第 10 节
作者:
不是就是 更新:2021-02-27 02:46 字数:9322
the salle; and; after congratulating me with much empressement;
handed me; according to instructions from my father; four bank…
notes; as well as informed me that Papa had also given orders
that; from that day forth; the groom Kuzma; the phaeton; and the
bay horse Krassavchik were to be entirely at my disposal。 I was
so overjoyed at this not altogether expected good…fortune that I
could no longer feign indifference in Gabriel's presence; but;
flustered and panting; said the first thing which came into my
head (〃Krassavchik is a splendid trotter;〃 I think it was)。 Then;
catching sight of the various heads protruding from the doors of
the hall and corridor; I felt that I could bear no more; and set
off running at full speed across the salle; dressed as I was in
the new tunic; with its shining gilt buttons。 Just as I burst
into Woloda's room; I heard behind me the voices of Dubkoff and
Nechludoff; who had come to congratulate me; as well as to
propose a dinner somewhere and the drinking of much champagne in
honour of my matriculation。 Dimitri informed me that; though he
did not care for champagne; he would nevertheless join us that
evening and drink my health; while Dubkoff remarked that I looked
almost like a colonel; and Woloda omitted to congratulate me at
all; merely saying in an acid way that he supposed we should now
i。e。 in two days timebe off into the country。 The truth was
that Woloda; though pleased at my matriculation; did not
altogether like my becoming as grown…up as himself。 St。 Jerome;
who also joined us at this moment; said in a very pompous manner
that his duties were now ended; and that; although he did not
know whether they had been well done or ill; at least he had done
his best; and must depart to…morrow to his Count's。 In replying
to their various remarks I could feel; in spite of myself; a
pleased; agreeable; faintly self…sufficient smile playing over my
countenance; as well as could remark that that smile;
communicated itself to those to whom I was speaking。
So here was I without a tutor; yet with my own private drozhki;
my name printed on the list of students; a sword and belt of my
own; and a chance of an occasional salute from officials! In
short; I was grownup and; I suppose; happy。
Finally; we arranged to go out and dine at five o'clock; but since
Woloda presently went off to Dubkoff's; and Dimitri disappeared
in his usual fashion (saying that there was something he MUST do
before dinner); I was left with two whole hours still at my
disposal。 For a time I walked through the rooms of the house; and
looked at myself in all the mirrorsfirstly with the tunic
buttoned; then with it unbuttoned; and lastly with only the top
button fastened。 Each time it looked splendid。 Eventually; though
anxious not to show any excess of delight; I found myself unable
to refrain from crossing over to the coach…house and stables to
gaze at Krassovchik; Kuzma; and the drozhki。 Then I returned and
once more began my tour of the rooms; where I looked at myself in
all the mirrors as before; and counted my money over in my
pocketmy face smiling happily the while。 Yet not an hour had
elapsed before I began to feel slightly ennuyeto feel a shade
of regret that no one was present to see me in my splendid
position。 I began to long for life and movement; and so sent out
orders for the drozhki to be got ready; since I had made up my
mind to drive to the Kuznetski Bridge and make some purchases。
In this connection I recalled how; after matriculating; Woloda
had gone and bought himself a lithograph of horses by Victor Adam
and some pipes and tobacco: wherefore I felt that I too must do
the same。 Amid glances showered upon me from every side; and with
the sunlight reflected from my buttons; cap…badge; and sword; I
drove to the Kuznetski Bridge; where; halting at a Picture shop;
I entered it with my eyes looking to every side。 It was not
precisely horses by Adam which I meant to buy; since I did not
wish to be accused of too closely imitating Woloda; wherefore;
out of shame for causing the obsequious shopmen such agitation as
I appeared to do; I made a hasty selection; and pitched upon a
water…colour of a woman's head which I saw displayed in the
windowprice twenty roubles。 Yet no sooner had I paid the twenty
roubles over the counter than my heart smote me for having put
two such beautifully dressed shop…assistants to so much trouble
for such a trifle。 Moreover; I fancied that they were regarding
me with some disdain。 Accordingly; in my desire to show them what
manner of man I was; I turned my attention to a silver trifle
which I saw displayed in a show…case; and; recognising that it
was a porte…crayon (price eighteen roubles); requested that it
should forthwith be wrapped in paper for me。 Next; the money
paid; and the information acquired that splendid pipes and
tobacco were to be obtained in an adjacent emporium; I bowed to
the two shopmen politely; and issued into the street with the
picture under my arm。 At the shop next door (which had painted on
its sign…board a negro smoking a cigar) I bought (likewise out of
a desire to imitate no one) some Turkish tobacco; a Stamboul
hookah; and two pipes。 On coming out of the shop; I had just
entered the drozhki when I caught sight of Semenoff; who was
walking hurriedly along the pavement with his head bent down。
Vexed that he should not have recognised me; I called out to him
pretty loudly; 〃Hold on a minute!〃 and; whipping up the drozhki;
soon overtook him。
〃How do you do?〃 I said。
〃My respects to you;〃 he replied; but without stopping。
〃Why are you not in your University uniform?〃 I next inquired。
At this he stopped short with a frown; and parted his white teeth
as though the sun were hurting his eyes。 The next moment;
however; he threw a glance of studied indifference at my drozhki
and uniform; and continued on his way。
From the Kuznetski Bridge; I drove to a confectioner's in
Tverskaia Street; and; much as I should have liked it to be
supposed that it was the newspapers which most interested me; I
had no choice but to begin falling upon tartlet after tartlet。 In
fact; for all my bashfulness before a gentleman who kept
regarding me with some curiosity from behind a newspaper; I ate
with great swiftness a tartlet of each of the eight different
sorts which the confectioner kept。
On reaching home; I experienced a slight touch of stomach…ache;
but paid no attention to it; and set to work to inspect my
purchases。 Of these; the picture so much displeased me that;
instead of having it framed and hung in my room; as Woloda had
done with his; I took pains to hide it behind a chest of drawers;
where no one could see it。 Likewise; though I also found the
porte…crayon distasteful; I was able; as I laid it on my table;
to comfort myself with the thought that it was at least a SILVER
articleso much capital; as it wereand likely to be very
useful to a student。 As for the smoking things; I decided to put
them into use at once; and try their capabilities。
Unsealing the four packages; and carefully filling the Stamboul
pipe with some fine…cut; reddish…yellow Turkish tobacco; I
applied a hot cinder to it; and; taking the mouthpiece between my
first and second fingers (a position of the hand which greatly
caught my fancy); started to inhale the smoke。
The smell of the tobacco seemed delightful; yet something burnt
my mouth and caught me by the breath。 Nevertheless; I hardened my
heart; and continued to draw abundant fumes into my interior。
Then I tried blowing rings and retaining the smoke。 Soon the room
became filled with blue vapours; while the pipe started to
crackle and the tobacco to fly out in sparks。 Presently; also; I
began to feel a smarting in my mouth and a giddiness in my head。
Accordingly; I was on the point of stopping and going to look at
myself and my pipe in the mirror; when; to my surprise; I found
myself staggering about。 The room was whirling round and round;
and as I peered into the mirror (which I reached only with some
difficulty) I perceived that my face was as white as a sheet。
Hardly had I thrown myself down upon a sofa when such nausea and
faintness swept over me that; making up my mind that the pipe had
proved my death; I expected every moment to expire。 Terribly
frightened; I tried to call out for some one to come and help me;
and to send for the doctor。
However; this panic of mine did not last long; for I soon
understood what the matter with me was; and remained lying on the
sofa with a racking headache and my limbs relaxed as I stared
dully at the stamp on the package of tobacco; the Pipe…tube
coiled on the floor; and the odds and ends of tobacco and
confectioner's tartlets which were littered about。 〃Truly;〃 I
thought to myself in my dejection and disillusionment; 〃I cannot
be quite grown…up if I cannot smoke as other fell