"That is Lyadova's song. Wasn't she splendid, cousin?
When she died, nearly two thousand persons followed the hearse. People thought there would be a revolution."
"Is it about theatres you're chattering?" broke in Arina Petrovna. "Well, their destiny lies far from theatres, my boys. It leads rather to the convent."
"Granny, you've set your mind on burying us in a convent," complained Anninka.
"Come, cousin, let's go to St. Petersburg instead of to a convent.
We'll show you everything to be seen there."
"Their minds should not be occupied with thoughts of pleasure, but rather with thoughts of God," continued Arina Petrovna sententiously.
"We will teach you everything under the sun.
In St. Petersburg there are lots of girls like you. They walk about swinging their skirts."
"Stop bothering them, for Christ's sake, you teachers," Arina Petrovna interjected.
"Nice things you can teach them."
"I'm going to take them to Khotkov, after Uncle Pavel's death, and we'll settle down comfortably there."
"So you're still at your blabbing," a voice at the door suddenly broke in.
Engrossed in conversation nobody had heard Yudushka steal up "like a thief in the night."
He was all in tears, his head was bowed, his face pale, his hands crossed on his breast, his lips mumbling in prayer.
For a few moments his eyes sought the ikons, then found them and for a brief while he prayed.
"He's very ill. Ah, how ill he is!" he finally exclaimed, embracing his mother dear.
"Is he?"
"Very, very ill, dear heart. And do you recollect what a strong fellow he was?"
"Well, he was never exactly strong. I can't remember that, somehow."
"Ah no, mother dear, don't say that.
He was, always. I remember perfectly when he left the cadets corps how well shaped he was, broad shouldered, glowing with health.
Yes, yes, mother dear, that's how it is.
We're all in God's hands. To-day we're strong, in the best of health, we want to enjoy life to have a good meal, and tomorrow....
He shrugged his shoulders and assumed deep emotion.
"Did he say anything at least?"
"Very little, dearest. The only thing he said was, 'Good-by, brother.'
And yet, mother dear, he can feel. He feels that he is in a bad way."
"Well, no wonder he feels he is in a bad way when he can hardly catch his breath."
"No, mother dear, that's not what I mean.
I have in mind the inner vision which is given to the righteous and which allows them to foresee their death."
"Yes, yes!
Didn't he say anything about his will?"
"No, mother.
He wanted to say something about it, but I stopped him.
'No,' I said, 'don't talk about that!
Whatever you leave me, brother, out of the kindness of your heart, I shall be satisfied. And even if you leave me nothing, I'll have mass said for you at my own expense.'
And yet, mother dear, how he wants to live! How he longs for life!"
"Of course, who doesn't want to live?"
"No, mother. Take myself, for example.
If it pleased the Lord God to call me to Himself, I'm ready on the spot."
"All well and good if you go to Heaven, but what if Satan gets you between his fangs?"
In this vein the talk continued till supper, during supper, and after supper.
Arina Petrovna was very restless.
While Yudushka was expatiating on various subjects, the thought entered her mind at shorter and shorter intervals, "What if I should really curse him?"
But Yudushka had not the slightest suspicion of the storm raging in his mother's heart. He had an air of serenity, and continued slowly and gently to torture his "mother dear" with his endless twaddle.
"I'll curse him! I'll curse him! Curse him!" Arina Petrovna repeated inwardly, with greater and greater determination.
_____ CHAPTER VII
An odor of incense pervaded the rooms, the sing-song of funeral chants was heard in the house, the doors were thrown open, those wishing to pay their last respects to the deceased came and went.
While Pavel Vladimirych lived, nobody had paid any attention to him; at his death everybody mourned.