a hero of our time-第25节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


unk！　　That　is　all　right！　。　。　。　I　can　dance　all　the　easier；　I　assure　you〃　。　。　。

I　saw　that　she　was　on　the　point　of　fainting　with　fright　and　indignation。

I　went　up　to　the　drunken　gentleman；　caught　him　none　too　gently　by　the　arm；　and；　looking　him　fixedly　in　the　face；　requested　him　to　retire。　〃Because；〃　I　added；　〃the　Princess　promised　long　ago　to　dance　the　mazurka　with　me。〃

〃Well；　then；　there's　nothing　to　be　done！　Another　time！〃　he　said；　bursting　out　laughing；　and　he　retired　to　his　abashed　companions；　who　immediately　conducted　him　into　another　room。

I　was　rewarded　by　a　deep；　wondrous　glance。

The　Princess　went　up　to　her　mother　and　told　her　the　whole　story。　　The　latter　sought　me　out　among　the　crowd　and　thanked　me。　　She　informed　me　that　she　knew　my　mother　and　was　on　terms　of　friendship　with　half　a　dozen　of　my　aunts。

〃I　do　not　know　how　it　has　happened　that　we　have　not　made　your　acquaintance　up　to　now；〃　she　added；　〃but　confess；　you　alone　are　to　blame　for　that。　　You　fight　shy　of　everyone　in　a　positively　unseemly　way。　　I　hope　the　air　of　my　drawing…　room　will　dispel　your　spleen。　。　。　　Do　you　not　think　so？〃

I　uttered　one　of　the　phrases　which　everybody　must　have　ready　for　such　an　occasion。

The　quadrilles　dragged　on　a　dreadfully　long　time。

At　last　the　music　struck　up　from　the　gallery；　Princess　Mary　and　I　took　up　our　places。

I　did　not　once　allude　to　the　drunken　gentleman；　or　to　my　previous　behaviour；　or　to　Grushnitski。　The　impression　produced　upon　her　by　the　unpleasant　scene　was　gradually　dispelled；　her　face　brightened　up；　she　jested　very　charmingly；　her　conversation　was　witty；　without　pretensions　to　wit；　vivacious　and　spontaneous；　her　observations　were　sometimes　profound。　。　。　　In　a　very　involved　sentence　I　gave　her　to　understand　that　I　had　liked　her　for　a　long　time。　　She　bent　her　head　and　blushed　slightly。

〃You　are　a　strange　man！〃　she　said；　with　a　forced　laugh；　lifting　her　velvet　eyes　upon　me。

〃I　did　not　wish　to　make　your　acquaintance；〃　I　continued；　〃because　you　are　surrounded　by　too　dense　a　throng　of　adorers；　in　which　I　was　afraid　of　being　lost　to　sight　altogether。〃

〃You　need　not　have　been　afraid；　they　are　all　very　tiresome〃　。　。　。

〃All？　　Not　all；　surely？〃

She　looked　fixedly　at　me　as　if　endeavouring　to　recollect　something；　then　blushed　slightly　again　and　finally　pronounced　with　decision：

〃All！〃

〃Even　my　friend；　Grushnitski？〃

〃But　is　he　your　friend？〃　she　said；　manifesting　some　doubt。

〃Yes。〃

〃He；　of　course；　does　not　come　into　the　category　of　the　tiresome〃　。　。　。

〃But　into　that　of　the　unfortunate！〃　I　said；　laughing。

〃Of　course！　　But　do　you　consider　that　funny？　　I　should　like　you　to　be　in　his　place〃　。　。　。

〃Well？　　I　was　once　a　cadet　myself；　and；　in　truth；　it　was　the　best　time　of　my　life！〃

〃Is　he　a　cadet；　then？〃　。　。　。　she　said　rapidly；　and　then　added：　〃But　I　thought〃　。　。　。

〃What　did　you　think？〃　。　。　。

〃Nothing！　　Who　is　that　lady？〃

Thereupon　the　conversation　took　a　different　direction；　and　it　did　not　return　to　the　former　subject。

And　now　the　mazurka　came　to　an　end　and　we　separated　　until　we　should　meet　again。　　The　ladies　drove　off　in　different　directions。　　I　went　to　get　some　supper；　and　met　Werner。

〃Aha！〃　he　said：　〃so　it　is　you！　　And　yet　you　did　not　wish　to　make　the　acquaintance　of　Princess　Mary　otherwise　than　by　saving　her　from　certain　death。〃

〃I　have　done　better；〃　I　replied。　　〃I　have　saved　her　from　fainting　at　the　ball〃　。　。　。

〃How　was　that？　　Tell　me。〃

〃No；　guess！　　O；　you　who　guess　everything　in　the　world！〃



CHAPTER　VI

30th　May。

ABOUT　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening；　I　was　walking　on　the　boulevard。　　Grushnitski　perceived　me　a　long　way　off；　and　came　up　to　me。　A　sort　of　ridiculous　rapture　was　shining　in　his　eyes。　　He　pressed　my　hand　warmly；　and　said　in　a　tragic　voice：

〃I　thank　you；　Pechorin。　。　。　　You　understand　me？〃

〃No；　but　in　any　case　it　is　not　worth　grati…　tude；〃　I　answered；　not　having；　in　fact；　any　good　deed　upon　my　conscience。

〃What？　　But　yesterday！　　Have　you　for…　gotten？　。　。　。　　Mary　has　told　me　everything〃　。　。　。

〃Why！　　Have　you　everything　in　common　so　soon　as　this？　　Even　gratitude？〃　。　。　。

〃Listen；〃　said　Grushnitski　very　earnestly；　〃pray　do　not　make　fun　of　my　love；　if　you　wish　to　remain　my　friend。　。　。　　You　see；　I　love　her　to　the　point　of　madness　。　。　。　and　I　think　　I　hope　　she　loves　me　too。　。　。　　I　have　a　request　to　make　of　you。　　You　will　be　at　their　house　this　even…　ing；　promise　me　to　observe　everything。　　I　know　you　are　experienced　in　these　matters；　you　know　women　better　than　I。　。　。　　Women！　　Women！　Who　can　understand　them？　　Their　smiles　contra…　dict　their　glances；　their　words　promise　and　allure；　but　the　tone　of　their　voice　repels。　。　。　　At　one　time　they　grasp　and　divine　in　a　moment　our　most　secret　thoughts；　at　another　they　cannot　under…　stand　the　clearest　hints。　。　。　　Take　Princess　Mary；　now：　yesterday　her　eyes；　as　they　rested　upon　me；　were　blazing　with　passion；　to…day　they　are　dull　and　cold〃　。　。　。

〃That　is　possibly　the　result　of　the　waters；〃　I　replied。

〃You　see　the　bad　side　of　everything　。　。　。　materialist；〃　he　added　contemptuously。　　〃How…　ever；　let　us　talk　of　other　matters。〃

And；　satisfied　with　his　bad　pun；　he　cheered　up。

At　nine　o'clock　we　went　to　Princess　Ligovski's　together。

Passing　by　Vera's　windows；　I　saw　her　looking　out。　　We　threw　a　fleeting　glance　at　each　other。　She　entered　the　Ligovskis'　drawing…room　soon　after　us。　　Princess　Ligovski　presented　me　to　her；　as　a　relation　of　her　own。　　Tea　was　served。　　The　guests　were　numerous；　and　the　conversation　was　general。　　I　endeavoured　to　please　the　Princess；　jested；　and　made　her　laugh　heartily　a　few　times。　Princess　Mary；　also；　was　more　than　once　on　the　point　of　bursting　out　laughing；　but　she　restrained　herself　in　order　not　to　depart　from　the　role　she　had　assumed。　　She　finds　languor　becoming　to　her；　and　perhaps　she　is　not　mistaken。　　Grushnitski　appears　to　be　very　glad　that　she　is　not　infected　by　my　gaiety。

After　tea　we　all　went　into　the　drawing…　room。

〃Are　you　satisfied　with　my　obedience；　Vera？〃　I　said　as　I　was　passing　her。

She　threw　me　a　glance　full　of　love　and　grati…　tude。　　I　have　grown　accustomed　to　such　glances；　but　at　one　time　they　constituted　my　felicity。　The　Princess　seated　her　daughter　at　the　piano…　forte；　and　all　the　company　begged　her　to　sing。　I　kept　silence；　and；　taking　advantage　of　the　hubbub；　I　went　aside　to　the　window　with　Vera；　who　wished　to　say　something　of　great　import…　ance　to　both　of　us。　。　。　　It　turned　out　to　be　　nonsense。　。　。

Meanwhile　my　indifference　was　vexing　Princess　Mary；　as　I　was　able　to　make　out　from　a　single　angry；　gleaming　glance　which　she　cast　at　me。　。　。　Oh！　　I　understand　the　method　of　conversation　wonderfully　well：　mute　but　expressive；　brief　but　forceful！　。　。　。

She　began　to　sing。　　She　has　a　good　voice；　but　she　sings　badly。　。　。　　However；　I　was　not　listening。

Grushnitski；　on　the　contrary；　leaning　his　elbows　on　the　grand　piano；　facing　her；　was　devouring　her　with　his　eyes　and　saying　in　an　undertone　every　minute：　〃Charmant！　　Delicieux！〃

〃Listen；〃　said　Vera　to　me；　〃I　do　not　wish　you　to　make　my　husband's　acquaintance；　but　you　must；　without　fail；　make　yourself　agreeable　to　the　Princess；　that　will　be　an　easy　task　for　you：　you　can　do　anything　you　wish。　　It　is　only　here　that　we　shall　see　each　other〃　。　。　。

〃Only　here？〃　。　。　。

She　blushed　and　continued：

〃You　know　that　I　am　your　slave：　I　have　never　been　able　to　resist　you　。　。　。　and　I　shall　be　punished　for　it；　you　will　cease　to　love　me！　　At　least；　I　want　to　preserve　my　reputation　。　。　。　not　for　myself　　that　you　know　very　well！　。　。　。　　Oh！　　I　beseech　you：　do　not　torture　me；　as　before；　with　idle　doubts　and　feigned　coldness！　　It　may　be　that　I　shall　die　soon；　I　feel　that　I　am　growing　weaker　from　day　to　day。　。　。　　And；　yet；　I　cannot　think　of　the　future　life；　I　think　only　of　you。　。　。　　You　men　do　not　understand　the　delights　of　a　glance；　of　a　pressure　of　the　hand　。　。　。　but　as　for　me；　I　swear　to　you　that；　when　I　listen　to　your　voice；　I　feel　such　a　deep；　strange　bliss　that　the　most　passionate　kisses　could　not　take　its　place。〃

Meanwhile；　Princess　Mary　had　finished　her　song。　　Murmurs　of　praise　were　to　be　heard　all　around。　　I　went　up　to　her　after　all　the　other　guests；　and　said　something　rather　carelessly　to　her　on　the　subject　of　her　voice。

She　made　a　little　grimace；　pouting　her　lower　lip；　and　dropped　a　very　sarcastic　curtsey。

〃That　is　all　the　more　flattering；〃　she　said；　〃because　you　have　not　been　listening　to　me　at　all；　but　perhaps　you　do　not　like　music？〃　。　。　。

〃On　the　contrary；　I　do　。　。　。　　After　dinner；　especially。〃

〃Grushnitski　is　right　in　saying　that　you　have　very　prosaic　tastes　。　。　。　and　I　see　that　you　like　music　in　a　gastronomic　respect。〃

〃You　are　mistaken　again：　I　am　by　no　means　an　epicure。　　I　have　a　most　wretched　digestion。　　But　music　after　dinner　puts　one　to　sleep；　and　to　sleep　after　dinner　is　healthful；　consequently　I　like　music　in　a　medicinal　respect。　　In　the　evening；　on　the　contrary；　it　excites　my　nerves　too　much：　I　become　either　too　melancholy　or　too　gay。　　Both　are　fatiguing；　where　there　is　no　positive　reason　for　being　either　sorrowful　or　glad。　　And；　more…　over；　melancholy　in　society　is　ridiculous；　and　too　great　gaiety　is　unbecoming〃　。　。　。

She　did　not　hear　me　to　the　end；　but