a hero of our time-第4节

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　black　galloper　with　his　graceful　gait　and　his　sleek　back；　straight　as　an　arrow。　　With　his　keen；　bright　eyes　he　has　looked　into　mine　as　if　about　to　speak！　。　。　。　　I　shall　die；　Kazbich；　if　you　will　not　sell　him　to　me！'　said　Azamat；　with　trembling　voice。

〃I　could　hear　him　burst　out　weeping；　and　I　must　tell　you　that　Azamat　was　a　very　stubborn　lad；　and　that　not　for　anything　could　tears　be　wrung　from　him；　even　when　he　was　a　little　younger。

〃In　answer　to　his　tears；　I　could　hear　some…　thing　like　a　laugh。

〃'Listen；'　said　Azamat　in　a　firm　voice。　'You　see；　I　am　making　up　my　mind　for　anything。　If　you　like；　I　will　steal　my　sister　for　you！　　How　she　dances！　　How　she　sings！　　And　the　way　she　embroiders　with　gold　　marvellous！　　Not　even　a　Turkish　Padishah＇1＇　has　had　a　wife　like　her！　。　。　。　Shall　I？　　Wait　for　me　to…morrow　night；　yonder；　in　the　gorge　where　the　torrent　flows；　I　will　go　by　with　her　to　the　neighbouring　village　　and　she　is　yours。　　Surely　Bela　is　worth　your　galloper！'

＇1＇　King　　a　title　of　the　Sultan　of　Turkey。

〃Kazbich　remained　silent　for　a　long；　long　time。　　At　length；　instead　of　answering；　he　struck　up　in　an　undertone　the　ancient　song：


〃Many　a　beauty　among　us　dwells

　From　whose　eyes'　dark　depths　the　starlight　wells；

　'Tis　an　envied　lot　and　sweet；　to　hold

　Their　love；　but　brighter　is　freedom　bold。

　Four　wives　are　yours　if　you　pay　the　gold；

　But　a　mettlesome　steed　is　of　price　untold；

　The　whirlwind　itself　on　the　steppe　is　less　fleet；

　He　knows　no　treachery　　no　deceit。〃＇2＇

＇2＇　I　beg　my　readers'　pardon　for　having　versified　Kazbich's　song；　which；　of　course；　as　I　heard　it；　was　in　prose；　but　habit　is　second　nature。　　（Author's　note。）

〃In　vain　Azamat　entreated　him　to　consent。　He　wept；　coaxed；　and　swore　to　him。　　Finally；　Kazbich　interrupted　him　impatiently：

〃'Begone；　you　crazy　brat！　　How　should　you　think　to　ride　on　my　horse？　　In　three　steps　you　would　be　thrown　and　your　neck　broken　on　the　stones！'

〃'I？'　cried　Azamat　in　a　fury；　and　the　blade　of　the　child's　dagger　rang　against　the　coat　of　mail。　　A　powerful　arm　thrust　him　away；　and　he　struck　the　wattle　fence　with　such　violence　that　it　rocked。

〃'Now　we'll　see　some　fun！'　I　thought　to　myself。

〃I　rushed　into　the　stable；　bridled　our　horses　and　led　them　out　into　the　back　courtyard。　　In　a　couple　of　minutes　there　was　a　terrible　uproar　in　the　hut。　　What　had　happened　was　this：　Azamat　had　rushed　in；　with　his　tunic　torn；　saying　that　Kazbich　was　going　to　murder　him。　　All　sprang　out；　seized　their　guns；　and　the　fun　began！　Noise　　shouts　　shots！　　But　by　this　time　Kazbich　was　in　the　saddle；　and；　wheeling　among　the　crowd　along　the　street；　defended　himself　like　a　madman；　brandishing　his　sabre。

〃'It　is　a　bad　thing　to　interfere　in　other　people's　quarrels；'　I　said　to　Grigori　Aleksandro…　vich；　taking　him　by　the　arm。　　'Wouldn't　it　be　better　for　us　to　clear　off　without　loss　of　time？'

〃'Wait；　though；　and　see　how　it　will　end！'

〃'Oh；　as　to　that；　it　will　be　sure　enough　to　end　badly；　it　is　always　so　with　these　Asiatics。　Once　let　them　get　drunk　on　buza；　and　there's　certain　to　be　bloodshed。'

〃We　mounted　and　galloped　home。〃



CHAPTER　IV

〃TELL　me；　what　became　of　Kazbich？〃　I　asked　the　staff…captain　impatiently。

〃Why；　what　can　happen　to　that　sort　of　a　fellow？〃　he　answered；　finishing　his　tumbler　of　tea。　　〃He　slipped　away；　of　course。〃

〃And　wasn't　he　wounded？〃　I　asked。

〃Goodness　only　knows！　　Those　scoundrels　take　a　lot　of　killing！　　In　action；　for　instance；　I've　seen　many　a　one；　sir；　stuck　all　over　with　bayonets　like　a　sieve；　and　still　brandishing　his　sabre。〃

After　an　interval　of　silence　the　staff…captain　continued；　tapping　the　ground　with　his　foot：

〃One　thing　I'll　never　forgive　myself　for。　On　our　arrival　at　the　fortress　the　devil　put　it　into　my　head　to　repeat　to　Grigori　Aleksandrovich　all　that　I　had　heard　when　I　was　eavesdropping　behind　the　fence。　　He　laughed　　cunning　fellow！　　and　thought　out　a　little　plan　of　his　own。〃

〃What　was　that？　　Tell　me；　please。〃

〃Well；　there's　no　help　for　it　now；　I　suppose。　I've　begun　the　story；　and　so　I　must　continue。

〃In　about　four　days'　time　Azamat　rode　over　to　the　fortress。　　As　his　usual　custom　was；　he　went　to　see　Grigori　Aleksandrovich；　who　always　used　to　give　him　sweetmeats　to　eat。　　I　was　present。　The　conversation　was　on　the　subject　of　horses；　and　Pechorin　began　to　sound　the　praises　of　Kazbich's　Karagyoz。　　What　a　mettlesome　horse　it　was；　and　how　handsome！　　A　perfect　chamois！　In　fact；　judging　by　his　account；　there　simply　wasn't　another　like　it　in　the　whole　world！

〃The　young　Tartar's　beady　eyes　began　to　sparkle；　but　Pechorin　didn't　seem　to　notice　the　fact。　　I　started　to　talk　about　something　else；　but　immediately；　mark　you；　Pechorin　caused　the　conversation　to　strike　off　on　to　Kazbich's　horse。　Every　time　that　Azamat　came　it　was　the　same　story。　　After　about　three　weeks；　I　began　to　observe　that　Azamat　was　growing　pale　and　wasted；　just　as　people　in　novels　do　from　love；　sir。　　What　wonder　either！　。　。　。

〃Well；　you　see；　it　was　not　until　afterwards　that　I　learned　the　whole　trick　　Grigori　Aleksan…　drovich　exasperated　Azamat　to　such　an　extent　with　his　teasing　that　the　boy　was　ready　even　to　drown　himself。　　One　day　Pechorin　suddenly　broke　out　with：

〃'I　see；　Azamat；　that　you　have　taken　a　desperate　fancy　to　that　horse　of　Kazbich's；　but　you'll　no　more　see　him　than　you　will　the　back　of　your　neck！　　Come；　tell　me；　what　would　you　give　if　somebody　made　you　a　present　of　him？'

〃'Anything　he　wanted；'　answered　Azamat。

〃'In　that　case　I　will　get　the　horse　for　you；　only　on　one　condition　。　。　。　　Swear　that　you　will　fulfil　it？'

〃'I　swear。　　You　swear　too！'

〃'Very　well！　　I　swear　that　the　horse　shall　be　yours。　　But；　in　return；　you　must　deliver　your　sister　Bela　into　my　hands。　　Karagyoz　shall　be　her　bridegroom's　gift。　　I　hope　the　transaction　will　be　a　profitable　one　for　you。'

〃Azamat　remained　silent。

〃'Won't　you？　　Well；　just　as　you　like！　　I　thought　you　were　a　man；　but　it　seems　you　are　still　a　child；　it　is　early　for　you　to　be　riding　on　horseback！'

〃Azamat　fired　up。

〃'But　my　father　'　he　said。

〃'Does　he　never　go　away；　then？'

〃'True。'

〃'You　agree？'

〃'I　agree；'　whispered　Azamat；　pale　as　death。　'But　when？'

〃'The　first　time　Kazbich　rides　over　here。　He　has　promised　to　drive　in　half　a　score　of　rams；　the　rest　is　my　affair。　　Look　out；　then；　Azamat！'

〃And　so　they　settled　the　business　　a　bad　business；　to　tell　the　truth！　　I　said　as　much　to　Pechorin　afterwards；　but　he　only　answered　that　a　wild　Circassian　girl　ought　to　consider　herself　fortunate　in　having　such　a　charming　husband　as　himself　　because；　according　to　their　ideas；　he　really　was　her　husband　　and　that　Kazbich　was　a　scoundrel；　and　ought　to　be　punished。　　Judge　for　yourself；　what　could　I　say　to　that？　。　。　。　　At　the　time；　however；　I　knew　nothing　of　their　con…　spiracy。　　Well；　one　day　Kazbich　rode　up　and　asked　whether　we　needed　any　rams　and　honey；　and　I　ordered　him　to　bring　some　the　next　day。

〃'Azamat！'　said　Grigori　Aleksandrovich；　'to…morrow　Karagyoz　will　be　in　my　hands；　if　Bela　is　not　here　to…night　you　will　never　see　the　horse。'　。　。

〃'Very　well；'　said　Azamat；　and　galloped　to　the　village。

〃In　the　evening　Grigori　Aleksandrovich　armed　himself　and　rode　out　of　the　fortress。　　How　they　settled　the　business　I　don't　know；　but　at　night　they　both　returned；　and　the　sentry　saw　that　across　Azamat's　saddle　a　woman　was　lying；　bound　hand　and　foot　and　with　her　head　wrapped　in　a　veil。〃

〃And　the　horse？〃　I　asked　the　staff…captain。

〃One　minute！　　One　minute！　　Early　next　morning　Kazbich　rode　over；　driving　in　half　a　score　of　rams　for　sale。　　Tethering　his　horse　by　the　fence；　he　came　in　to　see　me；　and　I　regaled　him　with　tea；　for；　robber　though　he　was；　he　was　none　the　less　my　guest…friend。

〃We　began　to　chat　about　one　thing　and　another。　。　。　　Suddenly　I　saw　Kazbich　start；　change　countenance；　and　dart　to　the　window；　but　unfortunately　the　window　looked　on　to　the　back　courtyard。

〃'What　is　the　matter　with　you？'　I　asked。

〃'My　horse！　。　。　。　　My　horse！'　he　cried；　all　of　a　tremble。

〃As　a　matter　of　fact　I　heard　the　clattering　of　hoofs。

〃'It　is　probably　some　Cossack　who　has　ridden　up。'

〃'No！　　Urus　　yaman；　yaman！'＇1＇　he　roared；　and　rushed　headlong　away　like　a　wild　panther。　In　two　bounds　he　was　in　the　courtyard；　at　the　gate　of　the　fortress　the　sentry　barred　the　way　with　his　gun；　Kazbich　jumped　over　the　gun　and　dashed　off　at　a　run　along　the　road。　。　。　Dust　was　whirling　in　the　distance　　Azamat　was　galloping　away　on　the　mettlesome　Karagyoz。　Kazbich；　as　he　ran；　tore　his　gun　out　of　its　cover　and　fired。　　For　a　moment　he　remained　motion…　less；　until　he　had　assured　himself　that　he　had　missed。　　Then　he　uttered　a　shrill　cry；　knocked　the　gun　against　a　rock；　smashed　it　to　splinters；　fell　to　the　ground；　and　burst　out　sobbing　like　a　child。　。　。　　The　people　from　the　fortress　gathered　round　him；　but　he　took　no　notice　of　anyone。　　They　stood　there　talking　awhile　and　then　went　back。　　I　ordered　the　money　for　the　rams　to　be　placed　beside　him。　　He　didn't　touch　it；　but　lay　with　his　face　to　the　ground　like　a　dead　man。　　Would　you　believe　it？　　He　re…　mained　lying　like　that　throughout　the　rest　of　that　day　and　the　following　night！　　It　was　only　on　the　next　morning　that　he　came　to　the　fortress　and　proceeded　to