the mysterious portrait-第8章

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on；　all　bent　their　attention　solely　on　the　narrator；　as　his　tale　grew

gradually　more　absorbing。



〃You　know　that　portion　of　the　city　which　is　called　Kolomna；〃　he　began。

〃There　everything　is　unlike　anything　else　in　St。　Petersburg。　Retired

officials　remove　thither　to　live；　widows；　people　not　very　well　off；

who　have　acquaintances　in　the　senate；　and　therefore　condemn　themselves

to　this　for　nearly　the　whole　of　their　lives；　and；　in　short；　that　whole

list　of　people　who　can　be　described　by　the　words　ash…colouredpeople

whose　garments；　faces；　hair；　eyes；　have　a　sort　of　ashy　surface；　like　a

day　when　there　is　in　the　sky　neither　cloud　nor　sun。　Among　them　may　be

retired　actors；　retired　titular　councillors；　retired　sons　of　Mars；

with　ruined　eyes　and　swollen　lips。



〃Life　in　Kolomna　is　terribly　dull：　rarely　does　a　carriage　appear；

except；　perhaps；　one　containing　an　actor；　which　disturbs　the　universal

stillness　by　its　rumble；　noise；　and　jingling。　You　can　get　lodgings　for

five　rubles　a　month；　coffee　in　the　morning　included。　Widows　with

pensions　are　the　most　aristocratic　families　there；　they　conduct

themselves　well；　sweep　their　rooms　often；　chatter　with　their　friends

about　the　dearness　of　beef　and　cabbage；　and　frequently　have　a　young

daughter；　a　taciturn；　quiet；　sometimes　pretty　creature；　an　ugly　dog；

and　wall…clocks　which　strike　in　a　melancholy　fashion。　Then　come　the

actors　whose　salaries　do　not　permit　them　to　desert　Kolomna；　an

independent　folk；　living；　like　all　artists；　for　pleasure。　They　sit　in

their　dressing…gowns；　cleaning　their　pistols；　gluing　together　all

sorts　of　things　out　of　cardboard；　playing　draughts　and　cards　with　any

friend　who　chances　to　drop　in；　and　so　pass　away　the　morning；　doing

pretty　nearly　the　same　in　the　evening；　with　the　addition　of　punch　now

and　then。　After　these　great　people　and　aristocracy　of　Kolomna；　come

the　rank　and　file。　It　is　as　difficult　to　put　a　name　to　them　as　to

remember　the　multitude　of　insects　which　breed　in　stale　vinegar。　There

are　old　women　who　get　drunk；　who　make　a　living　by　incomprehensible

means；　like　ants；　dragging　old　clothes　and　rags　from　the　Kalinkin

Bridge　to　the　old　clothes…mart；　in　order　to　sell　them　for　fifteen

kopeksin　short；　the　very　dregs　of　mankind；　whose　conditions　no

beneficent；　political　economist　has　devised　any　means　of　ameliorating。



〃I　have　mentioned　them　in　order　to　point　out　how　often　such　people

find　themselves　under　the　necessity　of　seeking　immediate　temporary

assistance　and　having　recourse　to　borrowing。　Hence　there　settles　among

them　a　peculiar　race　of　money…lenders　who　lend　small　sums　on　security

at　an　enormous　percentage。　Among　these　usurers　was　a　certain　。　。　。　but

I　must　not　omit　to　mention　that　the　occurrence　which　I　have　undertaken

to　relate　occurred　the　last　century；　in　the　reign　of　our　late　Empress

Catherine　the　Second。　So；　among　the　usurers；　at　that　epoch；　was　a

certain　personan　extraordinary　being　in　every　respect；　who　had

settled　in　that　quarter　of　the　city　long　before。　He　went　about　in

flowing　Asiatic　garb；　his　dark　complexion　indicated　a　Southern　origin；

but　to　what　particular　nation　he　belonged；　India；　Greece；　or　Persia；

no　one　could　say　with　certainty。　Of　tall；　almost　colossal　stature；

with　dark；　thin；　ardent　face；　heavy　overhanging　brows；　and　an

indescribably　strange　colour　in　his　large　eyes　of　unwonted　fire；　he

differed　sharply　and　strongly　from　all　the　ash…coloured　denizens　of

the　capital。



〃His　very　dwelling　was　unlike　the　other　little　wooden　houses。　It　was

of　stone；　in　the　style　of　those　formerly　much　affected　by　Genoese

merchants；　with　irregular　windows　of　various　sizes；　secured　with　iron

shutters　and　bars。　This　usurer　differed　from　other　usurers　also　in

that　he　could　furnish　any　required　sum；　from　that　desired　by　the　poor

old　beggar…woman　to　that　demanded　by　the　extravagant　grandee　of　the

court。　The　most　gorgeous　equipages　often　halted　in　front　of　his　house；

and　from　their　windows　sometimes　peeped　forth　the　head　of　an　elegant

high…born　lady。　Rumour；　as　usual；　reported　that　his　iron　coffers　were

full　of　untold　gold；　treasures；　diamonds；　and　all　sorts　of　pledges；

but　that；　nevertheless；　he　was　not　the　slave　of　that　avarice　which　is

characteristic　of　other　usurers。　He　lent　money　willingly；　and　on　very

favourable　terms　of　payment　apparently；　but；　by　some　curious　method　of

reckoning；　made　them　mount　to　an　incredible　percentage。　So　said

rumour；　at　any　rate。　But　what　was　strangest　of　all　was　the　peculiar

fate　of　those　who　received　money　from　him：　they　all　ended　their　lives

in　some　unhappy　way。　Whether　this　was　simply　the　popular　superstition；

or　the　result　of　reports　circulated　with　an　object；　is　not　known。　But

several　instances　which　happened　within　a　brief　space　of　time　before

the　eyes　of　every　one　were　vivid　and　striking。



〃Among　the　aristocracy　of　that　day；　one　who　speedily　drew　attention　to

himself　was　a　young　man　of　one　of　the　best　families　who　had　made　a

figure　in　his　early　years　in　court　circles；　a　warm　admirer　of

everything　true　and　noble；　zealous　in　his　love　for　art；　and　giving

promise　of　becoming　a　Maecenas。　He　was　soon　deservedly　distinguished

by　the　Empress；　who　conferred　upon　him　an　important　post；　fully

proportioned　to　his　desertsa　post　in　which　he　could　accomplish　much

for　science　and　the　general　welfare。　The　youthful　dignitary　surrounded

himself　with　artists；　poets；　and　learned　men。　He　wished　to　give　work

to　all；　to　encourage　all。　He　undertook；　at　his　own　expense；　a　number

of　useful　publications；　gave　numerous　orders　to　artists；　offered

prizes　for　the　encouragement　of　different　arts；　spent　a　great　deal　of

money；　and　finally　ruined　himself。　But；　full　of　noble　impulses；　he　did

not　wish　to　relinquish　his　work；　sought　to　raise　a　loan；　and　finally

betook　himself　to　the　well…known　usurer。　Having　borrowed　a

considerable　sum　from　him；　the　man　in　a　short　time　changed　completely。

He　became　a　persecutor　and　oppressor　of　budding　talent　and　intellect。

He　saw　the　bad　side　in　everything　produced；　and　every　word　he　uttered

was　false。



〃Then；　unfortunately；　came　the　French　Revolution。　This　furnished　him

with　an　excuse　for　every　kind　of　suspicion。　He　began　to　discover　a

revolutionary　tendency　in　everything；　to　concoct　terrible　and　unjust

accusations；　which　made　scores　of　people　unhappy。　Of　course；　such

conduct　could　not　fail　in　time　to　reach　the　throne。　The　kind…hearted

Empress　was　shocked；　and；　full　of　the　noble　spirit　which　adorns

crowned　heads；　she　uttered　words　still　engraven　on　many　hearts。　The

Empress　remarked　that　not　under　a　monarchical　government　were　high　and

noble　impulses　persecuted；　not　there　were　the　creations　of　intellect；

poetry；　and　art　contemned　and　oppressed。　On　the　other　hand；　monarchs

alone　were　their　protectors。　Shakespeare　and　Moliere　flourished　under

their　magnanimous　protection；　while　Dante　could　not　find　a　corner　in

his　republican　birthplace。　She　said　that　true　geniuses　arise　at　the

epoch　of　brilliancy　and　power　in　emperors　and　empires；　but　not　in　the

time　of　monstrous　political　apparitions　and　republican　terrorism；

which；　up　to　that　time；　had　never　given　to　the　world　a　single　poet；

that　poet…artists　should　be　marked　out　for　favour；　since　peace　and

divine　quiet　alone　compose　their　minds；　not　excitement　and　tumult；

that　learned　men；　poets；　and　all　producers　of　art　are　the　pearls　and

diamonds　in　the　imperial　crown：　by　them　is　the　epoch　of　the　great

ruler　adorned；　and　from　them　it　receives　yet　greater　brilliancy。



〃As　the　Empress　uttered　these　words　she　was　divinely　beautiful　for　the

moment；　and　I　remember　old　men　who　could　not　speak　of　the　occurrence

without　tears。　All　were　interested　in　the　affair。　It　must　be　remarked；

to　the　honour　of　our　national　pride；　that　in　the　Russian's　heart　there

always　beats　a　fine　feeling　that　he　must　adopt　the　part　of　the

persecuted。　The　dignitary　who　had　betrayed　his　trust　was　punished　in

an　exemplary　manner　and　degraded　from　his　post。　But　he　read　a　more

dreadful　punishment　in　the　faces　of　his　fellow…countrymen：　universal

scorn。　It　is　impossible　to　describe　what　he　suffered；　and　he　died　in　a

terrible　attack　of　raving　madness。



〃Another　striking　example　also　occurred。　Among　the　beautiful　women　in

which　our　northern　capital　assuredly　is　not　poor；　one　decidedly

surpassed　the　rest。　Her　loveliness　was　a　combination　of　our　Northern

charms　with　those　of　the　South；　a　gem　such　as　rarely　makes　its

appearance　on　earth。　My　father　said　that　he　had　never　beheld　anything

like　it　in　the　whole　course　of　his　life。　Everything　seemed　to　be

united　in　her；　wealth；　intellect；　and　wit。　She　had　throngs　of

admirers；　the　most　distinguished　of　them　being　Prince　R。；　the　most

noble…minded　of　all　young　men；　the　finest　in　face；　and　an　ideal　of

romance　in　his　magnanimous　and　knightly　sentiments。　Prince　R。　was

passionately　in　love；　and　was　requited　by　a　like　ardent　passion。



〃But　the　match　seemed　unequal　to　the　parents。　The　prince's　family

estates　had　not　been　in　his　possession　for　a　long　time；　his　family　was

out　of　favour；　and　the　sad　state　of　his　affairs　was　well　known　to　all。

Of　a　sudden　the　prince　quitted　the　capital；　as　if　for　the　purpose　of

arranging　his　affairs；　and　after　a　short　interval　reappeared；

surrounded　with　luxury　and　splendour。　Brilliant　balls　and　parties　made

him　known　at　court。　The　lady's　father　began　to　relent；　and　the　wedding

took　place。　Whence　this　change　in　circumstances；　this

unheard…of…wealth；　came；　no　one　could　fully　explain；　but　it　was

whispered　that　he　had　entered　into　a　compact　with　the　mysterious

usurer；　and　had　borrowed　money　of　him。　However　that　may　have　been；　the

wedding　was　a　source　of　interest　to　the　whole　city；　and　the　bride　and

bridegroom　were　objects　of　general　envy。　Every　one　knew　of　their　warm

and　faithful　love；　the　long　persecution　they　had　had　to　endure　from

every　quarter；　the　great　personal　worth　of　both。　Ardent　women　at　once

sketched　out　the　heavenly　bliss　which　the　young　couple　would　enjoy。

But　it　turned　out　very　differently。



〃In　the　course　of　a　year　a　frightful　change　came　over　the　husband。　His

character；　up　to　that　time　so　noble；　became　poisoned　with　jealous

suspicions；　irritability；　and　inexhaustible　caprices。　He　became　a

tyrant　to　his　wife；　a　thing　which　no　one　could　have　foreseen；　and

indulged　in　the　most　inhuman　deeds；　and　even　in　blows。　In　a　year's

time　no　one　would　have　recognised　the　woman　who；　such　a　little　while

before；　had　dazzled　and　drawn　about　her　throngs　of　submissive　adorers。

Finally；　no　longer　able　to　endure　her　lot；　she　proposed　a　divorce。　Her

husband　flew　into　a　rage　at　the　very　suggestion。　In　the　first　outburst

of　passion；　he　chased　her　about　the　room　with　a　knife；　and　would

doubtless　have　murdered　her　then　and　there；　if　they　had　not　seized　him

and　prevented　him。　In　a　fit　of　madness　and　despair　he　turned　the　knife

against　himself；　and　ended　his　life　amid　the　most　horrible　sufferings。



〃Be