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car under the coverlet； the fall of an apple as it caught against
a branch and rustled among the dry leaves； the leapings of frogs
as they approached almost to the verandah…steps arid sat with the
moon shining mysteriously on their green backsall these things
took on for me a strange significancea significance of
exceeding beauty and of infinite love。 Before me would rise SHE；
with long black tresses and a high bust； but always mournful in
her fairness； with bare hands and voluptuous arms。 She loved me；
and for one moment of her love I would sacrifice my whole life！
But the moon would go on rising higher and higher； and shining
brighter and brighter； in the heavens； the rich sparkle of the
pond would swell like a sound； and become ever more and more
brilliant； while the shadows would grow blacker and blacker； and
the sheen of the moon more and more transparent： until； as I
looked at and listened to all this； something would say to me
that SHE with the bare hands and voluptuous arms did not
represent ALL happiness； that love for her did not represent ALL
good； so that； the more I gazed at the full； high…riding moon；
the higher would true beauty and goodness appear to me to lie；
and the purer and purer they would seemthe nearer and nearer to
Him who is the source of all beauty and all goodness。 And tears
of a sort of unsatisfied； yet tumultuous； joy would fill my eyes。
Always； too； I was alone； yet always； too； it seemed to me that；
although great； mysterious Nature could draw the shining disc of
the moon to herself； and somehow hold in some high； indefinite
place the pale…blue sky； and be everywhere around me； and fill of
herself the infinity of space； while I was but a lowly worm；
already defiled with the poor； petty passions of humanityalways
it seemed to me that； nevertheless； both Nature and the moon and
I were one。
XXXIII
OUR NEIGHBOURS
ON the first day after our arrival； I had been greatly astonished
that Papa should speak of our neighbours； the Epifanovs； as 〃nice
people；〃 and still more so that he should go to call upon them。
The fact was that we had long been at law over some land with
this family。 When a child； I had more than once heard Papa raging
over the litigation； abusing the Epifanovs； and warning people
（so I understood him） against them。 Likewise； I had heard Jakoff
speak of them as 〃our enemies〃 and 〃black people〃 and could
remember Mamma requesting that their names should never be
mentioned in her presence； nor； indeed； in the house at all。
From these data I； as a child； had arrived at the clear and assured
conviction that the Epifanovs were foemen of ours who would at
any time stab or strangle both Papa and his sons if they should
ever come across them； as well as that they were 〃black people〃；
in the literal sense of the term。 Consequently； when； in the year
that Mamma died； I chanced to catch sight of Avdotia （〃La Belle
Flamande〃） on the occasion of a visit which she paid to my
mother； I found it hard to believe that she did not come of a
family of negroes。 All the same； I had the lowest possible
opinion of the family； and； for all that we saw much of them that
summer； continued to be strongly prejudiced against them。 As a
matter of fact； their household only consisted of the mother （a
widow of fifty； but a very well…preserved； cheery old woman）； a
beautiful daughter named Avdotia； and a son； Peter； who was a
stammerer； unmarried； and of very serious disposition。
For the last twenty years before her husband's death； Madame
Epifanov had lived apart from himsometimes in St。 Petersburg；
where she had relatives； but more frequently at her village of
Mitishtchi； which stood some three versts from ours。 Yet the
neighbourhood had taken to circulating such horrible tales
concerning her mode of life that Messalina was； by comparison； a
blameless child： which was why my mother had requested her name
never to be mentioned。 As a matter of fact； not one…tenth part of
the most cruel of all gossipthe gossip of country…housesis
worthy of credence； and although； when I first made Madame's
acquaintance； she had living with her in the house a clerk named
Mitusha； who had been promoted from a serf； and who； curled；
pomaded； and dressed in a frockcoat of Circassian pattern； always
stood behind his mistress's chair at luncheon； while from time to
time she invited her guests to admire his handsome eyes and
mouth； there was nothing for gossip to take hold of。 I believe；
too； that since the timeten years earlierwhen she had recalled
her dutiful son Peter from the service； she had wholly changed
her mode of living。 It seems her property had never been a large
onemerely a hundred souls or so＇This refers； of course； to the
days of serfdom。＇and that during her previous life of gaiety she
had spent a great deal。 Consequently； when； some ten years ago；
those portions of the property which had been mortgaged and re…
mortgaged had been foreclosed upon and compulsorily sold by
auction； she had come to the conclusion that all these unpleasant
details of distress upon and valuation of her property had been
due not so much to failure to pay the interest as to the fact
that she was a woman： wherefore she had written to her son （then
serving with his regiment） to come and save his mother from her
embarrassments； and he； like a dutiful sonconceiving that his
first duty was to comfort his mother in her old agehad
straightway resigned his commission （for all that he had been
doing well in his profession； and was hoping soon to become
independent）； and had come to join her in the country。
Despite his plain face； uncouth demeanour； and fault of
stuttering； Peter was a man of unswerving principles and of the
most extraordinary good sense。 Somehowby small borrowings；
sundry strokes of business； petitions for grace； and promises to
repayhe contrived to carry on the property； and； making himself
overseer； donned his father's greatcoat （still preserved in a
drawer）； dispensed with horses and carriages； discouraged guests
from calling at Mitishtchi； fashioned his own sleighs； increased
his arable land and curtailed that of the serfs； felled his own
timber； sold his produce in person； and saw to matters generally。
Indeed； he swore； and kept his oath； that； until all outstanding
debts were paid； he would never wear any clothes than his
father's greatcoat and a corduroy jacket which he had made for
himself； nor yet ride in aught but a country waggon； drawn by
peasants' horses。 This stoical mode of life he sought to apply
also to his family； so far as the sympathetic respect which he
conceived to be his mother's due would allow of； so that；
although； in the drawing…room； he would show her only stuttering
servility； and fulfil all her wishes； and blame any one who did
not do precisely as she bid them； in his study or his office he
would overhaul the cook if she had served up so much as a duck
without his orders； or any one responsible for sending a serf
（even though at Madame's own bidding） to inquire after a
neighbour's health or for despatching the peasant girls into the
wood to gather wild raspberries instead of setting them to weed
the kitchen…garden。
Within four years every debt had been repaid； and Peter had gone
to Moscow and returned thence in a new jacket and tarantass。 ＇A
two…wheeled carriage。＇ Yet； despite this flourishing position of
affairs； he still preserved the stoical tendencies in which； to
tell the truth； he took a certain vague pride before his family
and strangers； since he would frequently say with a stutter： 〃Any
one who REALLY wishes to see me will be glad to see me even in my
dressing…gown； and to eat nothing but shtchi ＇Cabbage…soup。＇ and
kasha ＇Buckwheat gruel。＇ at my table。〃 〃That is what I eat
myself；〃 he would add。 In his every word and movement spoke pride
based upon a consciousness of having sacrificed himself for his
mother and redeemed the property； as well as contempt for any one
who had not done something of the same kind。
The mother and daughter were altogether different characters from
Peter； as well as altogether different from one another。 The
former was one of the most agreeable； uniformly good…tempered；
and cheerful women whom one could possibly meet。 Anything
attractive and genuinely happy delighted her。 Even the faculty of
being pleased with the sight of young people enjoying themselves
（it is only in the best…natured of elderly folk that one meets
with that TRAIT） she possessed to the full。 On the other hand；
her daughter was of a grave turn of mind。 Rather； she was of that
peculiarly careless； absent…minded； gratuitously distant bearing
which commonly distinguishes unmarried beauties。 Whenever she
tried to be gay； her gaiety somehow seemed to be unnatural to
her； so that she always appeared to be laughing either at herself
or at the persons to whom she was speaking or