Letter 2348 - Revision history

Tony: "Blumenfield" to "Blumenfeld" / "Aloysha" to "Alyosha" / Inserted "is" due to sentence structure

2025-01-04T12:51:55Z

"Blumenfield" to "Blumenfeld" / "Aloysha" to "Alyosha" / Inserted "is" due to sentence structure

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:51, 4 January 2025
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	\|Translated text={{right\|''[[Verbovka]]''<br/>''19 September 1883''}}		\|Translated text={{right\|''[[Verbovka]]''<br/>''19 September 1883''}}
	Dear Modichka! I received your letter today; I'm glad that you've settled in. We are all fine here. Tomorrow [[Tanya]] leaves for [[Paris]], and [[Nikolay von Meck\|Kolya Meck]] is coming. The other day I was at [[Kamenka]] and had a long conversation with [[Tanya]]. The day before, [[Lyova]] returned from [[Kiev]] and said that he'd seen ~~Blumenfield~~, and spent one evening with him at Kern's, and another at his. [[Tanya]] says that the thought her father would shake hands amicably with this "''scoundrel''" (in general she scolded him terribly) is mortifying to her. I tried to calm her down with the argument that if ''Blumenfeld'' had shunned or too blatantly avoided [[Lyova]], then this would have been even worse. However, although [[Tanya]] wrung her hands as she spoke about this, I know that she slept well both this night and the previous one, and all this doesn't torment her as awfully as one might think, without knowing her as well as I do. She now speaks of ''Ferré'' in a cooler tone. It seems that she now wants to marry ''Kern'', and even have the latter accompany her to [[Paris]] (!!!). I advised her frankly not to rush, and to try to visit Italy in the winter in order to capture some rich Englishman. But from everything she told me, it ''I think'' the upshot is that at the present moment she ''desires'' Kern. She wants to take the child from the wet nurse and place him with relatives of the Beliards. Be that as it may, her leaving is a very good thing. [[Sasha]] immediately became healthy, cheerful, and, in short, the [[Sasha]] of old, as soon as [[Tanya]] left for [[Kamenka]]. [[Lyova]] is not letting [[Tanya]] go for the whole winter, but rather for just 2 months, although she will probably stay longer, and I have a presentiment that she will cost me a lot of money again. Anyway, I won't regret this, provided she enters into marriage.		Dear Modichka! I received your letter today; I'm glad that you've settled in. We are all fine here. Tomorrow [[Tanya]] leaves for [[Paris]], and [[Nikolay von Meck\|Kolya Meck]] is coming. The other day, I was at [[Kamenka]] and had a long conversation with [[Tanya]]. The day before, [[Lyova]] returned from [[Kiev]] and said that he'd seen Blumenfeld, and spent one evening with him at Kern's, and another at his. [[Tanya]] says that the thought her father would shake hands amicably with this "''scoundrel''" (in general she scolded him terribly) is mortifying to her. I tried to calm her down with the argument that if ''Blumenfeld'' had shunned or too blatantly avoided [[Lyova]], then this would have been even worse. However, although [[Tanya]] wrung her hands as she spoke about this, I know that she slept well both this night and the previous one, and all this doesn't torment her as awfully as one might think, without knowing her as well as I do. She now speaks of ''Ferré'' in a cooler tone. It seems that she now wants to marry ''Kern'', and even have the latter accompany her to [[Paris]] (!!!). I advised her frankly not to rush, and to try to visit Italy in the winter in order to capture some rich Englishman. But from everything she told me, ''I think'' the upshot is that at the present moment she ''desires'' Kern. She wants to take the child from the wet nurse and place him with relatives of the Beliards. Be that as it may, her leaving is a very good thing. [[Sasha]] immediately became healthy, cheerful and, in short, the [[Sasha]] of old, as soon as [[Tanya]] left for [[Kamenka]]. [[Lyova]] is not letting [[Tanya]] go for the whole winter, but rather for just 2 months, although she will probably stay longer, and I have a presentiment that she will cost me a lot of money again. Anyway, I won't regret this, provided she enters into marriage.

	The weather has been ideal; there was just sufficient rain yesterday to settle the dust and make my walk more pleasurable — but sowing is still impossible. In my previous letter I wrote to you that I felt ''fine'' here. Now clouds have begun to gather, and from a direction I did not anticipate. For several days now, from various unspoken hints and phrases and generally vague indications, I have noticed a hostile tendency towards ''[[~~Aloysha~~]]''. Yesterday it broke out into a small storm. [[Alyosha]] was sitting at the buffet and having supper, talking in his customary loud fashion, and did not notice how ''Tall Talya'' appeared behind him, and immediately began to take out some papers and money from somewhere. [[~~Aloysha~~]] continued his orations, and Tall Talya (alas, I now know, encouraged by others), saw this as insolence, and ordered him to stand up and shouted at him. No one said anything to me yesterday, but today at dinner [[Sasha]] recounted this story in front of everyone, and not without great exaggeration. Everyone started vying with each other to say that [[Alyosha]] was ignorant, that he was spoiled, that he didn't bow to anyone (all of which is false)... I sat there as if on hot coals. After dinner I questioned [[Alyosha]], who was very upset about this both yesterday and today, and whom I have now calmed down. This tendency will pass, and the wisest thing is not to pay attention to it. Speaking of trends, I'll tell you a few more curiosities: it is said that ''Varya'' is, in essence, most ''colourless and tedious'', and that ''Manya'' is exceptionally likeable and kind. ''Marya Nikolayevna's'' stock is exceptionally high, even astonishingly so, and not only her stock, but also that of all the children. The ''Butakovs''{{'}} is terribly low, and they are treated coldly. ''[[Tolya]] and [[Parasha]]''{{'}}s is also very ''low''; they are not spoken of at all, and when I express sympathy for [[Parasha]] and [[Tolya]], everyone remains silent.		The weather has been ideal; there was just sufficient rain yesterday to settle the dust and make my walk more pleasurable — but sowing is still impossible. In my previous letter I wrote to you that I felt ''fine'' here. Now clouds have begun to gather, and from a direction I did not anticipate. For several days now, from various unspoken hints and phrases and generally vague indications, I have noticed a hostile tendency towards ''[[Alyosha]]''. Yesterday it broke out into a small storm. [[Alyosha]] was sitting at the buffet and having supper, talking in his customary loud fashion, and did not notice how ''Tall Talya'' appeared behind him, and immediately began to take out some papers and money from somewhere. [[Alyosha]] continued his orations, and Tall Talya (alas, I now know, encouraged by others), saw this as insolence, and ordered him to stand up and shouted at him. No one said anything to me yesterday, but today at dinner [[Sasha]] recounted this story in front of everyone, and not without great exaggeration. Everyone started vying with each other to say that [[Alyosha]] was ignorant, that he was spoiled, that he didn't bow to anyone (all of which is false)... I sat there as if on hot coals. After dinner I questioned [[Alyosha]], who was very upset about this both yesterday and today, and whom I have now calmed down. This tendency will pass, and the wisest thing is not to pay attention to it. Speaking of trends, I'll tell you a few more curiosities: it is said that ''Varya'' is, in essence, most ''colourless and tedious'', and that ''Manya'' is exceptionally likeable and kind. ''Marya Nikolayevna's'' stock is exceptionally high, even astonishingly so, and not only her stock, but also that of all the children. The ''Butakovs''{{'}} is terribly low, and they are treated coldly. ''[[Tolya]] and [[Parasha]]''{{'}}s is also very ''low''; they are not spoken of at all, and when I express sympathy for [[Parasha]] and [[Tolya]], everyone remains silent.

	If I mention all this not without sarcasm, this is because I still haven't altogether calmed down from the unpleasantness over the tale with [[Alyosha]]. But all the same, it's very good for me here, and truly, [[Modichka]], the most pleasant form of life {{*}} is in the ''country'', genuinely far removed from the capitals. The instrumentation of the suite is giving me great pleasure; I feel that it will sound lovely. My walks are very pleasant, and particularly these last few days the weather has been so wonderful that it's impossible to describe. I've been reading a great deal. In the evenings I read and review the "''Géographie universelle''" by Reclus, which [[Anna]] gives me in instalments, two of which I've already seen. Most interesting.		If I mention all this not without sarcasm, this is because I still haven't altogether calmed down from the unpleasantness over the tale with [[Alyosha]]. But all the same, it's very good for me here, and truly, [[Modichka]], the most pleasant form of life {{*}} is in the ''country'', genuinely far removed from the capitals. The instrumentation of the suite is giving me great pleasure; I feel that it will sound lovely. My walks are very pleasant, and particularly these last few days the weather has been so wonderful that it's impossible to describe. I've been reading a great deal. In the evenings I read and review the "''Géographie universelle''" by Reclus, which [[Anna]] gives me in instalments, two of which I've already seen. Most interesting.

	There is something astonishing about ''the charm of children''. For ages I had to force myself to admire ''Rina'', but little by little she has won me over, and now not even two weeks have passed since my arrival, and already I practically adore her, and even find her pretty, whereas at first she seemed almost repugnant to me. Arriving here I found a parcel waiting for me from ''[[Tkachenko]]'' in Poltava. When opened, it turned out to contain all my ''letters'' to him. Since when he wanted to take his own life the first time, he sent me 2 of my letters, this time I also surmised that this his way of informing me of his imminent suicide. However, I was only worried for the first minute; then for some reason I decided that, surely, my [[Tkachenko]] was alive. And indeed, today I receive a request from him for money, without any mention of my letters. His letter is, as always, in a mocking tone. A pitiable but unsympathetic fellow.		There is something astonishing about ''the charm of children''. For ages I had to force myself to admire ''Rina'', but little by little she has won me over, and now not even two weeks have passed since my arrival, and already I practically adore her, and even find her pretty, whereas at first she seemed almost repugnant to me. Arriving here, I found a parcel waiting for me from ''[[Tkachenko]]'' in Poltava. When opened, it turned out to contain all my ''letters'' to him. Since when he wanted to take his own life the first time, he sent me 2 of my letters, this time I also surmised that this is his way of informing me of his imminent suicide. However, I was only worried for the first minute; then for some reason I decided that, surely, my [[Tkachenko]] was alive. And indeed, today I receive a request from him for money, without any mention of my letters. His letter is, as always, in a mocking tone. A pitiable but unsympathetic fellow.

	Old Sestritsa must have been taken ill, even seriously so, from consuming too many melons and watermelons. She is now better. She often makes us laugh with her absent-mindedness, and [[Sasha]] has learned to imitate it remarkably well. She often remembers you as a child; it turns out that she adored you in particular.		Old Sestritsa must have been taken ill, even seriously so, from consuming too many melons and watermelons. She is now better. She often makes us laugh with her absent-mindedness, and [[Sasha]] has learned to imitate it remarkably well. She often remembers you as a child; it turns out that she adored you in particular.

Brett at 18:25, 22 December 2024

2024-12-22T18:25:39Z

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Brett: Text replacement - "все-таки" to "всё-таки"

2020-04-23T12:54:19Z

Text replacement - "все-таки" to "всё-таки"

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{{letterhead
|Date=19 September/1 October 1883
|To=[[Modest Tchaikovsky]]
|Place=[[Verbovka]]
|Language=Russian
|Autograph=[[Klin]] (Russia): {{RUS-KLč}} (a{{sup|3}}, No. 1717)
|Publication={{bib|1901/24|Жизнь Петра Ильича Чайковского ; том 2}} (1901), p. 603–605 (abridged)<br/>{{bib|1955/37|П. И. Чайковский. Письма к близким}} (1955), p. 301<br/>{{bib|1970/86|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том XII}} (1970), p. 235–237 (abridged)<br/>{{bib|1981/81|Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Letters to his family. An autobiography}} (1981), p. 296 (English translation)
}}
==Text==
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian
|Translator=
|Original text={{right|''Вербовка''<br/>''19 сент[ября] 1883''}}
Милый Модичка! Получил сегодня твоё письмо; радуюсь, что вы устроились. У нас здесь всё благополучно. Завтра Таня уезжает в Пари ж, и завтра же приезжает Коля Мекк. На днях я был в Каменке и имел продолжительную беседу с 'Таней. Накануне Лева вернулся из Киева и рассказывал, что виделся с Блуменф[ельдом] и провёл один вечер с ним у Керна, а другой у него самого. Таня говорит, что для неё убийственна мысль, что отец дружески подаёт руку этому «''негодяю''» (вообще она ужасно его бранила). Я старался успокоить её тем аргументом, что если бы ''Б[луменфельд]'' отворачивался или слишком явно избегал бы Леву, — то ещё было бы хуже. Впрочем, хотя Таня, говоря про это, ломала руки, но я знаю, что и эту, и предыдущую ночь она спала хорошо и всё это не так ужасно мучит её, как можно было бы думать, если не так хорошо знать её, как я знаю. О ''Ferré'' она говорит теперь с тоном более холодным. Кажется, она хочет выйти теперь за ''Керна'' и последний даже провожает её до Парижа (!!!). Я ей откровенно советовал не торопиться и попробовать зимой побывать в Италии, дабы попытаться увлечь какого-нибудь богатого англичанина. Но из всего, что она мне говорила, ''кажется'' можно заключить, что она ''хочет'' в настоящую минуту именно Керна. Ребёнка она хочет взять от кормилицы и поместить к родственникам Беляров. Как бы там ни было, но очень хорошо, что она уезжает. Саша тотчас стала здорова, весела, одним словом прежняя Саша, как только Таня уехала в Каменку. Лева отпускает Таню не на всю зиму, а лишь на 2 месяца, но она, вероятно, останется дольше, и я предчувствую, что она опять будет мне стоить много денег. Впрочем, я не пожалею их, если б только она вышла замуж.

Погода стоит идеальная; дождя выпало вчера как раз настолько, чтобы прибить пыль и увеличить для меня удовольствие прогулки, — а сеять всё-таки нельзя. В прошедшем письме я тебе писал, что мне здесь ''хорошо''. Теперь уже набежали тучки, и со стороны, откуда я их не ожидал. Уже несколько дней сряду из разных недосказанных фраз и намёков и вообще неопределённых признаков я заметил враждебное веяние против ''Алёши''. Вчера оно разразилось маленькой грозой. Алёша сидел в буфете и ужинал, по своей привычке громко разговаривая, и не заметил, как за спиной у него появилась ''длинная талья'' и стала тут же откуда-то доставать какие-то бумаги и деньги. Алёша продолжал ораторствовать, и длинная талья (увы, настроенная другими, я это знаю) усмотрела в этом дерзость, велела ему встать и кричала на него. Мне никто ничего не сказал вчера, но сегодня за обедом Саша при всех и не без сильного преувеличения рассказала эту историю. Все наперерыв начали говорить, что Алёша невежа, что он избалован, что он никому не кланяется (и всё это ложь)... Я сидел как на угольях. После обеда расспросил Алёшу, который и вчера и сегодня очень расстроен этим, и теперь я успокоился. Веянье пройдёт, и умнее всего не обращать на это внимание. По поводу веяний скажу тебе ещё несколько курьёзов: про ''Варю'' говорится, что она, в сущности, самая ''бесцветная и скучная'', и что ''Маня'' необыкновенно симпатична и мила. Необычайно высоки акции ''Марьи Николаевны'', даже до удивления, и не только её акции, но и всех детей. ''Бутаковы'' низки страшно, и отношения холодные. ''Толя и Параша'' очень ''низки'' тоже; об них ничего не говорится вовсе, и когда я сочувственно отзываюсь о Параше и Тане, — всё молчат.

Если я не без едкости указываю на все это, то это потому, что у меня ещё всё-таки не совсем улеглось неприятное чувство по поводу истории с Алёшей. Но всё-таки мне здесь очень хорошо, и право, Модичка, всё-таки самая приятная форма жизни есть жизнь в ''деревне'', в настоящей, удалённой от столиц. Инструментовка сюиты доставляет мне большое удовольствие; чувствую, что она будет мило звучать. Прогулки мои очень приятны, и особенно в последние дни погода стоит до того чудная, что нельзя ничем выразить это. Чтения у меня много. По вечерам я прочитываю и просматриваю «''Géographie universelle''» Reclus, которую Анна даёт мне по частям из коих две уже я просмотрел. Очень много интересного.

Удивительное дело ''детская прелесть''. Долго я насиловал себя, чтобы восхищаться ''Риной'', но мало-помалу она взяла своё, и вот не прошло ещё двух недель с моего приезда, а я уже её почти обожаю и даже нахожу хорошенькой, тогда как сначала она мне показалась почти отталкивающей. Приехавши сюда я нашёл ожидавшую меня посылку из Полтавы от ''Ткаченко''. По раскрытии оказалось, что это всё мои ''письма'' к нему. Так как когда он хотел в первый раз лишить себя жизни, то прислал мне 2 письма моих, то и в этот раз я понял, что он как бы уведомляет меня о предстоящем самоубийстве. Однако ж только в первую минуту я был несколько обеспокоен; потом я почему-то решил, что, наверное, мой Ткаченко жив. И действительно, сегодня получаю от него просьбу о присылке денег, без всякого упоминания о письмах моих. Письмо его, как всегда, в насмешливом тоне. Жалкий но малосимпатичный человек.

Старушка сестрица, должно быть, обкушавшись арбузами и дынями, расхворалась и была даже серьёзно больна. Теперь ей лучше. Она часто смешит нас своей рассеянностью, и Саша выучилась удивительно хорошо изображать её. Она очень часто вспоминает тебя в детстве; оказывается, что она питала к тебе особенное обожание.

Засим прощай, Модичка. Обнимаю тебя и Колю от всей души.
{{right|П. Чайковский}}
От Эммы получил милое письмо. Она умеет с большим ''юмором'' говорить о трёх Кондратьевых, и в последнем письме ''Мэри'' изображена чудно.
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* ''За исключением заграницы с Модей и Колей''.

|Translated text=
}}