New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-04
rrEGrENIEF,S NEW STORY.
r.on, Tic Phi Mil Gn-1iie.

From The IIL NAL Nd=6NC.
The MYSTERIOUS and somewhat " Gerry title OF NJ.
Turgu6niefs recent contribution to the; N0HrrHe
Ecrue is fully borne out by the nature oi tho story
itself. "Apres In Mort II certainly ono OF those
tales which an imaginative aud impressi1nablo
person hal better not road just ei0re gong TO Dol
Ii ~ a record of powerful and wonderful dreains-
the unapprecatye might say nightmates-tIe rev
elatlun Of Il world which is hall dreamland ana halt
spiritland Int in which no man may long larry, on
pain of LOSING his mold on this commonplace earthly
life. .acques AratCf. the hero 81 the story, Is a
Young Russian, of striking though rather feminine
beauty shy, pensiye, melancholy, with an inherited
deeply rootcd interest half scientific ana nall SUI
nerstitiDus I'm the supposed supernatural agencies
which all the world HIS now agreed To m,-call
spirus lie is wholly without experience OF lie
and sGrinks from an socley eSIeolae.y WY i oi
women though is constantly dreaming oi that iGcdl
OF womanlv grace and Tenderness which he VIII one
day adore. In the milst OF these iahcIes' now
ever ho meets. The solitary occasion on Nhch
he has suffered himself 20 he dragged into COM
pany with young actress. Clara Militch. who ~
once conceives q violent affection Tor h 3 VlfgiDai
beauty. This girl who is described ~ all passion
and impulse pufe proud and gifted, lut headsuong
and unac, ountablo 20 the verge OF madness, con
qucrs her natural haughtness 80 FAR a~ to make a.
vauCcs 70 AIatOl, bat IS instantly TrruiScd hY ms
apnarrut Indifference. few weeks alterNhrd
Aratof learns that Clara has put an end 60 her life
Ky taking nol,on the stage, and that without mp
parent cause. Tor her prospects as an actress "eIo
brill and she was not known 10 nave Dceh us
appointed IN love.
half ia pruach aud hall FROM an interest IN
Clara that lie has felt from the htst, bat never
1VOwed even 20 himself, SETS nuput lngulrlhg mo
her history. His search results m The discovery OF
convinc ~ proof that he himself Was the only man
whom Clara had loved. and that % was cbaErlu
nj his di.dain which drove her 10 XIII herself From
tho moment that ho - convinced Ol th'- sense OF
Clara'- presence with HIM never cutie leaves ArAl-
tot lie hall fOrges 10 by dav. but ~ nip ht she -
ever near him and her image pursues hun through
a series OF weird aud WONDERFULLY described dreams
The strange thing il that the love Which Afatot had
never felt for the living Clara now declares ITSELF
for the spiritual presence that visits him IN tho
watches of the night. lie longs to he united To tho
object OF his mystic Affection, ana al Iast succeeds
in seeing her face. in holding her, for Que ecstaut
moment III his nTms-aiter which lac IL iOunl lying
on the floor OF his room In trance from which ne
is only with difficulty recalled 10 consciousness.
lie himself however, has no Wish 70 be brought
b,cl, from the world of creams 10 that OF reality.
lie is bissfuy happy In the memory oi his vislOu.
which soon returns To him. and TINS time not Only
presages but brings. deatl-a death when AiatOi
halls with delight as promising tue perfect luihI-
A 81 ort sketch like this can gave but a feeble i'm
preston OF a very original and powerful piece OF
writing. The skill with which tie real aud tlo
unreal are blended In the short vivid narrative IS
that of a master-hand. The believer I'm the mystic
and snTernaturu Will read the history Of Aratots
experiences with conviction while the unheileVer
will not ind single incident TO which he can falr-
ly take exception. All that is marvellous in the
story may be explained as tho creation oil AratOis
diseased brain; yet * we read the supernatural
elements seem indistinCushable in their truthful
ness aud reality from the eNeryda characters and
incidents 10y which they are surrounded. Beyond
question Turgufnief meant 10 leave the matter IN
this piuuan uncertainty. II ~ not for the artist to
engage in controversy. but To describe human ex-
perieuce But tbs mere fact tnat n rcast like
TurguGnief should be fascinated by such mysteries
and should choose TO lead us into this dim siadOwy
land the confines OF our world aud tho next Is III
no conventional sense a Ru OF the tlmes-OI an
are Of profound aud widespread sccptlcsm, turning
in many better natures 10 mysticism. and IN many
meancr ones to Grass and ludIcroas supersuton