1 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 1: Colson Media book Club book Club book Club. Hello, and 2 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:11,800 Speaker 1: welcome to the Closlone Media book Club, the only book 3 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: club where you don't have to do the reading because 4 00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 1: I do the reading for you. I'm your host, Margaret Kiljoy, 5 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:20,799 Speaker 1: and every week I bring you stories. And this week 6 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:22,639 Speaker 1: you're gonna be so surprised about what I'm going to do. 7 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 1: I'm going to bring you a story. This story is 8 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:32,200 Speaker 1: by Tolstoy, that's right, the most famous author, guy who 9 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: no one actually reads. I mean some people read. He 10 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: rise very long books and they're very Russian. And I 11 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:40,880 Speaker 1: decided to read the story because I just finished reading 12 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 1: a bunch of stories by mcgone, the Mexican anarchist, and 13 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 1: I was like, I think I'm going to do some 14 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: like anarchist fiction as a kick. And Tolstoy's an interesting character. 15 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: He's often seen as the sort of founder of Christian anarchism, 16 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 1: and whenever he comes up in like every history episode 17 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 1: that I do, if it's vaguely related to Eastern Europe 18 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: or in Russia in particular. But I haven't actually done 19 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: as much of a deep dive on him in particular 20 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:10,000 Speaker 1: as I would like to, partly because I suspect he 21 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:12,400 Speaker 1: was actually kind of a terrible person, but I don't know, 22 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 1: because I haven't done it yet. And I like reading 23 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:18,640 Speaker 1: these stories not because I'm like, this is the way 24 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:21,039 Speaker 1: that we should all think about politics, but instead as 25 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 1: ways of understanding, like this is the way that some 26 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: people were thinking about politics. These are influential ways of 27 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 1: understanding ideas. And the thing about mcgaughone that we read 28 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 1: in the last two weeks is that he wrote a 29 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 1: fair amount, but his primary thing was that he was 30 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:39,679 Speaker 1: a revolutionary, not that he was a writer, and in 31 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:42,399 Speaker 1: particular a writer of fiction. Although again he wrote a 32 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: fair amount of fiction, but they're very simple and direct stories, 33 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: and that doesn't make them worse or better. But Tolstoy 34 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:52,559 Speaker 1: is like a writer, and he's like a writer's writer 35 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 1: and stuff, and so I thought it'd be an interesting 36 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: comparison to make this particular story. It's called After the Dance. 37 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:03,320 Speaker 1: It's also translated as After the Ball. It was written 38 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 1: in nineteen oh three, and it wasn't unpublished. It wasn't 39 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 1: published until nineteen eleven. He died in nineteen ten, so 40 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: this is published posthumously, and so it's set well after 41 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:18,079 Speaker 1: he's written the books that have made him famous. Anyway, 42 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:22,920 Speaker 1: this story, and you say that a man cannot of 43 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 1: himself understand what is good and evil, that it is 44 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 1: all environment, that the environment swamps the man. But I 45 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 1: believe it is all chance. Take my own case. Thus 46 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 1: spoke our excellent friend Ivan Vasilovitch, after a conversation between 47 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:45,080 Speaker 1: us on the impossibility of improving individual character without a 48 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:49,639 Speaker 1: change of conditions under which men live. Nobody had actually 49 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: said that one could not of oneself understand good and evil. 50 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 1: But it was a habit of Ivan Vasilovitch to answer 51 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 1: in this way the thoughts aroused in his own mind 52 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 1: by conversation, and to illustrate those thoughts by relating incidents 53 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 1: in his own life. He often quite forgot the reason 54 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:09,239 Speaker 1: for his story in telling it, but he always told 55 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:13,679 Speaker 1: it with great sincerity and feeling. He did so. Now 56 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: take my own case. My whole life was molded not 57 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:22,799 Speaker 1: by environment, but by something quite different. By what. Then 58 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 1: we asked, Oh, that is a long story. I should 59 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:28,800 Speaker 1: have to tell you about a great many things to 60 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: make you understand well. Tell us. Then, ivan Vasilovitch thought 61 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 1: a little and shook his head. My whole life, he said, 62 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 1: was changed in one night, or rather mourning why what happened? 63 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 1: One of us asked, what happened was that I was 64 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 1: very much in love. I have been in love many times, 65 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 1: but this was the most serious of all. It is 66 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: a thing of the past. She has married daughters now. 67 00:03:57,320 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 1: It was Varenka b ivan Vasilov mentioned her surname. Even 68 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 1: at fifty she is remarkably handsome, But in her youth, 69 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 1: at eighteen, she was exquisite, tall, slender, graceful, and stately. Yes, 70 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: stately is the word. She held herself very erect by instinct, 71 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 1: as it were, and carried her head high, and that, 72 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:21,159 Speaker 1: together with her beauty and height, gave her a queenly 73 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:24,799 Speaker 1: air in spite of being thin, even bony. One might say, 74 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 1: it might indeed have been deterring had it not been 75 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: for her smile, which was always gay and cordial, and 76 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 1: for the charming light in her eyes, and for her 77 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:43,920 Speaker 1: youthful sweetness. What an entrancing description you give ivan Vassilovitch description. Indeed, 78 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:46,360 Speaker 1: I could not possibly describe her so that you could 79 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: appreciate her. But that does not matter. What I am 80 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:52,160 Speaker 1: going to tell you happened in the forties. I was 81 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:55,599 Speaker 1: at the time a student in a provincial university. I 82 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 1: don't know whether it was a good thing or no. 83 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 1: But we had no political clubs, no theory in our universities. 84 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 1: Then we were simply young and spent our time as 85 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:08,599 Speaker 1: young men do, studying and amusing ourselves. I was a 86 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:13,080 Speaker 1: very gay, lively, careless fellow, and had plenty of money too. 87 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 1: I had a fine horse and used to go to 88 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 1: boggaining with the young ladies. Skating had not yet come 89 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: into fashion. I went to drinking parties with my comrades. 90 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:26,479 Speaker 1: In those days we drank nothing but champagne. If we 91 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:29,360 Speaker 1: had no champagne, we drank nothing at all. We never 92 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: drank vodka as they do now. Evening parties and balls 93 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:37,159 Speaker 1: were my favorite amusements. I danced well, and I was 94 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 1: not an ugly fellow. Come, there is no need to 95 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: be modest interrupted a lady near him. We have seen 96 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: your photograph. Not ugly. Indeed, you are a handsome fellow. 97 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:53,039 Speaker 1: Handsome if you like, that does not matter. When my 98 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 1: love for her was at its strongest on the last 99 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:58,680 Speaker 1: day of the carnival, I was at a ball at 100 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:02,599 Speaker 1: the Provincial Marshals. A good natured old man, rich and hospitable, 101 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 1: and a court chamberlain. The guests were welcomed by his wife, 102 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:09,839 Speaker 1: who was as good natured as himself. She was dressed 103 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 1: in puce colored velvet and had a diamond diadem on 104 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: her forehead, and her plump, old white shoulders and bosom 105 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 1: were bare, like the portraits of Empress Elizabeth, the daughter 106 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:23,479 Speaker 1: of Peter the Great. It was a delightful ball. It 107 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 1: was a splendid room with a gallery for the orchestra, 108 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 1: which was famous at the time, and consisted of serfs 109 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 1: belonging to a musical landowner. The refreshments were magnificent, and 110 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 1: the champagne flowed in rivers. Though I was fond of 111 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:41,040 Speaker 1: the champagne, I did not drink that night, because without 112 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 1: it I was drunk with love. But I made up 113 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: for it by dancing waltzes and polkas till I was 114 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:52,279 Speaker 1: ready to drop, of course, whenever possible. With Varenka, she 115 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:55,279 Speaker 1: wore a white dress with a pink sash, white shoes, 116 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:58,359 Speaker 1: and white kid gloves which did not quite reach to 117 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: her thin pointed elbow. A disgusting engineer named Anaismov robbed 118 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:07,039 Speaker 1: me of the marazuka with her to this day I 119 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 1: cannot forgive him. He asked her for the dance the 120 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 1: minute she arrived, and while I had driven to the 121 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 1: hairdressers to get a pair of gloves and was late. 122 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 1: So I did not dance the Mazurka with her, but 123 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 1: with a German girl to whom I had previously paid 124 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 1: a little attention. But I am afraid I did not 125 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: behave very politely to her that evening. I hardly spoke 126 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 1: or looked at her, and saw nothing but the tall, 127 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 1: slendid figure in a white dress with a pink sash, 128 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 1: a flushed, beaming, dimpled face, and sweet kind eyes. I 129 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: was not alone. They were all looking at her with admiration, 130 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 1: the men and women alike. Although she outshone all of them, 131 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 1: they could not help but admiring her. Although I was 132 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 1: not nominally her partner for the Mazurka, I did, as 133 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 1: a matter of fact, dance nearly the whole time with her. 134 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 1: She always came forward boldly the whole length of the 135 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 1: room to pick me out. I flew to meet her 136 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 1: without waiting to be chosen, and she thanked me with 137 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 1: a smile for my intuition. When I was brought up 138 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 1: to her with somebody else, and she guessed wrongly. She 139 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 1: took the other man's hand with a shrug of her 140 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:19,280 Speaker 1: slim shoulders, and smiled at me regretfully, much like the 141 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:23,080 Speaker 1: regret that you might feel if you don't take advantage 142 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:27,920 Speaker 1: of pressing the skip forward several times button, or listening 143 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:44,319 Speaker 1: to ads and buying stuff. And we're back Whenever there 144 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 1: was a waltz figure in the mazurka, I waltzed with 145 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 1: her for a long time, and breathing fast and smiling, 146 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 1: she would say, encore. And I went on waltzing and waltzing, 147 00:08:55,280 --> 00:09:00,080 Speaker 1: as though unconscious of any bodily existence. Come now, how 148 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:01,760 Speaker 1: could you be unconscious of it? If your arm was 149 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:04,559 Speaker 1: around her waist, you must have been conscious not only 150 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 1: of your own existence, but of hers, said one of 151 00:09:07,679 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 1: the party, Ivan Vassilovitch, cried out, almost shouting in anger. 152 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 1: There you are moderns all over. Nowadays you think of 153 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 1: nothing but the body. It was different in our day, 154 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 1: the more I was in love, the less corporeal she 155 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:26,560 Speaker 1: was in my eyes. Nowadays you think of nothing but 156 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:30,560 Speaker 1: the body. Nowadays you set legs, ankles, and I don't 157 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:33,080 Speaker 1: know what you undressed the women you were in love 158 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 1: with in my eyes, as Alfonse Carr said, and he 159 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:40,360 Speaker 1: was a good writer. The one I loved was always 160 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 1: draped in robes of bronze. We never thought of doing so. 161 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: We tried to veil her nakedness like Noah's good natured son. 162 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 1: Oh well, you can't understand. Don't pay attention to him, 163 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:59,120 Speaker 1: go on, said one of them. Well, I danced for 164 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 1: the most part with her and did not notice how 165 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:04,520 Speaker 1: time was passing. The musicians kept playing the same mazurka 166 00:10:04,559 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 1: tunes over and over again, in desperate exhaustion. You know 167 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:11,320 Speaker 1: what it is. Towards the end of a ball, Papa's 168 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:13,959 Speaker 1: and mamas were already getting up from the card tables 169 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 1: in the drawing room, and expectation of supper, the men 170 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 1: servants were running to and fro bringing in things. It 171 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 1: was nearly three o'clock. I had to make the most 172 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:27,559 Speaker 1: of the last minutes. I chose her again for the mazurka, 173 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:31,679 Speaker 1: and for the hundredth time, we danced across the room 174 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 1: the quadrille. After supper is mine, I said, taking her 175 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:38,440 Speaker 1: to her place. Of course, if I am not carried 176 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 1: off home, she said, with a smile, I won't give 177 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:45,680 Speaker 1: you up, I said, give me my fan anyhow, she answered, 178 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:48,439 Speaker 1: I am so sorry to part with it, I said, 179 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:52,960 Speaker 1: handing her a cheap white fan. Well, here's something to 180 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 1: console you, she said, plucking a feather out of the 181 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 1: fan and giving it to me. I took the feather 182 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 1: and could only express my rapture and gratitude with my eyes. 183 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 1: I was not only pleased and gay, I was happy, delighted. 184 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 1: I was good. I was not myself but some being 185 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 1: not of this earth, knowing nothing of evil. I hid 186 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:16,680 Speaker 1: the feather in my glove and stood there, unable to 187 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 1: tear myself away from her. Look they are urging father 188 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 1: to dance, she said to me, pointing to the tall, 189 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 1: stately figure of her father, a colonel with silver epulets, 190 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:32,679 Speaker 1: who was standing in the doorway with some ladies. Varenka, 191 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:35,560 Speaker 1: come here, exclaimed our hostess, and the lady with a 192 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:39,280 Speaker 1: diamond fairron air with her shoulders like Elizabeth in a 193 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 1: loud voice. Varenka went to the door, and I followed her. 194 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 1: Persuade your father to dance the mazurka with me, Mancherie, 195 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:50,920 Speaker 1: do please, Peter Vassilovitch, she said, turning to the colonel 196 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:56,160 Speaker 1: Varenka's father was a very handsome, well preserved old man. 197 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,599 Speaker 1: He had good color mustaches curled in the style of 198 00:11:59,679 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 1: Nikolas the First, and white whiskers which met the mustaches. 199 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 1: His hair was combed on to his forehead, and a 200 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 1: bright smile like his daughter's was on his lips. In 201 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:14,400 Speaker 1: his eyes, he was splendidly set up, with a broad 202 00:12:14,559 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 1: military chest, on which he wore some decorations, and he 203 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:22,760 Speaker 1: had powerful shoulders and long, slim legs. He was that 204 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 1: ultra military type produced by the discipline of Emperor Nicholas 205 00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 1: the First. When we approached the door, the colonel was 206 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 1: just refusing to dance, saying that he had quite forgotten 207 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:37,760 Speaker 1: how But at that instant he smiled, swung his arm 208 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:41,080 Speaker 1: gracefully round to the left, drew his sword from its sheath, 209 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:44,200 Speaker 1: handed it to an obliging young man who stood near, 210 00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 1: and smoothed his suede glove on his right hand. Everything 211 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:52,199 Speaker 1: must be done according to rule, he said, with a smile. 212 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:55,199 Speaker 1: He took the hand of his daughter and stood one 213 00:12:55,320 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 1: quarter turned, waiting for the music. At the first sound 214 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 1: of the mazurka, he stamped one foot smartly through the 215 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 1: other forward, and at first slowly and smoothly, then buoyantly 216 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:11,120 Speaker 1: and impetuously, with stamping of feet and clicking of boots, 217 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:14,640 Speaker 1: his tall, imposing figure moved through the length of the room. 218 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:19,720 Speaker 1: Varenka swayed gracefully beside him, rhythmically and easily, making her 219 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 1: steps short or long with her little feet and their 220 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:27,600 Speaker 1: white satin slippers. All the people in the room followed 221 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:30,280 Speaker 1: every movement of the couple. As for me, I not 222 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:34,320 Speaker 1: only admired, I regarded them with enraptured sympathy. I was 223 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 1: particularly impressed with the old gentleman's boots. They were not 224 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 1: the modern pointed affairs, but were made of cheap leather, 225 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 1: square toed, and evidently built by the regimental cobbler in 226 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:49,720 Speaker 1: order that his daughter might dress and go out in society. 227 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 1: He did not buy fashionable boots, but wore homemade ones, 228 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:58,199 Speaker 1: I thought, and his square toes seemed to me most touching. 229 00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 1: It was obvious that in his time he had been 230 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:04,320 Speaker 1: a good dancer, but now he was too heavy and 231 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 1: his legs had not spring enough for all the beautiful 232 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:10,680 Speaker 1: steps he tried to take. Still, he contrived to go 233 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 1: twice around the room, when at the end, standing with 234 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:16,920 Speaker 1: legs apart. He suddenly clicked his feet together and felt 235 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: on one knee a bit heavily, and she danced gracefully 236 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 1: around him, smiling and adjusting her skirts, and the whole 237 00:14:22,880 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 1: room applauded. Rising with an effort, he tenderly took his 238 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 1: daughter's face between his hands. He kissed her on the forehead, 239 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 1: and brought her to me. Under the impression that I 240 00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:35,440 Speaker 1: was her partner for the Mazurka, I said, I was 241 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:39,360 Speaker 1: not well. Never mind, just go around the room once 242 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 1: with her, he said, smiling kindly, as he replaced his 243 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 1: sword in the sheath. As the contents of the bottle 244 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 1: flow readily when the first drop has been poured, so 245 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 1: my love for Verenka seemed to set free the whole 246 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:56,400 Speaker 1: force of loving within me. In surrounding her, it embraced 247 00:14:56,440 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 1: the world. I loved the hostess with her diet, him 248 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 1: and her shoulders, like Elizabeth and her husband, and her guests, 249 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:06,760 Speaker 1: and her footman, even the engineer Anismov, who felt peevish 250 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: towards me. As for Varenka's father, with his homemade boots 251 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:13,280 Speaker 1: and his kind smile, so like her own. I felt 252 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 1: a sort of tenderness for him. That was almost rapture. 253 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:20,960 Speaker 1: After summer, I danced the promised quadrille with her, and 254 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:24,320 Speaker 1: though I had been infinitely happy before, I grew still 255 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 1: happier with every moment. We did not speak of love. 256 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:31,000 Speaker 1: I neither asked myself nor her whether she loved me. 257 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:34,000 Speaker 1: It was quite enough to know that I loved her. 258 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: I had only one fear that something might come to 259 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 1: interfere with my great joy. When I went home and 260 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:44,320 Speaker 1: began to undress for the night, I found it quite 261 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 1: out of the question. I held the little feather out 262 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:50,680 Speaker 1: of her fan in my hand, and one of her gloves, 263 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 1: which she gave me when I helped her into the 264 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 1: carriage after her mother. Looking at these things, and without 265 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 1: closing my eyes, I could see her before me as 266 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 1: she was for an instant when she thought she had 267 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 1: to choose between two partners. She tried to guess what 268 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 1: kind of person was represented in me, and I could 269 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:11,200 Speaker 1: hear her sweet voice as she said, pride, am I right, 270 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 1: and merrily gave me her hand. At supper, she took 271 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:17,200 Speaker 1: the first sip from my glass of champagne, looking at 272 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: me over the rim with her caressing glance. But plainest 273 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:22,400 Speaker 1: of all, I could see her as she danced with 274 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 1: her father, gliding along beside him and looking at the 275 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:29,720 Speaker 1: admiring observers with pride and happiness. He and she were 276 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 1: united in my mind in one rush of pathetic tenderness. 277 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: And you know what else is awkward, like the way 278 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 1: that people in old timey describe things like this, cutting 279 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 1: to ads in the middle of a story that's also awkward. 280 00:16:45,160 --> 00:17:01,400 Speaker 1: And yet here we all are, and we're back. I 281 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 1: was living then with my brother, who has since died. 282 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 1: He disliked going out and never went to dances, and 283 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 1: besides he was busy preparing for his last university examinations 284 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 1: and was leading a very regular life. He was asleep. 285 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 1: I looked at him, his head buried in the pillow 286 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 1: and half covered with the quilt, and I affectionately pitied him, 287 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 1: pitying him for his ignorance of the bliss I was 288 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:27,480 Speaker 1: experiencing our surf Patrushia had met me with a candle, 289 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 1: ready to undress me, but I sent him away. His 290 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:34,280 Speaker 1: sleepy face and toussled hair seemed to me so touching. 291 00:17:34,960 --> 00:17:36,679 Speaker 1: Trying not to make a noise, I went to my 292 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 1: room on tiptoe and sat down on my bed. No, 293 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:43,879 Speaker 1: I was too happy. I could not sleep, Besides, it 294 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:47,160 Speaker 1: was too hot in the rooms. Without taking off my uniform, 295 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:49,959 Speaker 1: I went quietly into the hall, put on my overcoat, 296 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 1: opened the front door, and stepped out into the street. 297 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:55,880 Speaker 1: It was after four when I had left the ball. 298 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 1: Going home and stopping there a while had occupied two hours, 299 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:02,679 Speaker 1: so by the time I went out it was dawn. 300 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:06,680 Speaker 1: It was regular carnival weather, foggy, and the road full 301 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:10,240 Speaker 1: of water soaked, snow just melting, and water dripping from 302 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:13,960 Speaker 1: the eaves. Varenka's family lived on the edge of town, 303 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:16,600 Speaker 1: near a large field, one end of which was a 304 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:19,679 Speaker 1: parade ground. At the other end was a boarding school 305 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 1: for young ladies. I passed through our empty little street 306 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:26,960 Speaker 1: and came to the main thoroughfare, where I met pedestrians 307 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:30,480 Speaker 1: and sledges laden with wood, the runners grating the road. 308 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:34,959 Speaker 1: The horses swung with regular paces beneath their shining yokes, 309 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 1: their backs covered with straw mats, and their heads wet 310 00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:41,520 Speaker 1: with rain, while the drivers in enormous boots splashed through 311 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:44,880 Speaker 1: the mud beside the sledges. All of this, the very 312 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:50,000 Speaker 1: horses themselves seemed to me stimulating and fascinating, full of suggestion. 313 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:54,040 Speaker 1: When I approached the field near their house, I saw 314 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:55,800 Speaker 1: at one end of it, in the direction of the 315 00:18:55,800 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 1: parade ground, something very huge and black. I heard sounds 316 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:03,880 Speaker 1: of fife and drum proceeding from it. My heart had 317 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 1: been full of song, and I had heard an imagination 318 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:10,959 Speaker 1: the tune of the mazurka. But this was very harsh music. 319 00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:15,399 Speaker 1: It was not pleasant. What can that be? I thought, 320 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:18,000 Speaker 1: and went towards the sound by a slippery path through 321 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 1: the center of the field. Walking about a hundred paces, 322 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:24,000 Speaker 1: I began to distinguish many black objects through the mist. 323 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 1: They were evidently soldiers. It is probably a drill, I thought, 324 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:32,439 Speaker 1: So I went along in that direction, in company with 325 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: a blacksmith who wore a dirty coat and an apron, 326 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:38,800 Speaker 1: and he was carrying something. He walked ahead of me. 327 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:42,080 Speaker 1: As we approached the place, the soldiers in black uniforms 328 00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 1: stood in two rows, facing each other, motionless, their guns 329 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:49,440 Speaker 1: at rest. Behind them stood the fifes and drums incessantly 330 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:54,080 Speaker 1: repeating the same unpleasant tune. What are they doing, I 331 00:19:54,119 --> 00:19:58,120 Speaker 1: asked the blacksmith, who halted at my side. A tartar 332 00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:00,640 Speaker 1: is being beaten through the ranks. For his attempt to dessert, 333 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:03,840 Speaker 1: said the blacksmith in an angry tone, as he looked 334 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:07,640 Speaker 1: intently at the far end of the line. I looked 335 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 1: in the same direction and saw between the files something 336 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:13,120 Speaker 1: horrid approaching me. The thing that approached me was a 337 00:20:13,160 --> 00:20:16,600 Speaker 1: man stripped to the waist, fastened with cords to the 338 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:20,560 Speaker 1: guns of two soldiers who were leading him. At his side, 339 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:24,119 Speaker 1: an officer and overcoat and cap was walking, whose figure 340 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:27,680 Speaker 1: had a familiar look. The victim advanced under the blows 341 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:31,000 Speaker 1: that rained upon him from both sides, his whole body plunging, 342 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 1: his feet dragging through the snow. Now he threw himself backward, 343 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:39,200 Speaker 1: and the subalterns who led him thrust him forward. Now 344 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 1: he fell forward, and they pulled him up short while 345 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:45,720 Speaker 1: ever at his side marched the tall officer with firm 346 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:50,719 Speaker 1: and nervous pace. It was Varenka's father, with his rosy 347 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:55,320 Speaker 1: face and white mustache. At each stroke, the man, as 348 00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:58,199 Speaker 1: if a maze, turned his face, grimacing with pain, towards 349 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:01,280 Speaker 1: the side whence the blow came, and, showing his white teeth, 350 00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:04,640 Speaker 1: repeated the same words over and over, but I could 351 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:07,360 Speaker 1: only hear what the words were. When he came quite near. 352 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:11,520 Speaker 1: He did not speak them. He sobbed them out. Brothers 353 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 1: have mercy on me, Brothers have mercy on me. But 354 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:20,160 Speaker 1: the brothers had no mercy. And when the procession came 355 00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 1: close to me, I saw how a soldier who stood 356 00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:25,719 Speaker 1: opposite me took a firm step forward, and, lifting his 357 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:28,840 Speaker 1: stick with a whirr, brought it down upon the man's back. 358 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 1: The man plunged forward, but the subalterns pulled him back, 359 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:35,720 Speaker 1: and another blow came down from the other side, then 360 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 1: from this side, and then from the other. The colonel 361 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:41,359 Speaker 1: marched beside him, and, looking now at his feet and 362 00:21:41,359 --> 00:21:44,760 Speaker 1: now at the man, inhaled the air, puffed out his cheeks, 363 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 1: and breathed it out between his protruded lips. When they 364 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:51,840 Speaker 1: passed the place where I stood, I caught a glimpse 365 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:54,000 Speaker 1: between the two files of the back of the man 366 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:59,200 Speaker 1: who was being punished. It was something so many colored, wet, red, unnatural, 367 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 1: that I could hardly believe it was a human body. 368 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:07,280 Speaker 1: My God, muttered the blacksmith. The procession moved further away, 369 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:10,720 Speaker 1: the blows continued to rain upon the writhing, falling creature. 370 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:14,680 Speaker 1: The fifes shrilled, and the drums beat and the tall, 371 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:17,800 Speaker 1: imposing figure of the colonel moved alongside the man, just 372 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:21,960 Speaker 1: as before. Then, suddenly the colonel stopped and rapidly approached 373 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:24,880 Speaker 1: a man in the ranks. I'll teach you to hit 374 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:28,919 Speaker 1: him gently. I heard his furious voice say, will you 375 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:32,280 Speaker 1: pat him like that? Will you? And I saw how 376 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:36,840 Speaker 1: his strong hand in the suede glove struck the weak, bloodless, 377 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:40,879 Speaker 1: terrified soldier from not bringing down his stick with sufficient 378 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:44,720 Speaker 1: strength on the red neck of the tartar. Bring new sticks, 379 00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:48,480 Speaker 1: he cried, and looking round, he saw me, assuming an 380 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:51,639 Speaker 1: air of not knowing me, and with a ferocious, angry frown, 381 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:56,560 Speaker 1: he hastily turned away. I felt so utterly ashamed, I 382 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:59,040 Speaker 1: didn't know where to look. It was as if I 383 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:02,639 Speaker 1: had been detected in a disgraceful act. I dropped my 384 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:06,360 Speaker 1: eyes and quickly hurried home. All the way I had 385 00:23:06,359 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 1: the drums beating and the fifes whistling in my ears, 386 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:13,240 Speaker 1: and I heard the words brothers, have mercy on me? 387 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:17,800 Speaker 1: Or will you pat him? Will you? My heart was 388 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:21,320 Speaker 1: full of physical disgust that was almost sickness, so much 389 00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:24,240 Speaker 1: so that I halted several times on my way, where 390 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:25,959 Speaker 1: I had the feeling that I was going to be 391 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 1: really sick from all the horrors that had possessed me 392 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:31,680 Speaker 1: that night. I do not remember how I got home 393 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 1: and got to bed, but the moment I was about 394 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:37,280 Speaker 1: to fall asleep, I heard and saw again all that 395 00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:41,160 Speaker 1: had happened, and I sprang up. Evidently he knows something 396 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:43,800 Speaker 1: I do not know. I thought about the colonel. If 397 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:47,680 Speaker 1: I knew what he knows, I should certainly grasp understand 398 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:50,600 Speaker 1: what I have just seen, and it would not cause 399 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:53,840 Speaker 1: me much suffering. But however much I thought about it, 400 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:56,560 Speaker 1: I could not understand the thing that the Colonel knew. 401 00:23:57,119 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 1: It was evening before I could get to sleep, and 402 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:02,280 Speaker 1: then only after calling on a friend and drinking till 403 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 1: I was quite drunk. Do you think I had come 404 00:24:05,359 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 1: to the conclusion that the deed I had witnessed was wicked? Oh? No, 405 00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:12,560 Speaker 1: Since it was done with such assurance and was recognized 406 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 1: by everyone as indispensable, they doubtless knew something which I 407 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:19,960 Speaker 1: did not know. So I thought and tried to understand, 408 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:24,760 Speaker 1: but no matter, I could never understand it then or afterwards, 409 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:27,760 Speaker 1: and not being able to grasp it, I could not 410 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 1: enter the service as I had intended. I don't mean 411 00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 1: only the military service. I did not enter the civil 412 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:37,159 Speaker 1: service either, And so now I have been of no 413 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:41,720 Speaker 1: use whatsoever, as you can now see. Yes, we know 414 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:44,760 Speaker 1: how useless you've been, said one of us. Tell us, rather, 415 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:46,920 Speaker 1: how many people would be of any use at all 416 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 1: if it hadn't been for you. Oh that's utter nonsense, 417 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:54,600 Speaker 1: said Ivan Vassilovitch with genuine annoyance. Well, then what about 418 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:59,200 Speaker 1: the love affair? My love it decreased from that day when, 419 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:02,399 Speaker 1: as often happened, and she looked dreamy and meditative. I 420 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:05,560 Speaker 1: instantly recollected the colonel on the parade ground and felt 421 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:07,919 Speaker 1: so awkward and uncomfortable that I began to see her 422 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:12,800 Speaker 1: less frequently. So my love came to nought. Yes, such 423 00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:16,399 Speaker 1: chances arise, and they alter and direct a man's whole life, 424 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 1: he said, And summing up, and you say, and that's 425 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:25,840 Speaker 1: the end of the story, this story. And now I 426 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:27,960 Speaker 1: always pointed out that I always say this story is 427 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:30,480 Speaker 1: interesting to me. But although I won't say I like 428 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:32,359 Speaker 1: this story so much. Instead, I'll say that the story 429 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:33,920 Speaker 1: is really interesting in me, and I think it's really 430 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 1: well written. But it's also, like I mean, it's written 431 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:38,400 Speaker 1: in from my point of view fundamentally misogynist form. Right, 432 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:42,760 Speaker 1: it is fundamentally I had this thing, I had this 433 00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:47,439 Speaker 1: love of this beautiful woman, and it fell apart. I 434 00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:50,600 Speaker 1: lost it because of my disgust at her father. Right, 435 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:55,520 Speaker 1: But interestingly and not this story is actually based on 436 00:25:55,560 --> 00:25:58,119 Speaker 1: what happened to his brother, Serge, who was courting the 437 00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:00,880 Speaker 1: daughter of a commander and then watched the mander overseeing 438 00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:03,000 Speaker 1: the beating of a soldier, was like, I can't do 439 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 1: any of this. I want to have nothing to do 440 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:07,520 Speaker 1: with any of this, and like stopped courting the daughter. 441 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:09,879 Speaker 1: And the fact that it's related to that is like 442 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:12,639 Speaker 1: particularly interesting, right because at the beginning of this story, 443 00:26:13,359 --> 00:26:15,520 Speaker 1: the protagonist Ivan Vasilovich is like, oh, I was living 444 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:18,760 Speaker 1: with my brother who since died, and this is written 445 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:22,040 Speaker 1: about his brother, only the story didn't come out until 446 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:24,240 Speaker 1: actually he died, and so it's kind of a weird 447 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:27,280 Speaker 1: ghost story, I don't know whatever. And it's not written 448 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:29,159 Speaker 1: in a form that people would write most stories now, 449 00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 1: where it's this entire build up and then this complete reversal. 450 00:26:32,840 --> 00:26:35,080 Speaker 1: You know, this story is absolutely cut into two completely 451 00:26:35,119 --> 00:26:38,520 Speaker 1: opposite parts to give us this sense of this high right, 452 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:42,000 Speaker 1: this like you know, overwrought love story, although I think 453 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:43,919 Speaker 1: that all along the overall love story is like and 454 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:46,080 Speaker 1: then the serfs brought us stuff, But maybe everyone just 455 00:26:46,640 --> 00:26:48,280 Speaker 1: I don't know, whatever, you know. It seems to be 456 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:50,359 Speaker 1: aware of class, but maybe it's not aware of class. 457 00:26:50,359 --> 00:26:53,280 Speaker 1: Maybe I'm just hyper aware of class. It doesn't feel 458 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:56,040 Speaker 1: like it's aware of the feminist implications of itself. But 459 00:26:56,119 --> 00:26:59,560 Speaker 1: just yeah, this idea of like he can't even be mad. 460 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:02,399 Speaker 1: He's like, oh, yes, I'm clearly the bad one because 461 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:06,920 Speaker 1: I don't understand how society works. Is like such an 462 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:10,880 Speaker 1: interesting and dark take. And yeah, that's the story about 463 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:12,960 Speaker 1: a soldier running a gauntlet told from the point of 464 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:16,600 Speaker 1: view of some rich guy who watches it and it 465 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:19,760 Speaker 1: fox his entire life up. And it's called After the 466 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:22,720 Speaker 1: Dance by Tolstoi. Thanks for listening, and next week I'll 467 00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:25,399 Speaker 1: read you more stories. It could Happen here as a 468 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:28,280 Speaker 1: production of cool Zone Media. For more podcasts from cool 469 00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:31,400 Speaker 1: Zone Media, visit our website Coolzonemedia dot com, or check 470 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 1: us out on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 471 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:37,040 Speaker 1: you listen to podcasts. You can find sources where It 472 00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:40,320 Speaker 1: Could Happen here. Updated monthly at cool zonemedia dot com, 473 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 1: slash sources, thanks for listening.