a hero of our time-第34节

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〃Declare　your　conditions；〃　he　said；　〃and　anything　I　can　do　for　you；　be　assured〃　。　。　。

〃These　are　my　conditions：　you　will　this　very　day　publicly　recant　your　slander　and　beg　my　pardon〃　。　。　。

〃My　dear　sir；　I　wonder　how　you　dare　make　such　a　proposal　to　me？〃

〃What　else　could　I　propose？〃　。　。　。

〃We　will　fight。〃

I　shrugged　my　shoulders。

〃Be　it　so；　only；　bethink　you　that　one　of　us　will　infallibly　be　killed。〃

〃I　hope　it　will　be　you〃　。　。　。

〃And　I　am　so　convinced　of　the　contrary〃　。　。　。

He　became　confused；　turned　red；　and　then　burst　out　into　a　forced　laugh。

The　captain　took　his　arm　and　led　him　aside；　they　whispered　together　for　a　long　time。　　I　had　arrived　in　a　fairly　pacific　frame　of　mind；　but　all　this　was　beginning　to　drive　me　furious。

The　doctor　came　up　to　me。

〃Listen；〃　he　said；　with　manifest　uneasiness；　〃you　have　surely　forgotten　their　conspiracy！　。　。　。　I　do　not　know　how　to　load　a　pistol；　but　in　this　case。　。　。　　You　are　a　strange　man！　　Tell　them　that　you　know　their　intention　　and　they　will　not　dare。　。　。　　What　sport！　　To　shoot　you　like　a　bird〃　。　。　。

〃Please　do　not　be　uneasy；　doctor；　and　wait　awhile。　。　。　　I　shall　arrange　everything　in　such　a　way　that　there　will　be　no　advantage　on　their　side。　Let　them　whisper〃　。　。　。

〃Gentlemen；　this　is　becoming　tedious；〃　I　said　to　them　loudly：　〃if　we　are　to　fight；　let　us　fight；　you　had　time　yesterday　to　talk　as　much　as　you　wanted　to。〃

〃We　are　ready；〃　answered　the　captain。　　〃Take　your　places；　gentlemen！　　Doctor；　be　good　enough　to　measure　six　paces〃　。　。　。

〃Take　your　places！〃　repeated　Ivan　Ignatevich；　in　a　squeaky　voice。

〃Excuse　me！〃　I　said。　　〃One　further　con…　dition。　　As　we　are　going　to　fight　to　the　death；　we　are　bound　to　do　everything　possible　in　order　that　the　affair　may　remain　a　secret；　and　that　our　seconds　may　incur　no　responsibility。　　Do　you　agree？〃　。　。　。

〃Quite。〃

〃Well；　then；　this　is　my　idea。　　Do　you　see　that　narrow　ledge　on　the　top　of　the　perpendicular　cliff　on　the　right？　　It　must　be　thirty　fathoms；　if　not　more；　from　there　to　the　bottom；　and；　down　below；　there　are　sharp　rocks。　　Each　of　us　will　stand　right　at　the　extremity　of　the　ledge　　in　such　manner　even　a　slight　wound　will　be　mortal：　that　ought　to　be　in　accordance　with　your　desire；　as　you　yourselves　have　fixed　upon　six　paces。　　Which…　ever　of　us　is　wounded　will　be　certain　to　fall　down　and　be　dashed　to　pieces；　the　doctor　will　extract　the　bullet；　and；　then；　it　will　be　possible　very　easily　to　account　for　that　sudden　death　by　saying　it　was　the　result　of　a　fall。　　Let　us　cast　lots　to　decide　who　shall　fire　first。　　In　conclusion；　I　declare　that　I　will　not　fight　on　any　other　terms。〃

〃Be　it　so！〃　said　the　captain　after　an　expres…　sive　glance　at　Grushnitski；　who　nodded　his　head　in　token　of　assent。　　Every　moment　he　was　changing　countenance。　　I　had　placed　him　in　an　embarrassing　position。　　Had　the　duel　been　fought　upon　the　usual　conditions；　he　could　have　aimed　at　my　leg；　wounded　me　slightly；　and　in　such　wise　gratified　his　vengeance　without　overburdening　his　conscience。　　But　now　he　was　obliged　to　fire　in　the　air；　or　to　make　himself　an　assassin；　or；　finally；　to　abandon　his　base　plan　and　to　expose　himself　to　equal　danger　with　me。　　I　should　not　have　liked　to　be　in　his　place　at　that　moment。　　He　took　the　captain　aside　and　said　something　to　him　with　great　warmth。　　His　lips　were　blue；　and　I　saw　them　trembling；　but　the　captain　turned　away　from　him　with　a　contemptuous　smile。

〃You　are　a　fool；〃　he　said　to　Grushnitski　rather　loudly。　　〃You　can't　understand　a　thing！　。　。　。　Let　us　be　off；　then；　gentlemen！〃

The　precipice　was　approached　by　a　narrow　path　between　bushes；　and　fragments　of　rock　formed　the　precarious　steps　of　that　natural　stair…　case。　　Clinging　to　the　bushes　we　proceeded　to　clamber　up。　　Grushnitski　went　in　front；　his　seconds　behind　him；　and　then　the　doctor　and　I。

〃I　am　surprised　at　you；〃　said　the　doctor；　pressing　my　hand　vigorously。　　〃Let　me　feel　your　pulse！　。　。　。　　Oho！　　Feverish！　。　。　。　　But　nothing　noticeable　on　your　countenance　。　。　。　only　your　eyes　are　gleaming　more　brightly　than　usual。〃

Suddenly　small　stones　rolled　noisily　right　under　our　feet。　　What　was　it？　　Grushnitski　had　stumbled；　the　branch　to　which　he　was　clinging　had　broken　off；　and　he　would　have　rolled　down　on　his　back　if　his　seconds　had　not　held　him　up。

〃Take　care！〃　I　cried。　　〃Do　not　fall　pre…　maturely：　that　is　a　bad　sign。　　Remember　Julius　Caesar！〃



CHAPTER　XX

AND　now　we　had　climbed　to　the　summit　of　the　projecting　cliff。　　The　ledge　was　covered　with　fine　sand；　as　if　on　purpose　for　a　duel。　All　around；　like　an　innumerable　herd；　crowded　the　mountains；　their　summits　lost　to　view　in　the　golden　mist　of　the　morning；　and　towards　the　south　rose　the　white　mass　of　Elbruz；　closing　the　chain　of　icy　peaks；　among　which　fibrous　clouds；　which　had　rushed　in　from　the　east；　were　already　roaming。　　I　walked　to　the　extremity　of　the　ledge　and　gazed　down。　　My　head　nearly　swam。　　At　the　foot　of　the　precipice　all　seemed　dark　and　cold　as　in　a　tomb；　the　moss…grown　jags　of　the　rocks；　hurled　down　by　storm　and　time；　were　awaiting　their　prey。

The　ledge　on　which　we　were　to　fight　formed　an　almost　regular　triangle。　　Six　paces　were　mea…　sured　from　the　projecting　corner；　and　it　was　de…　cided　that　whichever　had　first　to　meet　the　fire　of　his　opponent　should　stand　in　the　very　corner　with　his　back　to　the　precipice；　if　he　was　not　killed　the　adversaries　would　change　places。

I　determined　to　relinquish　every　advantage　to　Grushnitski；　I　wanted　to　test　him。　　A　spark　of　magnanimity　might　awake　in　his　soul　　and　then　all　would　have　been　settled　for　the　best。　　But　his　vanity　and　weakness　of　character　had　perforce　to　triumph！　。　。　。　　I　wished　to　give　myself　the　full　right　to　refrain　from　sparing　him　if　destiny　were　to　favour　me。　　Who　would　not　have　concluded　such　an　agreement　with　his　conscience？

〃Cast　the　lot；　doctor！〃　said　the　captain。

The　doctor　drew　a　silver　coin　from　his　pocket　and　held　it　up。

〃Tail！〃　cried　Grushnitski　hurriedly；　like　a　man　suddenly　aroused　by　a　friendly　nudge。

〃Head；〃　I　said。

The　coin　spun　in　the　air　and　fell；　jingling。　　We　all　rushed　towards　it。

〃You　are　lucky；〃　I　said　to　Grushnitski。　　〃You　are　to　fire　first！　　But　remember　that　if　you　do　not　kill　me　I　shall　not　miss　　I　give　you　my　word　of　honour。〃

He　flushed　up；　he　was　ashamed　to　kill　an　un…　armed　man。　　I　looked　at　him　fixedly；　for　a　moment　it　seemed　to　me　that　he　would　throw　himself　at　my　feet；　imploring　forgiveness；　but　how　to　confess　so　base　a　plot？　。　。　。　　One　expe…　dient　only　was　left　to　him　　to　fire　in　the　air！　　I　was　convinced　that　he　would　fire　in　the　air！　　One　consideration　alone　might　prevent　him　doing　so　　the　thought　that　I　would　demand　a　second　duel。

〃Now　is　the　time！〃　the　doctor　whispered　to　me；　plucking　me　by　the　sleeve。　　〃If　you　do　not　tell　them　now　that　we　know　their　intentions；　all　is　lost。　　Look；　he　is　loading　already。　。　。　　If　you　will　not　say　anything；　I　will〃　。　。　。

〃On　no　account；　doctor！〃　I　answered；　hold…　ing　him　back　by　the　arm。　　〃You　will　spoil　every…　thing。　　You　have　given　me　your　word　not　to　interfere。　。　。　　What　does　it　matter　to　you？　Perhaps　I　wish　to　be　killed〃　。　。　。

He　looked　at　me　in　astonishment。

〃Oh；　that　is　another　thing！　。　。　。　　Only　do　not　complain　of　me　in　the　other　world〃　。　。　。

Meanwhile　the　captain　had　loaded　his　pistols　and　given　one　to　Grushnitski；　after　whispering　something　to　him　with　a　smile；　the　other　he　gave　to　me。

I　placed　myself　in　the　corner　of　the　ledge；　plant…　ing　my　left　foot　firmly　against　the　rock　and　bend…　ing　slightly　forward；　so　that；　in　case　of　a　slight　wound；　I　might　not　fall　over　backwards。

Grushnitski　placed　himself　opposite　me　and；　at　a　given　signal；　began　to　raise　his　pistol。　　His　knees　shook。　　He　aimed　right　at　my　forehead。　。　。　　Un…　utterable　fury　began　to　seethe　within　my　breast。

Suddenly　he　dropped　the　muzzle　of　the　pistol　and；　pale　as　a　sheet；　turned　to　his　second。

〃I　cannot；〃　he　said　in　a　hollow　voice。

〃Coward！〃　answered　the　captain。

A　shot　rang　out。　　The　bullet　grazed　my　knee。　Involuntarily　I　took　a　few　paces　forward　in　order　to　get　away　from　the　edge　as　quickly　as　possible。

〃Well；　my　dear　Grushnitski；　it　is　a　pity　that　you　have　missed！〃　said　the　captain。　　〃Now　it　is　your　turn；　take　your　stand！　　Embrace　me　first：　we　shall　not　see　each　other　again！〃

They　embraced；　the　captain　could　scarcely　re…　frain　from　laughing。

〃Do　not　be　afraid；〃　he　added；　glancing　cun…　ningly　at　Grushnitski；　〃everything　in　this　world　is　nonsense。　。　。　　Nature　is　a　fool；　fate　a　turkey…　hen；　and　life　a　copeck！〃＇1＇

＇1＇　Popular　phrases；　equivalent　to：　〃Men　are　fools；　fortune　is　blind；　and　life　is　not　worth　a　straw。〃


After　that　tragic　phrase；　uttered　with　becoming　gravity；　he　went　back　to　his　place。　　Ivan　Ignate…　vich；　with　tears；　also　embraced　Grushnitski；　and　there　the　latter　remained　alone；　facing　me。　　Ever　since　then；　I　have　been　trying　to　explain　to　myself　what　sort　of　feeling　it　was　that　was　boiling　within　my　breast　at　that　moment：　it　was　the　vexation　of　injured　vanity；　and　contempt；　and　wrath　en…　gendered　at　the　thought　that　the　man　now　look…　ing　at　me　with　such　confidence；　such　quiet　inso…　lence；　had；　two　minutes　before；　been　about　to　kill　me　like　a　dog；　without　exposing　himself　to　the　least　danger；　becaus