sequently　learned；　compose　a　class　apart　amongst　those　who　place　their　hopes　in　the　medicinal　waters。　　They　drink　　but　not　water　　take　but　few　walks；　indulge　in　only　mild　flirtations；　gamble；　and　complain　of　boredom。
  They　are　dandies。　　In　letting　their　wicker…　sheathed　tumblers　down　into　the　well　of　sulphur…　ous　water　they　assume　academical　poses。　　The　officials　wear　bright　blue　cravats；　the　military　men　have　ruffs　sticking　out　above　their　collars。　　They　affect　a　profound　contempt　for　provincial　ladies；　and　sigh　for　the　aristocratic　drawing…rooms　of　the　capitals　　to　which　they　are　not　admitted。
  Here　is　the　well　at　last！　。　。　。　　Upon　the　small　square　adjoining　it　a　little　house　with　a　red　roof　over　the　bath　is　erected；　and　somewhat　further　on　there　is　a　gallery　in　which　the　people　walk　when　it　rains。　　Some　wounded　officers　were　sitting　　pale　and　melancholy　　on　a　bench；　with　their　crutches　drawn　up。　　A　few　ladies；　their　tumbler　of　water　finished；　were　walking　with　rapid　steps　to　and　fro　about　the　square。　There　were　two　or　three　pretty　faces　amongst　them。　　Beneath　the　avenues　of　the　vines　with　which　the　slope　of　Mashuk　is　covered；　occasional　glimpses　could　be　caught　of　the　gay…coloured　hat　of　a　lover　of　solitude　for　two　　for　beside　that　hat　I　always　noticed　either　a　military　forage…cap　or　the　ugly　round　hat　of　a　civilian。　　Upon　the　steep　cliff；　where　the　pavilion　called　〃The　Aeolian　Harp〃　is　erected；　figured　the　lovers　of　scenery；　directing　their　telescopes　upon　Elbruz。　　Amongst　them　were　a　couple　of　tutors；　with　their　pupils　who　had　come　to　be　cured　of　scrofula。
  Out　of　breath；　I　came　to　a　standstill　at　the　edge　of　the　mountain；　and；　leaning　against　the　corner　of　a　little　house；　I　began　to　examine　the　picturesque　surroundings；　when　suddenly　I　heard　behind　me　a　familiar　voice。
  〃Pechorin！　　Have　you　been　here　long？〃
  I　turned　round。　　Grushnitski！　　We　embraced。　I　had　made　his　acquaintance　in　the　active　service　detachment。　　He　had　been　wounded　in　the　foot　by　a　bullet　and　had　come　to　the　waters　a　week　or　so　before　me。
  Grushnitski　is　a　cadet；　he　has　only　been　a　year　in　the　service。　　From　a　kind　of　foppery　peculiar　to　himself；　he　wears　the　thick　cloak　of　a　common　soldier。　　He　has　also　the　soldier's　cross　of　St。　George。　　He　is　well　built；　swarthy　and　black…　haired。　　To　look　at　him；　you　might　say　he　was　a　man　of　twenty…five；　although　he　is　scarcely　twenty…one。　　He　tosses　his　head　when　he　speaks；　and　keeps　continually　twirling　his　moustache　with　his　left　hand；　his　right　hand　being　occupied　with　the　crutch　on　which　he　leans。　　He　speaks　rapidly　and　affectedly；　he　is　one　of　those　people　who　have　a　high…sounding　phrase　ready　for　every　occasion　in　life；　who　remain　untouched　by　simple　beauty；　and　who　drape　themselves　majestically　in　extraordinary　sentiments；　exalted　passions　and　exceptional　sufferings。　　To　produce　an　effect　is　their　delight；　they　have　an　almost　insensate　fondness　for　romantic　provincial　ladies。　　When　old　age　approaches　they　become　either　peaceful　landed…gentry　or　drunkards　　sometimes　both。　Frequently　they　have　many　good　qualities；　but　they　have　not　a　grain　of　poetry　in　their　com…　position。　　Grushnitski's　passion　was　declamation。　He　would　deluge　you　with　words　so　soon　as　the　conversation　went　beyond　the　sphere　of　ordinary　ideas。　　I　have　never　been　able　to　dispute　with　him。　He　neither　answers　your　questions　nor　listens　to　you。　　So　soon　as　you　stop；　he　begins　a　lengthy　tirade；　which　has　the　appearance　of　being　in　some　sort　connected　with　what　you　have　been　saying；　but　which　is；　in　fact；　only　a　continuation　of　his　own　harangue。
  He　is　witty　enough；　his　epigrams　are　fre…　quently　amusing；　but　never　malicious；　nor　to　the　point。　　He　slays　nobody　with　a　single　word；　he　has　no　knowledge　of　men　and　of　their　foibles；　because　all　his　life　he　has　been　interested　in　nobody　but　himself。　　His　aim　is　to　make　himself　the　hero　of　a　novel。　　He　has　so　often　endeavoured　to　convince　others　that　he　is　a　being　created　not　for　this　world　and　doomed　to　certain　mysterious　sufferings；　that　he　has　almost　convinced　himself　that　such　he　is　in　reality。　　Hence　the　pride　with　which　he　wears　his　thick　soldier's　cloak。　　I　have　seen　through　him；　and　he　dislikes　me　for　that　reason；　although　to　outward　appearance　we　are　on　the　friendliest　of　terms。　　Grushnitski　is　looked　upon　as　a　man　of　distinguished　courage。　　I　have　seen　him　in　action。　　He　waves　his　sabre；　shouts；　and　hurls　himself　forward　with　his　eyes　shut。　　That　is　not　what　I　should　call　Russian　courage！　。　。　。
  I　reciprocate　Grushnitski's　dislike。　　I　feel　that　some　time　or　other　we　shall　come　into　collision　upon　a　narrow　road；　and　that　one　of　us　will　fare　badly。
  His　arrival　in　the　Caucasus　is　also　the　result　of　his　romantic　fanaticism。　　I　am　convinced　that　on　the　eve　of　his　departure　from　his　paternal　village　he　said　with　an　air　of　gloom　to　some　pretty　neighbour　that　he　was　going　away；　not　so　much　for　the　simple　purpose　of　serving　in　the　army　as　of　seeking　death；　because　。　。　。　and　hereupon；　I　am　sure；　he　covered　his　eyes　with　his　hand　and　continued　thus；　〃No；　you　　or　thou　　must　not　know！　　Your　pure　soul　would　shudder！　　And　what　would　be　the　good？　　What　am　I　to　you？　　Could　you　understand　me？〃　。　。　。　and　so　on。
  He　has　himself　told　me　that　the　motive　which　induced　him　to　enter　the　K　regiment　must　remain　an　everlasting　secret　between　him　and　Heaven。
  However；　in　moments　when　he　casts　aside　the　tragic　mantle；　Grushnitski　is　charming　and　entertaining　enough。　　I　am　always　interested　to　see　him　with　women　　it　is　then　that　he　puts　forth　his　finest　efforts；　I　think！
  We　met　like　a　couple　of　old　friends。　　I　began　to　question　him　about　the　personages　of　note　and　as　to　the　sort　of　life　which　was　led　at　the　waters。
  〃It　is　a　rather　prosaic　life；〃　he　said；　with　a　sigh。　　〃Those　who　drink　the　waters　in　the　morning　are　inert　　like　all　invalids；　and　those　who　drink　the　wines　in　the　evening　are　unendurable　　like　all　healthy　people！　　There　are　ladies　who　entertain；　but　there　is　no　great　amusement　to　be　obtained　from　them。　　They　play　whist；　they　dress　badly　and　speak　French　dreadfully！　　The　only　Moscow　people　here　this　year　are　Princess　Ligovski　and　her　daughter　　but　I　am　not　acquainted　with　them。　　My　soldier's　cloak　is　like　a　seal　of　renunciation。　　The　sympathy　which　it　arouses　is　as　painful　as　charity。〃
  At　that　moment　two　ladies　walked　past　us　in　the　direction　of　the　well；　one　elderly；　the　other　youthful　and　slender。　　I　could　not　obtain　a　good　view　of　their　faces　on　account　of　their　hats；　but　they　were　dressed　in　accordance　with　the　strict　rules　of　the　best　taste　　nothing　superfluous。　The　second　lady　was　wearing　a　high…necked　dress　of　pearl…grey；　and　a　light　silk　kerchief　was　wound　round　her　supple　neck。　　Puce…coloured　boots　clasped　her　slim　little　ankle　so　charmingly；　that　even　those　uninitiated　into　the　mysteries　of　beauty　would　infallibly　have　sighed；　if　only　from　wonder。　　There　was　something　maidenly　in　her　easy；　but　aristocratic　gait；　something　eluding　definition　yet　intelligible　to　the　glance。　　As　she　walked　past　us　an　indefinable　perfume；　like　that　which　sometimes　breathes　from　the　note　of　a　charming　woman；　was　wafted　from　her。
  〃Look！〃　said　Grushnitski；　〃there　is　Princess　Ligovski　with　her　daughter　Mary；　as　she　calls　her　after　the　English　manner。　　They　have　been　here　only　three　days。〃
  〃You　already　know　her　name；　though？〃
  〃Yes；　I　heard　it　by　chance；〃　he　answered；　with　a　blush。　　〃I　confess　I　do　not　desire　to　make　their　acquaintance。　　These　haughty　aristocrats　look　upon　us　army　men　just　as　they　would　upon　savages。　　What　care　they　if　there　is　an　intellect　beneath　a　numbered　forage…cap；　and　a　heart　beneath　a　thick　cloak？〃
  〃Poor　cloak！〃　I　said；　with　a　laugh。　　〃But　who　is　the　gentleman　who　is　just　going　up　to　them　and　handing　them　a　tumbler　so　officiously？〃
  〃Oh；　that　is　Raevich；　the　Moscow　dandy。　　He　is　a　gambler；　you　can　see　as　much　at　once　from　that　immense　gold　chain　coiling　across　his　sky…　blue　waistcoat。　　And　what　a　thick　cane　he　has！　Just　like　Robinson　Crusoe's　　and　so　is　his　beard　too；　and　his　hair　is　done　like　a　peasant's。〃
  〃You　are　embittered　against　the　whole　human　race？〃
  〃And　I　have　cause　to　be〃　。　。　。
  〃Oh；　really？〃
  At　that　moment　the　ladies　left　the　well　and　came　up　to　where　we　were。　　Grushnitski　suc…　ceeded　in　assuming　a　dramatic　pose　with　the　aid　of　his　crutch；　and　in　a　loud　tone　of　voice　answered　me　in　French：
  〃Mon　cher；　je　hais　les　hommes　pour　ne　pas　les　mepriser；　car　autrement　la　vie　serait　une　farce　trop　degoutante。〃
  The　pretty　Princess　Mary　turned　round　and　favoured　the　orator　with　a　long　and　curious　glance。　　Her　expression　was　quite　indefinite；　but　it　was　not　contemptuous；　a　fact　on　which　I　inwardly　congratulated　Grushnitski　from　my　heart。
  〃She　is　an　extremely　pretty　girl；〃　I　said。　　〃She　has　such　velvet　eyes　　yes；　velvet　is　the　word。　　I　should　advise　you　to　appropriate　the　expression　when　speaking　of　her　eyes。　　The　lower　and　upper　lashes　are　so　long　that　the　sunbeams　are　not　reflected　in　her　pupils。　　I　love　those　eyes　without　a　glitter；　they　are　so　soft　that　they　appear　to　caress　you。　　However；　her　eyes　seem　to　be　her　only　good　feature。　。　。　　Tell　me；　are　her　teeth　white？　　That　is　most　important！　　It　is　a　pity　that　she　did　not　smile　at　that　high…sounding　phras