A vital question; or, What is to be done? by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: New York, T. Y. Crowell
Published: 1886-02-23T05:00:00+00:00

Vi^ra Pavlovna had been looking at hor husband with eyes full of suspicion, and burning with indignation just as Kir-sinof had looked at him on the day of their theoretical conversation. After he stopped speaking, her face was on fire.

" I beg of you to cease this conversation; it is not becoming."

'• Why so, Vierotchka? I am only speaking about pecuniary advantages ; sueli people as yon and 1, who are not rich, must not neglect them. My work is hard, and a part of it id even detestable to me."

" You have no right to speak so to me." Vi^ra Pavlovna got up. " I shall not allow you to speak to me in dark words. Dare to speak freely what you mean ! "

"I only want to tell you this, Vierotchka: that taking into consideration our advantage, it would be good for us."

"Again, silence! Who gave you the right to be master over mc? I shall despise you!" She ran quickly to her ovvu room and locked the door.

This was their first and their last quarrel.

Till late that night Vi^ra Pavlovna sat with her door locked ; then she relumed to her husband's room.

" My dear,^ I spoke to you very severe words, but do not be angry at them. You see that I am doing my best; instead of helping me, you began to help along what I am struggling against, hoping, — yes, hoping — to win the victory."

" Forgive me, my love,^ for beginning so roughly, but now we are reconciled, aren't we ? Let us talk reasonably."

" Oh, yes, we are reconciled, my dear. Only don't act against mc. It is hard enough, even as it is, to struggle against myself."

" And it is useless, Vi6rotchka; you have had plenty of time to examine your feeling : you have seen that it is more serious than you believed at first. Why torment j-onrself ?"

" No, my dear,' I want to love you, and I do not want to wrong you."

"My dear,'^ j'ou wish me to be happy. What! do you think that it is pleasant for me to see yon keep tormenting yourself?"

" My dear,"^ but you love me so !"

" Of course I do, ver^- dearly : there is no need of saying that; but we both understand wliat love means : does it not consist in the fact that you are happy in the happiness, Ihat yon suffer with the suft'ci'iug, of the one whom 3'ou love. When j'ou torment yourself, you torment me."

" So it is, my dear;' but you will suffer if I yield to this feeling, which— akh! I cannot understand why it should have come to me ; I curse it! "

' Mo'i drug.

" It makes no difference how or why it came to you ; you cannot help it. Now there is only one choice: either you should suffer, and I suffer also through it, or that you cease to suffer, and 1 too."

" But, my dear,' I am not going to suffer; this will pass away; you will see this pass.

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