, 1870-12-04
4 RUSSIAN LEAR.


The current number OF the lyes:n,k Erropui
contains story by a. Turguenieh which Ia a.
remarkable for tia insight it gives into some
Of the stranger phrases OF Russian life as for
the great artistic merit which It possesses.
There is no better gut3e for any one who
characteristics Of Tsusalan society than ia aff-
orded by ~ TuFguenlens s Writingt- His pnr"
traita are like Photographs, or rather like skill
ful drawings after photographs, just as his
descriptions Of scenery are 80 faithful that. 70
my one Who is familiar viii, the dstricts, to
s.a, % 70 81 b. e.rsrai studies Of acfusiiy a1lssing
tce nes. In Ill probability the PERSONS OF tho
terrible domestic drama which he hia now
brougL: before tie eyes OF bis readers once
played thriI parts. 1t least to some extont. IN
respects. seems 10 an Eugli1h rc11er almost
incredible; for real life il Ruseia has, OF At
least used to hays, xome features which must
appear At first sight unreal in tho e1trame to
spectators who lUok Oh from the outside only.
VIC know What strange ideas spring up, ho6
strongly preiudices become confirmed. eyan
at home, in persons Who live in remote dis
tyic,s apart from the healthy friction Of socse-
ty md the useful Test, amt Of public opinion.
But We can have but Little ideA Of the extent
10 which such ideas aud prejudices may have
become developed in the remote districts Of
70 yant and esxppant country as 1tusai3 It
time when a ttrial system prevailed under
which pasaioEa,s or oyerboating man found
! himself frea, 80 far a. the majority OF the
| pc1sons who surrounded him we're concerned:
| from most of iba restraints on tho will Ana
| Tie paseious TO which We arc accustomed to
| t,ust for safety. In tho caae Of the story nov
| before US, its general outline may easily DO
copjcciu1ed from the tiuo it beaIs., Tue self
| sacrifice OF 4 father, whether ha be hlng
Lear OF pera doIiot, and the lngzahtudA OF
! his children, hre themes upon which many
domestic tragedy Las atready been construct
Cd. But the particular form in which the
) Russitn Le1rs6 resentment n41neata itself,
1 md The position which ia finally occupied by
| tho Degan of tho story-one N which no Cor
delia fgnIea-sIe 20 extraordinary that no
amount Of familiarity with the ineidents to
vlich English family qna1rels nay hare given
iii o can assist tho resder In predicting them:
The Slayouic counterpart Of the tli-starred
King Of Brit ain il the owner Of = property IN
the Interior Of Rnssa. Martin PetEoslch
khssloi is man Of huge proportions AID q o.
:n,nlenee bodily strength. IN Appeatauce be
is more Ike 6ea1 tl,an man. bulky, clumsy,
p,onpt to anger, and terrible Rhen aroused
10 wrath. He never boAtts Of his thews and
rinews, but he is beyond measure proud 81
his wisdom and bis strength or VIII, and hls
1--we ot independence amounts to = passion.
OF one poHer alone he Glands in drea3: this
| giant with heros heart il afraid OF death.
At times b. IL liable to attacks of melancholy.
| and then he etluts hinselt npiu his room, ADd
CaSes at 4 picture OF which he has .
k:eh opinion. representing lighted candle
whici, the windt-human heads With
rut1ed-oat cheeks-s:tiye to blow out,
With an inscription under it, - Such is the lite
Of mani Wien he il not in sonbte tit. he
tcrrs the picture to the wall: but Wher
elocny feelings invade him he turns It haca
seain, shaking his head with IN air Of conyic
! tion over it. and deriving some coneohs1on
. | from listening 10 his favotite servant, Eht
reads aloud 10 him in = strange sing-sonG
, | from the only book he has in thn house, pc
riodpal called Diligence in Repose." srct
phrxees as Il But the nan who is prey 10 III
| p.ssiops deducea from that solltaI! position
which be occupies among c1eated th'ngs com
pletely different conclusions stc- To 1e
. iigiop, bowever, sven in his nelanchoi
!, i moods, he seldom turns, excusing himself 70
. appearing very rarely in church by sayinE thA
: |. be il af1sid man Of his sire would ineonven
itpce the other wo1Bbippers.
+ bis bead to disemba1Tass himself OF the care
: xh1ch attach to property by dividing u tha
. | he hae between llis two daughters. He m
received us1rirg, he eays, th1t death is q
band While he l.y asleeP be dreamed a. that ~
tl,ck colt bounded into his room and 1ea GOV j.
I Vff:ht: and when t. swoks he found thl
side numb, aud he felt sure that IN the foir
OF .hst black colt be bud seen hsa own At
: preaching deAsn. So he calls hia friends An
. reiRhtore .oeettez 10 wituees the transfer c
hit property 10 hia daughter, made With
, ! dre feruAlity in the pfesence OF the Legal tuns
a 1ionaries OF the district
= The transfer ecene is = rory strange one
: srd is admirably described kaiarlof occupit
, | tho Chief r1sce, conspicuous by his colossi
, | fo1rn, ar1ayed in his 1919 uniform, With
| | medal On his breast. md eabse BY his sid
i. eider, eighty built, with thick yellow hai
\ ! and email light blue eyes and thin lips, ~
Eyl.mpis, the younger, tall and large
l. framed. with MASSES Of da1er hair, and II
i | n1rse dark blue eyes, expressive o! son
\ | what wild, untaIned nature- Iha elder slat
! 1r accompanied By her husband, handsom
!, Jevieh-lopkiug young mAn, siyot1ne
! nane. vhoee characteristics are IN inceesa
- thir.t for gain and eeIEiie obedience to Il
r enmntudspf his fssher-in-IaH. Evlsnpda
!. Atill unmarried
= Ideed oi renur ciation is read a1oud by 81
IA | otkne- By it kha1lof divides Ill his proper
y between his two danghteEs, reservi1E to BIZ
Il eeH only the right Of continuing to I've in :!
Tooyea ae4ual1y occupied be him, and Of recei
m ipE ms ''paturM provision md ten pup
10 ronbles (4bout "a many ttAnes) month !
" ehoes .nd clothing. The list sentsnee o. I
70 p1reutal will must b carried ont By my daug
= teTr. and kept intact aa : command For
10 ne1t to God, IN their head, and to no 0
u ~ hava given, nor an bound to give, any
- cunt. And il they cat1y out my will th
o. nv narertal blessing ehsll be upon them: b
2, II ftbey DO rot c.11y ont my vii. then my P
y y tptI m1lediction shall Be upon them, n
r. r. nd tor ever, Anen!" at the end
20 20 TITS the paper above his be
~ | Arna snd her husband fall
ok their knees befofe him. and bend their ia
10 10 reads TO the ground. But EvlamPia aoes !
~ rnnye TN her father turns 10 her with ~
'ug now, What ara sou going to do :" Then
H. H. au.hes up. hut malea her obeisance alee
,os ns tte ground One Of the 1e.gistE.ses then
.ot ceeds to read formal deed-shat Tlich
q been read aloud having been horid and
ND folmal csmpo4inon Of khatiof fa-and 81
ne watds goes out On the balcony in front Of
'n- houee ind e1claims what has taken plAo'
,t,e he peasants Of the domain, apoatroPhlz
ich them in thla e1Jlee As1eu. eesnn =,
TIT, | f]orttlpd, demons" =" I'm WHICH
Old I'll bowed together. "a II It = word o. g