a hero of our time-第12章

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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　room。　　The　manservant　and　a　driver　were　dragging　portmanteaux　into　the　room。

〃I　say；　my　man！〃　the　staff…captain　asked　him：　〃Whose　is　that　marvellous　carriage？　　Eh？　　A　beautiful　carriage！〃

Without　turning　round　the　manservant　growled　something　to　himself　as　he　undid　a　portmanteau。　　Maksim　Maksimych　grew　angry。

〃I　am　speaking　to　you；　my　friend！〃　he　said；　touching　the　uncivil　fellow　on　the　shoulder。

〃Whose　carriage？　　My　master's。〃

〃And　who　is　your　master？〃

〃Pechorin　〃

〃What　did　you　say？　　What？　　Pechorin？　　Great　Heavens！　。　。　。　Did　he　not　serve　in　the　Caucasus？〃　exclaimed　Maksim　Maksimych；　plucking　me　by　the　sleeve。　　His　eyes　were　sparkling　with　joy。

〃Yes；　he　served　there；　I　think　　but　I　have　not　been　with　him　long。〃

〃Well！　　Just　so！　。　。　。　Just　so！　。　。　。　Grigori　Aleksandrovich？　。　。　。　that　is　his　name；　of　course？　　Your　master　and　I　were　friends；〃　he　added；　giving　the　manservant　a　friendly　clap　on　the　shoulder　with　such　force　as　to　cause　him　to　stagger。

〃Excuse　me；　sir；　you　are　hindering　me；〃　said　the　latter；　frowning。

〃What　a　fellow　you　are；　my　friend！　　Why；　don't　you　know；　your　master　and　I　were　bosom　friends；　and　lived　together？　。　。　。　But　where　has　he　put　up？〃

The　servant　intimated　that　Pechorin　had　stayed　to　take　supper　and　pass　the　night　at　Colonel　N's。

〃But　won't　he　be　looking　in　here　in　the　evening？〃　said　Maksim　Maksimych。　　〃Or；　you；　my　man；　won't　you　be　going　over　to　him　for　something？　。　。　。　If　you　do；　tell　him　that　Maksim　Maksimych　is　here；　just　say　that　　he'll　know！　　I'll　give　you　half　a　ruble　for　a　tip！〃

The　manservant　made　a　scornful　face　on　hearing　such　a　modest　promise；　but　he　assured　Maksim　Maksimych　that　he　would　execute　his　commission。

〃He'll　be　sure　to　come　running　up　directly！〃　said　Maksim　Maksimych；　with　an　air　of　triumph。　〃I　will　go　outside　the　gate　and　wait　for　him！　Ah；　it's　a　pity　I　am　not　acquainted　with　Colonel　N！〃

Maksim　Maksimych　sat　down　on　a　little　bench　outside　the　gate；　and　I　went　to　my　room。　　I　confess　that　I　also　was　awaiting　this　Pechorin's　appearance　with　a　certain　amount　of　impatience　　although；　from　the　staff…captain's　story；　I　had　formed　a　by　no　means　favourable　idea　of　him。　Still；　certain　traits　in　his　character　struck　me　as　remarkable。　　In　an　hour's　time　one　of　the　old　soldiers　brought　a　steaming　samovar　and　a　teapot。

〃Won't　you　have　some　tea；　Maksim　Mak…　simych？〃　I　called　out　of　the　window。

〃Thank　you。　　I　am　not　thirsty；　somehow。〃

〃Oh；　do　have　some！　　It　is　late；　you　know；　and　cold！〃

〃No；　thank　you〃　。　。　。

〃Well；　just　as　you　like！〃

I　began　my　tea　alone。　　About　ten　minutes　afterwards　my　old　captain　came　in。

〃You　are　right；　you　know；　it　would　be　better　to　have　a　drop　of　tea　　but　I　was　waiting　for　Pechorin。　　His　man　has　been　gone　a　long　time　now；　but　evidently　something　has　detained　him。〃

The　staff…captain　hurriedly　sipped　a　cup　of　tea；　refused　a　second；　and　went　off　again　outside　the　gate　　not　without　a　certain　amount　of　dis…　quietude。　　It　was　obvious　that　the　old　man　was　mortified　by　Pechorin's　neglect；　the　more　so　because　a　short　time　previously　he　had　been　telling　me　of　their　friendship；　and　up　to　an　hour　ago　had　been　convinced　that　Pechorin　would　come　running　up　immediately　on　hearing　his　name。

It　was　already　late　and　dark　when　I　opened　the　window　again　and　began　to　call　Maksim　Maksimych；　saying　that　it　was　time　to　go　to　bed。　　He　muttered　something　through　his　teeth。　　I　repeated　my　invitation　　he　made　no　answer。

I　left　a　candle　on　the　stove…seat；　and；　wrapping　myself　up　in　my　cloak；　I　lay　down　on　the　couch　and　soon　fell　into　slumber；　and　I　would　have　slept　on　quietly　had　not　Maksim　Maksimych　awakened　me　as　he　came　into　the　room。　　It　was　then　very　late。　　He　threw　his　pipe　on　the　table；　began　to　walk　up　and　down　the　room；　and　to　rattle　about　at　the　stove。　　At　last　he　lay　down；　but　for　a　long　time　he　kept　coughing；　spitting；　and　tossing　about。

〃The　bugs　are　biting　you；　are　they　not？〃　I　asked。

〃Yes；　that　is　it；〃　he　answered；　with　a　heavy　sigh。

I　woke　early　the　next　morning；　but　Maksim　Maksimych　had　anticipated　me。　　I　found　him　sitting　on　the　little　bench　at　the　gate。

〃I　have　to　go　to　the　Commandant；〃　he　said；　〃so；　if　Pechorin　comes；　please　send　for　me。〃　。　。　。

I　gave　my　promise。　　He　ran　off　as　if　his　limbs　had　regained　their　youthful　strength　and　supple…　ness。

The　morning　was　fresh　and　lovely。　　Golden　clouds　had　massed　themselves　on　the　mountain…　tops　like　a　new　range　of　aerial　mountains。　　Before　the　gate　a　wide　square　spread　out；　behind　it　the　bazaar　was　seething　with　people；　the　day　being　Sunday。　　Barefooted　Ossete　boys；　carrying　wallets　of　honeycomb　on　their　shoulders；　were　hovering　around　me。　　I　cursed　them；　I　had　other　things　to　think　of　　I　was　beginning　to　share　the　worthy　staff…captain's　uneasiness。

Before　ten　minutes　had　passed　the　man　we　were　awaiting　appeared　at　the　end　of　the　square。　He　was　walking　with　Colonel　N。；　who　accom…　panied　him　as　far　as　the　inn；　said　good…bye　to　him；　and　then　turned　back　to　the　fortress。　　I　im…　mediately　despatched　one　of　the　old　soldiers　for　Maksim　Maksimych。

Pechorin's　manservant　went　out　to　meet　him　and　informed　him　that　they　were　going　to　put　to　at　once；　he　handed　him　a　box　of　cigars；　received　a　few　orders；　and　went　off　about　his　business。　　His　master　lit　a　cigar；　yawned　once　or　twice；　and　sat　down　on　the　bench　on　the　other　side　of　the　gate。　I　must　now　draw　his　portrait　for　you。

He　was　of　medium　height。　　His　shapely；　slim　figure　and　broad　shoulders　gave　evidence　of　a　strong　constitution；　capable　of　enduring　all　the　hardships　of　a　nomad　life　and　changes　of　climates；　and　of　resisting　with　success　both　the　demoral…　ising　effects　of　life　in　the　Capital　and　the　tempests　of　the　soul。　　His　velvet　overcoat；　which　was　covered　with　dust；　was　fastened　by　the　two　lower　buttons　only；　and　exposed　to　view　linen　of　dazzling　whiteness；　which　proved　that　he　had　the　habits　of　a　gentleman。　　His　gloves；　soiled　by　travel；　seemed　as　though　made　ex…　pressly　for　his　small；　aristocratic　hand；　and　when　he　took　one　glove　off　I　was　astonished　at　the　thinness　of　his　pale　fingers。　　His　gait　was　care…　l