“I CONFESS that, for my part, I had trouble enough over the business. So soon as ever I learned that the Circassian girl was with Grigori Aleksandrovich, I put on my epaulettes and sword and went to see him.
“He was lying on the bed in the outer room, with one hand under his head and the other holding a pipe which had gone out. The door leading to the inner room was locked, and there was no key in the lock. I observed all that in a moment... I coughed and rapped my heels against the threshold, but he pretended not to hear.
“‘Ensign!’ I said, as sternly as I could. ‘Do you not see that I have come to you?’
“‘Ah, good morning, Maksim Maksimych! Won’t you have a pipe?’ he answered, without rising.
“‘Excuse me, I am not Maksim Maksimych. I am the staff-captain.’
“‘It’s all the same! Won’t you have some tea? If you only knew how I am being tortured with anxiety.’
“‘I know all,’ I answered, going up to the bed.
“‘So much the better,’ he said. ‘I am not in a narrative1 mood.’
“‘Ensign, you have committed an offence for which I may have to answer as well as you.’
“‘Oh, that’ll do. What’s the harm? You know, we’ve gone halves in everything.’
“‘What sort of a joke do you think you are playing? Your sword, please!’...
“‘Mitka, my sword!’
“‘Mitka brought the sword. My duty discharged, I sat down on the bed, facing Pechorin, and said: ‘Listen here, Grigori Aleksandrovich, you must admit that this is a bad business.’
“‘What is?’
“‘Why, that you have carried off Bela... Ah, it is that beast Azamat!... Come, confess!’ I said.
“‘But, supposing I am fond of her?’...
“Well, what could I say to that?... I was nonplussed2. After a short interval3 of silence, however, I told him that if Bela’s father were to claim her he would have to give her up.
“‘Not at all!’
“‘But he will get to know that she is here.’
“‘How?’
“Again I was nonplussed.
“‘Listen, Maksim Maksimych,’ said Pechorin, rising to his feet. ‘You’re a kind-hearted man, you know; but, if we give that savage4 back his daughter, he will cut her throat or sell her. The deed is done, and the only thing we can do now is not to go out of our way to spoil matters. Leave Bela with me and keep my sword!’
“‘Show her to me, though,’ I said.
“‘She is behind that door. Only I wanted, myself, to see her to-day and wasn’t able to. She sits in the corner, muffled5 in her veil, and neither speaks nor looks up—timid as a wild chamois! I have hired the wife of our dukhan-keeper: she knows the Tartar language, and will look after Bela and accustom6 her to the idea that she belongs to me—for she shall belong to no one else!’ he added, banging his fist on the table.
“I assented7 to that too... What could I do? There are some people with whom you absolutely have to agree.”
“Well?” I asked Maksim Maksimych. “Did he really succeed in making her grow accustomed to him, or did she pine away in captivity8 from home-sickness?”
“Good gracious! how could she pine away from home-sickness? From the fortress9 she could see the very same hills as she could from the village—and these savages10 require nothing more. Besides, Grigori Aleksandrovich used to give her a present of some kind every day. At first she didn’t utter a word, but haughtily11 thrust away the gifts, which then fell to the lot of the dukhan-keeper’s wife and aroused her eloquence12. Ah, presents! What won’t a woman do for a coloured rag!... But that is by the way... For a long time Grigori Aleksandrovich persevered13 with her, and meanwhile he studied the Tartar language and she began to understand ours. Little by little she grew accustomed to looking at him, at first furtively14, askance; but she still pined and crooned her songs in an undertone, so that even I would feel heavy at heart when I heard her from the next room. One scene I shall never forget: I was walking past, and I looked in at the window; Bela was sitting on the stove-couch, her head sunk on her breast, and Grigori Aleksandrovich was standing15, facing her.
“‘Listen, my Peri,’ he was saying. ‘Surely you know that you will have to be mine sooner or later—why, then, do you but torture me? Is it that you are in love with some Chechene? If so, I will let you go home at once.’
“She gave a scarcely perceptible start and shook her head.
“‘Or is it,’ he continued, ‘that I am utterly16 hateful to you?’
“She heaved a sigh.
“‘Or that your faith prohibits you from giving me a little of your love?’
“She turned pale and remained silent.
“‘Believe me, Allah is one and the same for all races; and, if he permits me to love you, why, then, should he prohibit you from requiting17 me by returning my love?’
“She gazed fixedly19 into his face, as though struck by that new idea. Distrust and a desire to be convinced were expressed in her eyes. What eyes they were! They sparkled just like two glowing coals.
“‘Listen, my dear, good Bela!’ continued Pechorin. ‘You see how I love you. I am ready to give up everything to make you cheerful once more. I want you to be happy, and, if you are going to be sad again, I shall die. Tell me, you will be more cheerful?’
“She fell into thought, her black eyes still fixed18 upon him. Then she smiled graciously and nodded her head in token of acquiescence20.
“He took her by the hand and tried to induce her to kiss him. She defended herself feebly, and only repeated: ‘Please! Please! You mustn’t, you mustn’t!’
“He went on to insist; she began to tremble and weep.
“‘I am your captive,’ she said, ‘your slave; of course, you can compel me.’
“And then, again—tears.
“Grigori Aleksandrovich struck his forehead with his fist and sprang into the other room. I went in to see him, and found him walking moodily21 backwards22 and forwards with folded arms.
“‘Well, old man?’ I said to him.
“‘She is a devil—not a woman!’ he answered. ‘But I give you my word of honour that she shall be mine!’
“I shook my head.
“‘Will you bet with me?’ he said. ‘In a week’s time?’
“‘Very well,’ I answered.
“We shook hands on it and separated.
“The next day he immediately despatched an express messenger to Kizlyar to purchase some things for him. The messenger brought back a quite innumerable quantity of various Persian stuffs.
“‘What think you, Maksim Maksimych?’ he said to me, showing the presents. ‘Will our Asiatic beauty hold out against such a battery as this?’
“‘You don’t know the Circassian women,’ I answered. ‘They are not at all the same as the Georgian or the Transcaucasian Tartar women—not at all! They have their own principles, they are brought up differently.’
“Grigori Aleksandrovich smiled and began to whistle a march to himself.”
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收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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2
nonplussed
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| adj.不知所措的，陷于窘境的v.使迷惑( nonplus的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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3
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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4
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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5
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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6
accustom
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| vt.使适应，使习惯 | |
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7
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8
captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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9
fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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10
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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11
haughtily
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| adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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12
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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13
persevered
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| v.坚忍，坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
furtively
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| adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地 | |
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15
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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16
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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17
requiting
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| v.报答( requite的现在分词 )；酬谢；回报；报复 | |
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18
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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19
fixedly
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| adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地 | |
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20
acquiescence
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| n.默许；顺从 | |
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21
moodily
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| adv.喜怒无常地；情绪多变地；心情不稳地；易生气地 | |
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22
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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