a hero of our time- 第14部分

〃To…night；　when　everyone　is　asleep；　go　out　to　the　shore。〃

Like　an　arrow　she　sprang　from　the　room。

In　the　hall　she　upset　the　teapot　and　a　candle　which　was　standing　on　the　floor。

〃Little　devil！〃　cried　the　Cossack；　who　had　taken　up　his　position　on　the　straw　and　had　contemplated　warming　himself　with　the　remains　of　the　tea。

It　was　only　then　that　I　recovered　my　senses。

In　about　two　hours'　time；　when　all　had　grown　silent　in　the　harbour；　I　awakened　my　Cossack。

〃If　I　fire　a　pistol；〃　I　said；　〃run　to　the　shore。〃

He　stared　open…eyed　and　answered　mechanic…　ally：

〃Very　well；　sir。〃

I　stuffed　a　pistol　in　my　belt　and　went　out。　She　was　waiting　for　me　at　the　edge　of　the　cliff。　Her　attire　was　more　than　light；　and　a　small　kerchief　girded　her　supple　waist。

〃Follow　me！〃　she　said；　taking　me　by　the　hand；　and　we　began　to　descend。

I　cannot　understand　how　it　was　that　I　did　not　break　my　neck。　Down　below　we　turned　to　the　right　and　proceeded　to　take　the　path　along　which　I　had　followed　the　blind　boy　the　evening　before。　The　moon　had　not　yet　risen；　and　only　two　little　stars；　like　two　guardian　lighthouses；　were　twink…　ling　in　the　dark…blue　vault　of　heaven。　The　heavy　waves；　with　measured　and　even　motion；　rolled　one　after　the　other；　scarcely　lifting　the　solitary　boat　which　was　moored　to　the　shore。

〃Let　us　get　into　the　boat；〃　said　my　com…　panion。

I　hesitated。　I　am　no　lover　of　sentimental　trips　on　the　sea；　but　this　was　not　the　time　to　draw　back。　She　leaped　into　the　boat；　and　I　after　her；　and　I　had　not　time　to　recover　my　wits　before　I　observed　that　we　were　adrift。

〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃　I　said　angrily。

〃It　means；〃　she　answered；　seating　me　on　the　bench　and　throwing　her　arms　around　my　waist；　〃it　means　that　I　love　you！〃　。　。　。

Her　cheek　was　pressed　close　to　mine。　and　I　felt　her　burning　breath　upon　my　face。　Suddenly　something　fell　noisily　into　the　water。　I　clutched　at　my　belt　　my　pistol　was　gone！　Ah；　now　a　terrible　suspicion　crept　into　my　soul；　and　the　blood　rushed　to　my　head！　I　looked　round。　We　were　about　fifty　fathoms　from　the　shore；　and　I　could　not　swim　a　stroke！　I　tried　to　thrust　her　away　from　me；　but　she　clung　like　a　cat　to　my　clothes；　and　suddenly　a　violent　wrench　all　but　threw　me　into　the　sea。　The　boat　rocked；　but　I　righted　myself；　and　a　desperate　struggle　began。

Fury　lent　me　strength；　but　I　soon　found　that　I　was　no　match　for　my　opponent　in　point　of　agility。　。　。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　I　cried；　firmly　squeezing　her　little　hands。

Her　fingers　crunched；　but　her　serpent…like　nature　bore　up　against　the　torture；　and　she　did　not　utter　a　cry。

〃You　saw　us；〃　she　answered。　〃You　will　tell　on　us。〃

And；　with　a　supernatural　effort；　she　flung　me　on　to　the　side　of　the　boat；　we　both　hung　half　overboard；　her　hair　touched　the　water。　The　decisive　moment　had　come。　I　planted　my　knee　against　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　caught　her　by　the　tresses　with　one　hand　and　by　the　throat　with　the　other；　she　let　go　my　clothes；　and；　in　an　instant；　I　had　thrown　her　into　the　waves。

It　was　now　rather　dark；　once　or　twice　her　head　appeared　for　an　instant　amidst　the　sea　foam；　and　I　saw　no　more　of　her。

I　found　the　half　of　an　old　oar　at　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　and　somehow　or　other；　after　lengthy　efforts；　I　made　fast　to　the　harbour。　Making　my　way　along　the　shore　towards　my　hut；　I　involun…　tarily　gazed　in　the　direction　of　the　spot　where；　on　the　previous　night；　the　blind　boy　had　awaited　the　nocturnal　mariner。　The　moon　was　already　rolling　through　the　sky；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　somebody　in　white　was　sitting　on　the　shore。　Spurred　by　curiosity；　I　crept　up　and　crouched　down　in　the　grass　on　the　top　of　the　cliff。　By　thrusting　my　head　out　a　little　way　I　was　able　to　get　a　good　view　of　everything　that　was　happen…　ing　down　below；　and　I　was　not　very　much　aston…　ished；　but　almost　rejoiced；　when　I　recognised　my　water…nymph。　She　was　wringing　the　sea…　foam　from　her　long　hair。　Her　wet　garment　out…　lined　her　supple　figure　and　her　high　bosom。

Soon　a　boat　appeared　in　the　distance；　it　drew　near　rapidly；　and；　as　on　the　night　before；　a　man　in　a　Tartar　cap　stepped　out　of　it；　but　he　now　had　his　hair　cropped　round　in　the　Cossack　fashion；　and　a　large　knife　was　sticking　out　behind　his　leather　belt。

〃Yanko；〃　the　girl　said；　〃all　is　lost！〃

Then　their　conversation　continued；　but　so　softly　that　I　could　not　catch　a　word　of　it。

〃But　where　is　the　blind　boy？〃　said　Yanko　at　last；　raising　his　voice。

〃I　have　told　him　to　come；〃　was　the　reply。

After　a　few　minutes　the　blind　boy　appeared；　dragging　on　his　back　a　sack；　which　they　placed　in　the　boat。

〃Listen！〃　said　Yanko　to　the　blind　boy。　〃Guard　that　place！　You　know　where　I　mean？　There　are　valuable　goods　there。　Tell〃　　I　could　not　catch　the　name　　〃that　I　am　no　longer　his　servant。　Things　have　gone　badly。　He　will　see　me　no　more。　It　is　dangerous　now。　I　will　go　seek　work　in　another　place；　and　he　will　never　be　able　to　find　another　dare…devil　like　me。　Tell　him　also　that　if　he　had　paid　me　a　little　better　for　my　labours；　I　would　not　have　forsaken　him。　For　me　there　is　a　way　anywhere；　if　only　the　wind　blows　and　the　sea　roars。〃

After　a　short　silence　Yanko　continued。

〃She　is　coming　with　me。　It　is　impossible　for　her　to　remain　here。　Tell　the　old　woman　that　it　is　time　for　her　to　die；　she　has　been　here　a　long　time；　and　the　line　must　be　drawn　somewhere。　As　for　us；　she　will　never　see　us　any　more。〃

〃And　I？〃　said　the　blind　boy　in　a　plaintive　voice。

〃What　use　have　I　for　you？〃　was　the　answer。

In　the　meantime　my　Undine　had　sprung　into　the　boat。　She　beckoned　to　her　companion　with　her　hand。　He　placed　something　in　the　blind　boy's　hand　and　added：

〃There；　buy　yourself　some　gingerbreads。〃

〃Is　this　all？〃　said　the　blind　boy。

〃Well；　here　is　some　more。〃

The　money　fell　and　jingled　as　it　struck　the　rock。

The　blind　boy　did　not　pick　it　up。　Yanko　took　his　seat　in　the　boat；　the　wind　was　blowing　from　the　shore；　they　hoisted　the　little　sail　and　sped　rapidly　away。　For　a　long　time　the　white　sail　gleamed　in　the　moonlight　amid　the　dark　waves。　Still　the　blind　boy　remained　seated　upon　the　shore；　and　then　I　heard　something　which　sounded　like　sobbing。　The　blind　boy　was；　in　fact；　weeping；　and　for　a　long；　long　time　his　tears　flowed。　。　。　I　grew　heavy…hearted。　For　what　reason　should　fate　have　thrown　me　into　the　peaceful　circle　of　honourable　smugglers？　Like　a　stone　cast　into　a　smooth　well；　I　had　disturbed　their　quietude；　and　I　barely　escaped　going　to　the　bottom　like　a　stone。

I　returned　home。　In　the　hall　the　burnt…out　candle　was　spluttering　on　a　wooden　platter；　and　my　Cossack；　contrary　to　orders；　was　fast　asleep；　with　his　gun　held　in　both　hands。　I　left　him　at　rest；　took　the　candle；　and　entered　the　hut。　Alas！　my　cashbox；　my　sabre　with　the　silver　chasing；　my　Daghestan　dagger　　the　gift　of　a　friend　　all　had　vanished！　It　was　then　that　I　guessed　what　articles　the　cursed　blind　boy　had　been　dragging　along。　Roughly　shaking　the　Cossack；　I　woke　him　up；　rated　him；　and　lost　my　temper。　But　what　was　the　good　of　that？　And　would　it　not　have　been　ridiculous　to　com…　plain　to　the　authorities　that　I　had　been　robbed　by　a　blind　boy　and　all　but　drowned　by　an　eighteen…year…old　girl？

Thank　heaven　an　opportunity　of　getting　away　presented　itself　in　the　morning；　and　I　left　Taman。

What　became　of　the　old　woman　and　the　poor　blind　boy　I　know　not。　And；　besides；　what　are　the　joys　and　sorrows　of　mankind　to　me　　me；　a　travelling　officer；　and　one；　moreover；　with　an　order　for　post…horses　on　Government　business？



BOOK　IV　　THE　SECOND　EXTRACT　FROM　PECHORIN'S　DIARY

THE　FATALIST

I　ONCE　happened　to　spend　a　couple　of　weeks　in　a　Cossack　village　on　our　left　flank。　　A　battalion　of　infantry　was　stationed　there；　and　it　was　the　custom　of　the　officers　to　meet　at　each　other's　quarters　in　turn　and　play　cards　in　the　evening。

On　one　occasion　　it　was　at　Major　S's　　finding　our　game　of　Boston　not　sufficiently　ab…　sorbing；　we　threw　the　cards　under　the　table　and　sat　on　for　a　long　time；　talking。　　The　con…　versation；　for　once　in　a　way；　was　interesting。　The　subject　was　the　Mussulman　tradition　that　a　man's　fate　is　written　in　heaven；　and　we　dis…　cussed　the　fact　that　it　was　gaining　many　votaries；　even　amongst　our　own　countrymen。　　Each　of　us　related　various　extraordinary　occurrences；　pro　or　contra。

〃What　you　have　been　saying；　gentlemen；　proves　nothing；〃　said　the　old　major。　　〃I　presume　there　is　not　one　of　you　who　has　actually　been　a　witness　of　the　strange　events　which　you　are　citing　in　support　of　your　opinions？〃

〃Not　one；　of　course；〃　said　many　of　the　guests。　〃But　we　have　heard　of　them　from　trustworthy　people。〃　。　。　。

〃It　is　all　nonsense！〃　someone　said。　　〃Where　are　the　trustworthy　people　who　have　seen　the　Register　in　which　the　appointed　hour　of　our　death　is　recorded？　。　。　。　And　if　predestination　really　exists；　why　are　free　will　and　reason　granted　us？　　Why　are　we　obliged　to　render　an　account　of　our　actions？〃

At　that　moment　an　officer　who　was　sitting　in　a　corner　of　the　room　stood　up；　and；　coming　slowly　to　the　table；　surveyed　us　all　with　a　quiet　and　solemn　glance。　　He　was　a　native　of　Servia；　as　was　evident　from　his　name。

The　outward　appearance　of　Lieutenant　Vulich　was　quite　in　keeping　with　his　character。　　His　height；　swarthy　complexion；　black　hair；　piercing　black　eyes；　large　but　straight　nose　　an　attribute　of　his　nation　　and　the　cold　and　melancholy　smile　which　ever　hovered　around　his　lips；　all　seemed　to　concur　in　lending　him　the　appearance　of　a　man　apart；　incapable　of　reciprocating　the　thoughts　and　passions　of　those　whom　fate　gave　him　for　companions。

He　was　brave；　talked　little；　but　sharply；　confided　his　thoughts　and　family　secrets　to　no　one；　drank　hardly　a　drop　of　wine；　and　never　dangled　after　the　young　Cossack　girls；　whose　charm　it　is　difficult　to　realise　without　having　seen　them。　　It　was　said；　however；　that　the　colonel's　wife　was　not　indifferent　to　those　ex…　pressive　eyes　of　his；　but　he　was　seriously　angry　if　any　hint　on　the　subject　was　made。

There　was　only　one　passion　which　he　did　not　conceal　　the　passion　for　gambling。　　At　the　green　table　he　would　become　oblivious　of　everything。　He　usually　lost；　but　his　constant　ill　success　only　aroused　his　obstinacy。　　It　was　related　that；　on　one　occasion；　during　a　nocturnal　expedition；　he　was　keeping　the　bank　on　a　pillow；　and　had　a　terrific　run　of　l