My mother was much affected by this declaration.
"Why," said she, "do you want to go to Petersburg? You, too--do you also
wish to forsake us?"
Marya made answer that her fate depended on the journey, and that she
was going to seek help and countenance from people high in favour, as
the daughter of a man who had fallen victim to his fidelity.
My father bowed his head. Each word which reminded him of the alleged
crime of his son was to him a keen reproach.
"Go," he said at last, with a sigh; "we do not wish to cast any
obstacles between you and happiness. May God grant you an honest man as
a husband, and not a disgraced and convicted traitor."
He rose and left the room.
Left alone with my mother, Marya confided to her part of her plans. My
mother kissed her with tears, and prayed God would grant her success.
A few days afterwards Marya set forth with Palashka and her faithful
Saveliitch, who, necessarily, parted from me, consoled himself by
remembering he was serving my betrothed.
Marya arrived safely at Sofia, and, learning that the court at this time
was at the summer palace of Tzarskoe-Selo, she resolved to stop there.
In the post-house she obtained a little dressing-room behind a
partition.
The wife of the postmaster came at once to gossip with her, and
announced to her pompously that she was the niece of a stove-warmer
attached to the Palace, and, in a word, put her up to all the mysteries
of the Palace. She told her at what hour the Tzarina rose, had her
coffee, went to walk; what high lords there were about her, what she had
deigned to say the evening before at table, who she received in the
evening, and, in a word, the conversation of Anna Vlassiefna[73] might
have been a leaf from any memoir of the day, and would be invaluable
now. Marya Ivanofna heard her with great attention.
They went together to the Imperial Gardens, where Anna Vlassiefna told
Marya the history of every walk and each little bridge. Both then
returned home, charmed with one another.
On the morrow, very early, Marya dressed herself and went to the
Imperial Gardens. The morning was lovely. The sun gilded with its beams
the tops of the lindens, already yellowed by the keen breath of autumn.
The large lake sparkled unruffled; the swans, just awake, were gravely
quitting the bushes on the bank. Marya went to the edge of a beautiful
lawn, where had lately been erected a monument in honour of the recent
victories of Count Roumianzeff.[74] All at once a little dog of English breed ran towards her, barking.
Marya stopped short, alarmed. At this moment a pleasant woman's voice
said-"Do not be afraid; he will not hurt you."