The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-01-13
BY LEO TOLsTOY.
TransIated BIZ Herman Rernsteln

You say that man is unable to
understand what is good and what
is evil, that it all depends upon his
environments, that circumstances de-
eide But I think that it is all a MAJ
ter of chance. l will tell you about
myself"
Thus spoke Ivan vasilyevich, who
was esteemed by all, after our dis
cussion to the effect that to attain
self-perfection it is essential first of
all to change the conditions in which
people live. None of us really said
that a man can not understand what
is good and what is evil, but Ivan Vas
ilyevich had a habit of answering his
own ideas arising in the course of a
conversation and of telling episodes
from his life in connection with such
ideas. He often completely forgot the
motive for relating these episodes,
being carried away by his story, es-
pecially because he told his stories
very sincerely and truthfully.
He did the same this time.
CT will tell you about myself. All
my life has shaped itself as it has,
and not otherwise, not through my en-
vironments but for another reason al
together.
what was it?" we asked.
at is a long story. To understand
it, I must tell it to you at length"
"Tell it to us"
Ivan Vasifyevich became thoughtful
and shook his mead.
eyes," he said, "all my life was
changed on account of one night, or
rather, of one morning"
what was it?"
what it was? I was deeply in
love. 1 had been in love many times,
but that was my strongest love. That
happened long ago; she has married
daughters now. Her name was B.
YES, Varenka B."-Ivan Vasilyevich
mentioned her name. Gwen at the
age of fifty she was a remarkably
beautiful woman, but in her youth, at
the age of eighteen, she ives charm
ing; tall, well-formed, graceful, and
stately, yes, stately; she carried her
self unusually straight, as if she could
not carry herself differently, her head
slightly thrown back, and that gave
her beauty and her tall stature, in
spite of her slimness, a certain ma
iestic appearance which would have
frightened people away from her II
not for the gentle, ever-cheerful smile
of her mouth and her charming, hash
ing eyes and all her amiable young be
ing"
How Ivan Vasilyevich is describing
her!
mo mater how I will describe hei
it is impossible to picture her so thai
YOU could understand how she really
was. But that is not the point. Wha
l want to tell you happened in the
forties. was at that time student
in a provincial university. l don
know whether it was good or bad, bu
at that time we had no societies. ne
theories of any kind at our university
we were simply young, and we hVe'
as was natural for young people-"'
studied and amused ourselves. "a'
- very Jolly and vigorous fellow, anC
rich into the bargain. l had thor
oughbred; l went driving with youni
ladies' down the mountains Eat tina
time skating was not yet in Vogue)
7 dissinated with my comrades Ia
that time we drank nothing but chan
nagne: if we had no money we DRAM
nothing: we did not drink vodka a
they do today) But my creates
Measure consisted of evening parte
and balls. danced well, and l wa
not ugly
"There's no use IN being modest
one of the young ladies interrupts
him. 1--WE know your daguerreotyp
nortrait. You were not only not ugly
hut YOU were a handsome man.
Handsome or not handsome ina
is not the point. The point IS ina
during my great love for her l was
a ball on the last day Of ShroVeud
given by the Chamberlain Marshall
the province, a good-natured' wealth!
and hospitable old man. We were II
ceived by his wife, who was as hn'
hearted as he was, and who wore We
vet dress, with diamond pendant o
her head; with bare, old white shoui'
ers and neck, like the portraits
Elizabeth. 1t was a wonderful Oal
The ballroom was beautiful with
gallery; the musicians were the wei
known serfs of a certain estate ow
er, who was lover of music; u
refreshments were splendid and thel
was champagne in abundance a
though I was fond of champagne
did not drink any because ! was
toxicated with love without vine d.