Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 36, Number 94, 11 February 1911 — Page 2

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istasia Let Us Have imtthing Drink.'

Tolstoy's First Sto

iCoj.yrlli. lull, br AnvrtcflD-Jnirnal-Kxaiuiuer Jrel Britain ItigbM Rned. By COUNT LEO TOLSTOY "I VAN VASSILiEVITCH. let us have something to drink. Here U a restaurant Itt manager Is my good friend. 1 understand that his brother Is also a military man somewhere In Siberia." Thus ppoke Bohdan Petrovltch, my young friend and comrade, a brother officer In my regiment This was In TIflls, where our regiment was stationed during the Summer manoeuvres. The restaurant was one of those clean, inviting pluces which attract the better class of those who spend freely. "Excuse me. rfohilan Petrovltch. I have never been In a restaurant, aud have never drunk any alcoholic liquors in mj life, and I do not wish to make tlieir acquaintance. I bave promised my father and mothet that until my twenty-flfth birthday I will neither enter ft barroom, nor drink. I have lived up to this promise tiiilil now, and I would not like to break it during those few weeks which I must live before I am twentyfive years old In six weeks I shall be twentyfive. After that I may do as I please, for my parents think that when a man in twenty-flve his Judgment is mature, and be Is master of his passions and feelings. I think that is true. In the meantime I do not wish to break my word." "Oh, I nee!" replied Bohdan. "But It was a good thing that you did not promise them that you would not fall In love. Or, perhaps, it would be better If you had given them this promise also. Then you could easily have resisted all tho temptations which have been yours of late." His half-earnest, half-teasing words cut me to the heart. My soul was sorrowful. There was a bench nearbj, and I asked my friend to sit down with me. but I could not rest. and I looked like a criminal who had been caught ti the act. He knew nothing of the wild tempest raging In my breast, and he began to whistle a merry tune while I sat there, apparently quiet. After a moment speech returned to me, and I said: "Uohdan Petrovltch. your light words have touched a sore spot In my soul. You have disturbed me very much with your Jest. I am going to speak to you in confidence. What I tell you must remain a secret" "Ivan Vassllievltch. you know that you can trust me. I havo never betaycda confidence." "I know that. Therefore I will hide nothing from you. It Is true that I did promise my mother not to make love to a girl unless I intended to marry her. She spoke very seriously to me on this subject And now, Dohdan Petrovltch, what shall I do? I have broken my promise to my mother. I have loved Nastasla. I bave left her for the reason that she was a poor servant and a peasant girl whom I could not marry because of my rank, my profession and my relatives, llut you know how I have loved her. I still love her. But how terrible that I cannot marry her!" "A fig for such promises and- thoughts! She is an Ignorant peasant girl and ought to be thankful that she has bad tho privilege of loving a nobleman and an officer. She has no hard feelings toward you becr. se you cannot marry her and havo only given her a youthful and platonic love. A monk in a monastery has the sumo love for the Virgin Mary as he gazes on her beautiful picture. It is a holy love containing no element of wrong." My friend finished hln sermon and looked at me very earnestly. "That may be so. but I am bound by my promise to my mother. Nastasla loves me, and it was a horrible nlvock to her that 1 could not continue my love because it was impossible to marry her. I call it seduction if a man and u woman love each other with their eyes only, without any words, if they do not continue this love. "I could never love another woman as I love Nastiibiu. if I should I would be an unnatural villain Do you not consider this right and moral?" "Nonsense, comrade!" replied Uohdan Petrovltch. You must leave all thoso' dreams of morality and justice behind you when you become a man and enter the stage or practical life. Now let us go luto tbb restaurant and have a diink, In spite of your foolish promises to your parents. I did not know that you were such a baby as never to have entcrud a restaurant You should bo ashamed to tell this to other men. You have broken your promise concerning love affairs, and now you should break the other. Come, Ivan Vassllievltch. you shall see how a restaurant looks, and how a drink tastes." As lu a dream I eutered the restaurant with him. 1 could not resist him. The manager of the place extended his hand to my comrade aud to me, ont with any feeling of friendship, but as a matter of buslucss. "Veiy glad to meet you. Ivan Vassllievltch! Your friend. Uoh dan Petrovltch has otteu spoken or. ou. ana i auxlous to meet you. What do you driuk?" said the manager with teeming cordiality. I despised him from the very first moment 1 saw him. "Ivan Vassllievltch has never taken a drink of any kind, and you know what to give him. He is just a boy in a restaurant and I am going to make a man of him," said my friend gaily. I felt somewhat embarrassed at his slighting remarks I saw many of my other comrades of the regiment with the general of our dlvlslou at one table. They all smiled at sight of mc, which struck me as very odd. The waiter brought drinks and some very delicious reads with caviar and other refreshments. I took sweet Jquor, but my friend drank two big glasses of vodka vita the manager. I tasted th liquor and then emptied the glass, in order tc show that I was not a boy. After hat I felt that I was more of a man and I was proud of o much courage. My friend and the manager both congratulated me. This pleased me greatly. I had entirely orgotten my promise to my mother! The waiter refilled our glasses, and we began to talk. A feeling of intoxication changed my timidity to boldness, and the manager began to look upon me as a flue gentleman. . The other comrades whom. I hd formerly despised on account of their Intemperate habits seemed very brave boys to me now, and we began to talk freely. Before this I had never ventured to start a conversation, but cow I had hundreds of themes to present, and I was very talkative fcven the general, an old brute and drunkard, became interested and asked me to drink with him I was exceedingly happy to be on such friendly te-i.-s with the chief of the army, and Bohdan Petrovltch murmured fn my ears: "Now you see how necessary It Is to visit restaurants

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and to drink, for it gives a man the opportunity of meeting the right kind cf people, and enables him to make some advancement in life. The genera) has Just told me that he did not know until he met you here what a brave, intelligent man you were, and to-morrow he will make you a captain. Is not that fine?" I nodded and was very glad I had entered the restaurant I was a changed man. and it seemed to me that I had discovered a good thing in the restaurant I completely forgot Nastasla and my trouble concerning her. I heard some very vulgar remarks on the subject of love, and thoroughly enjoyed them. I drank Beveral glasses of liquor and the general invited me to have a glass of brandy with him. I was quite intoxicated, and it made no difference to me now what I drank. I no longer dreaded the bitter taste ol the brandy. I accepted his invitation, for it is a great honor for a young officer to be treated by his chief. " I drained the big glass dry, and it was no longer bitter, but very delicious. My mind was full of great thoughts, and never in my life had I felt bo big, so happy, or so well educated. It seemed quite natural to me to join some other officers in a drunken song and dance. The old general embraced mc and said: "You are au excellent boy, and I will see how I can help you to advance. See! All these gentlemen have made their careers by keeping in touch with me. It is the way of the world, you know. A man drinks to forget troubles." Another gentleman who was Intoxicated stepped up to me and said he was the President of the Justice Court, and asked me to Join him next week in a driving party. Thirty or more people drinking in the restaurant at ouca became my intimate friends. All were intoxicated and talked at random. My friend Bohdan was sitting on a sofa and seeing my good humor he said: "Is it not good to mingle with the right class of nen? You will see how you will get rid of all those foolish theories of morality and marriage. You must forget your Nastasia and everything your father and mother bave said." His foolish babble sounded very sensible to me. I Joined in his idle talk, and was indeed a very great man. We were all ve arunk, and I do not remember how I reached home or who accompanied me. I awoke with a heavy headache nd was disgusted with ity foolishness, but it was a great comfort to know that I had met tho proper class of men that ,ould further my career. All the men whom I had met in the restaurant yesterday smiled with increased friendliness and sympathy. I was very glad to see them so very cordial, and they questioned me concerning the enjoyment of the previous night The general was entirely changed. He ordered my advancement to the rank of captain. The figures of Nastasia aud of my parents appeared before me in imagination, and I began to realize

bow I had abused their love and confidence. But I remembered the conver sation with my comrade Bohdan in the other restaurant, how intoxication bad freed me of all my remorse and how I was then able to forget my troubles. I ordered some sweet liquor. I drank one glass and Immediately a sensation of relief came over me. I took another glass and felt still better. v VS" I experienced the " enjoyment of drunkenness. My head became clear and full of merry pictures. Again I felt that I was a great and important man. I left the restaurant in a very good humor. "Oh, it is so good to be free from the remorseful thoughts which have caused me so much suffering," said I to myself, as half drunk I made my way home. My books no longer interested me. nor did my paintin?. I was happy without them. I had discovered the inagio influence of alcoholic liquors. Now I must tell the story of my love and its sad ending. Oho evening after returning from my daily military service, not feeling "isposed to go to a resU ant, I sat alone in my studio and let the story pass through my mind. It can be told in a few words. Besides being an army officer I was an amateur artist and painted good pictures. The priest of the town in which my parents lived had seen many of my paintings and was very enthusiastic over my artistic abilities.' He thought that I could become as great as Corregglo or Raphael if I would paint religious pictures. . He suggested that I should try to paint a new Russian Madonna, for his church. The face of the Madonna must not be of the Italian or Jewish type, but purely Slavish. "You, Ivan Vassilievitch, are a genius, and if yoa succeed in painting a great Slavish Madonna you will become a Russian Raphael. Your great name wi.l gc down the ages." These words excited my ambition. I would patnt a great and beautiful Slavish Madonna for his church. I began to study the Slavish beauties and fb search for a suitable model for my Madonna. Nearly half a year passed before I succeeded in finding a Russian girl who impressed me as a Madonna. She must be holy, great and beautiful. At last, quite accidentally, I met the daughter of a Siberian vagabond, exiled in a small village in the province of Tobolsk. Her eyes and lcm were simply and impressively beautiful, innocent aucr holy. She was the ideal type of a Slavish Madonna, and I decided to ask her to be my model. I needed only to hire her as my servant and the rest followed as a matter of course. She came to the town with me and I began to work ou the picture. During the sittings I discovered that she was very gifted and a good-hearted young girl, a veritable Modonna lu her sweet simplicity. I decided to educate her. I began to teach her. She learned wltn marvellous rapidity. I discovered that she was a great woman in heart and mind, and I felt an intense love toward Ler. I loved her as a Madonna and she began to love me. In five months the picture was finished, and it was wonderful. I invited the priest to see it. and he marvelled at its perfection, but I said that I could not part with the Madonna. I promised, however, to make him a copy. Meantime I had made an educated lady of my Madonna. She was an admired beauty in the town and the eyes of society were upon her. There were rumors that I would marry her. I had really loved her platonic illy, as a Madonna, and had not ventured to confess my love to her, but our eyes had spoken the secret language of our hearts, which needs no words. Just when was on the point of confessing my love to her my friend Bohdan Petrovltch began to tell me that it would be foolishness to marry the daughter of a vagabond and that already society was connecting our names very freely. Of course my friend imagined that Nastasla was my real sweetheart and that we lived as man at-d wife. That waa untrue. I had never touched her lips n loveThe touch of her hand made me trtmble, yet I never let her see how deeply she affected me. My friend

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Bohdan suggested that I should send Nastasla away at once, and think no more about her. For a long time I paid no attention to his talk, but finally he convinced me, and I decided to give her some money and send her away. We parted She understood my reasons for so dealing with her. and sho also understood my great suffering. She too suffered horribly in her heart and her sad eyes reproached me terribly at the moment of parting. After she haa left my house I shut myself up and cried like a little boy who had beea suddenly bereft of his parents. I walKeu the streetslike a madman. Bohdan met me and asked me drink with him. I could find no satisfaction equal to that offered by the restaurants with their liquors. My painted Madonna became a horrible temptation to me . and I covered th3 great picture with a black curtain. I could no longer look at it. I could not think that I would ever meet a woman whom I could love as I loved Kasiaaia. U I should I would be a bestial criming an offender against nature and morality. The world was lost aud life was over for me! I began to meditate suicide. The restaurant saved me from suicide, and alcoholic drinks seemed a good medicine for my bleeding ; souK A glass of liquor always cheered me and .oosenea my tongue. I recognized the great Influence cf eriutaa up on my career and my social success. I advanced, I was invited to all the receptions, I was honored more than ever before but I tad sacrificed my conscience. Ono day very soon after I h: i become acquainted with the restaurants, I was sitting in one of the most fashionable of them, chatting with a Chief of Police aud a Coroner. We were drinking heavily. The Coroner was advising me to marry the sister of the Chief of Police, for a marriage like that would help me so much in my career, both socially and financially. "Career and wealth are everything. Believe me, Ivan Vassilievitch, you will find it so in life. Love and all the great phantasies of poetry are illusions. Money and social influence are the main things. You know very well that Napoleon made his career through women," baid the Corone. and suggested that I should cultivate the acquaintance of the Chief of Police and his sister. "Of course," I replied, "if this is the decree of society I must grasp every opportunity for advancement." While we were discussing our plans for the future Table the Body of a Young Woman in Black." a police clerk entered and Informed the Coroner that his presence was required for a special case of autopsy at the police station. He could not refuse to go, and aked me if I could accompany him and spend an hour or two with him. I accepted his invitation with a very peculiar feeling, and we left the restaurant The Chief of Police called after us: "Ivan Vassilievitch and Feodor Semenovitch, what la your hurry? Will you soon be back? We will await you. Good luck!" We drove to the police station and the clerk informed us that the corpse was that of a young woman who had drowned herself. The fishermen had found her body in the river, but there was nothing to identify her. We entered a small room which was lighted by a little kerosene lamp. On the table was the body of a young woman dressed in black. Her hair was loose, and her hands convulsively grasped a small piece of paper. What the piece of paper contained could not be seen? I began to tremble when I saw her black gown, and v small ring on her finger. I staggered to the table and cast a swift glance at her face. The Coroner and the clerk were busy at the other end of the room and jr.id no attention to me. I recognized her immediately, and a low moan escaped my Hps: "Nastasia You! Oh, my God!" I feli on the chair a horrible tempest in mv heart The Coroner noticed my agitation, but, thinking that I had drunk a little too much, he ordered a glass of cold water be brought for me. "Ivan Vassilievitch. I will dispose of this caae very quickly, then we will return immediately. Do you feel faint?" asked Coroner. "No. no. Fedor .Semenovitch. I em all right The

' l ?3KW .. v IMP W "1 B

"How I Became Spoiled"

By the Late Count Tolstoy, Published Here for the First Time I T was in July. 1835, t Tehcrnaya, in the Crimea, just a few necks before the great battle, that used to joke about Count Leo Xicvlaevitch Tolstoy as (i story writer. We would ask him to tell us som of his stories, and many a pleasant evening teas passed in this way. Of all the stories which ho told us most popular wits this: "How I Became Spoiled." 1 liked the story so much that I copied it while h was telling it. He said it teas one of very first efforts in fiction, but for some unknown reason he had never cared to have it published. Later on he even fi liked to tell us this story, but I kept the copy of it as a souvenir. 1 found the copy of the story accidentally among viy old papers, and I publish it here in English at the time when the whole world tnourns the great Tolstoy, who died in a miserable hut, self-exiled from his horn aud family. V. R, "I Met the Daughter of a Siberian Vagabond, Exiled in a Small Village in the . Province of Tobolsk.'

' Je J'"

sight of this young woman affected me a little. How did it happen?" , "I do not pay any attention to these cases. They never interest me. She may have been forsaken by her lover, and the end of that is always suicide. Do you kuow her?" ... "I know her! Ha. ha. ha! Why should you think that? How should I kuow a suicide? And as I made this reply in my cold and brutal voice, I killed the last rays of humanity and noble feeling in my soul.

"Excuse me, Ivan Vassilievitch, I was jesting with you. I know that neither you nor I have any dealings with this class of women," said the Coroner with a smile, as he signed a document stating that the body of an unknown woman who had for some unknown reason drowned herself had been found and 6hould be burled immediately in the city graveyard. I witnessed the document with a firm hand. I spoke to myself slowly: "Ha, ha, ba! 1 do not kuow her and never bave seen her finished! I will marry the sister of the Chief of Police, That bbould surely help me to become a colonel next year! Such is life!' What a blessing is alcohol I It helps one to live without ideals and principles! How very droll."' The other morning on entering my studio, the first thing that I did waa to cut my painted Madonna to pieces. I also destroyed my mother's portrait Then all the noble pictures In my eoul disappeared I had spoiled my life. Dressed "The Other Morning, On Entering My Studio, the First Thing I Did Was to Cut My Painted Madonna to Pieces."

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