forgive me it is I who has to right no... to shy away from you" "I've come... there's a special reason why I've come to you but Dunyasha the reason is unimportant" "I've longed for you so much no, I've told you I have a special reason" " it's a..." " what is it?" "a condition is attached to it but Dunjasha whatever you wish, do sit down" "you see... my father is in Petersburg how dare you, you damn blackguard" "I'll call the police" "I'll throw you down the stairs let go of me what's that shouting, are you drunk?" " does the cavalry captain Minsky live here?" " yes he does let go of me" "what do you want here?" "hold him, maybe he has a knife" "let go of him, Ossip, Stepan there you are, my dear father-in-law so you finally got Dunja's letter, we were afraid it hadn't reached you because you didn't come and the wedding is tomorrow" "Dunjasha is just with me she'll be beside herself with joy" "are you blind?" "take the gentleman's coat did you have a pleasant journey?" "you probably are staying at an inn, but you can tell me all that later" "I have to go away now, there is so much to arrange for the wedding but Dunjasha is here and she'll be very happy to be alone with you the first hour, come with me" "Holy mother of Kazan!" "Dunjasha, darling, your father's here" "papuchka" "my dear papuchka" "I've missed you so not everything's well" "I've longed for you so much" "your hair has turned all grey on the sides" "I am so happy" "forgive me forgive me, my daughter" "no, don't papuchka don't kneel now get up, papuchka" "Me?" "forgive you?" "papuchka, I don't understand you what are you saying?" "dear papuchka" "yes, for your day of honour" "I've come for your wedding day you see" "and I thought..." "I thought... you keep your mouths shut, is that understood?" "the old man is a little... we'll have a celebration tomorrow, a kind of wedding celebration the old man must believe what he is imagining you know how madmen are" "I saw at once that he'd lost his mind you keep your mouths shut!" "yes, captain" " come papuchka, sit down - no, listen just think of it... and one day the rumour is spread around... and don't know from whom..." "I think the coachman from the town brought it in and he tells Pjotr, just imagine... that old stupid fool, he tells him... that happened the day your letter arrived" "I'd read it, went into the stables, and... and not that bastard says... that old bastard, that Pjotr... no, he says that you... papa, don't get exited, we have so much time" "papuchka, listen, don't get exited now we'll just be happy that you're here" "what a bad daughter I am, I completely forgot you must be tired and hungry from the journey no, not that tired..." "Fetja?" "I'm coming" "you've been hit pretty hard, haven't you?" "say, has she let you... if you knew her, Sergej, you wouldn't talk that way when you're with her, such thoughts don't exist nothing dirty, nothing mean" "marry her then" "Sergej, nobody must know about it yet but I'll tell you because you're my friend" "I'll write to my parents" "God heavens, Mitja, I was only joking!" "you can't be serious, such a common girl, the first that came along what do you know about it, Sergej?" "it's true, she's the first but she's the best of them all and don't want any other happiness on this world" "Constantin will be the pope, he has such a beautiful deep bass and you get the prayers, litanies and all the stuff we'll need we'll just tell the old man that in Petersburg a marriage in a private home is more elegant" "yes, he'll marry my little daughter and you'll not believe me if I tell you who's the bridegroom a hussar an officer, a cavalry captain a big shot next to him we're just worms and even though he's a high ranking personality" "he has a heart for the common people dear father-in-law, he says dear father-in-law, make yourself at home" "formerly, all the gentlemen said was:" ""you scoundrel, get my horses!"" "you ass, get horses!" "that's the way the gentlemen have their fun with us" " do come with us, it'll be great fun - but you know I'm on duty after duty then" "say yes in the name of friendship alright, yes" "look at this!" "I thought you were reading Karamzin's history of Russia, and what does he read?" "a love letter give it to me" "how sensitive do you know that I can tell a man's future by looking at the handwriting" "nonsense how could you tell a man's future by looking at his handwriting?" "just by looking at the writing, at the letters" "I learned it from my grandmother, a real magician alright, but just two lines" "dearest Mitja forgive me that I didn't come yesterday, and that I can't come today or tomorrow a distant relative of mine yes, a very energetic handwriting the person seems to know what she wants yes, but what about the future" "then you'll have to let me see more a distant relative of mine has come to Petersburg, but he'll leave tomorrow and then I'll rush into your arms and will be your Dunja forever" "P.S." "be patient and trust me she really seems to love you yes, doesn't she what about the future?" "alright it'll go upwards clarity and truth" "deep emotion you'll be happy very soon" "you're coming?" "but you will come!" "perhaps" "when I celebrated the wedding with your late mother she didn't know either what was going on, all women are just like that before a wedding they're all so exited my dear son-in-law" "the bible says:" "the wife ought to remain trembling and in fear but why should Dunjasha tremble?" "love heals all difficulties" "are you ill, Dunichka?" "it's nothing" "I'll go outside for a moment, drink a glass of cold water" "she's so sensitive like her mother the slightest excitement, and she has a headache" "but once the children are born... the little children... everything will be blown away" "Alexej the bridegroom seems to be deaf" "Masha, don't forget you're a princess princess, that's a good one we've had a real wedding" "with Constantin as pope it was horrible, horrible" "you didn't imagine your wedding that way, didn't you" "don't cry" "Dunja, don't cry everything will pass you know, everything will pass the suffering, and also the happiness and finally life itself" "I have the terrible feeling that God will punish me for this deception but what could I have done, Elisawetha?" "I only wanted to spare papuchka the most horrible of course, you couldn't have acted otherwise" "but it'll be over soon do you think it'll turn out alright?" "and that Mitja won't learn about anything?" "of course not if only papuchka were at the station yet my God, how forgetful I am, Elisawetha you must be hungry" " that you could think about such a thing - why shouldn't I think about it" "Katja coming bring some food at once bring the best of everything, and quick!" "now you just eat, Elisawetha, and pack something too will you?" "but not only for yourself but for myself too" "I'll come back to you tomorrow morning" "I thank you dearest" "Masha makes fun of him." "he dances like a young man, after all... what is it after all he's a great person, it's not fun to fool him that way it had been Dunja's idea, not mine" "leave at once, do you hear!" "the mazurka papuchka, did you hurt yourself?" "excuse me" "I don't know what came over me the devil must have tempted me, I got all dizzy, I'm just an old man... do sit down" "papuchka, get a rest" "I am so happy that I may live to see this day your day of honour papuchka, and how the folks at home will be amazed when you tell them about your Dunjasha's wedding the way Pjotr will look, and the aunt, and the kaiser" "when I tell them how beautiful it all had been, how we danced the postmaster and the grandduchess and how beautiful the bride was my Dunjichka and the cavalry captain a handsome bridegroom" "now I remember" "I was going to tell you something come Dunichka, let's sit down here for a while and then I'll tell you something you see, actually your mother ought to tell you this but how could she as she's no longer alive" "but that's life you see, when the wedding is over later and when the guests have all gone and then you'll be alone with the bridegroom well, and then... you mustn't be afraid you don't have to be frightened" "and, well... look here, with me myself... our dear mother didn't want to let me into her chamber at first she wanted to throw me out when I, after the wedding... but I wasn't very delicate" "I came back to her but the cavalry captain, that's a delicate gentleman" "and you must be good maybe it'll be all different with you two" "the party's in full swing, sir why?" "because some sort of provincial has arrived what provincial?" "our Dunja's father" "Dunja?" "the Dunjanja?" "and what a woman!" "a little bunny who has returned repentant to our master the many lovers she has had already you can't count them and now they play-act a wedding so that the old provincial shall believe his daughter is pure he gives him self airs like a grandduke" "say, it that the Dunja you were talking about?" "of course, that's her!" "Mijta!" "how did you get here?" "get out of here at once, Ossip!" "I ought to ask that of yourself, Dunja how did you get here?" "I beg of you, go now, I'll explain later, I swear I'll tell you everything, please go!" "I don't think there is anything left to explain you've lied to me, cheated me, all those weeks" " you are..." " don't!" "don't say the word it's true, I concealed something from you yes, concealed, lied yes, you've lied, you've made a fool of me, just like you're making a fool of your father right now" "Mitja, dearest, I swear I'll tell you everything" "I've been a foolish boy a naive person you can cheat, just like you cheat your father you whore!" "come, I'll go with you the way you look a face like an angel who wouldn't be fooled by this face which seems so innocent these eyes which look so true and behind all that nothing but lies!" "and meanness" "a fine seamstress you are!" "you're the father?" "Aljosha!" " I don't understand?" " I'll explain that person insults me throw him out at once" "throw him out at once" "you must be drunk, ensign" "I order you to leave at once" " I don't need an order, least of all by you." " shut up!" "you'll report to me tomorrow, is that understood?" "come, we won't let our evening be spoilt" "I hardly know him, papuchka that person has been following me for months he doesn't leave me in peace for a minute" "that's the curse of beauty, papuchka let's forget all that!" "why do you stand around like that?" "Lev Philipovich, Konstantin, Natasha dance, dance dance" "a ghost" "a ghost brings luck" "I could need such luck a young luck-bringer let go of me, you're drunk aren't you?" "that's definitely a mistake" "maybe you're right maybe it really is a mistake" "it definitely is a mistake" "now to the station, quick papuchka of course, the gypsies will come too of course, the "minute"" "now quickly come papuchka" "adieu papuchka, farewell and keep me in your heart, will you?" "and take good care of yourself how much I wish that you return home in good health, and you remain in good health many years yet you talk as if you were saying goodbye forever how so, forever?" "but I'll visit you very soon too, why shouldn't I visit you it's not that far first by train, then two or three days by sledge or carriage of course, papuchka, one can never be sure" "because you may die or I may die no papuchka, I'll pray to God everyday that he'll keep you in good health and promise me, papuchka and promise me that you won't drink not for any reason whatsoever" "swear it to me alright, I'll swear my dear father-in-law, it's high time" "don't forget the gloves promise me that you take care always remember, I only have you only you, papuchka" "take me with you please take me with you farewell Dunja" "farewell, my little daughter" "little father, was that your daughter?" "the bride?" "yes, my daughter a beautiful bride and the bridegroom, was that the officer?" "the handsome hussar?" "yes the hussar, the cavalry captain little father, you married your daughter well everyone wants a handsome hussar, but not everyone get get one" "makes your mouth water just imagine what a beautiful wedding it must have been yes it was, beautiful wedding very beautiful" "but my heart feels so heavy real heavy" "if we don't find a place, we'll just sit on the floor there's Mitja" "Mitja with the ladies now you really belong to us don't trouble yourself, he's deaf and dumb why do you stare at me like that?" "don't you know me any more?" "I do" "I know you very well, Sergej you're told me my future, not very long ago how long ago was it?" "your read from a letter that I that I would be very happy one day" "you see, this will divert you, now wait a moment" "there you are" "at one moment a seamstress, at another a demie-monde just the way you feel like what a joke to convince a poor innocent devil with lies and cheating" "did you at least have fun doing it, Dunja?" "or what's your real name?" "maybe the name is false too don't look at me like that, that won't work anymore with me that innocent look the spots you have in your face one can see them clearly all the dirt, the meanness" "go and wash your face one can see everything through the skin one can see all the dirt everyone can see it wash it off why don't you wash it off" "I've found a wonderful table what's that in your face?" "nothing nothing at all where's the table?" "I must admit, such a beautiful bride I've never been seen before does she love you?" "just like a child would love its father she couldn't tear herself away from you" "I couldn't tear myself away from her either" "you women are so naive you really thought you could make a bargain with fate you completely forgot that one has to pay for everything in life but you've achieved one thing:" "that your father left as a happy man and Mitja?" "your Mitja you'll forget him" "the way you've forgotten so many" "Dunja, Dunjasha" "one moment" "Dunichka" "I think we'll get along splendidly you'll see it just occurred to me, we'll visit your father the old man will be terribly glad" "forgive me what I have done" "but I couldn't act otherwise please, Aljosha" "don't write my father what I have done" "please write first ... that I had been ill" "and then that I have died as your wife" "please please promise yes, I promise" "I promise you everything" "once you're in love with a man, you'll lose your reason and at first I couldn't understand it at all just think about it: suddenly your eyes' pleasure, your Dunichka has left home another took her away" "and you're supposed to sit at home all alone of course I thought only of my own happiness and not of Dunichka's happiness" "have a drink not now" "I don't drink liquor in old times, yes" "then I drank a lot of liquor, but now" "I don't drink any more why not any more?" "I've promised to my Dunichka papuchka, she said promise me, no, swear to me that you won't drink any more liquor" "so I swore to her so I won't drink any more not for the moment" "that's the way she died it's been my fault" "maybe all of us were guilty and Minksy?" "he fulfilled her wish the old man never learned how his daughter had died" "soon after that, Minsky volunteered into our unit, we were fighting at Sebastopol at the time he fell in action" "and I.." "I live." "the bullet didn't want me maybe it's God's will" "that I atone my sin against Dunja through my life"