y abnormal appetite, was fed on nothing but black bread and
lentils. The order went forth not to admit the guests of former days;
they were replaced by a distant neighbour, a certain fair-haired,
scrofulous baron, a very well educated and very stupid man. New
furniture was brought from Moscow; spittoons were introduced, and bells
and washing-stands; and breakfast began to be served in a different way;
foreign wines replaced vodka and syrups; the servants were put into
new livery; a motto was added to the family arms: in recto virtus...
In reality, Glafira's power suffered no diminution; the giving out and
buying of stores still depended on her. The Alsatian steward, brought
from abroad, tried to fight it out with her and lost his place, in spite
of the master's protection. As for the management of the house, and
the administration of the estate, Glafira Petrovna had undertaken these
duties also; in spite of Ivan Petrovitch's intention,--more than once
expressed--to breathe new life into this chaos, everything remained as
before; only the rent was in some places raised, the mistress was
more strict, and the peasants were forbidden to apply direct to
Ivan Petrovitch. The patriot had already a great contempt for his
fellow-countrymen. Ivan Petrovitch's system was applied in its
full force only to Fedya; his education really underwent a "radical
reformation;" his father devoted himself exclusively to it.
Chapter XI
Until Ivan Petrovitch's return from abroad, Fedya was, as already
related, in the hands of Glafira Petrovna. He was not eight years
old when his mother died; he did not see her every day, and loved her
passionately; the memory of her, of her pale and gentle face, of her
dejected looks and timid caresses, was imprinted on his heart for
ever; but he vaguely understood her position in the house; he felt that
between him and her there existed a barrier which she dared not and
could not break down. He was shy of his father, and, indeed, Ivan
Petrovitch on his side never caressed him; his grandfather sometimes
patted him on the head and gave him his hand to kiss, but he thought him
and called him a little fool. After the death of Malanya Sergyevna, his
aunt finally got him under her control. Fedya was afraid of her: he was
afraid of her bright sharp eyes and her harsh voice; he dared not utter
a sound in her presence; often, when he only moved a little in his
chair, she would! hiss out at once: "What are you d
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