Ordynov raised his eyes and seemed only then to come to himself. Only then he tihought of Murin. The old man's eyes, looking as though dinmied by the approach of death, were staring at him fixedly; and wilii a pang in his heart he remembered those eyes gUttering at him last time from black overhanging brows contracted as now with pain and anger. There was a slight dizziness in his head. He looked round him and only then realised everything clearly and distinctly. Murin was still lying on the bed, but he was partly dressed and had already been up and out that morning. As before, he had a red kerchief tied round his neck, he had slippers on his feet. His attack was evidently over, only his face was terribly pale and yellow. Katerina was standing by his bed, her hand leaning on the table, watching them both intently. But the smile of welcome did not leave her face. It seemed as though everything had been done at a sign from her.
"Yes! it's you," said Murin, raising himself up and sitting on the bed. "You are my lodger. I must beg your pardon, sir;
I have sinned and wronged you all unknowingly, pla37ing tricks with my gun the other day. Who could tell that you, too, were stricken by grievous sidcness? It happens to me at times," he added in a hoarse, ailing voice, frowning £ind unconsciously looking away from Ordjoiov. "My trouble comes upon me like a thief in the night without knocking at the gate! I almost thrust a knife into her bosom the other day . . ."he brought out, nodding towards Katerina. "I am ill, a fit comes, seizes me—^well, that's enough. Sit down—^you will be oiu: guest."
C)rd3aiov was still staring at him intently.
"Sit down, sit down I" the old man touted impatiently; "sit down, if that will please her! So you are brother and sister, bom of the same mother I You are as fond of one another as lovers!"
Ordynov sat down.
"You see what a fine sister you've got," the old man went on,- laughing, and he showed two rows of white, perfectiy sound teeth. "Be fond of one another, my dears. Is your sister beautiful, sir? Tell me, answer! Come, look how her cheeks are burning; come, look round, sing the praises of her beauty to all the world, show that your heart is aching for her."
Ord3mov frowned and looked angrily at the old man, who flinched under his eyes. A blind fury surged up in Ordynov's heart. By some animal instinct he felt near him a mortal foe. He could not understand what was happening to him, his reason refused to serve him.
"Don't look," said a voice behind him.
Ordynov looked round.
"Don't look, don't look, I tell you, if the devil is tempting you; have pity on your love," said Katerina, laughing, and suddenly from behind she covered his eyes with her hands; then at once took away her hands and hid her own face in them. But the colour in her face seemed to show through her fingeis. She removed her hands and, still glowing like fire, tried to meet their laughter and inquisitive eyes brightly and without a tremor. But both looked at her in silence—^Ordjmov with the stupefaction of love, as though it were the first time such terrible beauty had stabbed his heart; the old man coldly and attentively. Nothing was to be seen in his pale face, except that his lips timied blue and quivered faintly.
Katerina went up to the old man, no longer laughing, and began clearing away the books, papers, inkstand, everything that was on the table and putting them all on the window-sill.
Her breathing was hurried and uneven, and from time to time she drew an eager breath as though her heart were oppressed. Her full bosom heaved and fell like a wave on the seashore. She dropped her eyes and her pitchblack ej^elashes gleamed on her bright cheeks like sharp needles. . . .
"A maiden queen," said the old man.
"My sovereign!" whispered Ordynov, quivering all over. He came to his senses, feeling the old man's eyes upon him— his glance flashed upon him for an instant like Ughtning— greedily spiteful, coldly contemptuous. Ordynov would have got up from his seat but some imseen power seemed to fetter his legs. He sat down again. At times he pinched his hand as though not believing in reality. He felt as though he were being strangled by a nightmare, and as though his eyes were still closed in a miserable feverish sleep. But, strange to say, he did not want to wake up!
Katerina took the old cloth off the table, then opened a chest, took out of it a sumptuous cloth embroidered in gold and bright silks and put it on the table; then she took out of the cupboard an old-fashioned ancestral-looking casket, set it in the middle of the table and took out of it three silver goblets— one for the master, one for the visitor, and one for herself; then with a grave, almost pensive air, she looked at the old man and at tiie visitor.
"Is one of us dear to someone, or not dear," she said. "If anyone is not dear to someone he is dear to me, and shall drink my goblet with me. Each of you is dear to me as my own brother: so let us all drink to love and concord."
"Drink and drown dark fancies in the wine," said the old man, in a changed voice. "Pour it out, Katerina."
"Do you bid me pour?" asked Katerina, looking at Ordynov.
Ordynov held out his goblet in silence.
"Stay! If one has a secret and a fancy, may his wishes come true!" said the old man, raising his goblet.
All cUnked their goblets and drank.
"Let me drink now with you, old man," said Katerina, turning to the landlord. "Let us drink if your heart is kindly to me! Let us drink to past happiness, let us send a greeting to the years we have spent, let us celebrate our happiness with heart and with love. Bid me fill your goblet if your heart is warm to me."
"Your wine is strong, my love, but you scarcely wet your
lips!" said the old man, laughing and holding out his goblet again.
"Well, I will sip it, but you drink it to the bottom . , . why live, old man, brooding on gloomy thoughts; gloomy thoughts only make the heart achel Thought calls for sorrow; with happiness one can live without thinking; drink, old man," she went on; "drown your thoughts."
"A great deal of sorrow must have fermented within you, since you arm yourself against it like this! So you want to make an end of it all at once, my white dove. I drink with you, Katya! And have you a sorrow, sir, if you allow me to ask?"
"If I have, I keep it to myself," muttered Ordynov, keeping his eyes fixed on Katerina.
"Do you hear, old man? For a long while I did not know myself, did not remember; but the time came, I remembered all and recalled it; all that has passed I have passed through again in my unsatisfied soul."
"Yes, it is grievous if one begins looking into the past only," said the old man dreamily. "What is past is like wine that is drunk! What happiness is there in the past? The coat is worn out, and away with it."
"One must get a new one," Katerina chimed in with a strained laugh, while two big tears like diamonds hung on her eyelashes. "One cannot hve down a lifetime in one minute, and a girl's heart is eager for life—there is no keeping pace with it. Do you understemd, old man? Look. I have buried my tear in your goblet."
"And did you buy much happiness with your sorrow?" said Ordynov—and his voice quivered with emotion.
"So you must have a great deal of your own for sale," answered the old man, "that you put your spoke in unasked," and he laughed a spiteful, noiseless laugh, looking insolently at Ordynov.
"What I have sold it for, I have had," answered Katerina .in a voice that sounded vexed and offended. "One thinks it much, another little. One wants to give all to take nothing, another promises nothing and yet the submissive heart follows ^him! Do not you reproach anyone," she went on, looking sadly at Ord3mov. "One man is like this, and another is different, and as though one knew why the soul yearns towards anyone! Fill your goblet, old man. Drink to the happiness of your dear daughter, your meek, obedient slave, as I was when first I knew you. Raise your goblet!"