youth-第7章

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black　folded　cravat　and　had　his　cheeks　and　forehead　dotted　all

over　with　pimples。　His　hands　were　shapely　and　slender；　but　their

nails　were　so　bitten　to　the　quick　that　the　finger…ends　looked　as

though　they　had　been　tied　round　with　strips　of　thread。　All　this

seemed　to　me　splendid；　and　wholly　becoming　to　a　student　of　the

first　gymnasium。　He　spoke　to　every　one；　and　we　all　made　friends

with　him。　To　me　in　particular　his　walk；　his　every　movement；　his

lips；　his　dark　eyes；　all　seemed　to　have　in　them　something

extraordinary　and　magnetic。



On　the　day　of　the　mathematical　examination　I　arrived　earlier　than

usual　at　the　hall。　I　knew　the　syllabus　well；　yet　there　were　two

questions　in　the　algebra　which　my　tutor　had　managed　to　pass　over；

and　which　were　therefore　quite　unknown　to　me。　If　I　remember

rightly；　they　were　the　Theory　of　Combinations　and　Newton's

Binomial。　I　seated　myself　on　one　of　the　back　benches　and　pored

over　the　two　questions；　but；　inasmuch　as　I　was　not　accustomed　to

working　in　a　noisy　room；　and　had　even　less　time　for　preparation

than　I　had　anticipated；　I　soon　found　it　difficult　to　take　in　all

that　I　was　reading。



〃Here　he　is。　This　way；　Nechludoff；〃　said　Woloda's　familiar　voice

behind　me。



I　turned　and　saw　my　brother　and　Dimitritheir　gowns　unbuttoned；

and　their　hands　waving　a　greeting　to　methreading　their　way

through　the　desks。　A　moment's　glance　would　have　sufficed　to　show

any　one　that　they　were　second…course　studentspersons　to　whom

the　University　was　as　a　second　home。　The　mere　look　of　their　open

gowns　expressed　at　once　disdain　for　the　〃mere　candidate〃　and　a

knowledge　that　the　〃mere　candidate's〃　soul　was　filled　with　envy

and　admiration　of　them。　I　was　charmed　to　think　that　every　one

near　me　could　now　see　that　I　knew　two　real　second…course

students：　wherefore　I　hastened　to　meet　them　half…way。



Woloda；　of　course；　could　not　help　vaunting　his　superiority　a

little。



〃Hullo；　you　smug！〃　he　said。　〃Haven't　you　been　examined　yet？〃



〃No。〃



〃Well；　what　are　you　reading？　Aren't　you　sufficiently　primed？〃



〃Yes；　except　in　two　questions。　I　don't　understand　them　at　all。〃



〃Eh；　what？〃and　Woloda　straightway　began　to　expound　to　me

Newton's　Binomial；　but　so　rapidly　and　unintelligibly　that；

suddenly　reading　in　my　eyes　certain　misgivings　as　to　the

soundness　of　his　knowledge；　he　glanced　also　at　Dimitri's　face。

Clearly；　he　saw　the　same　misgivings　there；　for　he　blushed　hotly；

though　still　continuing　his　involved　explanations。



〃No；　hold　on；　Woloda；　and　let　me　try　and　do　it；〃　put　in　Dimitri

at　length；　with　a　glance　at　the　professors'　corner　as　he　seated

himself　beside　me。



I　could　see　that　my　friend　was　in　the　best　of　humours。　This　was

always　the　case　with　him　when　he　was　satisfied　with　himself；　and

was　one　of　the　things　in　him　which　I　liked　best。　Inasmuch　as　he

knew　mathematics　well　and　could　speak　clearly；　he　hammered　the

question　so　thoroughly　into　my　head　that　I　can　remember　it　to

this　day。　Hardly　had　he　finished　when　St。　Jerome　said　to　me　in　a

loud　whisper；　〃A　vous；　Nicolas；〃　and　I　followed　Ikonin　out　from

among　the　desks　without　having　had　an　opportunity　of　going

through　the　OTHER　question　of　which　I　was　ignorant。　At　the　table

which　we　now　approached　were　seated　two　professors；　while　before

the　blackboard　stood　a　gymnasium　student；　who　was　working　some

formula　aloud；　and　knocking　bits　off　the　end　of　the　chalk　with

his　too　vigorous　strokes。　He　even　continued　writing　after　one　of

the　Professors　had　said　to　him　〃Enough！〃　and　bidden　us　draw　our

tickets。　〃Suppose　I　get　the　Theory　of　Combinations？〃　I　thought　to

myself　as　my　tremulous　fingers　took　a　ticket　from　among　a　bundle

wrapped　in　torn　paper。　Ikonin；　for　his　part；　reached　across　the

table　with　the　same　assurance；　and　the　same　sidelong　movement　of

his　whole　body；　as　he　had　done　at　the　previous　examination。

Taking　the　topmost　ticket　without　troubling　to　make　further

selection；　he　just　glanced　at　it；　and　then　frowned　angrily。



〃I　always　draw　this　kind　of　thing；〃　he　muttered。



I　looked　at　mine。　Horrors！　It　was　the　Theory　of　Combinations！



〃What　have　you　got？〃　whispered　Ikonin　at　this　point。



I　showed　him。



〃Oh；　I　know　that；〃　he　said。



〃Will　you　make　an　exchange；　then？〃



〃No。　Besides；　it　would　be　all　the　same　for　me　if　I　did；〃　he

contrived　to　whisper　just　as　the　professor　called　us　up　to　the

blackboard。　〃I　don't　feel　up　to　anything　to…day。〃



〃Then　everything　is　lost！〃　I　thought　to　myself。　Instead　of　the

brilliant　result　which　I　had　anticipated　I　should　be　for　ever

covered　with　shamemore　so　even　than　Ikonin！　Suddenly；　under　the

very　eyes　of　the　professor；　Ikonin　turned　to　me；　snatched　my

ticket　out　of　my　hands；　and　handed　me　his　own。　I　looked　at　his

ticket。　It　was　Newton's　Binomial！



The　professor　was　a　youngish　man；　with　a　pleasant；　clever

expression　of　facean　effect　chiefly　due　to　the　prominence　of

the　lower　part　of　his　forehead。



〃What？　Are　you　exchanging　tickets；　gentlemen？〃　he　said。



〃No。　He　only　gave　me　his　to　look　at；　professor；〃　answered　Ikonin

and；　sure　enough；　the　word　〃professor〃　was　the　last　word　that　he

uttered　there。　Once　again；　he　stepped　backwards　towards　me　from

the　table；　once　again　he　looked　at　each　of　the　professors　in　turn

and　then　at　myself；　once　again　he　smiled　faintly；　and　once　again

he　shrugged　his　shoulders　as　much　as　to　say；　〃It　is　no　use；　my

good　sirs。〃　Then　he　returned　to　the　desks。　Subsequently；　I　learnt

that　this　was　the　third　year　he　had　vainly　attempted　to

matriculate。



I　answered　my　question　well；　for　I　had　just　read　it　up；　and　the

professor；　kindly　informing　me　that　I　had　done　even　better　than

was　required；　placed　me　fifth。



XII



MY　EXAMINATION　IN　LATIN



All　went　well　until　my　examination　in　Latin。　So　far；　a　gymnasium

student　stood　first　on　the　list；　Semenoff　second；　and　myself

third。　On　the　strength　of　it　I　had　begun　to　swagger　a　little；　and

to　think　that；　for　all　my　youth；　I　was　not　to　be　despised。



From　the　first　day　of　the　examinations；　I　had　heard　every　one

speak　with　awe　of　the　Professor　of　Latin；　who　appeared　to　be　some

sort　of　a　wild　beast　who　battened　on　the　financial　ruin　of　young

men　（of　those；　that　is　to　say；　who　paid　their　own　fees）　and　spoke

only　in　the　Greek　and　Latin　tongues。　However；　St。　Jerome；　who　had

coached　me　in　Latin；　spoke　encouragingly；　and　I　myself　thought

that；　since　I　could　translate　Cicero　and　certain　parts　of　Horace

without　the　aid　of　a　lexicon；　I　should　do　no　worse　than　the　rest。

Yet　things　proved　otherwise。　All　the　morning　the　air　had　been

full　of　rumours　concerning　the　tribulations　of　candidates　who　had

gone　up　before　me：　rumours　of　how　one　young　fellow　had　been

accorded　a　nought；　another　one　a　single　mark　only；　a　third　one

greeted　with　abuse　and　threatened　with　expulsion；　and　so　forth。

Only　Semenoff　and　the　first　gymnasium　student　had；　as　usual；　gone

up　quietly；　and　returned　to　their　seats　with　five　marks　credited

to　their　names。　Already　I　felt　a　prescience　of　disaster　when

Ikonin　and　myself　found　ourselves　summoned　to　the　little　table　at

which　the　terrible　professor　sat　in　solitary　grandeur。



The　terrible　professor　turned　out　to　be　a　little　thin；　bilious…

looking　man　with　hair　long　and　greasy　and　a　face　expressive　of

extraordinary　sullenness。　Handing　Ikonin　a　copy　of　Cicero's

Orations；　he　bid　him　translate。　To　my　great　astonishment　Ikonin

not　only　read　off　some　of　the　Latin；　but　even　managed　to　construe

a　few　lines　to　the　professor's　prompting。　At　the　same　time；

conscious　of　my　superiority　over　such　a　feeble　companion；　I　could

not　help　smiling　a　little；　and　even　looking　rather　contemptuous；

when　it　came　to　a　question　of　analysis；　and　Ikonin；　as　on

previous　occasions；　plunged　into　a　silence　which　promised　never

to　end。　I　had　hoped　to　please　the　professor　by　that　knowing；

slightly　sarcastic　smile　of　mine；　but；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　I

contrived　to　do　quite　the　contrary。



〃Evidently　you　know　better　than　he；　since　you　are　laughing；〃　he

said　to　me　in　bad　Russian。　〃Well；　we　shall　see。　Tell　me　the

answer；　then。〃



Later　I　learnt　that　the　professor　was　Ikonin's　guardian；　and　that

Ikonin　actually　lived　with　him。　I　lost　no　time　in　answering　the

question　in　syntax　which　had　been　put　to　Ikonin；　but　the

professor　only　pulled　a　long　face　and　turned　away　from　me。



〃Well；　your　turn　will　come　presently；　and　then　we　shall　see　how

much　you　know；〃　he　remarked；　without　looking　at　me；　but

proceeding　to　explain　to　Ikonin　the　point　on　which　he　had

questioned　him。



〃That　will　do；〃　he　added；　and　I　saw　him　put　down　four　marks　to

Ikonin　in　his　register。　〃Come！〃　I　thought　to　myself。　〃He　cannot

be　so　strict　after　all。〃



When　Ikonin　had　taken　his　departure　the　professor　spent　fully

five　minutesfive　minutes　which　seemed　to　me　five　hoursin

setting　his　books　and　tickets　in　order；　in　blowing　his　nose；　in

adjusting　and　sprawling　about　on　his　chair；　in　gazing　down　the

hall；　and　in　looking　here；　there；　and　everywherein　doing

everything；　in　fact；　except　once　letting　his　eye　rest　upon　me。

Yet　even　that　amount　of　dissimulation　did　not　seem　to　satisfy

him；　for　he　next　opened　a　book；　and　pretended　to　read　it；　for　all

the　world　as　though　I　were　not　there　at　all。　I　moved　a　little

nearer　him；　and　gave　a　cough。



〃Ah；　yes！　You　too；　of　course！　Well；　translate　me　something；〃　he

remarked；　handing　me　a　book　of　some　kind。　〃But　no；　you　had　better

take　this；〃　and；　turning　over　the　leaves　of　a　Horace；　he

indicated　to　me　a　passage　which　I　should　never　have　imagined

possible　of　translation。



〃I　have　not　prepared　this；〃　I　said。



〃Oh！　Then　you　only　wish　to　answer　things　which　you　have　got　by

heart；　do　you？　Indeed？　No；　no；　translate　me　that。〃



I　started　to　grope　for　the　meaning　of　the　passage；　but　each

questioning　look　which　I　threw　at　the　professor　was　met　by　a

shake　of　the　head；　a　profound　sigh；　and　an　exclamation　of　〃No；

no！〃　Finally　he　banged　the　book　to　with　such　a　snap　that　he

caught　his　finger　between　the　covers。　Angrily　releasing　it；　he

handed　me　a　ticket　containing　questions　in　grammar；　and；　flinging

himself　back　in　his　chair；　maintained　a　menacing　silence。　I

should　have　tried　to　answer　the　questions　had　not　the　expression

of　his　face　so　clogged　my　tongue　that　nothing　seemed　to　come　from

it　right。



〃No；　no！　That's　not　it　at　all！〃　he　suddenly　exclaimed　in　his

horrible　accent　as　he　altered　his　posture　to　one　of　leaning

forward　upon　the　table　and　playing　with　the　gold　signet…ring

which　was　nearly　slipping　from　the　little　finger　of　his　left

hand。　〃That　is　not　the　way　to　prepare　for　serious　study；　my　good

sir。　Fellows　like　yourself　think　that；　once　they　have　a　gown　and

a　blue　collar　to　their　backs；　they　have　reached　the　summit　of　all

things　and　become　students。　No；　no；　my　dear　sir。　A　subject　needs

to　be　studied　FUNDAMENTALLY；〃　and　so　on；　and　so　on。



During