- Listen, Ibrahim, you are a lonely man, without kith or kin, a stranger to all, but one of my. Today I Die, tomorrow it will be with you, my poor negro? You must get settled, while there is still time; find support in new ties, enter into an alliance with the Russian nobility.
- The Emperor, I'm happy to patronage and favors your Majesty. Give me God does not survive his king and benefactor, more than anything I do not want; but if I had in mind to marry, whether it will agree to a young girl and her family? my appearance ...
- Your appearance! what nonsense! What are you not done? A young girl must obey her parents, and see, Gabriel says that the old Rzhevskij, I myself will be your matchmaker? - With these words, the Emperor ordered to submit sleigh and left Ibrahim, immersed in deep thought.
"Marry! - a word African, - why no? Shall I destined to spend my life alone and do not know the best pleasure and sacred duties of man only because, I was born under the fifteenth degree *? I can not hope to be loved: childish objection! Is it possible to believe love? unless it exists in the female, frivolous heart? Refusing forever from little mistakes, I chose the other seduction - a substantial. Sovereign rights: I must ensure that my future destiny. Wedding with the young Rzhevskaya attach me to the proud Russian nobility, I cease to be a stranger in my new homeland. From his wife I will not demand love, I will be content with her fidelity, and friendship shall get constant tenderness, The power of attorney and gentleness ".
Ibrahim was his custom wanted to get down to business, but his imagination was too entertained. He left the paper and went for a walk along the Neva embankment. Suddenly, he heard the voice of Peter; I looked and saw the sovereign, which the, letting go of the sled, I followed him with a cheerful air. - "Everything, brother, over, - Peter said,, taking his arm. - I betrothed you. Tomorrow, Come to my father-in; but see, amuse his boyars arrogance; Leave the sled at the gate; Walk through the courtyard on foot; talk to him about his merits, of nobility - and it will be on you with no memory. And now, - he continued, shaking batons, - the head to me rascal Danilych, which must be perevedatsya me for his new leprosy ".
Ibrahim, warmly thanking Peter for his fatherly solicitude about it, He brought him to the great chambers of Prince Menshikov and returned home.
Chapter VI
Quiet lamp flickered before the ark of glass, Do shining gold and silver icons hereditary salaries. The flickering light it weakly illuminated the curtained bed and table, laden with flasks with labels. At the stove sat a maid for Spinning, and a slight noise interrupted her spindle one silence Svetlitsa.
- Who is there? - she said in a weak voice. The maid got up immediately, He went to the bed and gently lifted the curtain. - be daylight soon? - said Natalia.
- It is now noon, - the maid answered.
- Brother, Oh my God, why is it so dark?
- The windows are closed, young lady.
- Give me as soon as possible to dress.
- You can not, young lady, doctors are not ordered.
- Am I sick? long-li?
- That's really two weeks.
- Really? and it seemed to me, if only yesterday I went to ...
Nataša umolkla; she tried to gather scattered thoughts. Something happened to her, but what exactly? I could not remember. The maid still stood in front of her, waiting for orders. At this time, there was a dull noise from below.
- What? - I asked the patient.
- Lord otkušali, - the maid answered; - get up from the table. Now come here Tatiana Afanasyevna.
Natasha, it seemed, overjoyed; She waved a feeble hand. The maid closed the curtain and sat down again at the spinning-wheel.
A few minutes from the door's head in broad white cap with dark ribbons, and asked in a low voice:
- What Natasha?
- Hello, auntie, - said quietly sick; Tatiana and her hurried Afanasyevna.
- The young lady in the memory, - said the maid, gently pulling up chairs.
The old woman tearfully kissed the pale, languid face nieces and sat down beside her. After her German doctor, in a black coat and a wig scientist, has entered, Natasha felt the pulse and declared Latin, and then in Russian, that the danger was over. He demanded paper and ink, I wrote a new prescription and left, and the old lady got up and, He kissed Natalia, with the good news immediately went down to Gavrila Afanasievich.
In the living room, jacket with a sword, with his hat in his hands, I sat royal arap, respectfully speaking with Gavril Afanasyevitch. Korsakov, stretched out on the fluffy couch, I listened to them distractedly and teased deserved greyhound dog; bored this occupation, He went to the mirror, ordinary refuge of idleness, and it saw Tatiana Afanasevnu, which is due to the door his brother nezamechaemye signs.
- Your name is, Gavrila Afanasʹevič, - Korsakov said, turning to him and interrupting Ibrahim. Gavrila Afanasievich immediately went to her sister, and closed the door behind him.
- I marvel at your patience, - said Korsakov to Ibrahim. - An hour you listen to the ravings of the antiquity of the Lykov and Rzhevsky and even thereunto to its moralizing notes! In your place j'aurais planté là # old liar and all his family, including immediately and Natalia Gavrilovna, which affectations, sham illness, une petite santé # ... Tell me honestly, Shall you love with this little mijaurée?# Listen, Ibrahim, Subsequent ever take my advice; right, I'm wiser, what seem. Give up this idea Blazhnov. Do not marry. It seems to me, that your bride has no special arrangement for you. You never know what happens in the world? for example: I certainly did not go far wrong themselves, but it happened but am I cheating husbands, who were, by God, nothing worse than mine. You yourself ... remember our Parisian friend, Column D.? - Do not rely on women's fidelity; happy, who looks at it indifferently! notes!.. From there your fervent, thoughtful and suspicious character, with your flat nose, swollen lips, this rough wool throw in all the dangers of marriage?..
- Thank you for your friendly advice, - interrupted cold Ybrahym, - but you know the proverb: not your sorrow other people's children to swing ...
- Look, Ibrahim, - she replied laughing Korsakov, - so after you do not have to prove this proverb actually, literally.
But the conversation in the other room gets hot.
- You kill her, - said the old woman. - She could not bear it mind.
- But you judge for itself, - objected stubborn brother. - For the past two weeks he goes the groom, and still I did not see the bride. He finally might think, that her illness is empty fiction, that we are only looking for how to extend the time, to somehow get rid of him. But what he will say to the king? He too, and so sent three times to ask about the health of Natalia. your will - and I am not going to quarrel with him.
- Oh my God, - said Tatiana Afanasyevna, - what with her, bednoyu, will? At least, Let me prepare her for such a visit. - Gabriel Afanasievich agreed and returned to the living room.
- Thank God, - he said to Ibrahim, - the danger was over. Natalia is much better; if it had not been ashamed to leave here a dear guest, Ivan Evgrafovich, I would take you upstairs to look at his bride.
Korsakov congratulated Gavrila Afanasevicha, please do not disturb, assured, that he must go, and I ran to the front, not allowing the owner to conduct themselves.
Meanwhile Tatiana Afanasyevna hastened to prepare patients for the emergence of a terrible guest. Voshed in svetlitsu, She sat, gasping for breath, in bed, Natasha took the hand, but before she could even utter a word, the door opened. Natasha asked: who's come. - The old woman fainted and numb. Gavrila Afanasievich drew back the curtain, cold look at the patient and asked,, what it is? The patient wanted him to smile, but could not. father's stern gaze struck her, and anxiety overwhelmed her. At that time it seemed, that someone was standing at her bedside. She raised her head with an effort and suddenly recognized the Tsar's Moor. Then she remembered everything, the whole future of the horror she introduced. But exhausted nature has not been perceptible shocks. Natasha again put her head on the pillow and closed her eyes ... her heart beat painfully. Tatiana Afanasyevna filed brother sign, that the patient wants to sleep, and all went out quietly from Svetlitsa, except for maids, who again sat down at the spinning-wheel.
Unhappy Beauty opened her eyes and, I am seeing nobody near her bed, He beckoned to the maid and sent her the dwarf. But the minute round, old baby as the ball rolled to her bed. Swallow (so called dwarf) at full speed his short legs, followed by Gavril Afanasyevitch and Ibrahim, I set off up the stairs and hid behind the door, without changing the curiosity, Akin to the fairer sex. Natasha, seeing her, I sent her maid, and the dwarf sat down on a stool beside the bed.
Never before have so little body did not contain so much mental activity. She interfered in everything, I knew all, fussed about everything. Sly and insinuating mind, she was able to buy the love of their masters, and the hatred of the whole house, which ruled despotically. Gabriel listened to her denunciations Afanasievich, complaints and petty requests; Tatiana Afanasyevna constantly cope with its views and guided by her advice; and Natasha had boundless affection for her and trusted her all his thoughts, all movements of sixteen of his heart.
- know, Swallow? - she said, - Father gives me for Moor.
The dwarf took a deep breath, and her wrinkled face puckered still more.
- Is there no hope, - Natasha continued, - Is your father would not have mercy on me?
Pelvis trяhnula chepchikom.
- Do not intercede for my grandfather Ali Aunt?
- Not, young lady. Arap during your illness all the time to cast a spell. Barin crazy about him, Prince only to them and raves, and Tatiana says Afanasyevna: pity, that arap, groom and best we sin and desire.
- Oh my God, Oh my God! - Natasha moaned poor.
- Do not worry, our beauty, - said the dwarf, kissing her weak hand. - If so, and be you for Arap, then all you will be on their own free will. Now not, that in the old days; husbands their wives do not lock; Arabists, heard, rich; house, you have both a full cup, zazhiveshy pripevayuchi ...
- Poor Valerian, - said Natasha, but so quietly, that the dwarf could only guess, not hear these words.
- To-to, young lady, - she said, mysteriously lowering his voice; - if only you thought less about Streltsi orphan, so would be in the heat of it not nonsense, and my father was not angry b.
- What? - said frightened Natasha, - I raved about Valerian, father heard, father angry!
- To-it sucks, - answered the dwarf. - Now, if you ask him not to extradite you for Moor, so he thinks, What the cause Valeryan. Nothing to do: so submit to the will of the parent, and what will, it will be.
Natasha without a word. Think, that the secret of her heart is known for her father, strongly acted on her imagination. One hope remained her: die before committing hateful marriage. This thought comforted her. Weak and sad soul she resigned to his lot.
Chapter VII
The house Gavrila Afanasevicha from the passage to the right was a close little room with one little window. It was a simple bed, covered with a blanket, and before bed spruce table, which burned a tallow candle and lay open notes. On the wall was an old blue uniform and his coeval, three-cornered hat; over her three studs nailed was popular prints, depicting Charles XII on horseback. flute heard in this humble abode. captive dancing master, its secluded inhabitant, in a nightcap and dressing-gown kitaychatom, I indulged boring winter evening, strumming old Swedish marches, reminds him of his youth a fun time. Dedicating the entire two hours on these things exercise, Swede took apart his flute, I put it in a drawer and began to undress.
At this time, the door latch lifted his, and a handsome young man of high growth, jacket, entered the room.
Surprised Swede stood in front of an unexpected guest.
- Did not you recognize me, Gustav Adamitch, - said the young visitor untouched voice. - You do not remember a boy, who taught you the Swedish article, with whom you almost done fire in this very room, shooting from a children's cannon.
Gustav Adamitch closely scrutinized ...
- Uh-uh, - he cried at last, hugging him, - sdarofo, Does your tofno sdes. Sit down, Your tobry rakes, pogoforim.
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