No More Learning

"Vasya, sit here," he said at last, sitting down on the bed.

"I really don't know, brother, where to begin! "

They looked at one another in joyful excitement.

"Who is she, Vasya? "

"The Artemyevs! . . . " Vasya pronounced, in a voice weak with emotion.

"No? "

"Well, I did buzz into your ears about them at first, and then I shut
up, and you noticed nothing. Ah, Arkasha, if you knew how hard it was to
keep it from you; but I was afraid, afraid to speak! I thought it would
all go wrong, and you know I was in love, Arkasha! My God! my God! You
see this was the trouble," he began, pausing continually from agitation,
"she had a suitor a year ago, but he was suddenly ordered somewhere; I
knew him--he was a fellow, bless him! Well, he did not write at all, he
simply vanished. They waited and waited, wondering what it meant. . . .
Four months ago he suddenly came back married, and has never set foot
within their doors! It was coarse--shabby! And they had no one to stand
up for them. She cried and cried, poor girl, and I fell in love with her
. . . indeed, I had been in love with her long before, all the time! I
began comforting her, and was always going there. . . . Well, and I really
don't know how it has all come about, only she came to love me; a week
ago I could not restrain myself, I cried, I sobbed, and told her
everything--well, that I love her--everything, in fact! . . . 'I am ready
to love you, too, Vassily Petrovitch, only I am a poor girl, don't make
a mock of me; I don't dare to love any one. ' Well, brother, you
understand! You understand? . . . On that we got engaged on the spot. I
kept thinking and thinking and thinking and thinking, I said to her,
'How are we to tell your mother? ' She said, 'It will be hard, wait a
little; she's afraid, and now maybe she would not let you have me; she
keeps crying, too. ' Without telling her I blurted it out to her mother
to-day. Lizanka fell on her knees before her, I did the same . . . well,
she gave us her blessing. Arkasha, Arkasha! My dear fellow! We will live
together. No, I won't part from you for anything. "

"Vasya, look at you as I may, I can't believe it. I don't believe it, I
swear. I keep feeling as though. . . . Listen, how can you be engaged to be
married? . . . How is it I didn't know, eh? Do you know, Vasya, I will
confess it to you now. I was thinking of getting married myself; but now
since you are going to be married, it is just as good! Be happy, be
happy! . . . "

"Brother, I feel so lighthearted now, there is such sweetness in my soul
. . . " said Vasya, getting up and pacing about the room excitedly. "Don't
you feel the same? We shall be poor, of course, but we shall be happy;
and you know it is not a wild fancy; our happiness is not a fairy tale;
we shall be happy in reality! . . . "

"Vasya, Vasya, listen! "

"What? " said Vasya, standing before Arkady Ivanovitch.

"The idea occurs to me; I am really afraid to say it to you. . . . Forgive
me, and settle my doubts. What are you going to live on? You know I am
delighted that you are going to be married, of course, I am delighted,
and I don't know what to do with myself, but--what are you going to live
on? Eh? "

"Oh, good Heavens! What a fellow you are, Arkasha! " said Vasya, looking
at Nefedevitch in profound astonishment. "What do you mean? Even her old
mother, even she did not think of that for two minutes when I put it all
clearly before her. You had better ask what they are living on! They
have five hundred roubles a year between the three of them: the pension,
which is all they have, since the father died. She and her old mother
and her little brother, whose schooling is paid for out of that income
too--that is how they live! It's you and I are the capitalists! Some
good years it works out to as much as seven hundred for me. "

"I say, Vasya, excuse me; I really . . . you know I . . . I am only thinking
how to prevent things going wrong. How do you mean, seven hundred? It's
only three hundred. . . . "

"Three hundred! . . . And Yulian Mastakovitch? Have you forgotten him? "

"Yulian Mastakovitch? But you know that's uncertain, brother; that's not
the same thing as three hundred roubles of secure salary, where every
rouble is a friend you can trust. Yulian Mastakovitch, of course, he's a
great man, in fact, I respect him, I understand him, though he is so far
above us; and, by Jove, I love him, because he likes you and gives you
something for your work, though he might not pay you, but simply order a
clerk to work for him--but you will agree, Vasya. . . . Let me tell you,
too, I am not talking nonsense. I admit in all Petersburg you won't find
a handwriting like your handwriting, I am ready to allow that to you,"
Nefedevitch concluded, not without enthusiasm. "But, God forbid! you may
displease him all at once, you may not satisfy him, your work with him
may stop, he may take another clerk--all sorts of things may happen, in
fact! You know, Yulian Mastakovitch may be here to-day and gone
to-morrow. . . . "

"Well, Arkasha, the ceiling might fall on our heads this minute. "

"Oh, of course, of course, I mean nothing. "

"But listen, hear what I have got to say--you know, I don't see how he
can part with me. . . . No, hear what I have to say! hear what I have to
say! You see, I perform all my duties punctually; you know how kind he
is, you know, Arkasha, he gave me fifty roubles in silver to-day! "

"Did he really, Vasya? A bonus for you? "

"Bonus, indeed, it was out of his own pocket. He said: 'Why, you have
had no money for five months, brother, take some if you want it; thank
you, I am satisfied with you. '. . . Yes, really! 'Yes, you don't work for
me for nothing,' said he. He did, indeed, that's what he said. It
brought tears into my eyes, Arkasha. Good Heavens, yes! "

"I say, Vasya, have you finished copying those papers? . . . "

"No. . . . I haven't finished them yet. "

"Vas. . . ya! My angel! What have you been doing? "

"Listen, Arkasha, it doesn't matter, they are not wanted for another two
days, I have time enough. . . . "

"How is it you have not done them? "

"That's all right, that's all right. You look so horror-stricken that
you turn me inside out and make my heart ache! You are always going on
at me like this! He's for ever crying out: Oh, oh, oh! ! ! Only consider,
what does it matter? Why, I shall finish it, of course I shall finish
it. . . . "

"What if you don't finish it? " cried Arkady, jumping up, "and he has
made you a present to-day! And you going to be married. . . . Tut, tut,
tut! . . . "

"It's all right, it's all right," cried Shumkov, "I shall sit down
directly, I shall sit down this minute. "

"How did you come to leave it, Vasya? "

"Oh, Arkasha! How could I sit down to work! Have I been in a fit state?
Why, even at the office I could scarcely sit still, I could scarcely
bear the beating of my heart. . . . Oh! oh! Now I shall work all night, and
I shall work all to-morrow night, and the night after, too--and I shall
finish it. "

"Is there a great deal left? "

"Don't hinder me, for goodness' sake, don't hinder me; hold your
tongue. "

Arkady Ivanovitch went on tip-toe to the bed and sat down, then suddenly
wanted to get up, but was obliged to sit down again, remembering that he
might interrupt him, though he could not sit still for excitement: it
was evident that the news had thoroughly upset him, and the first thrill
of delight had not yet passed off. He glanced at Shumkov; the latter
glanced at him, smiled, and shook his finger at him, then, frowning
severely (as though all his energy and the success of his work depended
upon it), fixed his eyes on the papers.

It seemed that he, too, could not yet master his emotion; he kept
changing his pen, fidgeting in his chair, re-arranging things, and
setting to work again, but his hand trembled and refused to move.

"Arkasha, I've talked to them about you," he cried suddenly, as though
he had just remembered it.

"Yes," cried Arkasha, "I was just wanting to ask you that. Well? "

"Well, I'll tell you everything afterwards. Of course, it is my own
fault, but it quite went out of my head that I didn't mean to say
anything till I had written four pages, but I thought of you and of
them. I really can't write, brother, I keep thinking about you. . . . "

Vasya smiled.

A silence followed.

"Phew! What a horrid pen," cried Shumkov, flinging it on the table in
vexation. He took another.

"Vasya! listen! one word. . . . "

"Well, make haste, and for the last time. "

"Have you a great deal left to do? "

"Ah, brother! " Vasya frowned, as though there could be nothing more
terrible and murderous in the whole world than such a question. "A lot,
a fearful lot. "

"Do you know, I have an idea----"

"What? "

"Oh, never mind, never mind; go on writing. "

"Why, what? what? "

"It's past six, Vasya. "

Here Nefedevitch smiled and winked slyly at Vasya, though with a certain
timidity, not knowing how Vasya would take it.

"Well, what is it? " said Vasya, throwing down his pen, looking him
straight in the face and actually turning pale with excitement.

"Do you know what? "

"For goodness sake, what is it? "

"I tell you what, you are excited, you won't get much done. . . . Stop,
stop, stop! I have it, I have it--listen," said Nefedevitch, jumping up
from the bed in delight, preventing Vasya from speaking and doing his
utmost to ward off all objections; "first of all you must get calm, you
must pull yourself together, mustn't you? "

"Arkasha, Arkasha! " cried Vasya, jumping up from his chair, "I will work
all night, I will, really. "

"Of course, of course, you won't go to bed till morning. "

"I won't go to bed, I won't go to bed at all. "

"No, that won't do, that won't do: you must sleep, go to bed at five. I
will call you at eight. To-morrow is a holiday; you can sit and scribble
away all day long. . . . Then the night and--but have you a great deal left
to do? "

"Yes, look, look! "

Vasya, quivering with excitement and suspense, showed the manuscript:
"Look! "

"I say, brother, that's not much. "

"My dear fellow, there's some more of it," said Vasya, looking very
timidly at Nefedevitch, as though the decision whether he was to go or
not depended upon the latter.

"How much? "

"Two signatures. "

"Well, what's that? Come, I tell you what. We shall have time to finish
it, by Jove, we shall! "

"Arkasha! "

"Vasya, listen! To-night, on New Year's Eve, every one is at home with
his family. You and I are the only ones without a home or relations. . . .
Oh, Vasya! "

Nefedevitch clutched Vasya and hugged him in his leonine arms.

"Arkasha, it's settled. "

"Vasya, boy, I only wanted to say this. You see, Vasya--listen,
bandy-legs, listen! . . . "

Arkady stopped, with his mouth open, because he could not speak for
delight. Vasya held him by the shoulders, gazed into his face and moved
his lips, as though he wanted to speak for him.

"Well," he brought out at last.

"Introduce me to them to-day. "

"Arkady, let us go to tea there. I tell you what, I tell you what. We
won't even stay to see in the New Year, we'll come away earlier," cried
Vasya, with genuine inspiration.

"That is, we'll go for two hours, neither more nor less. . . . "

"And then separation till I have finished. . . . "

"Vasya, boy! "

"Arkady! "

Three minutes later Arkady was dressed in his best. Vasya did nothing
but brush himself, because he had been in such haste to work that he had
not changed his trousers.

They hurried out into the street, each more pleased than the other.
Their way lay from the Petersburg Side to Kolomna. Arkady Ivanovitch
stepped out boldly and vigorously, so that from his walk alone one could
see how glad he was at the good fortune of his friend, who was more and
more radiant with happiness. Vasya trotted along with shorter steps,
though his deportment was none the less dignified. Arkady Ivanovitch, in
fact, had never seen him before to such advantage. At that moment he
actually felt more respect for him, and Vasya's physical defect, of
which the reader is not yet aware (Vasya was slightly deformed), which
always called forth a feeling of loving sympathy in Arkady Ivanovitch's
kind heart, contributed to the deep tenderness the latter felt for him
at this moment, a tenderness of which Vasya was in every way worthy.
Arkady Ivanovitch felt ready to weep with happiness, but he restrained
himself.

"Where are you going, where are you going, Vasya? It is nearer this
way," he cried, seeing that Vasya was making in the direction of
Voznesenky.

"Hold your tongue, Arkasha. "

"It really is nearer, Vasya. "

"Do you know what, Arkasha? " Vasya began mysteriously, in a voice
quivering with joy, "I tell you what, I want to take Lizanka a little
present. "

"What sort of present? "

"At the corner here, brother, is Madame Leroux's, a wonderful shop. "

"Well. "

"A cap, my dear, a cap; I saw such a charming little cap to-day. I
inquired, I was told it was the _façon Manon Lescaut_--a delightful
thing. Cherry-coloured ribbons, and if it is not dear . . . Arkasha, even
if it is dear. . . . "

"I think you are superior to any of the poets, Vasya. Come along. "

They ran along, and two minutes later went into the shop. They were met
by a black-eyed Frenchwoman with curls, who, from the first glance at
her customers, became as joyous and happy as they, even happier, if one
may say so. Vasya was ready to kiss Madame Leroux in his delight. . . .

"Arkasha," he said in an undertone, casting a casual glance at all the
grand and beautiful things on little wooden stands on the huge table,
"lovely things! What's that? What's this? This one, for instance, this
little sweet, do you see? " Vasya whispered, pointing to a charming cap
further away, which was not the one he meant to buy, because he had
already from afar descried and fixed his eyes upon the real, famous one,
standing at the other end. He looked at it in such a way that one might
have supposed some one was going to steal it, or as though the cap
itself might take wings and fly into the air just to prevent Vasya from
obtaining it.

"Look," said Arkady Ivanovitch, pointing to one, "I think that's
better. "

"Well, Arkasha, that does you credit; I begin to respect you for your
taste," said Vasya, resorting to cunning with Arkasha in the tenderness
of his heart, "your cap is charming, but come this way. "

"Where is there a better one, brother? "

"Look; this way. "

"That," said Arkady, doubtfully.

But when Vasya, incapable of restraining himself any longer, took it
from the stand from which it seemed to fly spontaneously, as though
delighted at falling at last into the hands of so good a customer, and
they heard the rustle of its ribbons, ruches and lace, an unexpected cry
of delight broke from the powerful chest of Arkady Ivanovitch. Even
Madame Leroux, while maintaining her incontestable dignity and
pre-eminence in matters of taste, and remaining mute from condescension,
rewarded Vasya with a smile of complete approbation, everything in her
glance, gesture and smile saying at once: "Yes, you have chosen rightly,
and are worthy of the happiness which awaits you. "

"It has been dangling its charms in coy seclusion," cried Vasya,
transferring his tender feelings to the charming cap. "You have been
hiding on purpose, you sly little pet! " And he kissed it, that is the
air surrounding it, for he was afraid to touch his treasure.

"Retiring as true worth and virtue," Arkady added enthusiastically,
quoting humorously from a comic paper he had read that morning. "Well,
Vasya? "

"Hurrah, Arkasha! You are witty to-day. I predict you will make a
sensation, as women say. Madame Leroux, Madame Leroux! "

"What is your pleasure? "

"Dear Madame Leroux. "

Madame Leroux looked at Arkady Ivanovitch and smiled condescendingly.

"You wouldn't believe how I adore you at this moment. . . . Allow me to
give you a kiss. . . . " And Vasya kissed the shopkeeper.

She certainly at that moment needed all her dignity to maintain her
position with such a madcap. But I contend that the innate, spontaneous
courtesy and grace with which Madame Leroux received Vasya's enthusiasm,
was equally befitting. She forgave him, and how tactfully, how
graciously, she knew how to behave in the circumstances. How could she
have been angry with Vasya?

"Madame Leroux, how much? "

"Five roubles in silver," she answered, straightening herself with a new
smile.

"And this one, Madame Leroux? " said Arkady Ivanovitch, pointing to his
choice.

"That one is eight roubles. "

"There, you see--there, you see! Come, Madame Leroux, tell me which is
nicer, more graceful, more charming, which of them suits you best? "

"The second is richer, but your choice _c'est plus coquet_. "

"Then we will take it. "

Madame Leroux took a sheet of very delicate paper, pinned it up, and the
paper with the cap wrapped in it seemed even lighter than the paper
alone. Vasya took it carefully, almost holding his breath, bowed to
Madame Leroux, said something else very polite to her and left the shop.

"I am a lady's man, I was born to be a lady's man," said Vasya, laughing
a little noiseless, nervous laugh and dodging the passers-by, whom he
suspected of designs for crushing his precious cap.

"Listen, Arkady, brother," he began a minute later, and there was a note
of triumph, of infinite affection in his voice. "Arkady, I am so happy,
I am so happy! "

"Vasya! how glad I am, dear boy! "

"No, Arkasha, no. I know that there is no limit to your affection for
me; but you cannot be feeling one-hundredth part of what I am feeling at
this moment. My heart is so full, so full! Arkasha, I am not worthy of
such happiness. I feel that, I am conscious of it. Why has it come to
me? " he said, his voice full of stifled sobs.