Eugene Onegin Part 21

La, sotto i giorni nubilosi e brevi, Nasce una gente a cui 'l morir non dole.1 Petrarch

1.

On noticing his friend had vanished, Onegin stayed at Olga's side, Pensive, again to boredom banished, Content with vengeance satisfied, Now Olen'ka like him was yawning, Her eyes in search of Lensky turning, While the cotillion's endless stream Oppressed her like a grievous dream.

But it has ended. Supper's ready.

The beds are made. The guests are all a.s.signed their place from entrance-hall To housemaids' quarters. All are needy Of restful sleep. Alone Eugene Drives home from this domestic scene.

2.

All's calm: from the salon ascended The snores of heavy Pustyakov, Beside his heavy wife extended.

Gvozdin, Buyanov, Petushkov And Flyanov (somewhat over-sated) Were on the dinner chairs located, And on the floor Monsieur Triquet In vest and ancient nightcap lay.

The rooms of Olga and Tatiana Were full of sleeping girls. Alone And sad, Tatiana shone, Illuminated by Diana; To sleep, poor thing, she could not yield And gazed upon the darkened field.

3.

Tatiana to her soul is riven By Eugene's unexpected call, The sudden tender look he'd given, His strange approach to Olga a all Distresses her and makes her wonder, To understand him's quite beyond her: A jealous anguish makes her start, As if a cold hand pressed her heart, As if a chasm, black and frightful, Had opened, roaring, under her.

'I'll die,' she says, but does not stir, 'To die from him will be delightful.2 I shan't complain, for I confess He cannot bring me happiness.'

4.

But onward, onward with my story!

Another character arrives.

Five versts away from Krasnogorye (Lensky's estate) there lives and thrives In philosophical seclusion Still to this day, without intrusion, Zaretsky, once a brawler and The hetman3 of a gaming band, Chieftain of rakes, a pub declaimer, But now, benign and simple, he Maintains a bachelor family; A steadfast friend, a squire grown tamer, He's even honest a thus our age Improves itself at every stage.4

5.

Time was, he stood upon a pedestal, Society flattered him with praise: He was a maestro with a pistol Who could at twelve yards. .h.i.t an ace, And once, engaged in actual battle, Enraptured, he displayed his mettle By falling from his Kalmuck steed Into the mud at daring speed; Drunk as a swine, this precious hostage Surrendered to a Gallic squad, A modern Regulus,5 honour's G.o.d, Prepared to yield again to bondage, To drain on credit two or three Carafes each morning chez Very.6

6.

To tease was once his recreation, He'd dupe a fool or stupefy A man of educated station, In public gaze or on the sly, Although some tricks he perpetrated Did not remain uncastigated, And sometimes, like a simple chap, He'd fall himself into a trap.

He could dispute and be amusing, Respond with answers, smart or dumb, At times judiciously keep mum Or be judiciously abusing, Encourage two young friends to strife And set them duelling for their life,

7.

Alternatively reconcile them, Arrange a breakfast for the three, And, later, secretly revile them With merry jokes and braggartry.

Sed alia tempora!7Audacity (Like lover's dream, another vanity) Departs when lively youth has fled.

And my Zaretsky, as I said, Lives like a sage, discovering solace Where bird cherry, acacia climb;8 Sheltered from storms, he spends his time In planting cabbages, like Horace,9 And breeding ducks and geese, is free To teach his kids their ABC.

8.

He was not stupid; and, despising The heart in him, Eugene admired The spirit of his judgements, prizing The sound opinions he'd acquired.

Eugene was always pleased to meet him And so was not surprised to greet him When, in the morning, Eugene saw His neighbour standing at the door.

With salutations done, Zaretsky Broke off the chat that they'd begun And, eyes a-twinkle with the fun, Pa.s.sed on to him a note from Lensky.

Onegin to the window went And read the note the poet sent.

9.

It was a gentlemanly letter, A challenge or cartel10 he'd penned; Polite and cold and to the matter He sought a duel with his friend.

Eugene's immediate reaction To this demand for satisfaction Was swift enough. Discussion spared, He said he'd 'always be prepared'.

Zaretsky rose without explaining, Not wis.h.i.+ng to prolong his stay, For household business claimed the day, He left forthwith; Eugene, remaining Alone, encountering his soul, Was not contented with his role.

10.

Indeed, a strict examination Before a secret, inner court Engendered much self-accusation: First, that he'd not the right to sport Last evening in such casual fas.h.i.+on With Lensky's timid, tender pa.s.sion; Then... why not let a poet play The fool at eighteen, while he may.

Eugene, who loved him as a brother, Might well have proved, by seeking peace, To be no ball of prejudice That's batted one way or another, No fiery boy, no fighting kind, But man of honour, with a mind.

11.

He might have manifested feeling Instead of bristling like a beast, He should have set about the healing Of Lensky's heart. Such thoughts soon ceased.

'Too late now, everything is settled, Now this old duellist has meddled In the affair, what's left to do?

He's vicious and a gossip, too.

The answer to his droll dominion Should be contempt, of course, but then The whispers, laughs of stupid men...'

And there it is a public opinion!11 Our idol, honour's spring, which, wound, Ensures our universe goes round.

12.

Lensky, at home, with hatred blazing, Awaits the answer fretfully; His neighbour in the finest phrasing Conveys it with solemnity.

This sets the jealous poet cheering; The prankster might a so he'd been fearing a Treat the occasion as a jest, And by some ruse avert his breast And duck the pistol by retreating.

These doubts resolved, tomorrow they Must at the mill ere break of day Embark upon their fateful meeting, To raise the c.o.c.k and, taking aim, A temple or a thigh to claim.12

13.