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264
SÖNYA KOVALÉVSKY
A real Russian he is into the bargain. He has more genius
and originality in one of his little fingers than you could squeeze
out of both yours put together, even if you pat them under a
hydraulic press.
The rest of the letter only contains the outlines of
Sonya’s plans for the summer’s trip, which were not
realized, so I only quote the most important facts:
I cannot believe I shall go to Bologna [to the Jubilee, at
which she had always intended to be present], partly because
such a journey, including dresses and everything, would be too
expensive, and partly because all such celebrations are tedious
and not at all to my taste. It is also very important that I should
be in Paris for a short time. I intend to stay there from May
15th to June 15th. After that we shall come with fat Mr. M-
to meet you in Italy, and, as far as I can see, shall certainly
spend ten months there with you. That is the chief thing, but
where is a matter of detail which affects me less. I, for my part,
propose the Italian lakes or Tyrol. But M-would prefer to
make us accompany him to the Caucasus via Constantinople. I
admit that this is very tempting, especially as he assures me that
it would not be very expensive. But on that point I have my
doubts, and I think it would be more suitable for us to keep to
well-known and civilized countries. There is another reason
which, to my mind, is in favor of the first plan. I should like,
during the summer, to write down some of my dreams and
fancies, and you must also begin to work after three months’
rest. This is only possible if we settle down in some quiet place
and lead a regular idyllic life. I have never been so tempted to
write romance as when with fat M-. Despite his vast
proportions—which, by the by, are quite in keeping with the character
of a Russian boydr—he is still the most perfect hero for a novel
(a realistic novel, of course) that I have ever met with. I
believe that he is also a good critic, with a touch of the sacred
fire.
Nothing came of our plans for meeting that summer.
Sönya joined her new Russian friend in London at the
end of May, and later in the summer she went to the
Harz Mountains, and looked up Weierstrass in order
to get his advice on the final editing of her work.
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