Part 42 (1/2)
”It would be a good thing for you to look about a little, Alexai. I dare say they exaggerate. Only do be careful. But, however, you will not be going alone. Come back as quickly as you can. Will you promise?
Nejdanov? Will you promise?”
”Yes.”
”For certain?
”I suppose so, since everybody here obeys you, including Mariana.”
Nejdanov went out without saying goodbye. Pavel appeared from somewhere out of the darkness and ran down the stairs before him with a great clatter of his hob-nailed boots. Was HE then to accompany Nejdanov?
Solomin sat down beside Mariana.
”You heard Nejdanov's last word?”
”Yes. He is annoyed that I listen to you more than to him. But it's quite true. I love him and listen to you. He is dear to me... and you are near to me.”
Solomin stroked her hand gently.
”This is a very unpleasant business,” he observed at last. ”If Markelov is mixed up in it then he's a lost man.”
Mariana shuddered.
”Lost?”
”Yes. He doesn't do things by halves--and won't hide things for the sake of others.”
”Lost!” Mariana whispered again as the tears rolled down her cheeks.
”Oh, Va.s.sily Fedot.i.tch! I feel so sorry for him. But what makes you think that he won't succeed? Why must he inevitably be lost?”
”Because in such enterprises the first always perish even if they come off victorious. And in this thing not only the first and second, but the tenth and twentieth will perish--”
”Then we shall never live to see it?”
”What you have in your mind--never. We shall never see it with our eyes; with these living eyes of ours. But with our spiritual ... but that is another matter. We may see it in that way now; there is nothing to hinder us.”
”Then why do you--”
”What?”
”Why do you follow this road?”
”Because there is no other. I mean that my aims are the same as Markelov's--but our paths are different.”
”Poor Sergai Mihailovitch!” Mariana exclaimed sadly. Solomin pa.s.sed his hand cautiously over hers.
”There, there, we know nothing as yet. We'll see what news Pavel brings back. In our calling one must be brave. The English have a proverb 'Never say die.' A very good proverb, I think, much better than our Russian, 'When trouble knocks, open the gates wide!' We mustn't meet trouble half way.”