a hero of our time-第1节

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A　Hero　of　Our　Time

by　M。　Y。　Lermontov



TRANSLATED　FROM　THE　RUSSIAN　OF　M。　Y。　LERMONTOV
By　J。　H。　WISDOM　&　MARR　MURRAY




FOREWORD

THIS　novel；　known　as　one　of　the　masterpieces　of
Russian　Literature；　under　the　title　〃A　Hero
of　our　Time；〃　and　already　translated　into　at　least
nine　European　languages；　is　now　for　the　first　time
placed　before　the　general　English　Reader。
　　　　　
The　work　is　of　exceptional　interest　to　the
student　of　English　Literature；　written　as　it　was
under　the　profound　influence　of　Byron　and　being
itself　a　study　of　the　Byronic　type　of　character。
　　　　　
The　Translators　have　taken　especial　care　to
preserve　both　the　atmosphere　of　the　story　and　the
poetic　beauty　with　which　the　Poet…novelist　imbued
his　pages。



CONTENTS

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
FOREWORD　

BOOK　　　I。　　BELA　

BOOK　　II。　　MAKSIM　MAKSIMYCH

FOREWORD　TO　EXTRACTS　FROM　PECHORIN'S　DIARY

BOOK　III。　　TAMAN

BOOK　　IV。　　THE　FATALIST

BOOK　　　V。　　PRINCESS　MARY

APPENDIX。　　THE　AUTHOR'S　PREFACE　TO　THE　SECOND　EDITION　


BOOK　I　BELA

THE　HEART　OF　A　RUSSIAN

CHAPTER　I

I　was　travelling　post　from　Tiflis。

All　the　luggage　I　had　in　my　cart　consisted　of　one　small　portmanteau　half　filled　with　travelling…　notes　on　Georgia；　of　these　the　greater　part　has　been　lost；　fortunately　for　you；　but　the　port…　manteau　itself　and　the　rest　of　its　contents　have　remained　intact；　fortunately　for　me。　　　　　　As　I　entered　the　Koishaur　Valley　the　sun　was　disappearing　behind　the　snow…clad　ridge　of　the　mountains。　　In　order　to　accomplish　the　ascent　of　Mount　Koishaur　by　nightfall；　my　driver；　an　Ossete；　urged　on　the　horses　indefatigably；　singing　zealously　the　while　at　the　top　of　his　voice。　　　　　　　What　a　glorious　place　that　valley　is！　　On　every　hand　are　inaccessible　mountains；　steep；　yellow　slopes　scored　by　water…channels；　and　reddish　rocks　draped　with　green　ivy　and　crowned　with　clusters　of　plane…trees。　　Yonder；　at　an　immense　height；　is　the　golden　fringe　of　the　snow。　　Down　below　rolls　the　River　Aragva；　which；　after　bursting　noisily　forth　from　the　dark　and　misty　depths　of　the　gorge；　with　an　unnamed　stream　clasped　in　its　embrace；　stretches　out　like　a　thread　of　silver；　its　waters　glistening　like　a　snake　with　flashing　scales。

Arrived　at　the　foot　of　Mount　Koishaur；　we　stopped　at　a　dukhan。＇1＇　　About　a　score　of　Georgians　and　mountaineers　were　gathered　there　in　a　noisy　crowd；　and；　close　by；　a　caravan　of　camels　had　halted　for　the　night。　　I　was　obliged　to　hire　oxen　to　drag　my　cart　up　that　accursed　mountain；　as　it　was　now　autumn　and　the　roads　were　slippery　with　ice。　　Besides；　the　mountain　is　about　two　versts＇2＇　in　length。

＇1＇　A　retail　shop　and　tavern　combined。　　　　　　　＇2＇　A　verst　is　a　measure　of　length；　about　3500　English　feet。

There　was　no　help　for　it；　so　I　hired　six　oxen　and　a　few　Ossetes。　　One　of　the　latter　shouldered　my　portmanteau；　and　the　rest；　shouting　almost　with　one　voice；　proceeded　to　help　the　oxen。

Following　mine　there　came　another　cart；　which　I　was　surprised　to　see　four　oxen　pulling　with　the　greatest　ease；　notwithstanding　that　it　was　loaded　to　the　top。　　Behind　it　walked　the　owner；　smoking　a　little；　silver…mounted　Kabardian　pipe。　　He　was　wearing　a　shaggy　Circassian　cap　and　an　officer's　overcoat　without　epaulettes；　and　he　seemed　to　be　about　fifty　years　of　age。　　The　swarthiness　of　his　complexion　showed　that　his　face　had　long　been　acquainted　with　Transcaucasian　suns；　and　the　premature　greyness　of　his　moustache　was　out　of　keeping　with　his　firm　gait　and　robust　appearance。　　I　went　up　to　him　and　saluted。　　He　silently　returned　my　greeting　and　emitted　an　immense　cloud　of　smoke。

〃We　are　fellow…travellers；　it　appears。〃

Again　he　bowed　silently。

〃I　suppose　you　are　going　to　Stavropol？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　exactly　　with　Government　things。〃

〃Can　you　tell　me　how　it　is　that　that　heavily…　laden　cart　of　yours　is　being　drawn　without　any　difficulty　by　four　oxen；　whilst　six　cattle　are　scarcely　able　to　move　mine；　empty　though　it　is；　and　with　all　those　Ossetes　helping？〃

He　smiled　slyly　and　threw　me　a　meaning　glance。

〃You　have　not　been　in　the　Caucasus　long；　I　should　say？〃

〃About　a　year；〃　I　answered。

He　smiled　a　second　time。

〃Well？〃

〃Just　so；　sir；〃　he　answered。　　〃They're　terrible　beasts；　these　Asiatics！　　You　think　that　all　that　shouting　means　that　they　are　helping　the　oxen？　Why；　the　devil　alone　can　make　out　what　it　is　they　do　shout。　　The　oxen　understand；　though；　and　if　you　were　to　yoke　as　many　as　twenty　they　still　wouldn't　budge　so　long　as　the　Ossetes　shouted　in　that　way　of　theirs。　。　。　。　　Awful　scoundrels！　　But　what　can　you　make　of　them？　They　love　extorting　money　from　people　who　happen　to　be　travelling　through　here。　　The　rogues　have　been　spoiled！　　You　wait　and　see：　they　will　get　a　tip　out　of　you　as　well　as　their　hire。　I　know　them　of　old；　they　can't　get　round　me！〃

〃You　have　been　serving　here　a　long　time？〃

〃Yes；　I　was　here　under　Aleksei　Petrovich；〃＇1＇　he　answered；　assuming　an　air　of　dignity。　　〃I　was　a　sub…lieutenant　when　he　came　to　the　Line；　and　I　was　promoted　twice；　during　his　command；　on　account　of　actions　against　the　mountaineers。〃

＇1＇　Ermolov；　i。e。　General　Ermolov。　　Russians　have　three　names　　Christian　name；　patronymic　and　surname。　　They　are　addressed　by　the　first　two　only。　　The　surname　of　Maksim　Maksimych　（colloquial　for　Maksimovich）　is　not　mentioned。

〃And　now　？〃


〃Now　I'm　in　the　third　battalion　of　the　Line。　And　you　yourself？〃

I　told　him。

With　this　the　conversation　ended；　and　we　con…　tinued　to　walk　in　silence；　side　by　side。　　On　the　summit　of　the　mountain　we　found　snow。　　The　sun　set；　and　　as　usually　is　the　case　in　the　south　　night　followed　upon　the　day　without　any　interval　of　twilight。　　Thanks；　however；　to　the　sheen　of　the　snow；　we　were　able　easily　to　dis…　tinguish　the　road；　which　still　went　up　the　moun…　tain…side；　though　not　so　steeply　as　before。　　I　ordered　the　Ossetes　to　put　my　portmanteau　into　the　cart；　and　to　replace　the　oxen　by　horses。　　Then　for　the　last　time　I　gazed　down　upon　the　valley；　but　the　thick　mist　which　had　gushed　in　billows　from　the　gorges　veiled　it　completely；　and　not　a　single　sound　now　floated　up　to　our　ears　from　below。　　The　Ossetes　surrounded　me　clamor…　ously　and　demanded　tips；　but　the　staff…captain　shouted　so　menacingly　at　them　that　they　dis…　persed　in　a　moment。

〃What　a　people　they　are！〃　he　said。　　〃They　don't　even　know　the　Russian　for　'bread；'　but　they　have　mastered　the　phrase　'Officer；　give　us　a　tip！'　In　my　opinion；　the　very　Tartars　are　better；　they　are　no　drunkards；　anyhow。〃　。　。　。

We　were　now　within　a　verst　or　so　of　the　Station。　　Around　us　all　was　still；　so　still；　indeed；　that　it　was　possible　to　follow　the　flight　of　a　gnat　by　the　buzzing　of　its　wings。　　On　our　left　loomed　the　gorge；　deep　and　black。　　Behind　it　and　in　front　of　us　rose　the　dark…blue　summits　of　the　mountains；　all　trenched　with　furrows　and　covered　with　layers　of　snow；　and　standing　out　against　the　pale　horizon；　which　still　retained　the　last　reflec…　tions　of　the　evening　glow。　　The　stars　twinkled　out　in　the　dark　sky；　and　in　some　strange　way　it　seemed　to　me　that　they　were　much　higher　than　in　our　own　north　country。　　On　both　sides　of　the　road　bare；　black　rocks　jutted　out；　here　and　there　shrubs　peeped　forth　from　under　the　snow；　but　not　a　single　withered　leaf　stirred；　and　amid　that　dead　sleep　of　nature　it　was　cheering　to　hear　the　snorting　of　the　three　tired　post…horses　and　the　irregular　tinkling　of　the　Russian　bell。＇1＇

＇1＇　The　bell　on　the　duga；　a　wooden　arch　joining　the　shafts　of　a　Russian　conveyance　over　the　horse's　neck。


〃We　will　have　glorious　weather　to…morrow；〃　I　said。

The　staff…captain　answered　not　a　word；　but　pointed　with　his　finger　to　a　lofty　mountain　which　rose　directly　opposite　us。

〃What　is　it？〃　I　asked。

〃Mount　Gut。〃

〃Well；　what　then？〃

〃Don't　you　see　how　it　is　smoking？〃

True　enough；　smoke　was　rising　from　Mount　Gut。　　Over　its　sides　gentle　cloud…currents　were　creeping；　and　on　the　summit　rested　one　cloud　of　such　dense　blackness　that　it　appeared　like　a　blot　upon　the　dark　sky。

By　this　time　we　were　able　to　make　out　the　Post　Station　and　the　roofs　of　the　huts　surrounding　it；　the　welcoming　lights　were　twinkling　before　us；　when　suddenly　a　damp　and　chilly　wind　arose；　the　gorge　rumbled；　and　a　drizzling　rain　fell。　　I　had　scarcely　time　to　throw　my　felt　cloak　round　me　when　down　came　the　snow。　　I　looked　at　the　staff…captain　with　profound　respect。

〃We　shall　have　to　pass　the　night　here；〃　he　said；　vexation　in　his　tone。　　〃There's　no　crossing　the　mountains　in　such　a　blizzard。　　I　say；　have　there　been　any　avalanches　on　Mount　Krestov？〃　he　inquired　of　the　driver。

〃No；　sir；〃　the　Ossete　answered；　〃but　there　are　a　great　many　threatening　to　fall　　a　great　many。〃

Owing　to　the　lack　of　a　travellers'　room　in　the　Station；　we　were　assigned　a　night's　lodging　in　a　smoky　hut。　　I　invited　my　fellow…traveller　to　drink　a　tumbler　of　tea　with　me；　as　I　had　brought　my　cast…iron　teapot　　my　only　solace　during　my　travels　in　the　Caucasus。

One　side　of　the　hut　was　stuck　against　the　cliff；　and　three　wet　and　slippery　steps　led　up　to　the　door。　　I　groped　my　way　in　and　stumbled　up　against　a　cow　（with　these　people　the　cow…house　supplies　the　place　of　a　servant's　room）。　　I　did　not　know　which　way　to　turn　　sheep　were　bleating　on　the　one　hand　and　a　dog　growling　on　t