LOVE IS A FALLACY (YouTube)

PRINCESS MARY 

I hesitated long before opening the note [from Vera]. What could she have to write to me?

Here it is, that letter whose every word ineffaceably seared itself into my memory:

I am writing to you quite certain that we shall never see each other again. When we parted several years ago, I thought the same; but my weak heart was again conquered by that familiar voice ... This letter is at once a farewell and a confession: I must tell you everything that has been stored in my heart ever since it first learned to love you. I shall not accuse you - you behaved to me as any other man might have done; you loved me as your property, as a source of the reciprocal joys, fears and sorrows without which life would be wearisome and monotonous. I realised this from the very beginning ... But you were unhappy, and I sacrificed myself in the hope that some day you would appreciate my sacrifice, that some day you would understand my infinite tenderness which nothing could affect. Much time has passed since then; I have fathomed all the secrets of your soul ... and I see that mine was a vain hope. How it hurt me! But my love and my soul have melted into one: the flame is dimmer, but it has not died.

We are parting forever; yet you may be certain that I shall never love another; my soul has spent all its treasures, its tears and hopes on you. She who has once loved you cannot but regard other men with some measure of contempt, not because you are better than they - oh no! - but because there is something unique in your nature, something peculiar to you alone, something so proud and unfathomable; whatever you may be saying, your voice holds an invincible power; in no one is the desire to be loved so constant as in you; in no one is evil so attractive; in no one's glance is there such a promise of bliss; nobody knows better than you how to use his advantages, and no one else can be so genuinely unhappy as you, because nobody tries so hard as you to convince himself of the contrary.

Now I must explain the reason for my hasty departure; it will strike you as of little consequence, because it concerns me alone.

This morning my husband came to me and told me about your quarrel with Grushnitsky. My face must have given me away, for he looked me straight in the eye long and searchingly; I nearly fainted at the thought that you were having to fight a duel and that I was the cause; I thought I would lose my mind ... Now, however, when I can reason clearly, I am certain that you will live; it is impossible that you should die without me, impossible! My husband paced the room for a long time; I do not know what he said to me, nor do I remember what I replied ... I probably told him that I loved you ... I only remember that at the end of our conversation he insulted me with a terrible word and left the room. I heard him order the carriage ... For three hours now I have been sitting at the window and awaiting your return ... But you are alive, you cannot die! The carriage is almost ready ... Farewell, farewell! I am lost - but what of it? If I could be certain that you will always remember me - I say nothing of loving me, no - only remember ... Goodbye! Someone is coming ... I have to hide this letter ...

You do not love Mary, do you? You will not marry her? Oh, but you must make this sacrifice for me; I have given up everything in the world for your sake ...

(p. 127-128)

(From MIKHAIL LERMONTOV: "A HERO OF OUR TIME", EVERYMAN CLASSICS/EVERYMAN/J. M. DENT/ Hachette India, 612/614, (6th Floor), Time Tower, MG Road, Sector 28, Gurgaon 122001, India; ISBN 978-93-80143-43-9; 180 pages; Rs. 150; paperback)

Vera is a synonym of Mary?

By the way, I have not met anyone so sweet and gentle and genuine as Ms. Z, the only one in the world I can trust, although I have never spoken to her but only exchanged very brief sweet loving glances with her on the steps of Bombay G.P.O. many years ago. She is nonpareil. None like her.

Incidentally, I have never "fought a duel" over any female. No female is ever so important to Me as to make Me want to "fight a duel" over her, a laughable idea to Me. And also, I am never in an "unhappy" state but am in fact in a constant bizarre state of euphoria. Frankly, love and sex are not the only things in life for Me. (I must be superhuman because I find that I am not affected by emotions which easily crush pathetic humans. - G)

Kishalay Sinha [G]

LOVE IS A FALLACY (YouTube)

Excellent movie adaptations of the highly entertaining dramatic short story "LOVE IS A FALLACY" by Max Shulman are available on YouTube. (I have watched and enjoyed several already.)

Kishalay Sinha [G]