a hero of our time-第10节

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〃'Good　heavens！'　I　said　to　him；　'you　know　you　said　yourself　that　she　was　certain　to　die；　so　what　is　the　good　of　all　these　preparations　of　yours？'

〃'Even　so；　it　is　better　to　do　all　this；'　he　replied；　'so　that　I　may　have　an　easy　conscience。'

〃A　pretty　conscience；　forsooth！

〃After　midday　Bela　began　to　suffer　from　thirst。　　We　opened　the　windows；　but　it　was　hotter　outside　than　in　the　room；　we　placed　ice　round　the　bed　　all　to　no　purpose。　　I　knew　that　that　intolerable　thirst　was　a　sign　of　the　approaching　end；　and　I　told　Pechorin　so。

〃'Water；　water！'　she　said　in　a　hoarse　voice；　raising　herself　up　from　the　bed。

〃Pechorin　turned　pale　as　a　sheet；　seized　a　glass；　filled　it；　and　gave　it　to　her。　　I　covered　my　eyes　with　my　hands　and　began　to　say　a　prayer　　I　can't　remember　what。　。　。　　Yes；　my　friend；　many　a　time　have　I　seen　people　die　in　hospitals　or　on　the　field　of　battle；　but　this　was　something　altogether　different！　　Still；　this　one　thing　grieves　me；　I　must　confess：　she　died　without　even　once　calling　me　to　mind。　　Yet　I　loved　her；　I　should　think；　like　a　father！　。　。　。　　Well；　God　forgive　her！　。　。　。　　And；　to　tell　the　truth；　what　am　I　that　she　should　have　remembered　me　when　she　was　dying？　。　。　。

〃As　soon　as　she　had　drunk　the　water；　she　grew　easier　　but　in　about　three　minutes　she　breathed　her　last！　　We　put　a　looking…glass　to　her　lips　　it　was　undimmed！

〃I　led　Pechorin　from　the　room；　and　we　went　on　to　the　fortress　rampart。　　For　a　long　time　we　walked　side　by　side；　to　and　fro；　speaking　not　a　word　and　with　our　hands　clasped　behind　our　backs。　　His　face　expressed　nothing　out　of　the　common　　and　that　vexed　me。　　Had　I　been　in　his　place；　I　should　have　died　of　grief。　　At　length　he　sat　down　on　the　ground　in　the　shade　and　began　to　draw　something　in　the　sand　with　his　stick。　More　for　form's　sake　than　anything；　you　know；　I　tried　to　console　him　and　began　to　talk。　　He　raised　his　head　and　burst　into　a　laugh！　　At　that　laugh　a　cold　shudder　ran　through　me。　。　。　　I　went　away　to　order　a　coffin。

〃I　confess　it　was　partly　to　distract　my　thoughts　that　I　busied　myself　in　that　way。　　I　possessed　a　little　piece　of　Circassian　stuff；　and　I　covered　the　coffin　with　it；　and　decked　it　with　some　Circassian　silver　lace　which　Grigori　Aleksandrovich　had　bought　for　Bela　herself。

〃Early　next　morning　we　buried　her　behind　the　fortress；　by　the　river；　beside　the　spot　where　she　had　sat　for　the　last　time。　　Around　her　little　grave　white　acacia　shrubs　and　elder…trees　have　now　grown　up。　　I　should　have　liked　to　erect　a　cross；　but　that　would　not　have　done；　you　know　　after　all；　she　was　not　a　Christian。〃

〃And　what　of　Pechorin？〃　I　asked。

〃Pechorin　was　ill　for　a　long　time；　and　grew　thin；　poor　fellow；　but　we　never　spoke　of　Bela　from　that　time　forth。　　I　saw　that　it　would　be　dis…　agreeable　to　him；　so　what　would　have　been　the　use？　　About　three　months　later　he　was　appointed　to　the　E　Regiment；　and　departed　for　Georgia。　　We　have　never　met　since。　　Yet；　when　I　come　to　think　of　it；　somebody　told　me　not　long　ago　that　he　had　returned　to　Russia　　but　it　was　not　in　the　general　orders　for　the　corps。　　Besides；　to　the　like　of　us　news　is　late　in　coming。〃

Hereupon　　probably　to　drown　sad　memories　　he　launched　forth　into　a　lengthy　dissertation　on　the　unpleasantness　of　learning　news　a　year　late。

I　did　not　interrupt　him；　nor　did　I　listen。

In　an　hour's　time　a　chance　of　proceeding　on　our　journey　presented　itself。　　The　snowstorm　subsided；　the　sky　became　clear；　and　we　set　off。　On　the　way　I　involuntarily　let　the　conversation　turn　on　Bela　and　Pechorin。

〃You　have　not　heard　what　became　of　Kaz…　bich？〃　I　asked。

〃Kazbich？　　In　truth；　I　don't　know。　　I　have　heard　that　with　the　Shapsugs；　on　our　right　flank；　there　is　a　certain　Kazbich；　a　dare…devil　fellow　who　rides　about　at　a　walking　pace；　in　a　red　tunic；　under　our　bullets；　and　bows　politely　whenever　one　hums　near　him　　but　it　can　scarcely　be　the　same　person！〃　。　。　。

In　Kobi；　Maksim　Maksimych　and　I　parted　company。　　I　posted　on；　and　he；　on　account　of　his　heavy　luggage；　was　unable　to　follow　me。　We　had　no　expectation　of　ever　meeting　again；　but　meet　we　did；　and；　if　you　like；　I　will　tell　you　how　　it　is　quite　a　history。　。　。　　You　must　acknowledge；　though；　that　Maksim　Maksimych　is　a　man　worthy　of　all　respect。　。　。　　If　you　admit　that；　I　shall　be　fully　rewarded　for　my；　perhaps；　too　lengthy　story。



BOOK　II　MAKSIM　MAKSIMYCH

AFTER　parting　with　Maksim　Maksimych；　I　galloped　briskly　through　the　gorges　of　the　Terek　and　Darial；　breakfasted　in　Kazbek；　drank　tea　in　Lars；　and　arrived　at　Vladikavkaz　in　time　for　supper。　　I　spare　you　a　description　of　the　mountains；　as　well　as　exclamations　which　convey　no　meaning；　and　word…paintings　which　convey　no　image　　especially　to　those　who　have　never　been　in　the　Caucasus。　　I　also　omit　statistical　observations；　which　I　am　quite　sure　nobody　would　read。

I　put　up　at　the　inn　which　is　frequented　by　all　who　travel　in　those　parts；　and　where；　by　the　way；　there　is　no　one　you　can　order　to　roast　your　pheasant　and　cook　your　cabbage…soup；　because　the　three　veterans　who　have　charge　of　the　inn　are　either　so　stupid；　or　so　drunk；　that　it　is　impossible　to　knock　any　sense　at　all　out　of　them。

I　was　informed　that　I　should　have　to　stay　there　three　days　longer；　because　the　〃Adventure〃　had　not　yet　arrived　from　Ekaterinograd　and　consequently　could　not　start　on　the　return　journey。　　What　a　misadventure！＇1＇　。　。　。　But　a　bad　pun　is　no　consolation　to　a　Russian；　and；　for　the　sake　of　something　to　occupy　my　thoughts；　I　took　it　into　my　head　to　write　down　the　story　about　Bela；　which　I　had　heard　from　Maksim　Maksimych　　never　imagining　that　it　would　be　the　first　link　in　a　long　chain　of　novels：　you　see　how　an　insignificant　event　has　sometimes　dire　results！　。　。　。　Perhaps；　however；　you　do　not　know　what　the　〃Adventure〃　is？　　It　is　a　convoy　　composed　of　half　a　company　of　infantry；　with　a　cannon　　which　escorts　baggage…trains　through　Kabardia　from　Vladikavkaz　to　Ekaterinograd。


＇1＇　In　Russian　　okaziya=occasion；　adventure；　etc。；　chto　za　okaziya=how　unfortunate！

The　first　day　I　found　the　time　hang　on　my　hands　dreadfully。　　Early　next　morning　a　vehicle　drove　into　the　courtyard。　。　。　　Aha！　　Maksim　Maksimych！　。　。　。　　We　met　like　a　couple　of　old　friends。　　I　offered　to　share　my　own　room　with　him；　and　he　accepted　my　hospitality　without　standing　upon　ceremony；　he　even　clapped　me　on　the　shoulder　and　puckered　up　his　mouth　by　way　of　a　smile　　a　queer　fellow；　that！　。　。　。

Maksim　Maksimych　was　profoundly　versed　in　the　culinary　art。　　He　roasted　the　pheasant　astonishingly　well　and　basted　it　successfully　with　cucumber　sauce。　　I　was　obliged　to　acknowledge　that；　but　for　him；　I　should　have　had　to　remain　on　a　dry…food　diet。　　A　bottle　of　Kakhetian　wine　helped　us　to　forget　the　modest　number　of　dishes　　of　which　there　was　one；　all　told。　　Then　we　lit　our　pipes；　took　our　chairs；　and　sat　down　　I　by　the　window；　and　he　by　the　stove；　in　which　a　fire　had　been　lighted　because　the　day　was　damp　and　cold。　　We　remained　silent。　　What　had　we　to　talk　about？　　He　had　already　told　me　all　that　was　of　interest　about　himself　and　I　had　nothing　to　relate。　　I　looked　out　of　the　window。　　Here　and　there；　behind　the　trees；　I　caught　glimpses　of　a　number　of　poor；　low　houses　straggling　along　the　bank　of　the　Terek；　which　flowed　seaward　in　an　ever…widening　stream；　farther　off　rose　the　dark…blue；　jagged　wall　of　the　mountains；　behind　which　Mount　Kazbek　gazed　forth　in　his　high…　priest's　hat　of　white。　　I　took　a　mental　farewell　of　them；　I　felt　sorry　to　leave　them。　。　。

Thus　we　sat　for　a　considerable　time。　　The　sun　was　sinking　behind　the　cold　summits　and　a　whitish　mist　was　beginning　to　spread　over　the　valleys；　when　the　silence　was　broken　by　the　jingling　of　the　bell　of　a　travelling…carriage　and　the　shouting　of　drivers　in　the　street。　　A　few　vehicles；　accompanied　by　dirty　Armenians；　drove　into　the　courtyard　of　the　inn；　and　behind　them　came　an　empty　travelling…carriage。　　Its　light　movement；　comfortable　arrangement；　and　elegant　appearance　gave　it　a　kind　of　foreign　stamp。　　Be…　hind　it　walked　a　man　with　large　moustaches。　　He　was　wearing　a　Hungarian　jacket　and　was　rather　well　dressed　for　a　manservant。　　From　the　bold　manner　in　which　he　shook　the　ashes　out　of　his　pipe　and　shouted　at　the　coachman　it　was　impossible　to　mistake　his　calling。　　He　was　obviously　the　spoiled　servant　of　an　indolent　master　　something　in　the　nature　of　a　Russian　Figaro。

〃Tell　me；　my　good　man；〃　I　called　to　him　out　of　the　window。　　〃What　is　it？　　Has　the　'Ad…　venture'　arrived；　eh？〃

He　gave　me　a　rather　insolent　glance；　straight…　ened　his　cravat；　and　turned　away。　　An　Armenian；　who　was　walking　near　him；　smiled　and　answered　for　him　that　the　〃Adventure〃　had；　in　fact；　arrived；　and　would　start　on　the　return　journey　the　following　morning。

〃Thank　heavens！〃　said　Maksim　Maksimych；　who　had　come　up　to　the　window　at　that　moment。　〃What　a　wonderful　carriage！〃　he　added；　〃probably　it　belongs　to　some　official　who　is　going　to　Tiflis　for　a　judicial　inquiry。　　You　can　see　that　he　is　unacquainted　with　our　little　mountains！　　No；　my　friend；　you're　not　serious！　They　are　not　for　the　like　of　you；　why；　they　would　shake　even　an　English　carriage　to　bits！　　But　who　could　it　be？　　Let　us　go　and　find　out。〃

We　went　out　into　the　corridor；　at　the　end　of　which　there　was　an　open　door　leading　into　a　side　ro