A fine carriage with rubber tyres, a fat coachman, and velvet on the seats, rolled up to the house of a landowner called Gryabov. Fyodor Andreitch Otsov, the district Marshal of Nobility, jumped out of the carriage. A drowsy footman met him in the hall.
Are the family at home? asked the Marshal.
No, sir. The mistress and the children are gone out paying visits, while the master and mademoiselle are catching fish. Fishing all the morning, sir.
Otsov stood a little, thought a little, and then went to the river to look for Gryabov. Going down to the river he found him a mile and a half from the house. Looking down from the steep bank and catching sight of Gryabov, Otsov gushed with laughter . Gryabov a large stout man, with a very big head, was sitting on the sand, angling, with his legs tucked under him like a Turk. His hat was on the back of his head and his cravat had slipped on one side. Beside him stood a tall thin Englishwoman, with prominent eyes like a crabs, and a big bird-like nose more like a hook than a nose. She was dressed in a white muslin gown through which her scraggy yellow shoulders were very distinctly apparent. On her gold belt hung a little gold watch. She too was angling. The stillness of the grave reigned about them both. Both were motionless, as the river upon which their floats were swimming.
A desperate passion, but deadly dull! laughed Otsov. Good-day, Ivan Kuzmitch.
Ah is that you? asked Gryabov, not taking his eyes off the water. Have you come?
As you see And you are still taken up with your crazy nonsense! Not given it up yet?
The devils in it . I begin in the morning and fish all day . The fishing is not up to much to-day. Ive caught nothing and this dummy hasnt either. We sit on and on and not a devil of a fish! I could scream!
Well, chuck it up then. Lets go and have some vodka!
Wait a little, maybe we shall catch something. Towards evening the fish bite better . Ive been sitting here, my boy, ever since the morning! I cant tell you how fearfully boring it is. It was the devil drove me to take to this fishing! I know that it is rotten idiocy for me to sit here. I sit here like some scoundrel, like a convict, and I stare at the water like a fool. I ought to go to the haymaking, but here I sit catching fish. Yesterday His Holiness held a service at Haponyevo, but I didnt go. I spent the day here with this with this she-devil.
But have you taken leave of your senses? asked Otsov, glancing in embarrassment at the Englishwoman. Using such language before a lady and she
Oh, confound her, it doesnt matter, she doesnt understand a syllable of Russian, whether you praise her or blame her, it is all the same to her! Just look at her nose! Her nose alone is enough to make one faint. We sit here for whole days together and not a single word! She stands like a stuffed image and rolls the whites of her eyes at the water.
The Englishwoman gave a yawn, put a new worm on, and dropped the hook into the water.
I wonder at her not a little, Gryabov went on, the great stupid has been living in Russia for ten years and not a word of Russian! . Any little aristocrat among us goes to them and learns to babble away in their lingo, while they theres no making them out. Just look at her nose, do look at her nose!
Come, drop it its uncomfortable. Why attack a woman?
Shes not a woman, but a maiden lady .I bet shes dreaming of suitors. The ugly doll. And she smells of something decaying Ive got a loathing for her, my boy! I cant look at her with indifference. When she turns her ugly eyes on me it sends a twinge all through me as though I had knocked my elbow on the parapet. She likes fishing too. Watch her: she fishes as though it were a holy rite! She looks upon everything with disdain She stands there, the wretch, and is conscious that she is a human being, and that therefore she is the monarch of nature. And do you know what her name is? Wilka Charlesovna Fyce! Tfoo! There is no getting it out!
The Englishwoman, hearing her name, deliberately turned her nose in Gryabovs direction and scanned him with a disdainful glance; she raised her eyes from Gryabov to Otsov and steeped him in disdain. And all this in silence, with dignity and deliberation.
Did you see? said Gryabov chuckling. As though to say take that. Ah, you monster! Its only for the childrens sake that I keep that triton. If it werent for the children, I wouldnt let her come within ten miles of my estate . She has got a nose like a hawks and her figure! That doll makes me think of a long nail, so I could take her, and knock her into the ground, you know. Stay, I believe I have got a bite .
Gryabov jumped up and raised his rod. The line drew taut . Gryabov tugged again, but could not pull out the hook.
It has caught, he said, frowning, on a stone I expect damnation take it
There was a look of distress on Gryabovs face. Sighing, moving uneasily, and muttering oaths, he began tugging at the line.
What a pity, I shall have to go into the water.
Oh, chuck it!
I cant . Theres always good fishing in the evening . What a nuisance. Lord, forgive us, I shall have to wade into the water, I must! And if only you knew, I have no inclination to undress, I shall have to get rid of the Englishwoman . Its awkward to undress before her. After all, she is a lady, you know!
Gryabov flung off his hat, and his cravat.
Meess er,er he said, addressing the Englishwoman, Meess Fyce, je voo pree ? Well, what am I to say to her? How am I to tell you so that you can understand? I say over there! Go away over there! Do you hear?
Miss Fyce enveloped Gryabov in disdain, and uttered a nasal sound.
What? Dont you understand? Go away from here, I tell you! I must undress, you devils doll! Go over there! Over there!
Gryabov pulled the lady by her sleeve, pointed her towards the bushes, and made as though he would sit down, as much as to say: Go behind the bushes and hide yourself there . The Englishwoman, moving her eyebrows vigorously, uttered rapidly a long sentence in English. The gentlemen gushed with laughter.
Its the first time in my life Ive heard her voice . Theres no denying, it is a voice! She does not understand! Well, what am I to do with her?
Chuck it, lets go and have a drink of vodka!
I cant. Nows the time to fish, the evening .Its evening Come, what would you have me do? It is a nuisance! I shall have to undress before her .
Gryabov flung off his coat and his waistcoat and sat on the sand to take off his boots.
I say, Ivan Kuzmitch, said the marshal, chuckling behind his hand. Its really outrageous, an insult.
Nobody asks her not to understand! Its a lesson for these foreigners!
Gryabov took off his boots and his trousers, flung off his undergarments and remained in the costume of Adam. Otsov held his sides, he turned crimson both from laughter and embarrassment. The Englishwoman twitched her brows and blinked A haughty disdainful smile passed over her yellow face.
I must cool off, said Gryabov, slapping himself on the ribs. Tell me if you please, Fyodor Andreitch, why I have a rash on my chest every summer.
Oh, do get into the water quickly or cover yourself with something, you beast.
And if only she were confused, the nasty thing, said Gryabov, crossing himself as he waded into the water. Brrr the waters cold . Look how she moves her eyebrows! She doesnt go away she is far above the crowd he, he, he and she doesnt reckon us as human beings.
Wading knee deep in the water and drawing his huge figure up to its full height, he gave a wink and said:
This isnt England, you see!
Miss Fyce coolly put on another worm, gave a yawn, and dropped the hook in. Otsov turned away, Gryabov released his hook, ducked into the water and, spluttering, waded out. Two minutes later he was sitting on the sand and angling as before.