We spoke in a low voice Marya
Ivanofna
reproached
me tenderly for the anxiety my quarrel with Chvabrine had occasioned
her.
me tenderly for the anxiety my quarrel with Chvabrine had occasioned
her.
Pushkin - Daughter of the Commandant
Palashka brought us back
our swords. We left the house apparently reconciled. Ivan Ignatiitch
accompanied us.
"Weren't you ashamed," I said to him, angrily, "thus to denounce us to
the Commandant after giving me your solemn word not to do so? "
"As God is holy," replied he, "I said nothing to Ivan Kouzmitch; it was
Vassilissa Igorofna who wormed it all out of me. It was she who took all
the necessary measures unknown to the Commandant. As it is, heaven be
praised that it has all ended in this way. "
After this reply he returned to his quarters, and I remained alone with
Chvabrine.
"Our affair can't end thus," I said to him.
"Certainly not," rejoined Chvabrine. "You shall wash out your insolence
in blood. But they will watch us; we must pretend to be friends for a
few days. Good-bye. "
And we parted as if nothing had happened.
Upon my return to the Commandant's, I sat down according to my custom by
Marya Ivanofna; her father was not at home, and her mother was engaged
with household cares.
We spoke in a low voice Marya Ivanofna reproached
me tenderly for the anxiety my quarrel with Chvabrine had occasioned
her.
"My heart failed me," said she, "when they came to tell us that you were
going to draw swords on each other. How strange men are! For a word
forgotten the next week they are ready to cut each other's throats, and
to sacrifice not only their life, but their honour, and the happiness of
those who--But I am sure it was not you who began the quarrel; it was
Alexey Ivanytch who was the aggressor. "
"What makes you think so, Marya? "
"Why, because--because he is so sneering. I do not like Alexey Ivanytch;
I even dislike him. Yet, all the same, I should not have liked him to
dislike me; it would have made me very uneasy. "
"And what do you think, Marya Ivanofna, does he dislike you or no? "
Marya Ivanofna looked disturbed, and grew very red.
"I think," she said, at last, "I think he likes me. "
"Why? "
"Because he proposed to me. "
"Proposed to you! When? "
"Last year, two months before you came.
our swords. We left the house apparently reconciled. Ivan Ignatiitch
accompanied us.
"Weren't you ashamed," I said to him, angrily, "thus to denounce us to
the Commandant after giving me your solemn word not to do so? "
"As God is holy," replied he, "I said nothing to Ivan Kouzmitch; it was
Vassilissa Igorofna who wormed it all out of me. It was she who took all
the necessary measures unknown to the Commandant. As it is, heaven be
praised that it has all ended in this way. "
After this reply he returned to his quarters, and I remained alone with
Chvabrine.
"Our affair can't end thus," I said to him.
"Certainly not," rejoined Chvabrine. "You shall wash out your insolence
in blood. But they will watch us; we must pretend to be friends for a
few days. Good-bye. "
And we parted as if nothing had happened.
Upon my return to the Commandant's, I sat down according to my custom by
Marya Ivanofna; her father was not at home, and her mother was engaged
with household cares.
We spoke in a low voice Marya Ivanofna reproached
me tenderly for the anxiety my quarrel with Chvabrine had occasioned
her.
"My heart failed me," said she, "when they came to tell us that you were
going to draw swords on each other. How strange men are! For a word
forgotten the next week they are ready to cut each other's throats, and
to sacrifice not only their life, but their honour, and the happiness of
those who--But I am sure it was not you who began the quarrel; it was
Alexey Ivanytch who was the aggressor. "
"What makes you think so, Marya? "
"Why, because--because he is so sneering. I do not like Alexey Ivanytch;
I even dislike him. Yet, all the same, I should not have liked him to
dislike me; it would have made me very uneasy. "
"And what do you think, Marya Ivanofna, does he dislike you or no? "
Marya Ivanofna looked disturbed, and grew very red.
"I think," she said, at last, "I think he likes me. "
"Why? "
"Because he proposed to me. "
"Proposed to you! When? "
"Last year, two months before you came.
