登陆注册
15691500000041

第41章 THE THIRD EXTRACT FROM PECHORIN'S DIARYPRINCESS MA

"I did not wish to make your acquaintance,"Icontinued,"because you are surrounded by too dense a throng of adorers,in which I was afraid of being lost to sight altogether.""You need not have been afraid;they are all very tiresome"...

"All?Not all,surely?"

She looked fixedly at me as if endeavouring to recollect something,then blushed slightly again and finally pronounced with decision:

"All!"

"Even my friend,Grushnitski?"

"But is he your friend?"she said,manifesting some doubt.

"Yes."

"He,of course,does not come into the category of the tiresome"...

"But into that of the unfortunate!"I said,laughing.

"Of course!But do you consider that funny?I should like you to be in his place"...

"Well?I was once a cadet myself,and,in truth,it was the best time of my life!""Is he a cadet,then?"...she said rapidly,and then added:"But I thought"...

"What did you think?"...

"Nothing!Who is that lady?"

Thereupon the conversation took a different direction,and it did not return to the former subject.

And now the mazurka came to an end and we separated --until we should meet again.The ladies drove off in different directions.I went to get some supper,and met Werner.

"Aha!"he said:"so it is you!And yet you did not wish to make the acquaintance of Princess Mary otherwise than by saving her from certain death.""I have done better,"I replied."I have saved her from fainting at the ball"...

"How was that?Tell me."

"No,guess!--O,you who guess everything in the world!"CHAPTER VI

30th May.

ABOUT seven o'clock in the evening,I was walking on the boulevard.Grushnitski perceived me a long way off,and came up to me.

A sort of ridiculous rapture was shining in his eyes.He pressed my hand warmly,and said in a tragic voice:

"I thank you,Pechorin...You understand me?""No;but in any case it is not worth grati-tude,"I answered,not having,in fact,any good deed upon my conscience.

"What?But yesterday!Have you for-gotten?...Mary has told me everything"...

"Why!Have you everything in common so soon as this?Even gratitude?"...

"Listen,"said Grushnitski very earnestly;"pray do not make fun of my love,if you wish to remain my friend...You see,I love her to the point of madness ...and I think --Ihope --she loves me too...I have a request to make of you.You will be at their house this even-ing;promise me to observe everything.I know you are experienced in these matters,you know women better than I...Women!Women!

Who can understand them?Their smiles contra-dict their glances,their words promise and allure,but the tone of their voice repels...At one time they grasp and divine in a moment our most secret thoughts,at another they cannot under-stand the clearest hints...Take Princess Mary,now:yesterday her eyes,as they rested upon me,were blazing with passion;to-day they are dull and cold"...

"That is possibly the result of the waters,"Ireplied.

"You see the bad side of everything ...

materialist,"he added contemptuously."How-ever,let us talk of other matters."

And,satisfied with his bad pun,he cheered up.

At nine o'clock we went to Princess Ligovski's together.

Passing by Vera's windows,I saw her looking out.We threw a fleeting glance at each other.

She entered the Ligovskis'drawing-room soon after us.Princess Ligovski presented me to her,as a relation of her own.Tea was served.The guests were numerous,and the conversation was general.I endeavoured to please the Princess,jested,and made her laugh heartily a few times.

Princess Mary,also,was more than once on the point of bursting out laughing,but she restrained herself in order not to depart from the role she had assumed.She finds languor becoming to her,and perhaps she is not mistaken.Grushnitski appears to be very glad that she is not infected by my gaiety.

After tea we all went into the drawingroom.

"Are you satisfied with my obedience,Vera?"I said as I was passing her.

She threw me a glance full of love and grati-tude.I have grown accustomed to such glances;but at one time they constituted my felicity.

The Princess seated her daughter at the piano-forte,and all the company begged her to sing.

I kept silence,and,taking advantage of the hubbub,I went aside to the window with Vera,who wished to say something of great import-ance to both of us...It turned out to be --nonsense...

Meanwhile my indifference was vexing Princess Mary,as I was able to make out from a single angry,gleaming glance which she cast at me...

Oh!I understand the method of conversation wonderfully well:mute but expressive,brief but forceful!...

She began to sing.She has a good voice,but she sings badly...However,I was not listening.

Grushnitski,on the contrary,leaning his elbows on the grand piano,facing her,was devouring her with his eyes and saying in an undertone every minute:"Charmant!Delicieux!""Listen,"said Vera to me,"I do not wish you to make my husband's acquaintance,but you must,without fail,make yourself agreeable to the Princess;that will be an easy task for you:

you can do anything you wish.It is only here that we shall see each other"...

"Only here?"...

She blushed and continued:

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 千回传

    千回传

    纵使轮回千世,忘不了那容颜是谁许她承诺,抛一世繁华,看那彼岸花盛开那苍狼在雪原嘶吼,呼喊的是谁的名字,却又为何留下落寞背影神,究竟是什么
  • 青春期那点破事儿

    青春期那点破事儿

    美女进来了,细腰轻转、走动尤如风摆荷叶,很有点脱尘的意味,她将教案放在了讲桌之上,银宇飞目不转睛的看着,赵卫华没说错,确实有胸!凭借N多年看岛国电影得来的经验,他隔着衣服也能判断出,那对饱满绝对不是靠海棉胸罩顶起来的,因为它们看起来很圆很翘,上起边缘有明显外凸的弧形,随着美女的动作,会有上下轻微的颤动,这是海棉胸罩绝对做不到的…
  • 灭佛录

    灭佛录

    藩镇拥兵自重,紫微暗弱,魔门附体宦官秉控中枢,朝臣朋比为奸,边患不息,暗中却另有一股势力意图吞噬天下……一位传承隐秘的年轻人于此时开始闯荡天下……
  • 诡异怪谈回忆录

    诡异怪谈回忆录

    因缘际会,大学毕业初入社会的我因救一女鬼,阴差阳错的踏入了本该不属于的世界。从此一件件离奇又诡异的事在我身上发生。手执生死,心断阴阳,看尽世间冷暖,经历奇异诡事。
  • 修真大祸害

    修真大祸害

    世上绝对没有一包辣条解决不了的事,如果有,那就两包!一个因为猥琐被人打傻的老流氓,一个漂亮的御姐,一个亡灵法师,一个漂亮可人的孙女,一个无所事事的屌丝!当这三个人交织在一起,又会发生什么有趣而热血的事件。喂喂喂!好歹也是修真,逼格难道就不能再高点吗?!
  • 凤凰涅槃之傲世苍穹

    凤凰涅槃之傲世苍穹

    一代才女,却因青梅竹马的背叛而从高位面且里离九重仙境最近的沧澜界坠落到低位面云霓大陆,被收养,成为水家老爷子的孙女,冷酷邪王,唯独对她温柔细腻,死心塌地,她嫁给他,从此至死不离。。。
  • 穿越之极品凰妃

    穿越之极品凰妃

    抱歉,不小心挖错坟了,大活人居然被鬼给坑了!尼玛,一朝穿越成弃妃,姐有多惨你们造吗!不怕,安抚一下受伤的小心脏,看我如何斗强敌,虐奴才,一脚踹翻小王爷……【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 青史难叙

    青史难叙

    台湾艺人柏芝穿越东汉末年,拜胡昭先生为师,跟学姐蔡文姬混吃混喝,寄住学长司马懿家,见识三国四大神童风采,得水镜先生相助,被黄月英收为义妹。有些人天生就是夙敌,比如司马诸葛……在他身边待了11年,对她处处维护,再三宽容,她暗生情愫,他冷漠不语,非要无路可退才承认心中有她。他,司马懿,名门世族,曹魏大臣,留千古骂名,史书称顾狼之相。“你我之间又岂是一千八百年不可逾越的鸿沟?最悲哀的不是不能死在一起,而是死了也不能在一起!”“来世做条恶犬护你周全!”碧落黄泉皆不见,孤坟无处话凄凉。“开始是狗血的,然后是悲哀的,过程是虐心的,结局是圆满的,你给我开的外挂啊!”看不开挂的女主闯三国!
  • 浅夏笙安然

    浅夏笙安然

    那时候的青舂时期,那时候热血沸腾,那时候六个人的三个不同的爱情故事