a hero of our time-第9节

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nothing　more　nor　less　than　a　drunkard。　However；　the　staff…captain's　observation　was　more　excusable；　in　order　to　abstain　from　strong　drink；　he　naturally　endeavoured　to　convince　himself　that　all　the　misfortunes　in　the　world　are　the　result　of　drunkenness。



CHAPTER　X

MEANWHILE　the　staff…captain　continued　his　story。

〃Kazbich　never　put　in　an　appearance　again；　but　somehow　　I　don't　know　why　　I　could　not　get　the　idea　out　of　my　head　that　he　had　had　a　reason　for　coming；　and　that　some　mischievous　scheme　was　in　his　mind。

〃Well；　one　day　Pechorin　tried　to　persuade　me　to　go　boar…hunting　with　him。　　For　a　long　time　I　refused。　　What　novelty　was　a　wild　boar　to　me？

〃However；　off　he　dragged　me；　all　the　same。　We　took　four　or　five　soldiers　and　set　out　early　in　the　morning。　　Up　till　ten　o'clock　we　scurried　about　the　reeds　and　the　forest　　there　wasn't　a　wild　beast　to　be　found！

〃'I　say；　oughtn't　we　to　be　going　back？'　I　said。　　'What's　the　use　of　sticking　at　it？　　It　is　evident　enough　that　we　have　happened　on　an　unlucky　day！'

〃But；　in　spite　of　heat　and　fatigue；　Pechorin　didn't　like　to　return　empty…handed。　。　。　　That　is　just　the　kind　of　man　he　was；　whatever　he　set　his　heart　on　he　had　to　have　　evidently；　in　his　childhood；　he　had　been　spoiled　by　an　indulgent　mother。　　At　last；　at　midday；　we　discovered　one　of　those　cursed　wild　boars　　Bang！　　Bang！　　No　good！　　Off　it　went　into　the　reeds。　　That　was　an　unlucky　day；　to　be　sure！　。　。　。　　So；　after　a　short　rest；　we　set　off　homeward。　。　。

〃We　rode　in　silence；　side　by　side；　giving　the　horses　their　head。　　We　had　almost　reached　the　fortress；　and　only　the　brushwood　concealed　it　from　view。　　Suddenly　a　shot　rang　out。　。　。　　We　glanced　at　each　other；　both　struck　with　the　self…　same　suspicion。　。　。　　We　galloped　headlong　in　the　direction　of　the　shot；　looked；　and　saw　the　soldiers　clustered　together　on　the　rampart　and　pointing　towards　a　field；　along　which　a　rider　was　flying　at　full　speed；　holding　something　white　across　his　saddle。　　Grigori　Aleksandrovich　yelled　like　any　Chechene；　whipped　his　gun　from　its　cover；　and　gave　chase　　I　after　him。

〃Luckily；　thanks　to　our　unsuccessful　hunt；　our　horses　were　not　jaded；　they　strained　under　the　saddle；　and　with　every　moment　we　drew　nearer　and　nearer。　。　。　　At　length　I　recognised　Kazbich；　only　I　could　not　make　out　what　it　was　that　he　was　holding　in　front　of　him。

〃Then　I　drew　level　with　Pechorin　and　shouted　to　him：

〃'It　is　Kazbich！'

〃He　looked　at　me；　nodded；　and　struck　his　horse　with　his　whip。

〃At　last　we　were　within　gunshot　of　Kazbich。　Whether　it　was　that　his　horse　was　jaded　or　not　so　good　as　ours；　I　don't　know；　but；　in　spite　of　all　his　efforts；　it　did　not　get　along　very　fast。　　I　fancy　at　that　moment　he　remembered　his　Karagyoz！

〃I　looked　at　Pechorin。　　He　was　taking　aim　as　he　galloped。　。　。

〃'Don't　shoot；'　I　cried。　　'Save　the　shot！　We　will　catch　up　with　him　as　it　is。'

〃Oh；　these　young　men！　　Always　taking　fire　at　the　wrong　moment！　　The　shot　rang　out　and　the　bullet　broke　one　of　the　horse's　hind　legs。　　It　gave　a　few　fiery　leaps　forward；　stumbled；　and　fell　to　its　knees。　　Kazbich　sprang　off；　and　then　we　perceived　that　it　was　a　woman　he　was　holding　in　his　arms　　a　woman　wrapped　in　a　veil。　　It　was　Bela　　poor　Bela！　　He　shouted　something　to　us　in　his　own　language　and　raised　his　dagger　over　her。　。　。　　Delay　was　useless；　I　fired　in　my　turn；　at　haphazard。　　Probably　the　bullet　struck　him　in　the　shoulder；　because　he　dropped　his　hand　suddenly。　　When　the　smoke　cleared　off；　we　could　see　the　wounded　horse　lying　on　the　ground　and　Bela　beside　it；　but　Kazbich；　his　gun　flung　away；　was　clambering　like　a　cat　up　the　cliff；　through　the　brushwood。　　I　should　have　liked　to　have　brought　him　down　from　there　　but　I　hadn't　a　charge　ready。　　We　jumped　off　our　horses　and　rushed　to　Bela。　　Poor　girl！　　She　was　lying　motionless；　and　the　blood　was　pouring　in　streams　from　her　wound。　　The　villain！　　If　he　had　struck　her　to　the　heart　　well　and　good；　everything　would　at　least　have　been　finished　there　and　then；　but　to　stab　her　in　the　back　like　that　　the　scoundrel！　　She　was　unconscious。　　We　tore　the　veil　into　strips　and　bound　up　the　wound　as　tightly　as　we　could。　　In　vain　Pechorin　kissed　her　cold　lips　　it　was　impossible　to　bring　her　to。

〃Pechorin　mounted；　I　lifted　Bela　from　the　ground　and　somehow　managed　to　place　her　before　him　on　his　saddle；　he　put　his　arm　round　her　and　we　rode　back。

〃'Look　here；　Maksim　Maksimych；'　said　Grigori　Aleksandrovich；　after　a　few　moments　of　silence。　　'We　will　never　bring　her　in　alive　like　this。'

〃'True！'　I　said；　and　we　put　our　horses　to　a　full　gallop。



CHAPTER　XI

〃A　CROWD　was　awaiting　us　at　the　fortress　gate。　　Carefully　we　carried　the　wounded　girl　to　Pechorin's　quarters；　and　then　we　sent　for　the　doctor。　　The　latter　was　drunk；　but　he　came；　examined　the　wound；　and　announced　that　she　could　not　live　more　than　a　day。　　He　was　mistaken；　though。〃

〃She　recovered？〃　I　asked　the　staff…captain；　seizing　him　by　the　arm；　and　involuntarily　re…　joicing。

〃No；〃　he　replied；　〃but　the　doctor　was　so　far　mistaken　that　she　lived　two　days　longer。〃

〃Explain；　though；　how　Kazbich　made　off　with　her！〃

〃It　was　like　this：　in　spite　of　Pechorin's　pro…　hibition；　she　went　out　of　the　fortress　and　down　to　the　river。　　It　was　a　very　hot　day；　you　know；　and　she　sat　on　a　rock　and　dipped　her　feet　in　the　water。　　Up　crept　Kazbich；　pounced　upon　her；　silenced　her；　and　dragged　her　into　the　bushes。　Then　he　sprang　on　his　horse　and　made　off。　In　the　meantime　she　succeeded　in　crying　out；　the　sentries　took　the　alarm；　fired；　but　wide　of　the　mark；　and　thereupon　we　arrived　on　the　scene。〃

〃But　what　did　Kazbich　want　to　carry　her　off　for？〃

〃Good　gracious！　　Why；　everyone　knows　these　Circassians　are　a　race　of　thieves；　they　can't　keep　their　hands　off　anything　that　is　left　lying　about！　They　may　not　want　a　thing；　but　they　will　steal　it；　for　all　that。　　Still；　you　mustn't　be　too　hard　on　them。　　And；　besides；　he　had　been　in　love　with　her　for　a　long　time。〃

〃And　Bela　died？〃

〃Yes；　she　died；　but　she　suffered　for　a　long　time；　and　we　were　fairly　knocked　up　with　her；　I　can　tell　you。　　About　ten　o'clock　in　the　evening　she　came　to　herself。　　We　were　sitting　by　her　bed。　As　soon　as　ever　she　opened　her　eyes　she　began　to　call　Pechorin。

〃'I　am　here　beside　you；　my　janechka'　（that　is；　'my　darling'）；　he　answered；　taking　her　by　the　hand。

〃'I　shall　die；'　she　said。

〃We　began　to　comfort　her；　telling　her　that　the　doctor　had　promised　infallibly　to　cure　her。　She　shook　her　little　head　and　turned　to　the　wall　　she　did　not　want　to　die！　。　。　。

〃At　night　she　became　delirious；　her　head　burned；　at　times　a　feverish　paroxysm　convulsed　her　whole　body。　　She　talked　incoherently　about　her　father；　her　brother；　she　yearned　for　the　mountains；　for　her　home。　。　。　　Then　she　spoke　of　Pechorin　also；　called　him　various　fond　names；　or　reproached　him　for　having　ceased　to　love　his　janechka。

He　listened　to　her　in　silence；　his　head　sunk　in　his　hands；　but　yet；　during　the　whole　time；　I　did　not　notice　a　single　tear…drop　on　his　lashes。　　I　do　not　know　whether　he　was　actually　unable　to　weep　or　was　mastering　himself；　but　for　my　part　I　have　never　seen　anything　more　pitiful。

〃Towards　morning　the　delirium　passed　off。　For　an　hour　or　so　she　lay　motionless；　pale；　and　so　weak　that　it　was　hardly　possible　to　observe　that　she　was　breathing。　　After　that　she　grew　better　and　began　to　talk：　only　about　what；　think　you？　Such　thoughts　come　only　to　the　dying！　。　。　。　She　lamented　that　she　was　not　a　Christian；　that　in　the　other　world　her　soul　would　never　meet　the　soul　of　Grigori　Aleksandrovich；　and　that　in　Paradise　another　woman　would　be　his　companion。　　The　thought　occurred　to　me　to　baptize　her　before　her　death。　　I　told　her　my　idea；　she　looked　at　me　undecidedly；　and　for　a　long　time　was　unable　to　utter　a　word。　　Finally　she　answered　that　she　would　die　in　the　faith　in　which　she　had　been　born。　　A　whole　day　passed　thus。　　What　a　change　that　day　made　in　her！　Her　pale　cheeks　fell　in；　her　eyes　grew　ever　so　large；　her　lips　burned。　　She　felt　a　consuming　heat　within　her；　as　though　a　red…hot　blade　was　piercing　her　breast。

〃The　second　night　came　on。　　We　did　not　close　our　eyes　or　leave　the　bedside。　　She　suffered　terribly；　and　groaned；　and　directly　the　pain　began　to　abate　she　endeavoured　to　assure　Grigori　Aleksandrovich　that　she　felt　better；　tried　to　persuade　him　to　go　to　bed；　kissed　his　hand　and　would　not　let　it　out　of　hers。　　Before　the　morning　she　began　to　feel　the　death　agony　and　to　toss　about。　　She　knocked　the　bandage　off；　and　the　blood　flowed　afresh。　　When　the　wound　was　bound　up　again　she　grew　quiet　for　a　moment　and　begged　Pechorin　to　kiss　her。　　He　fell　on　his　knees　beside　the　bed；　raised　her　head　from　the　pillow；　and　pressed　his　lips　to　hers　　which　were　growing　cold。　　She　threw　her　trembling　arms　closely　round　his　neck；　as　if　with　that　kiss　she　wished　to　yield　up　her　soul　to　him。　　No；　she　did　well　to　die！　　Why；　what　would　have　become　of　her　if　Grigori　Aleksandrovich　had　abandoned　her？　　And　that　is　what　would　have　happened；　sooner　or　later。

〃During　half　the　following　day　she　was　calm；　silent　and　docile；　however　much　the　doctor　tortured　her　with　his　fomentations　and　mixtures。

〃'Good　heavens！'　I　said　to　him；　'you　know　you　said　yourself　that　she　was　certain　to　die；　so　what　is　the　good　of