a hero of our time-第8章

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s　hidden　in　the　mist；　the　billows　of　which；　in　ever　denser　and　more　compact　masses；　rushed　in　from　the　east。　。　。

＇1＇　A　legendary　Russian　hero　whose　whistling　knocked　people　down。

Concerning　that　stone　cross；　by　the　way；　there　exists　the　strange；　but　widespread；　tradition　that　it　had　been　set　up　by　the　Emperor　Peter　the　First　when　travelling　through　the　Caucasus。　In　the　first　place；　however；　the　Emperor　went　no　farther　than　Daghestan；　and；　in　the　second　place；　there　is　an　inscription　in　large　letters　on　the　cross　itself；　to　the　effect　that　it　had　been　erected　by　order　of　General　Ermolov；　and　that　too　in　the　year　1824。　　Nevertheless；　the　tradition　has　taken　such　firm　root；　in　spite　of　the　inscription；　that　really　you　do　not　know　what　to　believe；　the　more　so；　as　it　is　not　the　custom　to　believe　inscriptions。

To　reach　the　station　Kobi；　we　still　had　to　descend　about　five　versts；　across　ice…covered　rocks　and　plashy　snow。　　The　horses　were　exhausted；　we　were　freezing；　the　snowstorm　droned　with　ever…　increasing　violence；　exactly　like　the　storms　of　our　own　northern　land；　only　its　wild　melodies　were　sadder　and　more　melancholy。

〃O　Exile；〃　I　thought；　〃thou　art　weeping　for　thy　wide；　free　steppes！　　There　mayest　thou　unfold　thy　cold　wings；　but　here　thou　art　stifled　and　confined；　like　an　eagle　beating　his　wings；　with　a　shriek；　against　the　grating　of　his　iron　cage！〃

〃A　bad　look　out；〃　said　the　staff…captain。　〃Look！　　There's　nothing　to　be　seen　all　round　but　mist　and　snow。　　At　any　moment　we　may　tumble　into　an　abyss　or　stick　fast　in　a　cleft；　and　a　little　lower　down；　I　dare　say；　the　Baidara　has　risen　so　high　that　there　is　no　getting　across　it。　Oh；　this　Asia；　I　know　it！　　Like　people；　like　rivers！　　There's　no　trusting　them　at　all！〃

The　drivers；　shouting　and　cursing；　belaboured　the　horses；　which　snorted；　resisted　obstinately；　and　refused　to　budge　on　any　account；　notwith…　standing　the　eloquence　of　the　whips。

〃Your　honour；〃　one　of　the　drivers　said　to　me　at　length；　〃you　see；　we　will　never　reach　Kobi　to…day。　　Won't　you　give　orders　to　turn　to　the　left　while　we　can？　　There　is　something　black　yonder　on　the　slope　　probably　huts。　　Travellers　always　stop　there　in　bad　weather；　sir。　　They　say；〃　he　added；　pointing　to　the　Ossetes；　〃that　they　will　lead　us　there　if　you　will　give　them　a　tip。〃

〃I　know　that；　my　friend；　I　know　that　without　your　telling　me；〃　said　the　staff…captain。　　〃Oh；　these　beasts！　　They　are　delighted　to　seize　any　pretext　for　extorting　a　tip！〃

〃You　must　confess；　however；〃　I　said；　〃that　we　should　be　worse　off　without　them。〃

〃Just　so；　just　so；〃　he　growled　to　himself。　　〃I　know　them　well　　these　guides！　　They　scent　out　by　instinct　a　chance　of　taking　advantage　of　people。　　As　if　it　was　impossible　to　find　the　way　without　them！〃

Accordingly　we　turned　aside　to　the　left；　and；　somehow　or　other；　after　a　good　deal　of　trouble；　made　our　way　to　the　wretched　shelter；　which　consisted　of　two　huts　built　of　stone　slabs　and　rubble；　surrounded　by　a　wall　of　the　same　material。　　Our　ragged　hosts　received　us　with　alacrity。　　I　learned　afterwards　that　the　Govern…　ment　supplies　them　with　money　and　food　upon　condition　that　they　put　up　travellers　who　are　overtaken　by　storm。



CHAPTER　VIII

〃ALL　is　for　the　best；〃　I　said；　sitting　down　close　by　the　fire。　　〃Now　you　will　finish　telling　me　your　story　about　Bela。　　I　am　certain　that　what　you　have　already　told　me　was　not　the　end　of　it。〃

〃Why　are　you　so　certain？〃　answered　the　staff…captain；　winking　and　smiling　slyly。

〃Because　things　don't　happen　like　that。　　A　story　with　such　an　unusual　beginning　must　also　have　an　unusual　ending。〃

〃You　have　guessed；　of　course〃　。　。　。

〃I　am　very　glad　to　hear　it。〃

〃It　is　all　very　well　for　you　to　be　glad；　but；　indeed；　it　makes　me　sad　when　I　think　of　it。　Bela　was　a　splendid　girl。　　In　the　end　I　grew　accustomed　to　her　just　as　if　she　had　been　my　own　daughter；　and　she　loved　me。　　I　must　tell　you　that　I　have　no　family。　　I　have　had　no　news　of　my　father　and　mother　for　twelve　years　or　so；　and；　in　my　earlier　days；　I　never　thought　of　providing　myself　with　a　wife　　and　now；　you　know；　it　wouldn't　do。　　So　I　was　glad　to　have　found　someone　to　spoil。　　She　used　to　sing　to　us　or　dance　the　Lezginka。＇1＇　。　。　　And　what　a　dancer　she　was！　　I　have　seen　our　own　ladies　in　provincial　society；　and　on　one　occasion；　sir；　about　twenty　years　ago；　I　was　even　in　the　Nobles'　Club　at　Moscow　　but　was　there　a　woman　to　be　com…　pared　with　her？　　Not　one！　　Grigori　Aleksandro…　vich　dressed　her　up　like　a　doll；　petted　and　pampered　her；　and　it　was　simply　astonishing　to　see　how　pretty　she　grew　while　she　lived　with　us。　The　sunburn　disappeared　from　her　face　and　hands；　and　a　rosy　colour　came　into　her　cheeks。　。　。　What　a　merry　girl　she　was！　　Always　making　fun　of　me；　the　little　rogue！　。　。　。　　Heaven　forgive　her！〃

＇1＇　Lezghian　dance。

〃And　when　you　told　her　of　her　father's　death？〃

〃We　kept　it　a　secret　from　her　for　a　long　time；　until　she　had　grown　accustomed　to　her　position；　and　then；　when　she　was　told；　she　cried　for　a　day　or　two　and　forgot　all　about　it。

〃For　four　months　or　so　everything　went　on　as　well　as　it　possibly　could。　　Grigori　Aleksandro…　vich；　as　I　think　I　have　already　mentioned；　was　passionately　fond　of　hunting；　he　was　always　craving　to　be　off　into　the　forest　after　boars　or　wild　goats　　but　now　it　would　be　as　much　as　he　would　do　to　go　beyond　the　fortress　rampart。　All　at　once；　however；　I　saw　that　he　was　beginning　again　to　have　fits　of　abstraction；　walking　about　his　room　with　his　hands　clasped　behind　his　back。　One　day　after　that；　without　telling　anyone；　he　set　off　shooting。　　During　the　whole　morning　he　was　not　to　be　seen；　then　the　same　thing　happened　another　time；　and　so　on　　oftener　and　oftener。　。　。

〃'This　looks　bad！'　I　said　to　myself。　　'Some…　thing　must　have　come　between　them！'

〃One　morning　I　paid　them　a　visit　　I　can　see　it　all　in　my　mind's　eye；　as　if　it　was　happening　now。　　Bela　was　sitting　on　the　bed；　wearing　a　black　silk　jacket；　and　looking　rather　pale　and　so　sad　that　I　was　alarmed。

〃'Where　is　Pechorin？'　I　asked。

〃'Hunting。'

〃'When　did　he　go　　to…day？'

〃'She　was　silent；　as　if　she　found　a　difficulty　in　answering。

〃'No；　he　has　been　gone　since　yesterday；'　she　said　at　length；　with　a　heavy　sigh。

〃'Surely　nothing　has　happened　to　him！'

〃'Yesterday　I　thought　and　thought　the　whole　day；'　she　answered　through　her　tears；　'I　imagined　all　sorts　of　misfortunes。　　At　one　time　I　fancied　that　he　had　been　wounded　by　a　wild　boar；　at　another　time；　that　he　had　been　carried　off　by　a　Chechene　into　the　mountains。　。　。　　But；　now；　I　have　come　to　think　that　he　no　longer　loves　me。'

〃'In　truth；　my　dear　girl；　you　could　not　have　imagined　anything　worse！'

〃She　burst　out　crying；　then；　proudly　raising　her　head；　she　wiped　away　the　tears　and　con…　tinued：

〃'If　he　does　not　love　me；　then　who　prevents　him　sending　me　home？　　I　am　not　putting　any　constraint　on　him。　　But；　if　things　go　on　like　this；　I　will　go　away　myself　　I　am　not　a　slave；　I　am　a　prince's　daughter！'　。　。　。

〃I　tried　to　talk　her　over。

〃'Listen；　Bela。　　You　see　it　is　impossible　for　him　to　stop　in　here　with　you　for　ever；　as　if　he　was　sewn　on　to　your　petticoat。　　He　is　a　young　man　and　fond　of　hunting。　　Off　he'll　go；　but　you　will　find　that　he　will　come　back；　and；　if　you　are　going　to　be　unhappy；　you　will　soon　make　him　tired　of　you。'

〃'True；　true！'　she　said。　　'I　will　be　merry。'

〃And　with　a　burst　of　laughter；　she　seized　her　tambourine；　began　to　sing；　dance；　and　gambol　around　me。　　But　that　did　not　last　long　either；　she　fell　upon　the　bed　again　and　buried　her　face　in　her　hands。

〃What　could　I　do　with　her？　　You　know　I　have　never　been　accustomed　to　the　society　of　women。　　I　thought　and　thought　how　to　cheer　her　up；　but　couldn't　hit　on　anything。　　For　some　time　both　of　us　remained　silent。　。　。　　A　most　unpleasant　situation；　sir！

〃At　length　I　said　to　her：

〃'Would　you　like　us　to　go　and　take　a　walk　on　the　rampart？　　The　weather　is　splendid。'

〃This　was　in　September；　and　indeed　it　was　a　wonderful　day；　bright　and　not　too　hot。　　The　mountains　could　be　seen　as　clearly　as　though　they　were　but　a　hand's…breadth　away。　　We　went；　and　walked　in　silence　to　and　fro　along　the　rampart　of　the　fortress。　　At　length　she　sat　down　on　the　sward；　and　I　sat　beside　her。　　In　truth；　now；　i