Tolstoy's" Family Drama

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12199, 25 July 1925, Page 11

Tolstoy's" Family Drama

' , A Daughters Revelations Strango Conflict «*# Footings . -

“Dnee,” a Russian newspaper published in Berlin, prints an interview with Tatiana Lvovna Tolstaya-Sukha-tina, Tolstoy’s eldest daughter, in •which she’describes the domestic life of, Tolstoy and gives her version of the milch-discussed relationship between Tolstoy and his wife. * - “Fourteen years,” she said, “have, elapßed since the death of my father' .and five years since the death of my mother- We children have heard. much that was'true, hut most of the statements made and stories told are untrue: We; were silent. Now, however, it is time ho speak out, since books have been published by so-called friends of my father which contain many misstatements, especially, about'mymdther. ; Tolstoy himself had revealed a.,, great deal in his diaries and’, 'Confession.’ There is therefore no need,; fob me to’ , practise concealment. - ' ! ' • “The early part of Tolstoy’s: married life was very- peaceful. My mother’s time was occupied between the nursing of the children, whose number, was increased every two years until there were thirteen, and the copying in a fair hand of the great writer’s manuscripts. Even when he was away on a journey tjiis labour of-love was • continued incessantly. ‘I am sitting, in your study,’ she writes .to him, ‘and am copying or sorting your papers, and am crying with happiness remembering the past.’ All this belongs to the first twenty years, which may, as a whole, be regarded as a happy period;’ ’ Then began the real -drama. Questions as to the meaning of life and the 1 significance of existence were occupying -Tolstoy’s thoughts, to-the - exclusion of everything else, and it was then tljaf he realised that his wife took not the slightest interest in his philsophy. Civilisation, luxury, and all associated with his mode of, living up tp tlmt daybecame dist&etefal to him. “To cut

- family,” says Tolstoy’s daughter, “all that was new and strange. We were accustomed to travel first class and to buy everything in the best shops, and Bow we- were to live like the peasants. “Wh’ile this struggle was going on at .home Tolstoy was spending his days in visiting barracks and prisons and in ddißg hard manual work in fields and forests. In a letter to a friend he writes* -‘You cannot understand how much I am alone hero. All that is dear to me is disliked by all who are near to me.’ While his wife writes to hersister: ‘You cannot imagine how iso- 1 - lated I’ am. It seems to me that 1 am needed by nobody, that no one is in the least interested in me.’ “Quarrels and scenes were numerous, . hut they led to no permanent estrange- ! ment. .We, children did not understand ' what it was all about, but it eeemed to ms that mother ought to give in and harry out father’s wishes. Eventually the. f -estate -was divided up equally ' among all members of the family. Tolstoy tpok no portion for -himself, and ‘ remained merely as guest of the family. This, however, -did not end the end--1 less friction prevailing between .husband and wife. _ Mother’s soul was , troubled, her feelings were hurt, her egotism was suffering from perpetual injury. She waa always on the look-out for affronts to be redressed, and insisted on passages in the ‘Diaries’ referring to her being omitted. Her search among his paners was so constant -and thorough that it led to lUa concealment of certain writings.. That-' waa his first secret kept from his Wife; and, wishing to write nothing but the truth* he kept the latter portions x>f his diaries .also secret. Mother was on het . guard, Iqould not sleep’ at nights, roam-t ed about the house at all hours oe&reh- ; irig for secret papers, thus making.®aJ- ) ! stoy’s last days _ a veritable .get • he writes in his dairy: ‘lt Ur- logefy ; without her.’ Thus continued"- this strange conflict of feelings until Tali’ stay’s dramatic escape at the age of 1-2 .. and his death at the Astapoya station ; a few days afterwards.”-