tout_, and was altogether a man of _mauvais ton, en depit de sa
naissance!_ Ivan Matveitch, however, rarely talked of that time; but
two or three times a year, addressing himself to the crooked old
emigrant whom he had taken into his house, and called for some unknown
reason 'M. le Commandeur,' he recited in his deliberate, nasal voice,
the impromptu he had once delivered at a soiree of the Duchesse de
Polignac. I remember only the first two lines.... It had reference to a
comparison between the Russians and the French:

'L'aigle se plait aux regions austeres
Ou le ramier ne saurait habiter...'


'Digne de M. de Saint Aulaire!' M. le Commandeur would every time
exclaim.

Ivan Matveitch looked youngish up to the time of his death: his cheeks
were rosy, his teeth white, his eyebrows thick and immobile, his eyes
agreeable and expressive, clear, black eyes, perfect agate. He was not
at all unreasonable, and was very courteous with every one, even with
the servants.... But, my God! how wretched I was with him, with what joy
I always left him, what evil thoughts confounded me in his presence! Ah,
I was not to blame for them!... I was not to blame for what they had
made of me....

Mr. Ratsch was, after his marriage, assigned a lodge not far from the
big house. I lived there with my mother. It was a cheerless life I led
there. She soon gave birth to a son, Viktor, this same Viktor whom I
have every right to think and to call my enemy. From the time of his
birth my mother never regained her health, which had always been weak.