The Wife, and other stories by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
page 10 of 272 (03%)
page 10 of 272 (03%)
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here."
"To be sure, to be sure, to be sure.... Yes." I thought that as we were going to have a serious, business consultation in which any one might take part, regardless of their position or personal relations, why should I not invite Natalya Gavrilovna. "_Tres faciunt collegium_," I said gaily. "What if we were to ask Natalya Gavrilovna? What do you think? Fenya," I said, turning to the maid, "ask Natalya Gavrilovna to come upstairs to us, if possible at once. Tell her it's a very important matter." A little later Natalya Gavrilovna came in. I got up to meet her and said: "Excuse us for troubling you, Natalie. We are discussing a very important matter, and we had the happy thought that we might take advantage of your good advice, which you will not refuse to give us. Please sit down." Ivan Ivanitch kissed her hand while she kissed his forehead; then, when we all sat down to the table, he, looking at her tearfully and blissfully, craned forward to her and kissed her hand again. She was dressed in black, her hair was carefully arranged, and she smelt of fresh scent. She had evidently dressed to go out or was expecting somebody. Coming into the dining-room, she held out her hand to me with simple friendliness, and smiled to me as graciously as she did to Ivan Ivanitch--that pleased me; but as she talked she moved her fingers, often and abruptly leaned back in her chair and talked rapidly, and this |
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