a hero of our time-第22节

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sting　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〃　。　。　。

〃Good　heavens！　　Why；　you　are　much　more　interesting　as　it　is！　　You　simply　do　not　know　how　to　avail　yourself　of　your　advantageous　position。　。　。　Why；　that　soldier's　cloak　makes　a　hero　and　a　martyr　of　you　in　the　eyes　of　any　lady　of　senti…　ment！〃

Grushnitski　smiled　complacently。

〃What　nonsense！〃　he　said。

〃I　am　convinced；〃　I　continued；　〃that　Princess　Mary　is　in　love　with　you　already。〃

He　blushed　up　to　the　ears　and　looked　big。

Oh；　vanity！　　Thou　art　the　lever　with　which　Archimedes　was　to　lift　the　earthly　sphere！　。　。　。

〃You　are　always　jesting！〃　he　said；　pretending　to　be　angry。　　〃In　the　first　place；　she　knows　so　little　of　me　as　yet〃　。　。　。

〃Women　love　only　those　whom　they　do　not　know！〃

〃But　I　have　no　pretensions　whatsoever　to　pleasing　her。　　I　simply　wish　to　make　the　ac…　quaintance　of　an　agreeable　household；　and　it　would　be　extremely　ridiculous　if　I　were　to　cherish　the　slightest　hope。　。　。　　With　you；　now；　for　instance；　it　is　a　different　matter！　　You　Petersburg　con…　querors！　　You　have　but　to　look　　and　women　melt。　。　。　　But　do　you　know；　Pechorin；　what　Princess　Mary　said　of　you？〃　。　。　。

〃What？　　She　has　spoken　to　you　already　about　me？〃　。　。　。

〃Do　not　rejoice　too　soon；　though。　　The　other　day；　by　chance；　I　entered　into　conversation　with　her　at　the　well；　her　third　word　was；　'Who　is　that　gentleman　with　such　an　unpleasant；　heavy　glance？　　He　was　with　you　when'　。　。　。　she　blushed；　and　did　not　like　to　mention　the　day；　remembering　her　own　delightful　little　exploit。　'You　need　not　tell　me　what　day　it　was；'　I　answered；　'it　will　ever　be　present　to　my　memory！'　。　。　。　　Pechorin；　my　friend；　I　cannot　congratulate　you；　you　are　in　her　black　books。　。　。　And；　indeed；　it　is　a　pity；　because　Mary　is　a　charming　girl！〃　。　。　。

It　must　be　observed　that　Grushnitski　is　one　of　those　men　who；　in　speaking　of　a　woman　with　whom　they　are　barely　acquainted；　call　her　my　Mary；　my　Sophie；　if　she　has　had　the　good　fortune　to　please　them。

I　assumed　a　serious　air　and　answered：

〃Yes；　she　is　good…looking。　。　。　　Only　be　care…　ful；　Grushnitski！　　Russian　ladies；　for　the　most　part；　cherish　only　Platonic　love；　without　mingling　any　thought　of　matrimony　with　it；　and　Platonic　love　is　exceedingly　embarrassing。　　Princess　Mary　seems　to　be　one　of　those　women　who　want　to　be　amused。　　If　she　is　bored　in　your　company　for　two　minutes　on　end　　you　are　lost　irrevocably。　　Your　silence　ought　to　excite　her　curiosity；　your　con…　versation　ought　never　to　satisfy　it　completely；　you　should　alarm　her　every　minute；　ten　times；　in　public；　she　will　slight　people's　opinion　for　you　and　will　call　that　a　sacrifice；　and；　in　order　to　requite　herself　for　it；　she　will　torment　you。　　Afterwards　she　will　simply　say　that　she　cannot　endure　you。　If　you　do　not　acquire　authority　over　her；　even　her　first　kiss　will　not　give　you　the　right　to　a　second。　She　will　flirt　with　you　to　her　heart's　content；　and；　in　two　years'　time；　she　will　marry　a　monster；　in　obedience　to　her　mother；　and　will　assure　herself　that　she　is　unhappy；　that　she　has　loved　only　one　man　　that　is　to　say；　you　　but　that　Heaven　was　not　willing　to　unite　her　to　him　because　he　wore　a　soldier's　cloak；　although　beneath　that　thick；　grey　cloak　beat　a　heart；　passionate　and　noble〃　。　。　。

Grushnitski　smote　the　table　with　his　fist　and　fell　to　walking　to　and　fro　across　the　room。

I　laughed　inwardly　and　even　smiled　once　or　twice；　but　fortunately　he　did　not　notice。　　It　is　evident　that　he　is　in　love；　because　he　has　grown　even　more　confiding　than　heretofore。　　Moreover；　a　ring　has　made　its　appearance　on　his　finger；　a　silver　ring　with　black　enamel　of　local　workman…　ship。　　It　struck　me　as　suspicious。　。　。　　I　began　to　examine　it；　and　what　do　you　think　I　saw？　　The　name　Mary　was　engraved　on　the　inside　in　small　letters；　and　in　a　line　with　the　name　was　the　date　on　which　she　had　picked　up　the　famous　tumbler。　I　kept　my　discovery　a　secret。　　I　do　not　want　to　force　confessions　from　him；　I　want　him；　of　his　own　accord；　to　choose　me　as　his　confidant　　and　then　I　will　enjoy　myself！　。　。　。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。

To…day　I　rose　late。　　I　went　to　the　well。　　I　found　nobody　there。　　The　day　grew　hot。　　White；　shaggy　cloudlets　were　flitting　rapidly　from　the　snow…clad　mountains；　giving　promise　of　a　thunder…　storm；　the　summit　of　Mount　Mashuk　was　smoking　like　a　just　extinguished　torch；　grey　wisps　of　cloud　were　coiling　and　creeping　like　snakes　around　it；　arrested　in　their　rapid　sweep　and；　as　it　were；　hooked　to　its　prickly　brushwood。　The　atmosphere　was　charged　with　electricity。　　I　plunged　into　the　avenue　of　the　vines　leading　to　the　grotto。

I　felt　low…spirited。　　I　was　thinking　of　the　lady　with　the　little　mole　on　her　cheek；　of　whom　the　doctor　had　spoken　to　me。　。　。　　〃Why　is　she　here？〃　I　thought。　　〃And　is　it　she？　　And　what　reason　have　I　for　thinking　it　is？　　And　why　am　I　so　certain　of　it？　　Is　there　not　many　a　woman　with　a　mole　on　her　cheek？〃　　Reflecting　in　such　wise　I　came　right　up　to　the　grotto。　　I　looked　in　and　I　saw　that　a　woman；　wearing　a　straw　hat　and　wrapped　in　a　black　shawl；　was　sitting　on　a　stone　seat　in　the　cold　shade　of　the　arch。　　Her　head　was　sunk　upon　her　breast；　and　the　hat　covered　her　face。　I　was　just　about　to　turn　back；　in　order　not　to　disturb　her　meditations；　when　she　glanced　at　me。

〃Vera！〃　I　exclaimed　involuntarily。

She　started　and　turned　pale。

〃I　knew　that　you　were　here；〃　she　said。

I　sat　down　beside　her　and　took　her　hand。　　A　long…forgotten　tremor　ran　through　my　veins　at　the　sound　of　that　dear　voice。　　She　gazed　into　my　face　with　her　deep；　calm　eyes。　　Mistrust　and　something　in　the　nature　of　reproach　were　ex…　pressed　in　her　glance。

〃We　have　not　seen　each　other　for　a　long　time；〃　I　said。

〃A　long　time；　and　we　have　both　changed　in　many　ways。〃

〃Consequently　you　love　me　no　longer？〃　。　。　。

〃I　am　married！〃　。　。　。　she　said。

〃Again？　　A　few　years　ago；　however；　that　reason　also　existed；　but；　nevertheless〃　。　。　。

She　plucked　her　hand　away　from　mine　and　her　cheeks　flamed。

〃Perhaps　you　love　your　second　husband？〃　。　。　。

She　made　no　answer　and　turned　her　head　away。

〃Or　is　he　very　jealous？〃

She　remained　silent。

〃What　then？　　He　is　young；　handsome　and；　I　suppose；　rich　　which　is　the　chief　thing　　and　you