e few lines astonished Ivan Petrovitch: he was not aware that
Marfa Timofeevna had taught his wife to read and write. However, Ivan
Petrovitch did not give himself up for long to the sweet agitation of
paternal emotions: he was paying court to one of the most famous Phrynes
or Laises of the period (classical appellations were still flourishing
at that epoch); the peace of Tilsit had just been concluded, and
everybody was making haste to enjoyment, everything was whirling round in
a sort of mad whirlwind. He had very little money; but he played luckily
at cards, he picked up acquaintances, he took part in all the
merrymakings,--in a word, he was dashing along under full sail.

-----

[1] An ancient land-measure, varying in different localities; the average
"quarter" being about thirty by forty fathoms.--Translator.

[2] That is to say, she sent her maternal blessing.--Translator.

IX

It was long before old Lavretzky could forgive his son for his marriage;
if, after the lapse of half a year, Ivan Petrovitch had presented himself
in contrition, and had flung himself at his feet, he would, probably, have
pardoned him, after first scolding him roundly, and administering a few
taps with his crutch, by way of inspiring awe; but Ivan Petrovitch was
living abroad, and, evidently, cared not a rap.--"Hold your tongue! Don't
dare!" Piotr Andreitch kept repeating to his wife, as soon as she tried
to incline him to mercy: "He ought to pray to God for me forever, the pup,
for not having laid my curse upon him; my late father would have slain him
with his own hands, the good-for-nothing, and he would have done right." At
such terrible speeches, Anna Pavlovna merely crossed herself furtively. As
for Ivan Petrovitch's wife, Piotr Andreitch, at first, would not allow
her to be mentioned, and even in reply to a letter of Pestoff, wherein the
latter alluded to his daughter-in-law, he gave orders to say to him, that
he knew nothing whatever about any daughter-in-law of his, and that it was
prohibited by the laws to harbour runaway maids, on which point he regarded
it as his duty to warn him; but later on, when he learned of the birth of a
grandson, he softened, gave orders that inquiries should be made on the sly
concerning the health of the young mother, and sent her, also as though it
did not come from him, a little money. Fedya had not reached his first
birthday, when Anna Pavlovna