The Precipice

before him as in the palm of a hand. Stirred with the passion aroused by his memories of childhood, he looked at the rows of houses, cottages and huts. It was not a town, but, like o

knew what to put in the novel. The houses fell into their places in the picture that filled his mind, he drew in the faces of the towns-people, grouped the servants with his aunt, the whole composition centring in Marfinka. The figures stoo

ning fire could but be poured out upon him, a

beautiful wife, whose acquaintance he had made during his student days in Moscow, when she was a young girl. She used to call Leonti her fiancé, without any denial on his part, and five years after he had left the University he made the journey to Moscow, and married her

Raisky, when his friend s

the honour

ovich opened his li

the garden. "Come quickly, a

tily, and ki

how much more handsome you are

Just over thirty years old, she gave the impression of

orgotten me

right. You have altered, and are hardly recognisable with yo

ana Andreevna in a tone of di

y n

potic and c

d Raisky. "That comes from inte

head neither to right nor left, and never exchange a word with his neighbours. She is a past mistress in

s a saint nevertheless, whateve

hey will turn out? Marfinka plays with her canaries and her flowers, and the other sits in the corn

yet. She is away on a visit on

what her busi

tically. "She is wise, honourable, just! She has strength an

rawing him away to the window, while Leonti collected the scattere

rything,"

will tell you all sorts of no

is

it? Yet God knows what they make out of it in the town, as if I.... Don't believe it," she went on, as she saw R

turned Raisky, turning away from

is, Ulinka. Come, Boris, now we can talk." Then as an idea struck h

not understand what you were talking about. I think you s

as about it," he said as he took down som

er to me?" he said. "You are like my grandmother

ese books are your most precious possession. Look!" he said, pointing

a whole year to do," and he pointed self-consciously to a thick bound volume of manuscript. "I wrote it all with my own hand," he continued

an i

er dinner; we shall not

ke to have a library l

brary li

even the hair on his brow stirred with the dislocation cause

ou love me as

ou ask? O

e yours for good and al

these

, now at Raisky, then made a g

at me, Boris!

not jo

heard the last words, chimed i

, and on the eve of the examinations the parents. I send them away, but my wife receives

but Juliana Andr

body. One day I am Cleopatra, then Lavinia, then Cornelia. Better take th

ded Leonti. "And what can we give him? Shall I hand you

vlovich," she cried, throwin

I will make them over to the Gymnasium. Give me the c

the catalogue, of which

he Director, who cares for books just about as much as I do for perfume

take

g them to responsible hands. I have never wanted so much to be rich. I would give five thou

y th

need pictures, statues, music; and books are nothing to you. Besides, y

drinking coffee, you will go over wi

e me the books. Will you take instalments from my salary fo

iana Andreevna, "I can pledge

isky looked a

e speaks," said Leonti. "But

e books to me again, even if

not to let him hav

in Juliana Andreevna. "As if that m

i to Raisky. "Would that every wo

pped her eyes, and the s

rything." She raised her eyes, and looked at them, for the last statement was true. "It's a pity," continued Leonti, "that she does not care about books. She can chatter French fast enough, but if you give her a book, she does

ndition, I don't send them to the Gymnasium. Now let us sit down

ke this?" asked Raisky as he was sitting a

t more do

you no longings for freedom and space, and don't you feel cramped in th

ti, pointing to the books. "I have books, pupils, and i

themselves, to cleanse their conceptions, to drive away the mist, to meet the problems of society b

is anything it is of no importance," said Leonti firmly. "The whole programme o

s worrying about what has been experienced in the

, as you with ideals and figures. You are an artist. Why should you wonder that certain figure

head and breast. "Here are figures, notes, forms, enthusiasm

painting, you wrote me, a great p

e must put one's whole being into a great picture, and then to give effect to one hundredth part of what

re you foll

artist of to-day, the art of words, of poet

te verse

rse you celebrate a love affair, a

ber the use made o

e. Satire is a rod, whose stroke stings but has no further consequences; but she does not show you figures brimming with life, she does not reveal the dept

ting a novel? O

t yet quit

irl, and I don't know what else, into the novel. Choose a historical subject, worthy of your vivacious imagination and your clean-cut style. Do you remember how you used to write of old Ru

ling you back. Let us leave this question for the moment, and go back to my question. Are you

in astonishment, wi

are you for ever talking of the Greeks and Romans? Their work is done, and ours is to brin

the task t

this existence, to reflect it

s, then home, and forget about everything. That is not the case. Young people gather round me, attach themselves to me, and I show them drawings of old buildings, utensils, make sketches and give explanat

-day. So much has disappeared, so many things have arisen that the Greeks and Romans never knew. But w

ke the models of ancient virtue from books. I myself live for and through

t life at all, it is a passive condi

y and do not interfere in anybody else's

ot spare even you. And how will

lthough they are not mine," he said glancing hesitatingly at Raisky, "but you give me f

looke

d in a whisper

e himself did not even know what bound him to life and books, and did not guess that he might keep h

s hidden in that dear Roman head, nor how empty the woman's heart is. He is helpless as