Chapter 42

OUR STEPMOTHER

Notwithstanding that Papa had not meant to return to Moscow
before the New Year, he arrived in October, when there was still
good riding to hounds to be had in the country. He alleged as his
reason for changing his mind that his suit was shortly to come on
before the Senate, but Mimi averred that Avdotia had found
herself so ennuyee in the country, and had so often talked about
Moscow and pretended to be unwell, that Papa had decided to
accede to her wishes. "You see, she never really loved him--she
and her love only kept buzzing about his ears because she wanted
to marry a rich man," added Mimi with a pensive sigh which said:
"To think what a certain other person could have done for him if
only he had valued her!"

Yet that "certain other person" was unjust to Avdotia, seeing
that the latter's affection for Papa--the passionate, devoted
love of self-abandonment--revealed itself in her every look and
word and movement. At the same time, that love in no way hindered
her, not only from being averse to parting with her adored
husband, but also from desiring to visit Madame Annette's and
order there a lovely cap, a hat trimmed with a magnificent blue
ostrich feather, and a blue Venetian velvet bodice which was to
expose to the public gaze the snowy, well
shaped breast and arms which no one had yet gazed upon except her
husband and maids. Of course Katenka sided with her mother and,
in general, there became established between Avdotia and
ourselves, from the day of her arrival, the most extraordinary
and burlesque order of relations. As soon as she stepped from the
carriage, Woloda assumed an air of great seriousness and
ceremony, and, advancing towards her with much bowing and
scraping, said in the tone of one who is presenting something for
acceptance:

"I have the honour to greet the arrival of our dear Mamma, and to
kiss her hand."

"Ah, my dear son!" she replied with her beautiful, unvarying
smile.

"And do not forget the younger son," I said as I also approached
her hand, with an involuntary imitation of Woloda's voice and
expression.

Had our stepmother and ourselves been certain of any mutual
affection, that expression might have signified contempt for any
outward manifestation of our love. Had we been ill-disposed
towards one another, it might have denoted irony, or contempt for
pretence, or a desire to conceal from Papa (standing by the
while) our real relations, as well as many other thoughts and
sentiments. But, as a matter of fact, that expression (which well
consorted with Avdotia's own spirit) simply signified nothing at
all--simply concealed the absence of any