# Anton: Chapter 11



## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Although Anton was sad to part with Katerina now, he did not expect the silence of correspondence that followed in the 3 months of summer. No letters, no messengers came of any kind. The silence was deafening for him.
Concert engagements came and went, and he made a very decent profit over the summer, almost 1,000 roubles, and his Suite for 2 Pianos was undoubtedly hailed as his best work yet. This disappointed him a bit, since he loved his larger works as well, particularly his symphony, and yet it was already fading in value in people's minds. However, his greatest focus was working on the opera, which had taken him exceedingly long time to work on. Although he wasn't the greatest perfectionist, he was very self-critical of his vocal music, and it took him much time just how to work out the voices. During the academic year, he had almost no time to compose on it.
Composers from St. Petersburg came and went as well, and Anton renewed his relations with all of them, particularly Alexander Konstantinovich who he became on great terms with. All this helped Anton forget about the lingering anxiety he had about Katerina. Around this time, he began to be more open about it in discussion, having stifled his emotions for far too long. Of course, no one had anything particularly encouraging to say, and gave him no clear advice. But all of those he met, even Piotr Ilyich, supported the idea of marriage.
Finally, when the academic school year began in September, Anton felt compelled to send a message to Katerina to meet her again. There was no response from her.
Immediately, his greatest fears arose in his soul, ideas that he had long avoided. He didn't have to wait long to have them confirmed.
An evening after leaving the Conservatory, there was an envelope at his doorstep. He opened it and found it a formally documented letter.

_Anton Stepanovich ------- ,

I find it pertinent to inform you that from this moment forward, matters between you and my company are at an end. It has been made known to me that you had illicit intentions so as to gain personal favor with us. There will be no more talk of contracts between you and the Gutheil family, business-wise. Furthermore, all connections, formal and private, are from this moment on to be cut off except in formal circumstances. There will be no more correspondences.

Karl Gutheil

Gutheil Publishing & Co.
_
Anton stared at the piece of paper, pale with rage.
"NO!" he yelled and ran into his salon to reread it. It was all there. A formal, emotionless rejection of his person, not his music.
"How could it all end like this?! After _everything!!_" he yelled aloud, his voice choking. He threw the letter on the ground and wept bitterly, like he hadn't for many years.
Although what exactly he said afterward he couldn't remember, his servants thought he had lost his mind and he was going to do something desperate for all his yelling into space.
Anton did not turn up at the Conservatory the next day. Sergei, who was concerned what happened to Anton, went to his house. He found him lying face down in his salon with several empty vodka bottles around him.
"What! Are you trying to kill yourself Anton?!" he cried, and tried to shake his friend from his stupor. But he didn't wake. He flipped him around to see Anton's ashen face, and that he was still breathing. Sergei then saw the letter on the ground, and read it through. Finally he understood.
Getting Anton's servants out from the corners of the house, Sergei made them take care of him, and called a doctor. He watched his friend carefully the rest of the day until he awoke.
Sergei knew things would never be the same.


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