a hero of our time-第22章

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！


e　here　this　year　are　Princess　Ligovski　and　her　daughter　　but　I　am　not　acquainted　with　them。　　My　soldier's　cloak　is　like　a　seal　of　renunciation。　　The　sympathy　which　it　arouses　is　as　painful　as　charity。〃

At　that　moment　two　ladies　walked　past　us　in　the　direction　of　the　well；　one　elderly；　the　other　youthful　and　slender。　　I　could　not　obtain　a　good　view　of　their　faces　on　account　of　their　hats；　but　they　were　dressed　in　accordance　with　the　strict　rules　of　the　best　taste　　nothing　superfluous。　The　second　lady　was　wearing　a　high…necked　dress　of　pearl…grey；　and　a　light　silk　kerchief　was　wound　round　her　supple　neck。　　Puce…coloured　boots　clasped　her　slim　little　ankle　so　charmingly；　that　even　those　uninitiated　into　the　mysteries　of　beauty　would　infallibly　have　sighed；　if　only　from　wonder。　　There　was　something　maidenly　in　her　easy；　but　aristocratic　gait；　something　eluding　definition　yet　intelligible　to　the　glance。　　As　she　walked　past　us　an　indefinable　perfume；　like　that　which　sometimes　breathes　from　the　note　of　a　charming　woman；　was　wafted　from　her。

〃Look！〃　said　Grushnitski；　〃there　is　Princess　Ligovski　with　her　daughter　Mary；　as　she　calls　her　after　the　English　manner。　　They　have　been　here　only　three　days。〃

〃You　already　know　her　name；　though？〃

〃Yes；　I　heard　it　by　chance；〃　he　answered；　with　a　blush。　　〃I　confess　I　do　not　desire　to　make　their　acquaintance。　　These　haughty　aristocrats　look　upon　us　army　men　just　as　they　would　upon　savages。　　What　care　they　if　there　is　an　intellect　beneath　a　numbered　forage…cap；　and　a　heart　beneath　a　thick　cloak？〃

〃Poor　cloak！〃　I　said；　with　a　laugh。　　〃But　who　is　the　gentleman　who　is　just　going　up　to　them　and　handing　them　a　tumbler　so　officiously？〃

〃Oh；　that　is　Raevich；　the　Moscow　dandy。　　He　is　a　gambler；　you　can　see　as　much　at　once　from　that　immense　gold　chain　coiling　across　his　sky…　blue　waistcoat。　　And　what　a　thick　cane　he　has！　Just　like　Robinson　Crusoe's　　and　so　is　his　beard　too；　and　his　hair　is　done　like　a　peasant's。〃

〃You　are　embittered　against　the　whole　human　race？〃

〃And　I　have　cause　to　be〃　。　。　。

〃Oh；　really？〃

At　that　moment　the　ladies　left　the　well　and　came　up　to　where　we　were。　　Grushnitski　suc…　ceeded　in　assuming　a　dramatic　pose　with　the　aid　of　his　crutch；　and　in　a　loud　tone　of　voice　answered　me　in　French：

〃Mon　cher；　je　hais　les　hommes　pour　ne　pas　les　mepriser；　car　autrement　la　vie　serait　une　farce　trop　degoutante。〃

The　pretty　Princess　Mary　turned　round　and　favoured　the　orator　with　a　long　and　curious　glance。　　Her　expression　was　quite　indefinite；　but　it　was　not　contemptuous；　a　fact　on　which　I　inwardly　congratulated　Grushnitski　from　my　heart。

〃She　is　an　extremely　pretty　girl；〃　I　said。　　〃She　has　such　velvet　eyes　　yes；　velvet　is　the　word。　　I　should　advise　you　to　appropriate　the　expression　when　speaking　of　her　eyes。　　The　lower　and　upper　lashes　are　so　long　that　the　sunbeams　are　not　reflected　in　her　pupils。　　I　love　those　eyes　without　a　glitter；　they　are　so　soft　that　they　appear　to　caress　you。　　However；　her　eyes　seem　to　be　her　only　good　feature。　。　。　　Tell　me；　are　her　teeth　white？　　That　is　most　important！　　It　is　a　pity　that　she　did　not　smile　at　that　high…sounding　phrase　of　yours。〃

〃You　are　speaking　of　a　pretty　woman　just　as　you　might　of　an　English　horse；〃　said　Grushnitski　indignantly。

〃Mon　cher；〃　I　answered；　trying　to　mimic　his　tone；　〃je　meprise　les　femmes；　pour　ne　pas　les　aimer；　car　autrement　la　vie　serait　un　melodrame　trop　ridicule。〃

I　turned　and　left　him。　　For　half　an　hour　or　so　I　walked　about　the　avenues　of　the　vines；　the　limestone　cliffs　and　the　bushes　hanging　between　them。　　The　day　grew　hot；　and　I　hurried　home…　wards。　　Passing　the　sulphur　spring；　I　stopped　at　the　covered　gallery　in　order　to　regain　my　breath　under　its　shade；　and　by　so　doing　I　was　afforded　the　opportunity　of　witnessing　a　rather　interesting　scene。　　This　is　the　position　in　which　the　dramatis　personae　were　disposed：　Princess　Ligovski　and　the　Moscow　dandy　were　sitting　on　a　bench　in　the　covered　gallery　　apparently　engaged　in　serious　conversation。　　Princess　Mary；　who　had　doubtless　by　this　time　finished　her　last　tumbler；　was　walking　pensively　to　and　fro　by　the　well。　Grushnitski　was　standing　by　the　well　itself；　there　was　nobody　else　on　the　square。

I　went　up　closer　and　concealed　myself　behind　a　corner　of　the　gallery。　　At　that　moment　Grush…　nitski　let　his　tumbler　fall　on　the　sand　and　made　strenuous　efforts　to　stoop　in　order　to　pick　it　up；　but　his　injured　foot　prevented　him。　　Poor　fellow！　　How　he　tried　all　kinds　of　artifices；　as　he　leaned　on　his　crutch；　and　all　in　vain！　　His　expressive　countenance　was；　in　fact；　a　picture　of　suffering。

Princess　Mary　saw　the　whole　scene　better　than　I。

Lighter　than　a　bird　she　sprang　towards　him；　stooped；　picked　up　the　tumbler；　and　handed　it　to　him　with　a　gesture　full　of　ineffable　charm。　　Then　she　blushed　furiously；　glanced　round　at　the　gallery；　and；　having　assured　herself　that　her　mother　apparently　had　not　seen　anything；　im…　mediately　regained　her　composure。　　By　the　time　Grushnitski　had　opened　his　mouth　to　thank　her　she　was　a　long　way　off。　　A　moment　after；　she　came　out　of　the　gallery　with　her　mother　and　the　dandy；　but；　in　passing　by　Grushnitski；　she　assumed　a　most　decorous　and　serious　air。　　She　did　not　even　turn　round；　she　did　not　even　observe　the　passionate　gaze　which　he　kept　fixed　upon　her　for　a　long　time　until　she　had　descended　the　mountain　and　was　hidden　behind　the　lime　trees　of　the　boulevard。　。　。　Presently　I　caught　glimpses　of　her　hat　as　she　walked　along　the　street。　　She　hurried　through　the　gate　of　one　of　the　best　houses　in　Pyatigorsk；　her　mother　walked　behind　her　and　bowed　adieu　to　Raevich　at　the　gate。

It　was　only　then　that　the　poor；　passionate　cadet　noticed　my　presence。

〃Did　you　see？〃　he　said；　pressing　my　hand　vigorously。　　〃She　is　an　angel；　simply　an　angel！〃

〃Why？〃　I　inquired；　with　an　air　of　the　purest　simplicity。

〃Did　you　not　see；　then？〃

〃No。　　I　saw　her　picking　up　your　tumbler。　　If　there　had　been　an　attendant　there　he　would　have　done　the　same　thing　　and　quicker　too；　in　the　hope　of　receiving　a　tip。　　It　is　quite　easy；　however；　to　understand　that　she　pitied　you；　you　made　such　a　terrible　grimace　when　you　walked　on　the　wounded　foot。〃

〃And　can　it　be　that　seeing　her；　as　you　did；　at　that　moment　when　her　soul　was　shining　in　her　eyes；　you　were　not　in　the　least　affected？〃

〃No。〃

I　was　lying；　but　I　wanted　to　exasperate　him。　　I　have　an　innate　passion　for　contradiction　　my　whole　life　has　been　nothing　but　a　series　of　melan…　choly　and　vain　contradictions　of　heart　or　reason。　The　presence　of　an　enthusiast　chills　me　with　a　twelfth…night　cold；　and　I　believe　that　constant　association　with　a　person　of　a　flaccid　and　phleg…　matic　temperament　would　have　turned　me　into　an　impassioned　visionary。　　I　confess；　too；　that　an　unpleasant　but　familiar　sensation　was　coursing　lightly　through　my　heart　at　that　moment。　　It　was　　envy。　　I　say　〃envy〃　boldly；　because　I　am　accustomed　to　acknowledge　everything　to　myself。　It　would　be　hard　to　find　a　young　man　who；　if　his　idle　fancy　had　been　attracted　by　a　pretty　woman　and　he　had　suddenly　found　her　openly　singling　out　before　his　eyes　another　man　equally　unknown　to　her　　it　would　be　hard；　I　say；　to　find　such　a　young　man　（living；　of　course；　in　the　great　world　and　accustomed　to　indulge　his　self…love）　who　would　not　have　been　unpleasantly　taken　aback　in　such　a　case。

In　silence　Grushnitski　and　I　descended　the　mountain　and　walked　along　the　boulevard；　past　the　windows　of　the　house　where　our　beauty　had　hidden　herself。　　She　was　sitting　by　the　window。　Grushnitski；　plucking　me　by　the　arm；　cast　upon　her　one　of　those　gloomily　tender　glances　which　have　so　little　effect　upon　women。　　I　directed　my　lorgnette　at　her；　and　observed　that　she　smiled　at　his　glance　and　that　my　insolent　lorgnette　made　her　downright　angry。　　And　how；　indeed；　should　a　Caucasian　military　man　presume　to　direct　his　eyeglass　at　a　princess　from　Moscow？　。　。　。



CHAPTER　II

13th　May。

THIS　morning　the　doctor　came　to　see　me。　His　name　is　Werner；　but　he　is　a　Russian。　What　is　there　surprising　in　that？　　I　have　known　a　man　named　Ivanov；　who　was　a　German。

Werner　is　a　remarkable　man；　and　that　for　many　reasons。　　Like　almost　all　medical　men　he　is　a　sceptic　and　a　materialist；　but；　at　the　same　time