a hero of our time-第6章

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〃Good　gracious！　how　could　she　pine　away　from　home…sickness？　　From　the　fortress　she　could　see　the　very　same　hills　as　she　could　from　the　village　　and　these　savages　require　nothing　more。　　Besides；　Grigori　Aleksandrovich　used　to　give　her　a　present　of　some　kind　every　day。　　At　first　she　didn't　utter　a　word；　but　haughtily　thrust　away　the　gifts；　which　then　fell　to　the　lot　of　the　dukhan…keeper's　wife　and　aroused　her　eloquence。　　Ah；　presents！　　What　won't　a　woman　do　for　a　coloured　rag！　。　。　。　　But　that　is　by　the　way。　。　。　　For　a　long　time　Grigori　Aleksandro…　vich　persevered　with　her；　and　meanwhile　he　studied　the　Tartar　language　and　she　began　to　understand　ours。　　Little　by　little　she　grew　accustomed　to　looking　at　him；　at　first　furtively；　askance；　but　she　still　pined　and　crooned　her　songs　in　an　undertone；　so　that　even　I　would　feel　heavy　at　heart　when　I　heard　her　from　the　next　room。　　One　scene　I　shall　never　forget：　I　was　walking　past；　and　I　looked　in　at　the　window；　Bela　was　sitting　on　the　stove…couch；　her　head　sunk　on　her　breast；　and　Grigori　Aleksandrovich　was　standing；　facing　her。

〃'Listen；　my　Peri；'　he　was　saying。　　'Surely　you　know　that　you　will　have　to　be　mine　sooner　or　later　　why；　then；　do　you　but　torture　me？　Is　it　that　you　are　in　love　with　some　Chechene？　If　so；　I　will　let　you　go　home　at　once。'

〃She　gave　a　scarcely　perceptible　start　and　shook　her　head。

〃'Or　is　it；'　he　continued；　'that　I　am　utterly　hateful　to　you？'

〃She　heaved　a　sigh。

〃'Or　that　your　faith　prohibits　you　from　giving　me　a　little　of　your　love？'

〃She　turned　pale　and　remained　silent。

〃'Believe　me；　Allah　is　one　and　the　same　for　all　races；　and；　if　he　permits　me　to　love　you；　why；　then；　should　he　prohibit　you　from　requiting　me　by　returning　my　love？'

〃She　gazed　fixedly　into　his　face；　as　though　struck　by　that　new　idea。　　Distrust　and　a　desire　to　be　convinced　were　expressed　in　her　eyes。　　What　eyes　they　were！　　They　sparkled　just　like　two　glowing　coals。

〃'Listen；　my　dear；　good　Bela！'　continued　Pechorin。　　'You　see　how　I　love　you。　　I　am　ready　to　give　up　everything　to　make　you　cheerful　once　more。　　I　want　you　to　be　happy；　and；　if　you　are　going　to　be　sad　again；　I　shall　die。　　Tell　me；　you　will　be　more　cheerful？'

〃She　fell　into　thought；　her　black　eyes　still　fixed　upon　him。　　Then　she　smiled　graciously　and　nodded　her　head　in　token　of　acquiescence。

〃He　took　her　by　the　hand　and　tried　to　induce　her　to　kiss　him。　　She　defended　herself　feebly；　and　only　repeated：　'Please！　　Please！　　You　mustn't；　you　mustn't！'

〃He　went　on　to　insist；　she　began　to　tremble　and　weep。

〃'I　am　your　captive；'　she　said；　'your　slave；　of　course；　you　can　compel　me。'

〃And　then；　again　　tears。

〃Grigori　Aleksandrovich　struck　his　forehead　with　his　fist　and　sprang　into　the　other　room。　　I　went　in　to　see　him；　and　found　him　walking　moodily　backwards　and　forwards　with　folded　arms。

〃'Well；　old　man？'　I　said　to　him。

〃'She　is　a　devil　　not　a　woman！'　he　answered。　'But　I　give　you　my　word　of　honour　that　she　shall　be　mine！'

〃I　shook　my　head。

〃'Will　you　bet　with　me？'　he　said。　　'In　a　week's　time？'

〃'Very　well；'　I　answered。

〃We　shook　hands　on　it　and　separated。

〃The　next　day　he　immediately　despatched　an　express　messenger　to　Kizlyar　to　purchase　some　things　for　him。　　The　messenger　brought　back　a　quite　innumerable　quantity　of　various　Persian　stuffs。

〃'What　think　you；　Maksim　Maksimych？'　he　said　to　me；　showing　the　presents。　　'Will　our　Asiatic　beauty　hold　out　against　such　a　battery　as　this？'

〃'You　don't　know　the　Circassian　women；'　I　answered。　　'They　are　not　at　all　the　same　as　the　Georgian　or　the　Transcaucasian　Tartar　women　　not　at　all！　　They　have　their　own　principles；　they　are　brought　up　differently。'

〃Grigori　Aleksandrovich　smiled　and　began　to　whistle　a　march　to　himself。〃



CHAPTER　VI

〃AS　things　fell　out；　however；〃　continued　Maksim　Maksimych；　〃I　was　right；　you　see。　　The　presents　produced　only　half　an　effect。　She　became　more　gracious　more　trustful　　but　that　was　all。　　Pechorin　accordingly　determined　upon　a　last　expedient。　　One　morning　he　ordered　his　horse　to　be　saddled；　dressed　himself　as　a　Cir…　cassian；　armed　himself；　and　went　into　her　room。

〃'Bela；'　he　said。　　'You　know　how　I　love　you。　　I　decided　to　carry　you　off；　thinking　that　when　you　grew　to　know　me　you　would　give　me　your　love。　　I　was　mistaken。　　Farewell！　　Re…　main　absolute　mistress　of　all　I　possess。　　Return　to　your　father　if　you　like　　you　are　free。　　I　have　acted　wrongfully　towards　you；　and　I　must　punish　myself。　　Farewell！　　I　am　going。　　Whither？　　How　should　I　know？　　Perchance　I　shall　not　have　long　to　court　the　bullet　or　the　sabre…stroke。　Then　remember　me　and　forgive。'

〃He　turned　away；　and　stretched　out　his　hand　to　her　in　farewell。　　She　did　not　take　his　hand；　but　remained　silent。　　But　I；　standing　there　behind　the　door；　was　able　through　a　chink　to　observe　her　countenance；　and　I　felt　sorry　for　her　　such　a　deathly　pallor　shrouded　that　charm…　ing　little　face！　　Hearing　no　answer；　Pechorin　took　a　few　steps　towards　the　door。　　He　was　trembling；　and　　shall　I　tell　you？　　I　think　that　he　was　in　a　state　to　perform　in　very　fact　what　he　had　been　saying　in　jest！　　He　was　just　that　sort　of　man；　Heaven　knows！

〃He　had　scarcely　touched　the　door；　however；　when　Bela　sprang　to　her　feet；　burst　out　sobbing；　and　threw　herself　on　his　neck！　　Would　you　believe　it？　　I；　standing　there　behind　the　door；　fell　to　weeping　too；　that　is　to　say；　you　know；　not　exactly　weeping　　but　just　　well；　something　foolish！〃

The　staff…captain　became　silent。

〃Yes；　I　confess；〃　he　said　after　a　while；　tugging　at　his　moustache；　〃I　felt　hurt　that　not　one　woman　had　ever　loved　me　like　that。〃

〃Was　their　happiness　lasting？〃　I　asked。

〃Yes；　she　admitted　that；　from　the　day　she　had　first　cast　eyes　on　Pechorin；　she　had　often　dreamed　of　him；　and　that　no　other　man　had　ever　pro…　duced　such　an　impression　upon　her。　　Yes；　they　were　happy！〃

〃How　tiresome！〃　I　exclaimed；　involuntarily。

In　point　of　fact；　I　had　been　expecting　a　tragic　ending　　when；　lo！　he　must　needs　disappoint　my　hopes　in　such　an　unexpected　manner！　。　。　。

〃Is　it　possible；　though；〃　I　continued；　〃that　her　father　did　not　guess　that　she　was　with　you　in　the　fortress？〃

〃Well；　you　must　know；　he　seems　to　have　had　his　suspicions。　　After　a　few　days；　we　learned　that　the　old　man　had　been　murdered。　　This　is　how　it　happened。〃　。　。　。

My　attention　was　aroused　anew。

〃I　must　tell　you　that　Kazbich　imagined　that　the　horse　had　been　stolen　by　Azamat　with　his　father's　consent；　at　any　rate；　that　is　what　I　suppose。　　So；　one　day；　Kazbich　went　and　waited　by　the　roadside；　about　three　versts　beyond　the　village。　　The　old　man　was　returning　from　one　of　his　futile　searches　for　his　daughter；　his　re…　tainers　were　lagging　behind。　　It　was　dusk。　Deep　in　thought；　he　was　riding　at　a　walking　pace　when；　suddenly；　Kazbich　darted　out　like　a　cat　from　behind　a　bush；　sprang　up　behind　him　on　the　horse；　flung　him　to　the　ground　with　a　thrust　of　his　dagger；　seized　the　bridle　and　was　off。　　A　few　of　the　retainers　saw　the　whole　affair　from　the　hill；　they　dashed　off　in　pursuit　of　Kazbich；　but　failed　to　overtake　him。〃

〃He　requited　himself　for　the　loss　of　his　horse；　and　took　his　revenge　at　the　same　time；〃　I　said；　with　a　view　to　evoking　my　companion's　opinion。

〃Of　course；　from　their　point　of　view；〃　said　the　staff…captain；　〃he　was　perfectly　right。〃

I　was　involuntarily　struck　by　the　aptitude　which　the　Russian　displays　for　accommodating　himself　to　the　customs　of　the　people　in　whose　midst　he　happens　to　be　living。　　I　know　not　whether　this　mental　quality　is　deserving　of　censure　or　commendation；　but　it　proves　the　incredible　pliancy　of　his　mind　and　the　presence　of　that　clear　common　sense　which　pardons　evil　wherever　it　sees　that　evil　is　inevitable　or　im…　possible　of　annihilation。



CHAPTER　VII

IN　the　meantime　we　had　finished　our　tea。　The　horses；　which　had　been　put　to　long　before；　were　freezing　in　the　snow。　　In　the　west　the　moon　was　growing　pale；　and　was　just　on　the　point　of　plunging　into　the　black　clouds　which　were　hanging　over　the　distant　summits　like　the　shreds　of　a　torn　curtain。　　We　went　out　of　the　hut。　　Contrary　to　my　fellow…traveller's　pre…　diction；　the　weather　had　cleared　up；　and　there　was　a　promise　of　a　calm　morning。　　The　dancing　choirs　of　the　stars　wer