a hero of our time-第13章

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en　he　took　one　glove　off　I　was　astonished　at　the　thinness　of　his　pale　fingers。　　His　gait　was　care…　less　and　indolent；　but　I　noticed　that　he　did　not　swing　his　arms　　a　sure　sign　of　a　certain　secretive…　ness　of　character。　　These　remarks；　however；　are　the　result　of　my　own　observations；　and　I　have　not　the　least　desire　to　make　you　blindly　believe　in　them。　　When　he　was　in　the　act　of　seating　himself　on　the　bench　his　upright　figure　bent　as　if　there　was　not　a　single　bone　in　his　back。　　The　attitude　of　his　whole　body　was　expressive　of　a　certain　nervous　weakness；　he　looked；　as　he　sat；　like　one　of　Balzac's　thirty…year…old　coquettes　resting　in　her　downy　arm…chair　after　a　fatiguing　ball。　From　my　first　glance　at　his　face　I　should　not　have　supposed　his　age　to　be　more　than　twenty…　three；　though　afterwards　I　should　have　put　it　down　as　thirty。　　His　smile　had　something　of　a　child…like　quality。　　His　skin　possessed　a　kind　of　feminine　delicacy。　　His　fair　hair；　naturally　curly；　most　picturesquely　outlined　his　pale　and　noble　brow；　on　which　it　was　only　after　lengthy　observa…　tion　that　traces　could　be　noticed　of　wrinkles；　intersecting　each　other：　probably　they　showed　up　more　distinctly　in　moments　of　anger　or　mental　disturbance。　　Notwithstanding　the　light　colour　of　his　hair；　his　moustaches　and　eyebrows　were　black　　a　sign　of　breeding　in　a　man；　just　as　a　black　mane　and　a　black　tail　in　a　white　horse。　To　complete　the　portrait；　I　will　add　that　he　had　a　slightly　turned…up　nose；　teeth　of　dazzling　whiteness；　and　brown　eyes　　I　must　say　a　few　words　more　about　his　eyes。

In　the　first　place；　they　never　laughed　when　he　laughed。　　Have　you　not　happened；　yourself；　to　notice　the　same　peculiarity　in　certain　people？　。　。　。　It　is　a　sign　either　of　an　evil　disposition　or　of　deep　and　constant　grief。　　From　behind　his　half…　lowered　eyelashes　they　shone　with　a　kind　of　phosphorescent　gleam　　if　I　may　so　express　my…　self　　which　was　not　the　reflection　of　a　fervid　soul　or　of　a　playful　fancy；　but　a　glitter　like　to　that　of　smooth　steel；　blinding　but　cold。　　His　glance　　brief；　but　piercing　and　heavy　　left　the　unpleasant　impression　of　an　indiscreet　question　and　might　have　seemed　insolent　had　it　not　been　so　unconcernedly　tranquil。

It　may　be　that　all　these　remarks　came　into　my　mind　only　after　I　had　known　some　details　of　his　life；　and　it　may　be；　too；　that　his　appearance　would　have　produced　an　entirely　different　im…　pression　upon　another；　but；　as　you　will　not　hear　of　him　from　anyone　except　myself；　you　will　have　to　rest　content；　nolens　volens；　with　the　descrip…　tion　I　have　given。　　In　conclusion；　I　will　say　that；　speaking　generally；　he　was　a　very　good…looking　man；　and　had　one　of　those　original　types　of　countenance　which　are　particularly　pleasing　to　women。

The　horses　were　already　put　to；　now　and　then　the　bell　jingled　on　the　shaft…bow；＇1＇　and　the　manservant　had　twice　gone　up　to　Pechorin　with　the　announcement　that　everything　was　ready；　but　still　there　was　no　sign　of　Maksim　Maksimych。　Fortunately　Pechorin　was　sunk　in　thought　as　he　gazed　at　the　jagged；　blue　peaks　of　the　Caucasus；　and　was　apparently　by　no　means　in　a　hurry　for　the　road。

＇1＇　The　duga。

I　went　up　to　him。

〃If　you　care　to　wait　a　little　longer；〃　I　said；　〃you　will　have　the　pleasure　of　meeting　an　old　friend。〃

〃Oh；　exactly！〃　he　answered　quickly。　　〃They　told　me　so　yesterday。　　Where　is　he；　though？〃

I　looked　in　the　direction　of　the　square　and　there　I　descried　Maksim　Maksimych　running　as　hard　as　he　could。　　In　a　few　moments　he　was　beside　us。　　He　was　scarcely　able　to　breathe；　perspiration　was　rolling　in　large　drops　from　his　face；　wet　tufts　of　grey　hair；　escaping　from　under　his　cap；　were　glued　to　his　forehead；　his　knees　were　shaking。　。　。　　He　was　about　to　throw　himself　on　Pechorin's　neck；　but　the　latter；　rather　coldly；　though　with　a　smile　of　welcome；　stretched　out　his　hand　to　him。　　For　a　moment　the　staff…　captain　was　petrified；　but　then　eagerly　seized　Pechorin's　hand　in　both　his　own。　　He　was　still　unable　to　speak。

〃How　glad　I　am　to　see　you；　my　dear　Maksim　Maksimych！　　Well；　how　are　you？〃　said　Pechorin。

〃And　。　。　。　thou　。　。　。　you？〃＇1＇　murmured　the　old　man；　with　tears　in　his　eyes。　　〃What　an　age　it　is　since　I　have　seen　you！　。　。　。　　But　where　are　you　off　to？〃　。　。　。

＇1＇　〃Thou〃　is　the　form　of　address　used　in　speaking　to　an　intimate　friend；　etc。　　Pechorin　had　used　the　more　formal　〃you。〃

〃I　am　going　to　Persia　　and　farther。〃　。　。　。

〃But　surely　not　immediately？　。　。　。　　Wait　a　little；　my　dear　fellow！　。　。　。　　Surely　we　are　not　going　to　part　at　once？　。　。　。　What　a　long　time　it　is　since　we　have　seen　each　other！〃　。　。　。

〃It　is　time　for　me　to　go；　Maksim　Maksimych；〃　was　the　reply。

〃Good　heavens；　good　heavens！　　But　where　are　you　going　to　in　such　a　hurry？　　There　was　so　much　I　should　have　liked　to　tell　you！　　So　much　to　question　you　about！　。　。　。　　Well；　what　of　your…　self？　　Have　you　retired？　。　。　。　　What？　。　。　。　How　have　you　been　getting　along？〃

〃Getting　bored！〃　answered　Pechorin；　smiling。

〃You　remember　the　life　we　led　in　the　fortress？　A　splendid　country　for　hunting！　　You　were　awfully　fond　of　shooting；　you　know！　。　。　。　　And　Bela？〃　。　。　。

Pechorin　turned　just　the　slightest　bit　pale　and　averted　his　head。

〃Yes；　I　remember！〃　he　said；　almost　im…　mediately　forcing　a　yawn。

Maksim　Maksimych　began　to　beg　him　to　stay　with　him　for　a　couple　of　hours　or　so　longer。

〃We　will　have　a　splendid　dinner；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　two　pheasants；　and　the　Kakhetian　wine　is　excellent　here　。　。　。　not　what　it　is　in　Georgia；　of　course；　but　still　of　the　best　sort。　。　。　　We　will　have　a　talk。　。　。　　You　will　tell　me　about　your　life　in　Petersburg。　。　。　　Eh？〃　。　。　。

〃In　truth；　there's　nothing　for　me　to　tell；　dear　Maksim　Maksimych。　。　。　　However；　good…bye；　it　is　time　for　me　to　be　off。　。　。　I　am　in　a　hurry。　。　。　I　thank　you　for　not　having　forgotten　me；〃　he　added；　taking　him　by　the　hand。

The　old　man　knit　his　brows。　　He　was　grieved　and　angry；　although　he　tried　to　hide　his　feelings。

〃Forget！〃　he　growled。　　〃I　have　not　for…　gotten　anything。　。　。　　Well；　God　be　with　you！　。　。　。　It　is　not　like　this　that　I　thought　we　should　meet。〃

〃Come！　　That　will　do；　that　will　do！〃　said　Pechorin；　giving　him　a　friendly　embrace。　　〃Is　it　possible　that　I　am　not　the　same　as　I　used　to　be？　。　。　。　　What　can　we　do？　　Everyone　must　go　his　own　way。　。　。　　Are　we　ever　going　to　meet　again？　　God　only　knows！〃

While　saying　this　he　had　taken　his　seat　in　the　carriage；　and　the　coachman　was　already　gathering　up　the　reins。

〃Wait；　wait！〃　cried　Maksim　Maksimych　suddenly；　holding　on　to　the　carriage　door。　　〃I　was　nearly　forgetting　altogether。　　Your　papers　were　left　with　me；　Grigori　Aleksandrovich。　。　。　I　drag　them　about　everywhere　I　go。　。　。　　I　thought　I　should　find　you　in　Georgia；　but　this　is　where　it　has　pleased　Heaven　that　we　should　meet。　　What's　to　be　done　with　them？〃　。　。　。

〃Whatever　you　like！〃　answered　Pechorin。　〃Good…bye。〃　。　。　。

〃So　you　are　off　to　Persia？　。　。　。　　But　when　will　you　return？〃　Maksim　Maksimych　cried　after　him。

By　this　time　the　carriage　was　a　long　way　off；　but　Pechorin　made　a　sign　with　his　hand　which　might　be　interpreted　as　meaning：

〃It　is　doubtful　whether　I　shall　return；　and　there　is　no　reason；　either；　why　I　should！〃

The　jingle　of　the　bell　and　the　clatter　of　the　wheels　along　the　flinty　road　had　long　ceased　to　be　audible；　but　the　poor　old　man　still　remained　standing　in　the　same　place；　deep　in　thought。

〃Yes；〃　he　said　at　length；　endeavouring　to　assume　an　air　of　indifference；　although　from　time　to　time　a　tear　of　vexation　glistened　on　his　eyelashes。　　〃Of　course　we　were　friends　　well；　but　what　are　friends　nowadays？　。　。　。　　What　could　I　be　to　him？　　I'm　not　rich；　I've　no　rank；　and；　moreover；　I'm　not　at　all　his　match　in　years！　　See　what　a　dandy　he　has　become　since　he　has　been　staying　in　Petersburg　again！　。　。　。　　What　a　carriage！　。　。　。　　What　a　quantity　of　luggage！　。　。　。　And　such　a　haughty　manservant　too！〃　。　。　。

These　words　were　pronounced　with　an　ironical　smile。

〃Tell　me；〃　he　continued；　turning　to　me；　〃what　do　you　think　of　it？　　Come；　what　the　devil　is　he　off　to　Persia　for　now？　。　。　。　　Good　Lord；　it　is　ridiculous　　ridiculous！　。　。　。　　But　I　always　knew　that　he　was　a　fickle　man；　and　one　you　could　never　rely　on！　。　。　。　　But；　indeed；　it　is　a　pity　that　he　should　come　to　a　bad　end　。　。　。　yet　it　can't　be　ot