Евгений Онегин / Eugene Onegin. Александр Пушкин

– sit by me.”

      “What ails thee, dear?” – “I feel depressed.

      Relate some ancient history.”

      “But which, my dear? – In days of yore

      Within my memory I bore

      Many an ancient legend which

      In monsters and fair dames was rich;

      But now my mind is desolate,

      What once I knew is clean forgot —

      Alas! how wretched now my lot!”

      “But tell me, nurse, can you relate

      The days which to your youth belong?

      Were you in love when you were young?” —

      XVIII

      “Alack! Tattiana,” she replied,

      “We never loved in days of old,

      My mother-in-law who lately died[31]

      Had killed me had the like been told.”

      “How came you then to wed a man?” —

      “Why, as God ordered! My Ivan

      Was younger than myself, my light,

      For I myself was thirteen quite;[32]

      The matchmaker a fortnight sped,

      Her suit before my parents pressing:

      At last my father gave his blessing,

      And bitter tears of fright I shed.

      Weeping they loosed my tresses long[33]

      And led me off to church with song.”

      XIX

      “Then amongst strangers I was left —

      But I perceive thou dost not heed – ”

      “Alas! dear nurse, my heart is cleft,

      Mortally sick I am indeed.

      Behold, my sobs I scarce restrain – ”

      “My darling child, thou art in pain. —

      The Lord deliver her and save!

      Tell me at once what wilt thou have?

      I’ll sprinkle thee with holy water. —

      How thy hands burn!” – “Dear nurse, I’m well.

      I am – in love – you know – don’t tell!”

      “The Lord be with thee, O my daughter!” —

      And the old nurse a brief prayer said

      And crossed with trembling hand the maid.

      XX

      “I am in love,” her whispers tell

      The aged woman in her woe:

      “My heart’s delight, thou art not well.” —

      Примечания

      1

      Ruslan and Liudmila, the title of Pushkin’s first important work, written 1817–1820. It is a tale relating the adventures of the knight-errant Ruslan in search of his fair lady Liudmila, who has been carried off by a kaldoon, or magician.

      2

      Written in Bessarabia.

      3

      In Russia foreign tutors and governesses are commonly styled “monsieur” or “madame”.

      4

      Les Aventures du Chevalier de Faublas, a romance of a loose character by Jean Baptiste Louvet de Couvray (1760–1797), famous for his bold oration denouncing Robespierre, Marat and Danton.

      5

      À la “Bolivar”, from the founder of Bolivian independence.

      6

      M. Breguet, a celebrated Parisian watchmaker – hence a slang term for a watch.

Примечания

1

Ruslan and Liudmila, the title of Pushkin’s first important work, written 1817–1820. It is a tale relating the adventures of the knight-errant Ruslan in search of his fair lady Liudmila, who has been carried off by a kaldoon, or magician.

2

Written in Bessarabia.

3

In Russia foreign tutors and governesses are commonly styled “monsieur” or “madame”.

4

Les Aventures du Chevalier de Faublas, a romance of a loose character by Jean Baptiste Louvet de Couvray (1760–1797), famous for his bold oration denouncing Robespierre, Marat and Danton.

5

À la “Bolivar”, from the founder of Bolivian independence.

6

M. Breguet, a celebrated Parisian watchmaker – hence a slang term for a watch.

7

Talon, a famous St. Petersburg restaurateur.

8

Paul Petrovitch Kaverine, a friend for whom Pushkin in his youth appears to have entertained great respect and admiration. He was an officer in the Hussars of the Guard, and a noted “dandy” and man about town.

9

Denis Von Wisine (1741–1792), a favourite Russian dramatist. His first comedy The Brigadier, procured him the favour of the second Catherine. His best, however, is the Minor (Niedorosl). Prince Potemkin, after witnessing it, summoned the author, and greeted him with the exclamation, “Die now, Denis!” In fact, his subsequent performances were not of equal merit; Jacob Borissovitch Kniajnine (1742–1791), a clever adapter of French tragedy; Simeonova, a celebrated tragic actress, who retired from the stage in early life and married a Prince Gagarine; Ozeroff, one of the best-known Russian dramatists of the period; he possessed more originality than Kniajnine. Oedipus in Athens, Fingal, Demetrius Donskoi, and Polyxena, are the best known of his tragedies; Katenine translated Corneille’s tragedies into Russian; Didelot, sometime Director of the ballet at the Opera at St. Petersburg.

10

Istomina – a celebrated Circassian dancer of the day, with whom the poet in his extreme youth imagined himself in love.

31

A young married couple amongst Russian peasants reside in the house of the bridegroom’s father till the “tiaglo,” or family circle is broken up by his death.

32

Marriages amongst Russian serfs used formerly to take place at ridiculously early ages. Haxthausen asserts that strong hearty peasant women were to be seen at work in the fields with their infant husbands in their arms. The inducement lay in the fact that the “tiaglo” (see previous note) received an additional lot of the communal land for every male added to its number, though this could have formed an inducement in the southern and fertile provinces of Russia only, as it is believed that agriculture in the north is so unremunerative that land has often to be forced upon the peasants, in order that the taxes, for which the whole Commune is responsible to Government, may be paid. The abuse of early marriages was regulated by Tsar Nicholas.

33

Courtships were not unfrequently carried on in the larger villages, which alone could support such an individual, by means of a “svakha,” or matchmaker. In Russia unmarried girls wear their hair in a single long plait or tail, “kossa;” the married women, on the other hand, in two, which are twisted into the head-gear.