Whereupon the peasant sprang from the bed,
quickly drew his axe from his belt, and began to brandish it in all
directions.
quickly drew his axe from his belt, and began to brandish it in all
directions.
Pushkin - Daughter of the Commandant
Near the bed some people were standing, looking sad
and cast down. I approached on tiptoe. My mother raised the curtain, and
said--
"Andrej Petrovitch, Petrousha has come back; he came back having heard
of your illness. Give him your blessing. "
I knelt down. But to my astonishment instead of my father I saw in the
bed a black-bearded peasant, who regarded me with a merry look. Full of
surprise, I turned towards my mother.
"What does this mean? " I exclaimed. "It is not my father. Why do you
want me to ask this peasant's blessing? "
"It is the same thing, Petrousha," replied my mother. "That person is
your _godfather_. [17] Kiss his hand, and let him bless you. "
I would not consent to this.
Whereupon the peasant sprang from the bed,
quickly drew his axe from his belt, and began to brandish it in all
directions. I wished to fly, but I could not. The room seemed to be
suddenly full of corpses. I stumbled against them; my feet slipped in
pools of blood. The terrible peasant called me gently, saying to me--
"Fear nothing, come near; come and let me bless you. "
Fear had stupified me. . . .
At this moment I awoke. The horses had stopped; Saveliitch had hold of
my hand.
"Get out, excellency," said he to me; "here we are. "
"Where? " I asked, rubbing my eyes.
"At our night's lodging. Heaven has helped us; we came by chance right
upon the hedge by the house.
and cast down. I approached on tiptoe. My mother raised the curtain, and
said--
"Andrej Petrovitch, Petrousha has come back; he came back having heard
of your illness. Give him your blessing. "
I knelt down. But to my astonishment instead of my father I saw in the
bed a black-bearded peasant, who regarded me with a merry look. Full of
surprise, I turned towards my mother.
"What does this mean? " I exclaimed. "It is not my father. Why do you
want me to ask this peasant's blessing? "
"It is the same thing, Petrousha," replied my mother. "That person is
your _godfather_. [17] Kiss his hand, and let him bless you. "
I would not consent to this.
Whereupon the peasant sprang from the bed,
quickly drew his axe from his belt, and began to brandish it in all
directions. I wished to fly, but I could not. The room seemed to be
suddenly full of corpses. I stumbled against them; my feet slipped in
pools of blood. The terrible peasant called me gently, saying to me--
"Fear nothing, come near; come and let me bless you. "
Fear had stupified me. . . .
At this moment I awoke. The horses had stopped; Saveliitch had hold of
my hand.
"Get out, excellency," said he to me; "here we are. "
"Where? " I asked, rubbing my eyes.
"At our night's lodging. Heaven has helped us; we came by chance right
upon the hedge by the house.
