a hero of our time-第24章

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〃Good　heavens！〃　I　said；　clapping　my　hands。　〃Are　heroes　ever　presented？　　In　no　other　way　do　they　make　the　acquaintance　of　their　beloved　than　by　saving　her　from　certain　death！〃　。　。　。

〃And　you　really　wish　to　court　Princess　Mary？〃

〃Not　at　all；　far　from　it！　。　。　。　　Doctor；　I　triumph　at　last！　　You　do　not　understand　me！　。　。　。　It　vexes　me；　however；〃　I　continued　after　a　moment's　silence。　　〃I　never　reveal　my　secrets　myself；　but　I　am　exceedingly　fond　of　their　being　guessed；　because　in　that　way　I　can　always　disavow　them　upon　occasion。　　However；　you　must　describe　both　mother　and　daughter　to　me。　　What　sort　of　people　are　they？〃

〃In　the　first　place；　Princess　Ligovski　is　a　woman　of　forty…five；〃　answered　Werner。　　〃She　has　a　splendid　digestion；　but　her　blood　is　out　of　order　　there　are　red　spots　on　her　cheeks。　　She　has　spent　the　latter　half　of　her　life　in　Moscow；　and　has　grown　stout　from　leading　an　inactive　life　there。　　She　loves　spicy　stories；　and　sometimes　says　improper　things　herself　when　her　daughter　is　out　of　the　room。　　She　has　declared　to　me　that　her　daughter　is　as　innocent　as　a　dove。　　What　does　that　matter　to　me？　。　。　。　　I　was　going　to　answer　that　she　might　be　at　her　ease；　because　I　would　never　tell　anyone。　　Princess　Ligovski　is　taking　the　cure　for　her　rheumatism；　and　the　daughter；　for　goodness　knows　what。　　I　have　ordered　each　of　them　to　drink　two　tumblers　a　day　of　sulphurous　water；　and　to　bathe　twice　a　week　in　the　diluted　bath。　　Princess　Ligovski　is　apparently　unac…　customed　to　giving　orders。　　She　cherishes　respect　for　the　intelligence　and　attainments　of　her　daughter；　who　has　read　Byron　in　English　and　knows　algebra：　in　Moscow；　evidently；　the　ladies　have　entered　upon　the　paths　of　erudition　　and　a　good　thing；　too！　　The　men　here　are　generally　so　unamiable；　that；　for　a　clever　woman；　it　must　be　intolerable　to　flirt　with　them。　　Princess　Ligovski　is　very　fond　of　young　people；　Princess　Mary　looks　on　them　with　a　certain　contempt　　a　Moscow　habit！　　In　Moscow　they　cherish　only　wits　of　not　less　than　forty。〃

〃You　have　been　in　Moscow；　doctor？〃

〃Yes；　I　had　a　practice　there。〃

〃Continue。〃

〃But　I　think　I　have　told　everything。　。　。　No；　there　is　something　else：　Princess　Mary；　it　seems；　loves　to　discuss　emotions；　passions；　etcetera。　She　was　in　Petersburg　for　one　winter；　and　disliked　it　　especially　the　society：　no　doubt　she　was　coldly　received。〃

〃You　have　not　seen　anyone　with　them　to…　day？〃

〃On　the　contrary；　there　was　an　aide…de…camp；　a　stiff　guardsman；　and　a　lady　　one　of　the　latest　arrivals；　a　relation　of　Princess　Ligovski　on　the　husband's　side　　very　pretty；　but　apparently　very　ill。　。　。　　Have　you　not　met　her　at　the　well？　She　is　of　medium　height；　fair；　with　regular　features；　she　has　the　complexion　of　a　con…　sumptive；　and　there　is　a　little　black　mole　on　her　right　cheek。　　I　was　struck　by　the　expressiveness　of　her　face。〃

〃A　mole！〃　I　muttered　through　my　teeth。　〃Is　it　possible？〃

The　doctor　looked　at　me；　and；　laying　his　hand　on　my　heart；　said　triumphantly：

〃You　know　her！〃

My　heart　was；　in　fact；　beating　more　violently　than　usual。

〃It　is　your　turn；　now；　to　triumph；〃　I　said。　〃But　I　rely　on　you：　you　will　not　betray　me。　I　have　not　seen　her　yet；　but　I　am　convinced　that　I　recognise　from　your　portrait　a　woman　whom　I　loved　in　the　old　days。　。　。　　Do　not　speak　a　word　to　her　about　me；　if　she　asks　any　questions；　give　a　bad　report　of　me。〃

〃Be　it　so！〃　said　Werner；　shrugging　his　shoulders。

When　he　had　departed；　my　heart　was　com…　pressed　with　terrible　grief。　　Has　destiny　brought　us　together　again　in　the　Caucasus；　or　has　she　come　hither　on　purpose；　knowing　that　she　would　meet　me？　。　。　。　　And　how　shall　we　meet？　。　。　。　　And　then；　is　it　she？　。　。　。　　My　presentiments　have　never　deceived　me。　　There　is　not　a　man　in　the　world　over　whom　the　past　has　acquired　such　a　power　as　over　me。　　Every　recollection　of　bygone　grief　or　joy　strikes　my　soul　with　morbid　effect；　and　draws　forth　ever　the　same　sounds。　。　。　　I　am　stupidly　constituted：　I　forget　nothing　　no…　thing！

After　dinner；　about　six　o'clock；　I　went　on　to　the　boulevard。　　It　was　crowded。　　The　two　princesses　were　sitting　on　a　bench；　surrounded　by　young　men；　who　were　vying　with　each　other　in　paying　them　attention。　　I　took　up　my　position　on　another　bench　at　a　little　distance　off；　stopped　two　Dragoon　officers　whom　I　knew；　and　proceeded　to　tell　them　something。　　Evidently　it　was　amusing；　because　they　began　to　laugh　loudly　like　a　couple　of　mad…　men。　　Some　of　those　who　were　surrounding　Princess　Mary　were　attracted　to　my　side　by　curiosity；　and　gradually　all　of　them　left　her　and　joined　my　circle。　　I　did　not　stop　talking；　my　anecdotes　were　clever　to　the　point　of　absurdity；　my　jests　at　the　expense　of　the　queer　people　passing　by；　malicious　to　the　point　of　frenzy。　　I　continued　to　entertain　the　public　till　sunset。　Princess　Mary　passed　by　me　a　few　times；　arm…in…　arm　with　her　mother；　and　accompanied　by　a　certain　lame　old　man。　　A　few　times　her　glance　as　it　fell　upon　me　expressed　vexation；　while　en…　deavouring　to　express　indifference。　。　。

〃What　has　he　been　telling　you？〃　she　in…　quired　of　one　of　the　young　men；　who　had　gone　back　to　her　out　of　politeness。　　〃No　doubt　a　most　interesting　story　　his　own　exploits　in　battle？〃　。　。　。

This　was　said　rather　loudly；　and　probably　with　the　intention　of　stinging　me。

〃Aha！〃　I　thought　to　myself。　　〃You　are　downright　angry；　my　dear　Princess。　　Wait　awhile；　there　is　more　to　follow。〃

Grushnitski　kept　following　her　like　a　beast　of　prey；　and　would　not　let　her　out　of　his　sight。　　I　wager　that　to…morrow　he　will　ask　somebody　to　present　him　to　Princess　Ligovski。　　She　will　be　glad；　because　she　is　bored。



CHAPTER　III

16th　May。

IN　the　course　of　two　days　my　affairs　have　gained　ground　tremendously。　　Princess　Mary　positively　hates　me。　　Already　I　have　had　repeated　to　me　two　or　three　epigrams　on　the　subject　of　myself　　rather　caustic；　but　at　the　same　time　very　flattering。　　She　finds　it　exceedingly　strange　that　I；　who　am　accustomed　to　good　society；　and　am　so　intimate　with　her　Petersburg　cousins　and　aunts；　do　not　try　to　make　her　acquaintance。　Every　day　we　meet　at　the　well　and　on　the　boule…　vard。　　I　exert　all　my　powers　to　entice　away　her　adorers；　glittering　aides…de…camp；　pale…faced　visitors　from　Moscow；　and　others　　and　I　almost　always　succeed。　　I　have　always　hated　entertaining　guests：　now　my　house　is　full　every　day；　they　dine；　sup；　gamble；　and　alas！　my　champagne　triumphs　over　the　might　of　Princess　Mary's　magnetic　eyes！

I　met　her　yesterday　in　Chelakhov's　shop。　　She　was　bargaining　for　a　marvellous　Persian　rug；　and　implored　her　mother　not　to　be　niggardly：　the　rug　would　be　such　an　ornament　to　her　boudoir。　。　。　I　outbid　her　by　forty　rubles；　and　bought　it　over　her　head。　　I　was　rewarded　with　a　glance　in　which　the　most　delightful　fury　sparkled。　　About　dinner…　time；　I　ordered　my　Circassian　horse；　covered　with　that　very　rug；　purposely　to　be　led　past　her　windows。　　Werner　was　with　the　princesses　at　the　time；　and　told　me　that　the　effect　of　the　scene　was　most　dramatic。　　Princess　Mary　wishes　to　preach　a　crusade　against　me；　and　I　have　even　noticed　that；　already；　two　of　the　aides…de…camp　salute　me　very　coldly；　when　they　are　in　her　pre…　sence　　they　dine　with　me　every　day；　however。

Grushnitski　has　assumed　an　air　of　mystery；　he　walks　with　his　arms　folded　behind　his　back　and　does　not　recognise　anyone。　　His　foot　has　got　well　all　at　once；　and　there　is　hardly　a　sign　of　a　limp。　He　has　found　an　opportunity　of　entering　into　conversation　with　Princess　Ligovski　and　of　paying　Princess　Mary　some　kind　of　a　compliment。　The　latter　is　evidently　not　very　fastidious；　for；　ever　since；　she　answers　his　bow　with　a　most　charming　smile。

〃Are　you　sure　you　do　not　wish　to　make　the　Ligovskis'　acquaintance？〃　he　said　to　me　yester…　day。

〃Positive。〃

〃Good　gracious！　　The　pleasantest　house　at　the　waters！　　All　the　best　society　of　Pyatigorsk　is　to　be　found　there〃　。　。　。

〃My　friend；　I　am　terribly　tired　of　even　other　society　than　that　of　Pyatigorsk。　　So　you　visit　the　Ligovskis？〃

〃Not　yet。　　I　have　spoken　to　Princess　Mary　once　or　twice；　but　that　is　all。　　You　know　it　is　rather　awkward　to　go　and　visit　them　without　being　invited；　although　that　is　the　custom　here。　。　。　It　would　be　a　different　matter　if　I　was　wearing　epaulettes〃　。　。　。

〃Go