A Fully Glossed Russian Text of “The Death of Ivan Ilich” with Explanatory and Interpretive Annotations
Chapter 3
Так шла жизнь Ива́на Ильича́ в продолже́ние семна́дцати лет со вре́мени жени́тьбы. Он был уже́ ста́рым прокуро́ром, отказа́вшимся от не́которых перемеще́ний, ожида́я бо́лее жела́тельного ме́ста, когда́ неожи́данно случи́лось одно́ неприя́тное обстоя́тельство, совсе́м бы́ло нару́шившее его́ споко́йствие жи́зни.[1] Ива́н Ильи́ч ждал ме́ста председа́теля в университе́тском го́роде, но Го́ппе забежа́л ка́к-то вперёд и получи́л э́то ме́сто. Ива́н Ильи́ч раздражи́лся, стал де́лать упрёки и поссо́рился с ним и с ближа́йшим нача́льством; к нему́ ста́ли хо́лодны и в сле́дующем назначе́нии его́ опя́ть обошли́.
Э́то бы́ло в 1880 году́. Э́тот год был са́мый тяжёлый в жи́зни Ива́на Ильича́. В э́том году́ оказа́лось, с одно́й стороны́, что жа́лованья не хвата́ет на жизнь; с друго́й - что все его́ забы́ли и что то, что каза́лось для него́ по отноше́нию к нему́ велича́йшей, жесточа́йшей несправедли́востью, други́м представля́лось совсе́м обыкнове́нным де́лом. Да́же оте́ц не счита́л свое́й обя́занностью помога́ть ему́. Он почу́вствовал, что все поки́нули его́, счита́я его́ положе́ние с 3500 жа́лованья са́мым норма́льным и да́же счастли́вым. Он оди́н знал, что с созна́нием тех несправедли́востей, кото́рые бы́ли сде́ланы ему́, и с ве́чным пиле́нием жены́, и с долга́ми, кото́рые он стал де́лать, живя́ сверх средств, – он оди́н знал, что его́ положе́ние далеко́ не норма́льно.
Ле́том э́того го́да для облегче́ния средств он взял от́пуск и пое́хал прожи́ть с жено́й лето в дере́вне у бра́та Праско́вьи Фёдоровны.
В дере́вне, без слу́жбы Ива́н Ильи́ч в пе́рвый раз почу́вствовал не то́лько ску́ку, но тоску́ невыноси́мую, и реши́л, что так жить нельзя́ и необходи́мо приня́ть каки́е-нибудь реши́тельные ме́ры.
Проведя́ бессо́нную ночь, кото́рую всю Ива́н Ильи́ч проходи́л по терра́се, он реши́л е́хать в Петербу́рг хлопота́ть и, что́бы наказа́ть их, тех, кото́рые не уме́ли оцени́ть его́, перейти́ в друго́е министе́рство.
На друго́й день, несмотря́ на все отгово́ры жены́ и шу́рина, он пое́хал в Петербу́рг.
Он е́хал за одни́м; вы́просить ме́сто в пять тысяч жа́лованья. Он уже́ не держа́лся никако́го министе́рства, направле́ния и́ли ро́да де́ятельности. Ему́ ну́жно то́лько бы́ло ме́сто, ме́сто с пятью́ ты́сячами, по администра́ции, по ба́нкам, по желе́зным доро́гам, по учрежде́ниям императри́цы Мари́и, да́же тамо́жни, но непреме́нно пять ты́сяч и непреме́нно вы́йти из министе́рства, где не уме́ли оцени́ть его́.
И вот э́та пое́здка Ива́на Ильича́ увенча́лась удиви́тельным, неожи́данным успе́хом. В Ку́рске подсе́л в пе́рвый класс Ф. С. Ильи́н, знако́мый, и сообщи́л све́жую телегра́мму, полу́ченную ку́рским губерна́тором, что в министе́рстве произойдёт на днях переворо́т: на ме́сто Петра́ Ива́новича назнача́ют Ива́на Семёновича.
Предполага́емый переворо́т, кро́ме своего́ значе́ния для Росси́и, име́л осо́бенное значе́ние для Ива́на Ильича́ тем, что он, выдвига́я но́вое лицо́, Петра́ Петро́вича и, очеви́дно, его́ дру́га Заха́ра Ива́новича, был в вы́сшей сте́пени благоприя́тен для Ива́на Ильича́. Заха́р Ива́нович был това́рищ и друг Ива́ну Ильичу́.
В Москве́ изве́стие подтверди́лось. А прие́хав в Петербу́рг, Ива́н Ильи́ч нашёл Заха́ра Ива́новича и получи́л обеща́ние ве́рного ме́ста в своём пре́жнем министе́рстве юсти́ции.
Че́рез неде́лю он телеграфи́ровал жене́:
"Заха́р ме́сто Ми́ллера при пе́рвом докла́де получа́ю назначе́ние".
Ива́н Ильи́ч благодаря́ э́той переме́не лиц неожи́данно получи́л в своём пре́жнем министе́рстве тако́е назначе́ние, в кото́ром он стал на две сте́пени вы́ше свои́х това́рищей: пять ты́сяч жа́лованья и подъёмных три ты́сячи пятьсо́т. Вся доса́да на пре́жних враго́в свои́х и на всё министе́рство была́ забы́та, и Ива́н Ильи́ч был совсе́м сча́стлив.
Ива́н Ильи́ч верну́лся в дере́вню весёлый, дово́льный, каки́м он давно́ не́ был. Праско́вья Фёдоровна то́же повеселе́ла, и ме́жду ни́ми заключи́лось переми́рие. Ива́н Ильи́ч расска́зывал о том, как его́ все че́ствовали в Петербу́рге, как все те, кото́рые бы́ли его́ врага́ми, бы́ли посрамлены́ и по́дличали тепе́рь пе́ред ним, как ему́ зави́дуют за его́ положе́ние, в осо́бенности о том, как все его́ си́льно люби́ли в Петербу́рге.
Праско́вья Фёдоровна выслу́шивала э́то и де́лала вид, что она́ ве́рит э́тому, и не противоре́чила ни в чём, а де́лала то́лько пла́ны но́вого устро́йства жи́зни в том го́роде, куда́ они́ переезжа́ли. И Ива́н Ильи́ч с ра́достью ви́дел, что э́ти пла́ны бы́ли его́ пла́ны, что они́ схо́дятся и что опя́ть его́ запну́вшаяся жизнь приобрета́ет настоя́щий, сво́йственный ей, хара́ктер весёлой прия́тности и прили́чия.
Ива́н Ильи́ч прие́хал на коро́ткое вре́мя. 10-го сентября́ ему́ на́до бы́ло принима́ть до́лжность и, кро́ме того́, ну́жно бы́ло вре́мя устро́иться на но́вом ме́сте, перевезти́ всё из прови́нции, прикупи́ть, призаказа́ть, ещё мно́гое; одни́м сло́вом, устро́иться так, как э́то решено́ бы́ло в его́ уме́, и почти́ что то́чно так же, как э́то решено́ бы́ло и в душе́ Праско́вьи Фёдоровны.[2]
И тепе́рь, когда́ всё устро́илось так уда́чно, и когда́ они́ сходи́лись с жено́ю в це́ли и, кро́ме того́, ма́ло жи́ли вме́сте, они́ так дру́жно сошли́сь, как не сходи́лись с пе́рвых лет жена́той свое́й жи́зни. Ива́н Ильи́ч бы́ло ду́мал увезти́ семью́ то́тчас же, но настоя́ния сестры́ и зя́тя, вдруг сде́лавшимися осо́бенно любе́зными и ро́дственными к Ива́ну Ильичу́ и его́ семье́, сде́лали то, что Ива́н Ильи́ч уе́хал оди́н.[3]
Ива́н Ильи́ч уе́хал, и весёлое расположе́ние ду́ха, произведённое уда́чей и согла́сием с жено́й, одно́ уси́ливающее друго́е, всё вре́мя не оставля́ло его́. Нашла́сь кварти́ра преле́стная, то са́мое, о чём мечта́ли муж с жено́й. Широ́кие, высо́кие, в ста́ром сти́ле приёмные ко́мнаты, удо́бный грандио́зный кабине́т, ко́мнаты для жены́ и до́чери, кла́ссная для сы́на – всё как наро́чно приду́мано для них. Ива́н Ильи́ч сам взя́лся за устро́йство, выбира́л обо́и, подкупа́л ме́бель, осо́бенно из старья́, кото́рому он придава́л осо́бенный комильфо́тный стиль, оби́вку, и всё росло́, росло́ и приходи́ло к тому́ идеа́лу, кото́рый он соста́вил себе́. Когда́ он до полови́ны устро́ился, его́ устро́йство превзошло́ его́ ожида́нье. Он по́нял тот комильфо́тный, изя́щный и не по́шлый хара́ктер, кото́рый при́мет всё, когда́ бу́дет гото́во. Засыпа́я, он представля́л себе́ за́лу, како́ю она́ бу́дет. Гля́дя на гости́ную, ещё не око́нченную, он уже́ ви́дел ками́н, экра́н, этаже́рку и э́ти сту́льчики разбро́санные, э́ти блю́ды и таре́лки по стена́м и бро́нзы, когда́ они́ все ста́нут по места́м. Его́ ра́довала мысль, как он порази́т Па́шу и Ли́заньку, кото́рые то́же име́ют к э́тому вкус.[4] Они́ ника́к не ожида́ют э́того. В осо́бенности ему́ удало́сь найти́ и купи́ть дёшево ста́рые ве́щи, кото́рые придава́ли всему́ осо́бенно благоро́дный хара́ктер. Он в пи́сьмах свои́х наро́чно представля́л всё ху́же, чем есть, что́бы порази́ть их. Всё э́то так за́нимало его́, что да́же но́вая слу́жба его́, лю́бящего э́то де́ло, заним́ала ме́ньше, чем он ожида́л. В заседа́ниях у него́ быва́ли мину́ты рассе́янности: он заду́мывался о том, каки́е карни́зы на гарди́ны, прямы́е и́ли подо́бранные. Он так был за́нят э́тим, что сам ча́сто вози́лся, переставля́л да́же ме́бель и сам переве́шивал гарди́ны. Раз он влез на ле́сенку, что́бы показа́ть непонима́ющему обо́йщику, как он хо́чет драпи́ровать, оступи́лся и упа́л,[5] но, как си́льный и ло́вкий челове́к, удержа́лся, то́лько бо́ком сту́кнулся об ру́чку ра́мы. Уши́б поболе́л, но ско́ро прошёл – Ива́н Ильи́ч чу́вствовал себя́ всё э́то время осо́бенно весёлым и здоро́вым. Он писа́л: чу́вствую, что с меня́ соскочи́ло лет пятна́дцать.[6] Он ду́мал ко́нчить в сентябре́, но затяну́лось до полови́ны октября́. Зато́ бы́ло преле́стно, - не то́лько он говори́л, но ему́ говори́ли все, кто ви́дели.
В су́щности же, бы́ло то са́мое, что быва́ет у всех не совсе́м бога́тых люде́й, но таки́х, кото́рые хотя́т быть похо́жими на бога́тых и потому́ то́лько похо́жи друг на дру́га: што́фы, чёрное дерево, цветы́, ковры́ и бро́нзы. Тёмное и блестя́щее, – всё то, что все изве́стного ро́да лю́ди делают, что́бы быть похо́жими на всех люде́й изве́стного ро́да. И у него́ бы́ло так похо́же, что нельзя́ бы́ло да́же обрати́ть внима́ние; но ему́ всё э́то каза́лось че́м-то осо́бенным. Когда́ он встре́тил свои́х на ста́нции желе́зной доро́ги, привёз их в свою́ освещённую гото́вую кварти́ру и лаке́й в бе́лом га́лстуке о́тпер дверь в у́бранную цвета́ми пере́днюю, а пото́м они́ вошли́ в гости́ную, кабине́т и а́хали от удово́льствия, – он был о́чень сча́стлив, води́л их везде́, впива́л в себя́ их похва́лы и сия́л от удово́льствия. В э́тот же ве́чер, когда́ за ча́ем Праско́вья Фёдоровна спроси́ла его́, ме́жду про́чим, как он упа́л, он засмея́лся и в ли́цах предста́вил, как он полете́л и испуга́л обо́йщика.
– Я неда́ром гимна́ст. Друго́й бы уби́лся,[7] а я чуть уда́рился вот тут; когда́ тро́нешь - бо́льно, но уже́ прохо́дит; про́сто синя́к.
И они́ на́чали жить в но́вом помеще́нии, в кото́ром, как всегда́, когда́ хороше́нько обжили́сь, недостава́ло то́лько одно́й ко́мнаты, и с но́выми сре́дствами, к кото́рым, как всегда́, то́лько немно́жко - каки́х-нибудь пятьсо́т рубле́й - недостава́ло, и бы́ло о́чень хорошо́. Осо́бенно бы́ло хорошо́ пе́рвое вре́мя, когда́ ещё не всё бы́ло устро́ено и на́до бы́ло ещё устра́ивать: то купи́ть, то заказа́ть, то переста́вить, то нала́дить. Хоть и бы́ли не́которые несогла́сия ме́жду му́жем и жено́й, но о́ба так бы́ли дово́льны и так мно́го бы́ло де́ла, что всё конча́лось без больши́х ссор. Когда́ уже́ не́чего бы́ло устра́ивать, ста́ло немно́жко ску́чно и чего́-то недостава́ть, но тут уже́ сде́лались знако́мства, привы́чки, и жизнь напо́лнилась.
Ива́н Ильи́ч, прове́дши у́тро в суде́, возвраща́лся к обе́ду, и пе́рвое вре́мя расположе́ние его́ ду́ха бы́ло хорошо́, хотя́ и страда́ло немно́го и́менно от помеще́ния. (Вся́кое пятно́ на ска́терти, на што́фе, обо́рванный снуро́к гарди́ны раздража́ли его́: он сто́лько труда́ положи́л на устро́йство, что ему́ бо́льно бы́ло вся́кое разруше́ние.)[8] Но вообще́ жизнь Ива́на Ильича́ пошла́ так, как, по его́ ве́ре, должна́ была́ протека́ть жизнь:[9] легко́, прия́тно и прили́чно. Встава́л он в де́вять, пил ко́фе, чита́л газе́ту, пото́м надева́л вицмунди́р и е́хал в суд. Там уже́ был обмя́т тот хому́т, в кото́ром он рабо́тал; он сра́зу попада́л в него́. Проси́тели, спра́вки в канцеля́рии, сама́ канцеля́рия, заседа́ния - публи́чные и распоряди́тельные. Во всём э́том на́до бы́ло уме́ть исключа́ть всё то сыро́е, жи́зненное, что всегда́ наруша́ет пра́вильность тече́ния служе́бных дел: на́до не допуска́ть с людьми́ никаки́х отноше́ний, поми́мо служе́бных, и по́вод к отноше́ниям до́лжен быть то́лько служе́бный и са́мые отноше́ния то́лько служе́бные. Наприме́р, прихо́дит челове́к и жела́ет узна́ть что́-нибудь, Ива́н Ильи́ч как челове́к недолжностно́й и не мо́жет име́ть никаки́х отноше́ний к тако́му челове́ку; но е́сли есть отноше́ние э́того челове́ка как к чле́ну, тако́е, кото́рое мо́жет быть вы́ражено на бума́ге с заголо́вком, – в преде́лах э́тих отноше́ний Ива́н Ильи́ч де́лает всё, всё реши́тельно, что мо́жно, и при э́том соблюда́ет подо́бие челове́ческих дружелю́бных отноше́ний, то есть учти́вость. Как то́лько конча́ется отноше́ние служе́бное, так конча́ется вся́кое друго́е. Э́тим уме́нием отделя́ть служе́бную сто́рону, не сме́шивая её с свое́й настоя́щей жи́знью, Ива́н Ильи́ч владе́л в вы́сшей сте́пени и до́лгой пра́ктикой и тала́нтом вы́работал его́ до тако́й сте́пени, что он да́же, как виртуо́з, иногда́ позволя́л себе́, как бы шутя́, сме́шивать челове́ческое и служе́бное отноше́ния.[10] Он позволя́л э́то себе́ потому́, что чу́вствовал в себе́ си́лу всегда́, когда́ ему́ пона́добится, опя́ть вы́делить одно́ служе́бное и отки́нуть челове́ческое. Де́ло э́то шло у Ива́на Ильича́ не то́лько легко́, прия́тно и прили́чно, но да́же виртуо́зно. В промежу́тки он кури́л, пил чай, бесе́довал немно́жко о поли́тике, немно́жко об о́бщих дела́х, немно́жко о ка́ртах и бо́льше всего́ о назначе́ниях. И уста́лый, но с чу́вством виртуо́за, отчётливо отде́лавшего свою́ па́ртию, одну́ из пе́рвых скри́пок в орке́стре, возвраща́лся домо́й. До́ма дочь с ма́терью куда́-нибудь е́здили и́ли у них был кто́-нибудь; сын был в гимна́зии, гото́вил уро́ки с репети́торами и учи́лся испра́вно тому́, чему́ у́чат в гимна́зии. Всё бы́ло хорошо́. По́сле обе́да, е́сли не́ было госте́й, Ива́н Ильи́ч чита́л иногда́ кни́гу, про кото́рую мно́го говоря́т, и ве́чером сади́лся за дела́, то есть чита́л бума́ги, справля́лся с зако́нами, - слича́л показа́ния и подводи́л под зако́ны. Ему́ э́то бы́ло ни ску́чно, ни ве́село. Ску́чно бы́ло, когда́ мо́жно бы́ло игра́ть в винт:[11] но е́сли не́ было ви́нта - то э́то бы́ло всё-таки лу́чше, чем сиде́ть одному́ и́ли с жено́й. Удово́льствия же Ива́на Ильича́ бы́ли обе́ды ма́ленькие, на кото́рые он звал ва́жных по све́тскому положе́нию дам и мужчи́н, и тако́е времяпровожде́ние с ни́ми, кот́орое бы́ло бы похо́же на обыкнове́нное препровожде́ние вре́мени таки́х люде́й, так же как гости́ная его́ была́ похо́жа на все гости́ные.
Оди́н раз у них был да́же ве́чер, танцева́ли. И Ива́ну Ильичу́ бы́ло ве́село, и всё бы́ло хорошо́, то́лько вы́шла больша́я ссо́ра с жено́й из-за то́ртов и конфе́т: у Праско́вьи Фёдоровны был свой план, а Ива́н Ильи́ч настоя́л на том, что́бы взять всё у дорого́го конди́тера, и взял мно́го то́ртов, и ссо́ра была́ за то, что то́рты оста́лись, а счёт конди́тера был в со́рок пять рубле́й. Ссо́ра была́ больша́я и неприя́тная, так что Праско́вья Фёдоровна сказа́ла ему́, "Дура́к, кисля́й". А он схвати́л себя́ за́ голову и в сердца́х что-то упомяну́л о разво́де. Но са́мый ве́чер был весёлый. Бы́ло лу́чшее о́бщество, и Ива́н Ильи́ч танцева́л с княги́нею Тру́фоновой, сестро́ю той, кото́рая изве́стна учрежде́нием о́бщества "Унеси́ ты моё го́ре".[12]
Ра́дости служе́бные бы́ли ра́дости самолю́бия; ра́дости обще́ственные бы́ли ра́дости тщесла́вия; но настоя́щие ра́дости Ива́на Ильича́ бы́ли ра́дости игры́ в винт.[13] Он признава́лся, что по́сле всего́, по́сле каки́х бы то ни бы́ло собы́тий, нера́достных в его́ жи́зни, ра́дость, кото́рая, как свеча́, горе́ла пе́ред все́ми други́ми, – э́то сесть с хоро́шими игрока́ми и некрикуна́ми-партнёрами в винт, и непреме́нно вчетверо́м (впятеро́м уж о́чень бо́льно выходи́ть, хотя́ и притворя́ешься, что я о́чень люблю́), и вести́ у́мную, серьёзную игру́ (когда́ ка́рты иду́т), пото́м поу́жинать и вы́пить стака́н вина́. А спать по́сле винта́, осо́бенно когда́ в ма́леньком вы́игрыше (большо́й - неприя́тно), Ива́н Ильи́ч ложи́лся в осо́бенно хоро́шем расположе́нии ду́ха.[14]
Так они́ жи́ли. Круг о́бщества составля́лся у них са́мый лу́чший, е́здили и ва́жные лю́ди, и молоды́е лю́ди.
Во взгля́де на круг свои́х знако́мых муж, жена́ и дочь бы́ли соверше́нно согла́сны и, не сгова́риваясь, одина́ково оттира́ли от себя́ и освобожда́лись от вся́ких ра́зных прия́телей и ро́дственников, замара́шек, кото́рые разлета́лись к ним с не́жностями в гости́ную с япо́нскими блю́дами по стена́м. Ско́ро э́ти друзья́-замара́шки переста́ли разлета́ться, и у Головины́х оста́лось о́бщество одно́ са́мое лу́чшее. Молоды́е лю́ди уха́живали за Ли́занькой, и Петри́щев, сын Дмитри́я Ива́новича Петри́щева и еди́нственный насле́дник его́ состоя́ния, суде́бный сле́дователь, стал уха́живать за Ли́зой, так что Ива́н Ильи́ч уже́ погова́ривал об э́том с Праско́вьей Фёдоровной: не свести́ ли их ката́ться на тро́йках и́ли устро́ить спекта́кль. Так они́ жи́ли. И всё шло так, не изменя́ясь, и всё бы́ло о́чень хорошо́.[15]
- The unpleasant circumstance mentioned here is Ivan Ilich's being passed over for an expected promotion. Since the event is "unpleasant" it has no place in Ivan Ilich's "pleasant" life and strikes him, a few lines later, as being most unjust. This unpleasant occurrence may be seen as one of several warnings which Ivan Ilich receives in the story that his "pleasant" and "seemly" and "well-ordered" life is at odds with the real life which surrounds it. In short, Ivan Ilich's skillfully arranged pleasant life may be just as artificial as his clever one-page summaries of the complex matters that come before him in court. Real life has intervened once before, in Praskovya Fyodorovna's changed behavior when pregnant, and now even his official life (into which he had fled to escape Praskovya Fyodorovna's bad behavior) is disrupted by this failure to provide him with the promotion that he believes he has earned. As before, so now, Ivan Ilich will react to this unpleasantness by attempting to isolate himself from it, by leaving it behind and quitting his post in the Ministry of Justice. On this occasion, however, he will be saved by a lucky change in the higher administration of his department. That these disruptions (later referred to as "stumbles") in the pleasant flow of his life may be seen as warnings seems rather clear from a passage some paragraphs later in which Ivan Ilich thinks that "it was impossible to go on living this way." The Russian text has the phrase "tak zhit' nel'zja" which may be understood to mean either that living so is "not possible" or "not permitted." The final indication that Ivan Ilich's life works neither as he imagines it nor as he would prefer it to work is the onset of his illness, which arises from a "stumble" from a step-stool. In the end it is his sickness which finally convinces him that his life, as he had arranged it and lived it, was false and artificial; as Tolstoy writes, his life was not "the real thing." ↵
- We may wonder if there is any significance to the fact that the text specifies that all of this was decided in the mind of Ivan Ilich and in the soul of Praskovya Fyodorovna. Perhaps there is a suggestion that Ivan Ilich and his wife are unable to distinguish between the products of the mind and of the soul. ↵
- The emphatic repetition in this paragraph of the forms of the verb sxodit'sja/sojtis' ("to come together, to converge") seems to foreground the idea that Ivan Ilich's unexpected promotion, portrayed as a recovery from an unexpected and inappropriate stumble, also restores a welcome sense of unity and togetherness in Ivan Ilich and Praskovya Fyodorovna which has been absent since the very first years of their married life. Not only is the happiness and propriety of their life restored, but also the emotional bond and sense of mutuality between them. And yet this apparent sense of the full repair of Ivan Ilich's life is undercut in at least two ways: the feeling of mutuality and togetherness owes at least some of its strength to the fact that "they lived together very little," and, in the end, Ivan Ilich's intention to move the whole family at once meets resistance and he leaves for the new city alone. The suggestion would appear to be that Ivan Ilich's life has not been substantively changed or mended. He has gotten a higher salary and a promotion in prestige, but the hoped for return of togetherness and emotional convergence proves to be an illusion which can be maintained only so long as the family is not actually together. ↵
- Pasha is the diminutive form of Praskovya (Ivan Ilich's wife) and Lizanka of Elizaveta (their daughter) ↵
- Just as metaphors in the text often possess literal significance, so actual occurrences (here, falling off a ladder) often suggest metaphorical associations (the ladder of success, moving up the ladder, rising another rung on the ladder) and may suggest a hidden cause for the actual event. In this case the cause of Ivan Ilich's fall is merely his concern with the proper hanging of the curtains, but the step-ladder indicates a connection to his life in the service and suggests that it is not merely the curtains which precipitate his fall, his injury, and eventually his illness and death, but his entire all-consuming life in the service itself. It is also important to note that what he is attempting to do on the step-ladder is to arrange the curtains properly, and this connects directly with the other various metaphors of screening and enclosure which play so prominent a role in the artistic rhetoric of the novel. ↵
- An example of the dark humor of the narrative. In fact, Ivan Ilich's fall from the step-ladder and the illness which followed would seem to have taken at least 15 years off of his expected span of life. James Rice discusses humor in the novel at length in "Comic Devices in 'The Death of Ivan Il'ich'," Slavic and East European Journal, vol. 47, no. 1 (Spring 2003), 77-95. ↵
- The Russian here says, literally, "I am not an athlete for nothing. Another might have killed himself [Russ. 'ubilsja']." This is a powerful indicator, once the principle of seeing the literal in the metaphorical in this story is understood, that Ivan Ilich himself is responsible for the condition in which he will find himself. In lavishing all his attention on the pleasant and proper arrangement of his new apartment, in behaving as though his new apartment were the center and essence of his life, he has actually been killing himself. In this way, apparently casual expressions (remember here the phrase, at the end of Chapter Two, that his life in the service "swallowed" him) point the way to a method of reading the text in which the apparent and the actual are at odds with one another. We begin to see metaphors as exact descriptions; we begin to understand that what seems to be a most pleasant life is actually a kind of death; we understand that apparent disasters (his wife's behavior change in pregnancy; being passed over for promotion) are actually timely warnings of possible rescue (the advent of new life; a chance to come out of the official shell which the service has created for him). At a certain point the logic becomes quite inescapable: his illness is not the cause of his death, but the mechanism which returns him to life. ↵
- One thinks here of the similarity between the blemishes on the furnishings, which concern Ivan Ilich so much, and the blemish on himself, the bruise on his side, which he tries to disregard. ↵
- The use of the word "вера" here is suggestive; its basic meaning of "belief" fits the surface sense of the statement, but its other associations--"faith," "religion"--might indicate that Ivan Ilich's deep concern with the material objects surrounding him is to him a kind of basic faith or creed. ↵
- Even at moments when Ivan Ilich's life has in fact become the pleasant and easy thing he wants it to be we are reminded that this life is not his real life. We understand the text to be referring to the distinction between Ivan Ilich's life at home and his life at the office, but since we know that his home life is not less artificial than his office life we are struck by this oblique reminder that there is, beyond both of these artificial, surrogate lives, a real life which would seem to be uniformly ignored wherever he is. ↵
- Vint is a card-game, similar to both bridge and whist, and it is sometimes referred to as Russian whist. Vint means a "screw" in Russian, and the name is given to the game because the four players, each in turn, round and round, propose, bid and overbid each other until one, having bid higher than the others care to follow, makes the trump, and his vis-a-vis plays as his partner. (Source: Wikipedia) ↵
- The name of a charitable society, fictional, but characteristic of the time. ↵
- It would be hard to miss the importance of the image of playing cards to the novel, so insistent is Tolstoy's repetition of it. Ivan Ilich's love affair with the game of vint provides a virtual index of the history of his life. We first hear of it as a new and more dignified social activity gradually displacing dancing and other more youthful pursuits for the increasingly successful official following his early promotions. Later it becomes a favorite activity, and here it is said to be the real joy of his life. In following chapters the increasing physical distress of his illness causes him to be ever more seriously "off his game," culminating (in Chapter Four) in his spoiling an entire evening of cards with his resentment at his own egregious misplaying of a hand. By Chapter Six card playing has disappeared altogether along with virtually all of Ivan Ilich's other social activities. Thus, vint is not only the "real joy" of his life but a symbol of that life itself, and it is instructive to consider the elements of the image of the game. It is played by partners who sit opposite and never touch one another (unlike dancing, the activity it replaced in Ivan Ilich's earlier life); it is played according to strict rules of speaking (the bidding must consist only of pre-determined phrases, many of which are referred to as "conventions") and play (taking turns, correctness of play, close attention to the game to prevent embarrassing blunders). In short, vint is a vivid example of rule-bound, conventional, controlled, and highly decorous activity. As such, it mirrors very closely Ivan Ilich's ideal for his own life, an ideal which he tries to realize in the furnishing and arrangement of the apartment in which he lives. We have seen how it was that effort that led to his fall and the injury which precipitated the onset of his illness. The game, the furnishings, the life of the office, the company he keeps are Ivan Ilich's life--and from them emerges illness and death. Again, that which seems to be one thing is in fact its opposite; Ivan Ilich's life is actually his death. ↵
- The sentence as a whole means: "After vint, and especially after a narrow victory (a large margin of victory is unpleasant), Ivan Ilich would lie down to sleep in a particularly good mood." But the manner in which the sentence is arranged conveys an alternate, and more somber, impression. By dividing the phrase "lozhilsja spat'" ("(he) lay down to sleep') into two parts and reversing the order of the words Tolstoy produces a significant association with the final phrase of the preceding sentence, thus: "to drink a glass of wine. And to sleep after vint . . ." There is a play on words here as well: in Russian "wine" is "vino," matching closely enough with "vint" as to suggest that "vint" is interchangeable with "vino," a drug, a soporific, and that the result of each of them is unconsciousness, oblivion, sleep. Tolstoy elaborates his attitude toward alcohol as a means of hiding from imbibers the awfulness of their empty lives in an essay written not long after "Death of Ivan Ilich" called "Why Do People Stupefy Themselves?" ↵
- This is the starting point of what is perhaps the most direct verbal reminder that things are not what they appear to be. It begins here at the end of chapter three and recurs throughout the final four chapters of the novel. Maude renders the last paragraph of chapter three as "So (Russ. "tak") they lived. And everything went along so (Russ. "tak")." Ivan Ilich's life is identified as "just so." In the last four chapters of the novel the thought that, strange as it seems, his life had been lived "wrongly" (as Maude translates it) occurs several times to Ivan Ilich. An exact translation of these passages would be that "he lived not so (Russ. "ne tak:)" with the result that his life, which had been thought to be "just so" turns out to have been its binary opposite ("not just so") instead, that in fact his "life" was really a form or intimation of death. ↵
Thus went the life of Ivan Ilich
in the course (lit., continuing) of seventeen years from the time of the marriage
He was already senior (lit., old) prosecutor
(who) had turned down several transfers
expecting a more desirable position
when suddenly occurred an unpleasant circumstance
(which) seemed as though it would wreck (lit., might have wrecked) his placidity of life
Ivan Ilich had expected (to get) the position of president (of the court) in a university town
but Hoppe somehow got ahead (of him) (lit., ran somehow ahead)
and received that position
Ivan Ilich was irritated
(he) began to make complaints (lit., reproaches) and quarreled with him (i.e., with Hoppe) and with (his) immediate superiors
to him (they) became cold
and at the next appointment (they) passed over him again
That was in 1880
That year was the heaviest of the life of Ivan Ilich
In that year (it) turned out
on one hand (lit., from one side)
that (his) salary is not enough to live on (lit., for life)
on the other -- that everyone had forgotten him
and that that which seemed to (lit., for) him (to be) the greatest and most bitter injustice in relation to him
to others presented itself as a completely ordinary matter
Even (his) father did not consider (it) his obligation to help him
He felt that everyone had abandoned him (lit., thrown him off)
considering his situation with 3,500 (roubles) of salary most normal and even fortunate
He alone knew that with the consciousness of those injustices which had been done to him
and with the eternal nagging (lit., sawing away) of his wife
and with the debts which he began to make (by) living above his means
he alone knew that his situation is far from normal
In the summer of that year in order to lighten (the burden on his) means
he took a leave and went with his wife to live for the summer in the country at (the home of) the brother of Praskovya Fyodorovna
In the country, without (his) work Ivan Ilich for the first time felt not only boredom, but unbearable angst/depression
and (he) decided that so to live is impossible
and (that) it is necessary to take some sort of decisive measures
Having spent a sleepless night, all of which Ivan Ilich (spent in) walking about on the terrace
he decided to go to Petersburg and stir things up
and, in order to punish them, those who did not know how to value him (properly), to move over into a different ministry
On the next day, despite all the attempts-to-dissuade-him of his wife and brother-in-law
he set off for Petersburg
He went for one (thing only)
to obtain (lit., succeed in requesting) a position with five thousand (roubles) of salary
He no longer insisted on any (particular) ministry, tendency, or kind of activity
To him was necessary only a position
a position with five thousand (rubles of salary)
in administration, in the banks in the railways, in the (charitable) institutions of the Empress Maria, even in customs
but absolutely five thousand and absolutely to get out of the ministry
where (they) did not know how to value him
And here (it was that) this trip of Ivan Ilich was crowned with surprising, unexpected success
In Kursk F. S. Ilin sat down in first class
an acquaintance (of Ivan Ilich), and communicated (the content of) a fresh telegram
just received by the governor of Kursk (region)
that in the ministry in a day or two would take place a turn about
to the position of Peter Ivanovich (they) are appointing Ivan Semenovich
The proposed turn about
besides its significance for Russia
had particular significance for Ivan Ilich
in that he (i.e., Ivan Semenovich), in promoting a new person (lit. "face") Peter Petrovich and, obviously (also) his (i.e., Peter Petrovich's) friend Zakhar Ivanovich, was in the utmost degree favorable (also) for Ivan Ilich
Zakhar Ivanovich was a colleague and friend of Ivan Ilich
In Moscow the news was confirmed
And, having arrived in Petersburg
Ivan Ilich found Zakhar Ivanovich
and (Ivan Ilich) received a promise of a sure place in his former ministry of justice
After a week (i.e., a week later) he telegraphed (his) wife
Zakhar (has gotten) position of Miller
at first report (I) receive appointment
Ivan Ilich thanks to this change of staff (lit., of faces)
unexpectedly received in his former ministry such an (i.e., the kind of) appointment
in which he (now) stood two levels higher than his colleagues
five thousand of salary and of extras (i.e., moving and other expenses) three thousand five hundred
All annoyance at his former enemies and at the entire ministry was forgotten
and Ivan Ilich was completely happy
Ivan Ilich returned to the country happy, pleased, as he for a long time had not been
Praskovya Fyodorovna also cheered up
and between them was concluded a truce
Ivan Ilich told about how everyone had honored him in Petersburg
(about) how all those who had been his enemies were put to shame and bowed and scraped now before him
(about) how (they) envy him for his position
in particular about how everyone was so fond of him (lit., liked him strongly) in Petersburg
Praskovya Fyodorovna would listen to this
and would pretend that she believed it
and (she) didn't contradict (him) in anything
and (she) only made plans of the new arrangement of life in the city where they were moving
And Ivan Ilich with joy saw that these plans were his plans
that they are converging
and that again his life, which had stumbled, was regaining (its) actual, proper character of happy pleasantness and propriety
Ivan Ilich had come (back) for a brief time
On 10 September he had (lit., for him it was necessary) to take up (his new) responsibilities
and, besides that, time was needed to set himself up in the new place
to move everything from the provinces
to buy, to order many things besides
in a word, to set himself up in such a way as this had been decided in his mind
and almost exactly in the same way as this had been decided also in the soul of Praskovya Fyodorovna
And now, when everything had been set up so successfully
and when he and (his) wife had converged in (their) goal and, besides that, lived together (very) little
they got along together in such a friendly way (lit., converged so amicably) as they had not gotten along together since the first years of their married life
Ivan Ilich had been thinking of moving the entire family at once
but the insistence(s) of (his) sister and brother-in-law
(who) had suddenly become particularly loving and familial toward Ivan Ilich and his family
(their insistence) made it so that Ivan Ilich departed alone
Ivan Ilich left
and the merry disposition of spirit
produced by (his) success and by agreement with (his) wife
(each) one strengthening the other
the whole time did not leave him
A charming apartment was found
the very thing of which husband and wife had dreamed
Spacious (lit., broad), high(-ceilinged) reception rooms in the old style
a comfortable, elegant study
rooms for the wife and daughter
a classroom for the son
everything as though on purpose designed (lit., thought up) for them
Ivan Ilich himself undertook the setting up (of the apartment)
(he) selected the wallpapers
(he) bought (supplementary) furnishings
particularly antiques (lit., from old things), to which he ascribed a particularly comme-il-faut style, (and he also supervised) the upholstering
and everthing grew (and) grew and was arriving at that ideal, which he had put together for himself
When he had set (things) up to the halfway point
his set up surpassed his expectation
He understood that comme-il-faut, elegant, and not banal character which everything would take on when (it) was ready
While falling asleep he would imagine to himself the great room, as it would be (when finished)
Looking at the parlor, still not completed
he already saw the fireplace, the screen, the curio case and those small chairs scattered around
(he already saw) these plates and bowls (displayed) on the walls and the bronzes when they would all stand in their places
The thought rejoiced him
(the thought of) how he would impress Pasha and Lizanka, who also have a taste for this
They by no means (would) expect this
In particular he managed to find and buy, cheaply, old things
which gave to everything a particularly noble character
He in his letters purposely represented everything (as) worse than it is
in order to impress them
All of this so occupied him
that even (his) new work occupied him, who loved that activity, less than he expected
During sessions (of the court) he had moments of distraction
he would fall to thinking about what kind of valances for the curtains, straight or curved
He was so taken up by this
that (he) himself often would take an active part, would rearrange even the furniture and would himself rehang the curtains
Once he climbed up onto a step-ladder
in order to show an uncomprehending decorator
how he wants (the curtains) to hang
(he) stumbled and fell
but, as a strong and agile person, he caught himself
only in the side (he) bumped himself against a handle of the (window) frame
The injury hurt, but (it) soon passed
Ivan Ilich felt (throughout) all that time particularly merry and healthy
He wrote
I feel that I have shed 15 years (lit., that from me have jumped off 15 years
He had thought to finish (setting up the apartment) in September
but (it) dragged on until the middle of October
Even so it was charming, -- not only he said(so), but everyone who saw it told him (so)
In essence however it (i.e., the result of Ivan Ilich's decorating efforts) was the same (thing)
that happens with all not completely wealthy people
but who want to be like the wealthy
and therefore are only like one another
(all the same) damasks, ebony, flowers, carpets, and bronzes
Dark (things) and shiny (things)
everything that all people of a certain kind do in order to be like all (other) people of a certain kind
And at his place it was so similar
that it was impossible even to pay (it any) attention
but to him all this seemed (to be) something individual (lit., particular)
After he met his (family) at the railroad station
he brought them to his (brightly) lighted (move-in) ready apartment
and a servant in white tie opened the door into the decorated-with-flowers foyer
and then they went into the parlor, the study and (they) ohed and ahed from pleasure
he was very happy
(he) led them around everywhere, (he) drank into himself their praises and (he) shone from pleasure
On that same evening, when at tea-time Praskovya Fyodorovna asked him, among other things, how he had fallen
he laughed and showed (lit., represented in faces) how he had flown (off the step-ladder) and frightened the upholsterer
I am not for nothing a gymnast (i.e., one who keeps fit by doing gymnastic exercises)
Another (man) would have been killed (etymologically, killed himself)
but I barely hit myself just here
when (you) touch (it) it is painful, but (it) is already passing
(it's) simply a bruise
And they began to live in the new dwelling
in which, as always when (people) (have begun to) feel comfortably at home
(it did seem there) was lacking only one room (i.e., they were just one room short)
and with (their) new (financial) means to which, as always, only a very little--some five hundred rubles--was lacking
and (it) was very good
Particularly good was the first period
when still not everything was set up
and (it) was still necessary to (continue) setting (things up)
now to buy (something), now to order (something), now to rearrange (things), now to get (something) just right
Although there were of course some disagreements between husband and wife
but both were so pleased and there was so much to do
that everything was settled (lit., ended) without big quarrels
When there was no longer anything to arrange
(it) got a bit boring and something (seemed) to be lacking
but here already were established (new) acquaintanceships, habits
and life filled itself up
Ivan Ilich, having spent the morning in court
would come home (lit., would return) for dinner
and at first his mood (lit., the state of his spirit) was good
although (it; i.e. his mood) did suffer a little namely on account of the dwelling
Every spot on the tablecloth, on the upholstery, a broken fastening of the curtain irritated him
he so much effort had put into the arrangement (of the apartment)
that every mar was painful to him
But in general the life of Ivan Ilich went (on)
just as, according to his belief, life ought to have flowed past
easily, pleasantly, appropriately
He would get up at nine, drink coffee, read the newspaper
then (he) would put on (his) uniform and go to court
There the harness in which he worked was already well worn
he at once would fall into it
Petitioners, inquiries in chancery, chancery itself, sessions--public and administrative
In all this (it) was necessary to know how to exclude all the moist, living (elements) that always impede the correctness of the flow of official business
(it) is necessary not to permit with people any relations besides official (ones)
and the grounds for relations ought to be only official and the very relationships themselves (should be) only official ones
For example, a person comes and wishes to learn something
Ivan Ilich as a person not (specifically) responsible (for the given matter) may not have any relations whatever with such a person
but if there is a relationship of that person to a member (of the court, as such)
such (a relationship) as can be expressed on a document with an official heading
in the limits of these relations Ivan Ilich does everything, everything absolutely, that (it is) possible (to do)
and in the course of this (he) observes a semblance of human friendly relations
that is courtesy
As soon as the official relationship is ended
so (also) ends every other (one)
This ability to separate the official side, not mingling it with his real life, Ivan Ilich possessed in the highest degree
and by long practice and talent (he) had developed (lit., worked out) it to such a degree
that he even, like a virtuoso, sometimes would allow himself, as though joking, to mingle the human and official relationships
He allowed this to himself because (he) felt in himself the strength always, when (it) is necessary for him, again to separate out only the official and to cast aside the human
This activity went on in Ivan Ilich not only easily, pleasantly, and appropriately, but even virtuosically
In the breaks (between official actions) he would smoke, drink tea, converse a bit about politics, a bit about common topics, a bit about cards and most of all about official appointments (i.e., about promotions, hirings, etc.)
And tired out
but with the feeling of a virtuoso, precisely having played his part, one of the first violins in the orchestra
(he) would return home
At home daughter and mother would go out somewhere or someone would be visiting them
son would be at school (lit., at the gymnasium, i.e., high school), doing lessons with tutors and learning carefully that which (they) teach in school
Everything was good
After dinner, if there were no guests
Ivan Ilich would read sometimes a book, about which (people) were talking a lot
and in the evening (he) would sit down to work
that is (he) would read (official) papers, would check them against the laws, -- would collate testimonies and relate them to the laws
To him this was neither boring nor fun
(It) was boring when (it) was possible to play vint (i.e., when he could have been playing vint instead)
but if there was no vint - then this was all the same better than sitting alone or with (his) wife
But the pleasures of Ivan Ilich were cozy (lit., small) dinners to which he invited ladies and gentlemen important according to (their) social position
and spending time with them in such a way (lit., such timespending with them)
which would be like the ordinary spending of time of such people
just in the same way as his parlor was like all (other) parlors
One time at their place (there) was even (a party in the) evening, (they) were dancing
And Ivan Ilich was having fun (lit., to Ivan Ilich it was merry)
and everything was fine
only (there) came up a big argument with (his) wife on account of the cakes and candies
Praskovya Fyodorovna had her own plan
and Ivan Ilich had insisted on getting everything from an expensive confectioner, and (he) got (too) many cakes
and the argument was for the (reason) that cakes were left over, and the bill of the confectioner was for forty-five rubles
The argument was big and unpleasant
such that Praskovya Fyodorovna said to him: "Fool, good-for-nothing"
And he clutched his head and in anger made some remark about divorce
But the evening itself was fun
The best society was (there)
and Ivan Ilich danced with Princess Trufonova, the sister of the (Princess Trúfonova) who is famous for founding the society (known as) "Take Away My Sorrow"
The joys of the office were the joys of self-love
the joys of society were the joys of vainglory
but the real joys of Ivan Ilich were the joys of playing vint
He would admit
that despite (lit., after) everything, despite whatever unjoyful events (there were) in his life
the joy which, like a candle, burned before all others
that is to sit down with good players and with partners who were decorous (lit., non-shouters)
and without fail as a foursome (as a fivesome it is really very painful to (have to) sit out, although of course (one) pretends that I like it very much
and to play an intelligent, serious game (when the cards permit)
then to have supper and drink a glass of wine
And to sleep after vint
particularly when one has managed a narrow win (lit., in a small win) (a large (one) is unpleasant)
Ivan Ilich would lie down in a particularly good mood (lit., disposition of spirit)
Just so they lived
The circle of society (that) formed (lit., composed itself) at their place was the very best
came (to visit them) both important people and young people
In (their) view on the circle of their acquaintances husband, wife, and daughter were completely agreed
and, without coming to (any formal) agreement (about it), (they) uniformly rubbed off of themselves and freed themselves
from all the various draggle-tail friends and relatives
who flocked with tender words to their parlor (lit., to them to the parlor) with the Japanese plates on the walls
Soon these draggle-tail friends stopped flocking (there)
and at the Golovins (there) remained only the very best society
The young people came to pay court to Lizanka
and Petrishchev, the son of Dmitry Ivanovich Petrishchev and the sole heir of his estate, an examining magistrate
began to pay court to Liza in such a way that Ivan Ilich had already had a talk about it with Praskovya Fyodorovna
(shouldn't we) get them together to go for a troyka ride or arrange theatricals
And everything went along just so
not changing
and everything was very good
