came。　　The　man　was　bad；　it　is　true。　　But　what！　　No　worse　than　we
  were。
  CHAPTER　XXI。
  〃When　we　moved　to　Moscow；　this　gentlemanhis　name　was
  Troukhatchevskycame　to　my　house。　　It　was　in　the　morning。　　I
  received　him。　　In　former　times　we　had　been　very　familiar。　　He
  tried；　by　various　advances；　to　re…establish　the　familiarity；　but
  I　was　determined　to　keep　him　at　a　distance；　and　soon　he　gave　it
  up。　　He　displeased　me　extremely。　　At　the　first　glance　I　saw　that
  he　was　a　filthy　debauche。　　I　was　jealous　of　him；　even　before　he
  had　seen　my　wife。　　But；　strange　thing！　some　occult　fatal　power
  kept　me　from　repulsing　him　and　sending　him　away；　and；　on　the
  contrary；　induced　me　to　suffer　this　approach。　　What　could　have
  been　simpler　than　to　talk　with　him　a　few　minutes；　and　then
  dismiss　him　coldly　without　introducing　him　to　my　wife？　But　no；　as
  if　on　purpose；　I　turned　the　conversation　upon　his　skill　as　a
  violinist；　and　he　answered　that；　contrary　to　what　I　had　heard；　he
  now　played　the　violin　more　than　formerly。　　He　remembered　that　I
  used　to　play。　　I　answered　that　I　had　abandoned　music；　but　that　my
  wife　played　very　well。
  〃Singular　thing！　　Why；　in　the　important　events　of　our　life；　in
  those　in　which　a　man's　fate　is　decided；as　mine　was　decided　in
  that　moment；why　in　these　events　is　there　neither　a　past　nor　a
  future？　　My　relations　with　Troukhatchevsky　the　first　day；　at　the
  first　hour；　were　such　as　they　might　still　have　been　after　all
  that　has　happened。　　I　was　conscious　that　some　frightful
  misfortune　must　result　from　the　presence　of　this　man；　and；　in
  spite　of　that；　I　could　not　help　being　amiable　to　him。　　I
  introduced　him　to　my　wife。　　She　was　pleased　with　him。　　In　the
  beginning；　I　suppose；　because　of　the　pleasure　of　the　violin
  playing；　which　she　adored。　　She　had　even　hired　for　that　purpose　a
  violinist　from　the　theatre。　　But　when　she　cast　a　glance　at　me；
  she　understood　my　feelings；　and　concealed　her　impression。　　Then
  began　the　mutual　trickery　and　deceit。　　I　smiled　agreeably；
  pretending　that　all　this　pleased　me　extremely。　　He；　looking　at　my
  wife；　as　all　debauches　look　at　beautiful　women；　with　an　air　of
  being　interested　solely　in　the　subject　of　conversation；that　is；
  in　that　which　did　not　interest　him　at　all。
  〃She　tried　to　seem　indifferent。　　But　my　expression；　my　jealous　or
  false　smile；　which　she　knew　so　well；　and　the　voluptuous　glances
  of　the　musician；　evidently　excited　her。　　I　saw　that；　after　the
  first　interview；　her　eyes　were　already　glittering；　glittering
  strangely；　and　that；　thanks　to　my　jealousy；　between　him　and　her
  had　been　immediately　established　that　sort　of　electric　current
  which　is　provoked　by　an　identity　of　expression　in　the　smile　and
  in　the　eyes。
  〃We　talked；　at　the　first　interview；　of　music；　of　Paris；　and　of
  all　sorts　of　trivialities。　　He　rose　to　go。　　Pressing　his　hat
  against　his　swaying　hip；　he　stood　erect；　looking　now　at　her　and
  now　at　me；　as　if　waiting　to　see　what　she　would　do。　　I　remember
  that　minute；　precisely　because　it　was　in　my　power　not　to　invite
  him。　　I　need　not　have　invited　him；　and　then　nothing　would　have
  happened。　　But　I　cast　a　glance　first　at　him；　then　at　her。　　'Don't
  flatter　yourself　that　I　can　be　jealous　of　you；'　I　thought；
  addressing　myself　to　her　mentally；　and　I　invited　the　other　to
  bring　his　violin　that　very　evening；　and　to　play　with　my　wife。
  She　raised　her　eyes　toward　me　with　astonishment；　and　her　face
  turned　purple；　as　if　she　were　seized　with　a　sudden　fear。　　She
  began　to　excuse　herself；　saying　that　she　did　not　play　well
  enough。　　This　refusal　only　excited　me　the　more。　I　remember　the
  strange　feeling　with　which　I　looked　at　his　neck；　his　white　neck；
  in　contrast　with　his　black　hair；　separated　by　a　parting；　when；
  with　his　skipping　gait；　like　that　of　a　bird；　he　left　my　house。　　I
  could　not　help　confessing　to　myself　that　this　man's　presence
  caused　me　suffering。　'It　is　in　my　power；'　thought　I；　'to　so
  arrange　things　that　I　shall　never　see　him　again。　　But　can　it　be
  that　I；　_I_；　fear　him？　　No；　I　do　not　fear　him。　It　would　be　too
  humiliating！'
  〃And　there　in　the　hall；　knowing　that　my　wife　heard　me；　I　insisted
  that　he　should　come　that　very　evening　with　his　violin。　　He
  promised　me；　and　went　away。　　In　the　evening　he　arrived　with　his
  violin；　and　they　played　together。　　But　for　a　long　time　things　did
  not　go　well；　we　had　not　the　necessary　music；　and　that　which　we
  had　my　wife　could　not　play　at　sight。　　I　amused　myself　with　their
  difficulties。　　I　aided　them；　I　made　proposals；　and　they　finally
  executed　a　few　pieces；songs　without　words；　and　a　little　sonata
  by　Mozart。　　He　played　in　a　marvellous　manner。　　He　had　what　is
  called　the　energetic　and　tender　tone。　As　for　difficulties；　there
  were　none　for　him。　Scarcely　had　he　begun　to　play；　when　his　face
  changed。　　He　became　serious；　and　much　more　sympathetic。　　He　was；
  it　is　needless　to　say；　much　stronger　than　my　wife。　　He　helped
  her；　he　advised　her　simply　and　naturally；　and　at　the　same　time
  played　his　game　with　courtesy。　　My　wife　seemed　interested　only　in
  the　music。　　She　was　very　simple　and　agreeable。　　Throughout　the
  evening　I　feigned；　not　only　for　the　others；　but　for　myself；　an
  interest　solely　in　the　music。　Really；　I　was　continually　tortured
  by　jealousy。　　From　the　first　minute　that　the　musician's　eyes　met
  those　of　my　wife；　I　saw　that　he　did　not　regard　her　as　a
  disagreeable　woman；　with　whom　on　occasion　it　would　be　unpleasant
  to　enter　into　intimate　relations。
  〃If　I　had　been　pure；　I　should　not　have　dreamed　of　what　he　might
  think　of　her。　　But　I　looked　at　women；　and　that　is　why　I
  understood　him　and　was　in　torture。　　I　was　in　torture；　especially
  because　I　was　sure　that　toward　me　she　had　no　other　feeling　than
  of　perpetual　irritation；　sometimes　interrupted　by　the　customary
  sensuality；　and　that　this　man；thanks　to　his　external　elegance
  and　his　novelty；　and；　above　all；　thanks　to　his　unquestionably
  remarkable　talent；　thanks　to　the　attraction　exercised　under　the
  influence　of　music；　thanks　to　the　impression　that　music　produces
  upon　nervous　natures；this　man　would　not　only　please；　but　would
  inevitably；　and　without　difficulty；　subjugate　and　conquer　her；
  and　do　with　her　as　he　liked。
  〃I　could　not　help　seeing　this。　　I　could　not　help　suffering；　or
  keep　from　being　jealous。　　And　I　was　jealous；　and　I　suffered；　and
  in　spite　of　that；　and　perhaps　even　because　of　that；　an　unknown
  force；　in　spite　of　my　will；　impelled　me　to　be　not　only　polite；
  but　more　than　polite；　amiable。　I　cannot　say　whether　I　did　it　for
  my　wife；　or　to　show　him　that　I　did　not　fear　HIM；　or　to　deceive
  myself；　but　from　my　first　relations　with　him　I　could　not　be　at　my
  ease。　　I　was　obliged；　that　I　might　not　give　way　to　a　desire　to
  kill　him　immediately；　to　'caress'　him。　　I　filled　his　glass　at　the
  table；　I　grew　enthusiastic　over　his　playing；　I　talked　to　him　with
  an　extremely　amiable　smile；　and　I　invited　him　to　dinner　the
  following　Sunday；　and　to　play　again。　　I　told　him　that　I　would
  invite　some　of　my　acquaintances；　lovers　of　his　art；　to　hear　him。
  〃Two　or　three　days　later　I　was　entering　my　house；　in　conversation
  with　a　friend；　when　in　the　hall　I　suddenly　felt　something　as
  heavy　as　a　stone　weighing　on　my　heart；　and　I　could　not　account
  for　it。　　And　it　was　this；　it　was　this：　in　passing　through　the
  hall；　I　had　noticed　something　which　reminded　me　of　HIM。　　Not
  until　I　reached　my　study　did　I　realize　what　it　was；　and　I
  returned　to　the　hall　to　verify　my　conjecture。　Yes；　I　was　not
  mistaken。　　It　was　his　overcoat　（everything　that　belonged　to　him；
  I；　without　realizing　it；　had　observed　with　extraordinary
  attention）。　　I　questioned　the　servant。　　That　was　it。　He　had　come。
  I　passed　near　the　parlor；　through　my　children's　study…room。
  Lise；　my　daughter；　was　sitting　before　a　book；　and　the　old　nurse；
  with　my　youngest　child；　was　beside　the　table；　turning　the　cover
  of　something　or　other。　　In　the　parlor　I　heard　a　slow　arpeggio；
  and　his　voice；　deadened；　and　a　denial　from　her。　　She　said：　'No；
  no！　　There　is　something　else！'　　And　it　seemed　to　me　that　some　one
  was　purposely　deadening　the　words　by　the　aid　of　the　piano。
  〃My　God！　　How　my　heart　leaped！　　What　were　my　imaginations！　　When
  I　remember　the　beast　that　lived　in　me　at　that　moment；　I　am　seized
  with　fright。　　My　heart　was　first　compressed；　then　stopped；　and
  then　began　to　beat　like　a　hammer。　　The　principal　feeling；　as　in
  every　bad　feeling；　was　pity　for　myself。　　'Before　the　children；
  before　the　old　nurse；'　thought　I；　'she　dishonors　me。　　I　will　go
  away。　　I　can　endure　it　no　longer。　　God　knows　what　I　should　do　if。
  。　。　。　　But　I　must　go　in。'
  The　old　nurse　raised　her　eyes　to　mine；　as　if　she　understood；　and
  advised　me　to　keep　a　sharp　watch。　　'I　must　go　in；'　I　said　to
  myself；　and；　without　knowing　what　I　did；　I　opened　the　door。　He
  was　sitting　at　the　piano　and　making　arpeggios　with　his　long；
  white；　curved　fingers。　　She　was　standing　in　the　angle　of　the
  grand　piano；　before　the　open　score。　　She　saw　or　heard　me