On the
following
day, at the appointed hour, I was already behind the
haystacks, waiting for my foeman.
haystacks, waiting for my foeman.
Pushkin - Daughter of the Commandant
"
"What for? "
"About a mere trifle, over a little song. "
"Fine thing to quarrel over--a little song! How did it happen? "
"Thus. Petr' Andrejitch lately composed a song, and he began singing it
to me this morning. So I--I struck up mine, 'Captain's daughter, don't
go abroad at dead of night! ' As we did not sing in the same key, Petr'
Andrejitch became angry. But afterwards he reflected that 'every one is
free to sing what he pleases,' and that's all. "
Chvabrine's insolence made me furious, but no one else, except myself,
understood his coarse allusions. Nobody, at least, took up the subject.
From poetry the conversation passed to poets in general, and the
Commandant made the remark that they were all rakes and confirmed
drunkards; he advised me as a friend to give up poetry as a thing
opposed to the service, and leading to no good.
Chvabrine's presence was to me unbearable. I hastened to take leave of
the Commandant and his family. After coming home I looked at my sword; I
tried its point, and I went to bed after ordering Saveliitch to wake me
on the morrow at six o'clock.
On the following day, at the appointed hour, I was already behind the
haystacks, waiting for my foeman. It was not long before he appeared.
"We may be surprised," he said to me; "we must make haste. "
We laid aside our uniforms, and in our waistcoats we drew our swords
from the scabbard.
At this moment Iwan Ignatiitch, followed by five pensioners, came out
from behind a heap of hay. He gave us an order to go at once before the
Commandant. We sulkily obeyed. The soldiers surrounded us, and we
followed Iwan Ignatiitch who brought us along in triumph, walking with
a military step, with majestic gravity.
We entered the Commandant's house. Iwan Ignatiitch threw the door wide
open, and exclaimed, emphatically--
"They are taken! "
Vassilissa Igorofna ran to meet us.
"What does all this mean? Plotting assassination in our very fort! Ivan
Kouzmitch, put them under arrest at once. Petr' Andrejitch, Alexey
Ivanytch, give up your swords, give them up--give them up. Palashka,
take away the swords to the garret.
"What for? "
"About a mere trifle, over a little song. "
"Fine thing to quarrel over--a little song! How did it happen? "
"Thus. Petr' Andrejitch lately composed a song, and he began singing it
to me this morning. So I--I struck up mine, 'Captain's daughter, don't
go abroad at dead of night! ' As we did not sing in the same key, Petr'
Andrejitch became angry. But afterwards he reflected that 'every one is
free to sing what he pleases,' and that's all. "
Chvabrine's insolence made me furious, but no one else, except myself,
understood his coarse allusions. Nobody, at least, took up the subject.
From poetry the conversation passed to poets in general, and the
Commandant made the remark that they were all rakes and confirmed
drunkards; he advised me as a friend to give up poetry as a thing
opposed to the service, and leading to no good.
Chvabrine's presence was to me unbearable. I hastened to take leave of
the Commandant and his family. After coming home I looked at my sword; I
tried its point, and I went to bed after ordering Saveliitch to wake me
on the morrow at six o'clock.
On the following day, at the appointed hour, I was already behind the
haystacks, waiting for my foeman. It was not long before he appeared.
"We may be surprised," he said to me; "we must make haste. "
We laid aside our uniforms, and in our waistcoats we drew our swords
from the scabbard.
At this moment Iwan Ignatiitch, followed by five pensioners, came out
from behind a heap of hay. He gave us an order to go at once before the
Commandant. We sulkily obeyed. The soldiers surrounded us, and we
followed Iwan Ignatiitch who brought us along in triumph, walking with
a military step, with majestic gravity.
We entered the Commandant's house. Iwan Ignatiitch threw the door wide
open, and exclaimed, emphatically--
"They are taken! "
Vassilissa Igorofna ran to meet us.
"What does all this mean? Plotting assassination in our very fort! Ivan
Kouzmitch, put them under arrest at once. Petr' Andrejitch, Alexey
Ivanytch, give up your swords, give them up--give them up. Palashka,
take away the swords to the garret.
