Novels, Tales, Journeys

I never could behold without sorrow the humiliation of our historic families; no one among us values them, starting with those who belong to them. But then what pride of memory can you expect from people who inscribe on a monument: To Citizen Minin and Prince Pozharsky? Which Prince Pozharsky? What is this Citizen Minin? There was a high-ranking boyar, Prince Dmitri Mikhailovich Pozharsky, and there was a tradesman Kozma Minich Sukhoruky, elected representative by the whole state.10 But the fatherland forgot even the actual names of its deliverers. The past does not exist for us. A pathetic people!

An aristocracy of functionaries will not replace the hereditary aristocracy. The family memories of the nobility should be the historical memories of the people. But what family memories do the children of a collegiate assessor have?11

In speaking in favor of the aristocracy, I am not posing as an English lord; my origin, though I am not ashamed of it, does not give me any right to that. But I agree with La Bruyère: Affecter le mépris de la naissance est un ridicule dans le parvenu et une lâcheté dans le gentilhomme.^*3 12

I have thought all this over, living on someone else’s estate, looking at the way petty landowners run things. These gentlemen are not in the service and run their little estates themselves, but I must say, God grant that they go to ruin, like our kind. What savagery! For them the times of Fonvizin have not yet passed! The Prostakovs and Skotinins still flourish among them!13

That, however, does not apply to my relative, whose guest I am. He is a very kind man, his wife is a very kind woman, his daughter is a very kind girl. You see, I’ve become very kind. In fact, since I’ve been in the country, I’ve become utterly benevolent and tolerant—the effect of my patriarchal life and of Liza * * *’s presence. I was downright bored without her. I came to persuade her to go back to Petersburg. Our first meeting was splendid. It was my aunt’s name day. All the neighbors gathered. Liza turned up, too—and could hardly believe her eyes when she saw me. She couldn’t help thinking I had come there only for her sake. At any rate I tried to make her feel that. Here my success went beyond my expectations (which means a lot). The old ladies are enraptured with me, the younger ladies simply swarm around me—“And that’s because they’re patriots.”14 The men are utterly displeased with my fatuité indolente,^*4 which is still a novelty here. They are all the more furious because I am extremely courteous and decorous, and they cannot understand precisely what my insolence consists in, though they do feel that I am insolent. Good-bye. What are our friends up to? Servitor di tutti quanti.^*5 Write to me at the village of * * *.

9. THE FRIEND’S REPLY

I have carried out your commission. Yesterday in the theater I announced that you have come down with a nervous fever and probably are no longer of this world—so enjoy your life while you have not yet resurrected.

Your moral reflections on the management of estates make me glad for you. So much the better is

Un homme sans peur et sans reproche,

Qui n’est ni roi, ni duc, ni comte aussi.^*6 15

The position of Russian landowner is, in my opinion, most enviable.

Ranks are a necessity in Russia, if only at posting stations, where you cannot obtain horses without them.

—

Having set out upon a serious discussion, I quite forgot that you cannot be bothered with that now—you are busy with your Liza. Why on earth do you pose as M. Faublas and eternally mess about with women?16 It’s not worthy of you. In this respect you are behind the times and are straying towards the ci-devant^*7 hoarse-voiced guardsman of 1807.17 For the moment it’s only a shortcoming, but soon you will be more ridiculous than General G. Wouldn’t it be better to accustom yourself ahead of time to the strictness of maturity and voluntarily renounce your fading youth? I know that I am preaching in vain, but such is my role.

Your friends all send their greetings and greatly regret your untimely end—among others your former lady friend, who has come back from Rome in love with the pope. How like her that is and how it should delight you! Won’t you come back and be a rival cum servus servorum dei?^*8 That would be just like you. I’ll expect you any day now.

10. VLADIMIR TO HIS FRIEND