An Awkward Revolutionary - 13. Chapter XIII

The story so far:
Aleksander has come home from university to stay with his father Novel Vanya, on their small estate where Feliks, his uncle, is also living. Daniil Vinogradov accompanies Aleksander, he is the friend with whom Aleksander has shared his lodgings, he is an amateur artist and studying the history of art. Daniil is also a couple of years older than Aleksander and as he calls himself, is a free thinking man.

Aleksander discovers he has a half-brother, something he finds perfectly fine, although his father was not forthcoming with the revelation.

Feliks, Aleksander's uncle, has a rather unique, if not odd character, and Daniil and his uncle are a little antagonistic. They do not discuss Daniil's artwork at first, but that is another revelation! Aleksander discovers Daniil has engaged their two young stable lads in more than posing nude for his sketching. He tells Daniil about his uncle's libertine past which was almost his ruin.

Daniil pulls Aleksander deeper into his world, involving him in the games he plays, as a free thinker, with the stable lads and handsome young servant Milan.

Feliks warns his brother he believes Daniil is a bad influence and he does not appreciate the goings on of Daniil. An invite to visit their cousin Victor Frolov in Mamovsk serves to get Daniil and Aleksander away from the house

Aleksander has encounters in the provincial town which change his life. He meets Yulian whom Daniil denies is a friend and yet he appears to know him well. They visit a wrestling match organised by Spiridon and are introduced to the young wrestlers. Aleksander falls into bed with the handsome Anton and Misha.

An invitation to the Ball leads to making the acquaintance of Raisa Stepanova who insists they should visit her at her country residence. On his way home, Daniil takes Aleksander to the house of Raisa Stepanova. There is talk of malcontentment and even revolution in the air, but this rather bypasses Aleksander who meets and falls in love with Petya, Raisa Stepanova's younger brother.

Time presses, although it is not certain why, it would seem it might be because of a rumbling turmoil in the country. Aleksander accompanies Daniil home.

With Daniil's visit home we hear how his own father has made concessions to quell the rising tide of the peasants unrest. We also have an incite into Daniil himself and learn of his long standing intimate relationship with a man servant. Aleksander gets to see another, not necessarily agreeable, side to his companion.

There has been talk of revolution and Daniil has shared with Aleksander something of his younger years and thoughts about life in the country, his father, and Aleksander's uncle Feliks. Aleksander does not agree with Daniil's remarks about Feliks Vanya, finding his attitude rather distasteful, which leaves a rift between them.

Aleksander rediscovers Petya and Raisa Stepanova, whilst Daniil continues to argue with Feliks, and at the same time draws closer to Natasha. Although Aleksander and Daniil have parted company having their differences of opinion, Daniil decides he ought to follow after his friend...

Danill wasted no time in leaving and the next day they were enroute for Ryavda.

In their prolonged absence Novel Vanya had been having a hard time dealing with troubles on the estate. Problems with the hired labourers were becoming intolerable. The farming was in turmoil with seemingly everyone demanding something and even when he conceded the bargain was often dishonoured. He had to manage demands for wage increases by some and for settlements for others. Some he gave advances on their wages only to have them leave. Work was sloppy and some horses had fallen sick. A threshing machine ordered from Moscow turned out to be useless for the task, much too heavy.

Novel's estate manager was a lazy man who pretended to be occupied only when he saw him. The man would feign commanding this person or that task, shout at a half-naked urchin, as if he had everything under control. The reality was entirely a different matter.

"I'm at the end of my tether!" Novel Vanya complained to his brother. "I cannot abide sending in the law to settle these disputes, but without such a threat, nothing will happen."

Feliks implored him to remain calm, whilst humming to himself and frowning.

Daniil ignored all this commotion and turmoil, as a guest it was not his place to involve himself in other people's business. It did not, however, escape him that the conflict here was no different from everywhere else. They were perhaps approaching that point of change which seemed to him inevitable, even desirable, in a certain way.

Contrary to Daniil, Aleksander believed he should at least try to aid his father, although he knew little about estate management. In this respect he listened to what Novel Vanya had to say and he attempted to apply some logic so as to arrive at a resolution. However, his heart was not in it, but was rather carried away towards Balapa. He never imagined he would get bored being under the same roof as Daniil, and his own father's roof at that, but he longed to be somewhere else. It was Petya who occupied his thoughts, even more than Daniil's intimations of revolution. After all, what did he, the university student, have to do with such a world?

He had not been home more than ten days when he convinced himself he must act. Much the same as Daniil was reaching a similar conclusion about a wholly different matter, Aleksander carried a secret desire to find himself. He would embark on this adventure alone, for the first time in his life, without any friend or companion at his side.

Daniil had received a message, delivered by a lone rider who had stopped no longer than the time to hand over the letter. Aleksander had been there when the horseman galloped up, and he had stayed as Daniil broke the wax seal, opened the envelope and read the letter.

"I have to take my leave," was all he had said. Aleksander naturally was curious as to the urgent need to suddenly depart, but did not want to be drawn into accompanying his companion. When Daniil neither proffered any further information, nor did it seem he expected Aleksander to leave with him, everything appeared to have resolved itself.

Daniil left the next day after receiving the letter and Aleksander one day later. He said nothing to Daniil about going to Balapa and Daniil gave no indication when he might return, either to Ryavda, his own home, or elsewhere. As such their parting was a strange ending to a comradeship which had been intense and educational, if only lasting for a few months.

*****

As the lofty roofline of the familiar house appeared, Aleksander asked himself what he was doing. The thought that he might be making a mistake suddenly struck him, but it was too late. They crossed the bridge as the coachman sped on the horses and the carriage wheels clattered over the wooden planks. They drew to a halt at the end of the drive, in front of the house. A servant, not the same one as last time, moved towards the carriage. Aleksander looked past him at the slender young figure on the steps. Petya stood there, a broad smile broke across his face as he saw Aleksander clamber out.

"It's you!" Petya said, blushing slightly. "Come, let's find my sister. She's somewhere in the garden. She will be as pleased to see you as I am."

He took Aleksander's arm and pulled him along towards the gardens. Aleksander was overjoyed to find Petya, seeing him there to greet him seemed like an omen. Everything had gone well, no butler, no announcement, rather like meeting his own family. As they turned a bend of the path he saw Raisa Stepanova. She stood with her back to them, but turned upon hearing their footsteps. Aleksander might have been embarrassed, but the first words she spoke put him immediately at ease.
"How lovely you decided to come back."

It was Aleksander's turn to smile, a combination of relief and happiness. "I have brought you something you surely did not expect..."

"You've brought yourself, that's best of all," she interjected. "And what have you done with our Monsieur Vinogradov?"

"Ah! Daniil was called away. Something urgent, but I do not know what."

Raisa turned back to continue her walk through the gardens, Aleksander and Petya accompanied her.

"No doubt he is mixing himself with politics," Raisa said in an almost whimsical fashion.

She deigned disinterest, as if she thought of Daniil as someone playing with life, which might well have been an astute insight. For when Aleksander considered this statement it appeared to him almost like a revelation. He assumed he knew his companion, but listening to Raisa talking, he wondered if he did, or how completely.

"I believe," she continued, "my dear Aleksander, you are somewhat of an awkward revolutionary!"

They turned another corner on the path and faced a statue, surrounded at this time of the year by bare soil.

"This is so beautiful in the Spring." Raisa glanced sideways at Aleksander. "So colourful." She stopped. "I shall leave you two boys now and we shall dine together this evening."

Aleksander and Petya stood and watched as she made her way towards the house. A servant was walking towards her and they saw her exchange a few words. It appeared she had received a letter.

*****

In the few days Daniil had stayed at Ryavda he had not argued with Feliks Vanya, even when Feliks had made no attempt to hide his dislike, but rather the contrary. Aleksander's uncle assumed an exaggerated aristocratic demeanour when in Daniil's company, and freely gave vent to his opinions. At one point they crossed swords over the topic of nihilism and the rights of the Baltic barons. Feliks, however, stopped himself, pronouncing with cool politeness: "We cannot understand each other, at least I have not the honour of comprehending you."

Daniil's reply was oil on the fire. "How one might understand the universe, the rotation of the planet's, the Sun and the Earth, but not be capable of understanding how another man might walk a different way to his own gait. That is beyond his capability."

"Is that witty?" Feliks Vanya asked, leaving without waiting for a reply.

There was another person in the house with whom Daniil had developed a relationship, Natasha. Although they did not open their hearts, the one to the other, they often chatted. Usually in the mornings, taking air in the gardens or strolling around the farmyard. He never went to her room, only on one occasion to take a look at Matvey. Whether their relationship was built out of circumstance or there was an attraction, is difficult to say. Natasha related more easily to Daniil than she did with Novel Vanya himself. She unconsciously sensed his rejection of any superior stance or subjugation to the aristocracy with all its mores. In some way this part of his personality was attractive whilst carrying a hint of alarm. In an environment where almost everything was routine and mundane, Daniil was an exciting, even dangerous, person. One who provoked and encouraged change. One who might commit himself to a direction most would avoid through fear. If one gambled, he could win or risk losing all. She enjoyed their discussions, it was for her, an escape.

Natasha found Daniil attractive and this was reciprocal. She blossomed in his company and grew in confidence. Yet, this was an odd relationship, one which seemed destined towards mutual destruction if it we're pursued beyond that line which designated close friends. Novel Vanya seemed oblivious to their closeness and his brother who had his own attraction to his sister-in-law, saw no further than his own distaste for Daniil. Something which focused his attention on removing the young man from their house and sending him on his way.

One morning Daniil happened upon Natasha in the garden where she was wandering aimlessly, or so it seemed. Approaching her, she was startled by his touch, thinking no one else was about and being surprised.

"Excuse me," he said, gently, "I did not mean to frighten you."

She turned and smiled, "Of course not," she batted her eyelids coyly. "What is that book you are carrying around with you?" She was looking down and had noticed the little red leather bound volume.

"Ah! This?" He raised the book in the air. "A work which speaks of revolution and change." He spoke with an air that intimated one was revealing a secret and yet without actually doing so.

"What a dangerous man you are," Natasha replied, and pulled her coat closer around her to keep out the chill in the air.

"Dangerous? I don't know. Although I have the feeling that your brother-in-law might agree with that sentiment."

"Feliks is a rather parculiar man," she said, enigmatically, and turned to continue her walk.

"May I accompany you?" He asked, stepping next to her.

"Only if you are willing to reveal your revolutionary intentions."

He laughed. "Such as they are," he replied.

As they strolled along the path which turned and led them away from the house, she engaged him in further conversation. It was one of the rare occasions when she felt free to speak and a desire to do so.

"Have you ever thought that you might live to be very old or else you might die young?" She glanced at him without looking directly.

"What a question," was his short reply.

"My grandmother lived until eighty-five, but I think she had not much enjoyment from such a long life. She was housebound and ill. She coughed all the time. I would not welcome such a life."

"Nor I."

His eyes wandered over the slim figure wrapped in her long fur collared coat. It seemed to him like he was looking at her for the first time. Something which was not true, but it was true he suddenly saw her in a new light. One which showed a part of her personality hitherto completely hidden. She had lost her usual reticence and somewhat withdrawn demeanour.

"I am happy you made your return visit, but what of Aleksander? I hope there is no dispute between you?"

"Friendships have a habit of changing. One meets new people and we make new relationships."

As he said this he laid a gentle touch of his hand on her arm.

"Indeed." She stopped a moment. "And your art? You no doubt make many acquaintances through your painting."

"That is something quite different, but yes, you are correct. It would seem such acquaintances are a cause for dispute between myself and Feliks. He does not approve of a mix between classes."

"Ah! It must be that. And perhaps your progressive ideas?"

"Perhaps."

They walked on in silence saying no more, although there was a kind of implicit recognition between them. No words were needed, nor more detail, to know how things stood. Later, when Daniil was alone and he reflected on the situation, he decided this conversation between himself and Natasha had cemented his intentions. He could not rest longer at Ryavda, not risk the worsening of relations with the family, even if it was Feliks the antagonist. He ought, he thought to follow after Aleksander, attempt to reconcile their rift. There were people he needed to see and things which had to be decided.