Eugene Oneguine [Onegin] Part 24

"And he--but of him presently-- To-morrow Tania we will show, What say you? to the family-- Alas! abroad I cannot go.

See, I can hardly crawl about-- But you must both be quite tired out!

Let us go seek a little rest-- Ah! I'm so weak--my throbbing breast!

Oppressive now is happiness, Not only sorrow--Ah! my dear, Now I am fit for nothing here.

In old age life is weariness!"

Then weeping she sank back distressed And fits of coughing racked her chest.

XL

By the sick lady's gaiety And kindness Tania was impressed, But, her own room in memory, The strange apartment her oppressed: Repose her silken curtains fled, She could not sleep in her new bed.

The early tinkling of the bells Which of approaching labour tells Aroused Tattiana from her bed.

The maiden at her cas.e.m.e.nt sits As daylight glimmers, darkness flits, But ah! discerns nor wood nor mead-- Beneath her lay a strange courtyard, A stable, kitchen, fence appeared.

XLI

To consanguineous dinners they Conduct Tattiana constantly, That grandmothers and grandsires may Contemplate her sad reverie.

We Russians, friends from distant parts Ever receive with kindly hearts And exclamations and good cheer.

"How Tania grows! Doth it appear"

"Long since I held thee at the font-- Since in these arms I thee did bear-- And since I pulled thee by the ear-- And I to give thee cakes was wont?"-- Then the old dames in chorus sing, "Oh! how our years are vanishing!"

XLII

But nothing changed in them is seen, All in the good old style appears, Our dear old aunt, Princess Helene, Her cap of tulle still ever wears: Luceria Lvovna paint applies, Amy Petrovna utters lies, Ivan Petrovitch still a gaby, Simeon Petrovitch just as shabby; Pelagie Nikolavna has Her friend Monsieur Finemouche the same, Her wolf-dog and her husband tame; Still of his club he member was-- As deaf and silly doth remain, Still eats and drinks enough for twain.

XLIII

Their daughters kiss Tattiana fair.

In the beginning, cold and mute, Moscow's young Graces at her stare, Examine her from head to foot.

They deem her somewhat finical, Outlandish and provincial, A trifle pale, a trifle lean, But plainer girls they oft had seen.

Obedient then to Nature's law, With her they did a.s.sociate, Squeeze tiny hands and osculate; Her tresses curled in fashion saw, And oft in whispers would impart A maiden's secrets--of the heart.

XLIV

Triumphs--their own or those of friends-- Hopes, frolics, dreams and sentiment Their harmless conversation blends With scandal's trivial ornament.

Then to reward such confidence Her amorous experience With mute appeal to ask they seem-- But Tania just as in a dream Without partic.i.p.ation hears, Their voices nought to her impart And the lone secret of her heart, Her sacred h.o.a.rd of joy and tears, She buries deep within her breast Nor aught confides unto the rest.

XLV

Tattiana would have gladly heard The converse of the world polite, But in the drawing-room all appeared To find in gossip such delight, Speech was so tame and colourless Their slander e'en was weariness; In their sterility of prattle, Questions and news and t.i.ttle-tattle, No sense was ever manifest Though by an error and unsought-- The languid mind could smile at nought, Heart would not throb albeit in jest-- Even amusing fools we miss In thee, thou world of empty bliss.

XLVI

In groups, official striplings glance Conceitedly on Tania fair, And views amongst themselves advance Unfavourable unto her.

But one buffoon unhappy deemed Her the ideal which he dreamed, And leaning 'gainst the portal closed To her an elegy composed.

Also one Viazemski, remarking Tattiana by a poor aunt's side, Successfully to please her tried, And an old gent the poet marking By Tania, smoothing his peruke, To ask her name the trouble took.(76)

[Note 76: One of the obscure satirical allusions contained in this poem. Doubtless the joke was perfectly intelligible to the _habitues_ of contemporary St. Petersburg society. Viazemski of course is the poet and prince, Pushkin's friend.]

XLVII

But where Melpomene doth rave With lengthened howl and accent loud, And her bespangled robe doth wave Before a cold indifferent crowd, And where Thalia softly dreams And heedless of approval seems, Terpsich.o.r.e alone among Her sisterhood delights the young (So 'twas with us in former years, In your young days and also mine), Never upon my heroine The jealous dame her lorgnette veers, The connoisseur his glances throws From boxes or from stalls in rows.

XLVIII

To the a.s.sembly her they bear.

There the confusion, pressure, heat, The crash of music, candles' glare And rapid whirl of many feet, The ladies' dresses airy, light, The motley moving ma.s.s and bright, Young ladies in a vasty curve, To strike imagination serve.

'Tis there that arrant fops display Their insolence and waistcoats white And gla.s.ses unemployed all night; Thither hussars on leave will stray To clank the spur, delight the fair-- And vanish like a bird in air.

XLIX

Full many a lovely star hath night And Moscow many a beauty fair: Yet clearer shines than every light The moon in the blue atmosphere.

And she to whom my lyre would fain, Yet dares not, dedicate its strain, Shines in the female firmament Like a full moon magnificent.

Lo! with what pride celestial Her feet the earth beneath her press!

Her heart how full of gentleness, Her glance how wild yet genial!

Enough, enough, conclude thy lay-- For folly's dues thou hadst to pay.

L

Noise, laughter, bowing, hurrying mixt, Gallop, mazurka, waltzing--see!

A pillar by, two aunts betwixt, Tania, observed by n.o.body, Looks upon all with absent gaze And hates the world's discordant ways.

'Tis noisome to her there: in thought Again her rural life she sought, The hamlet, the poor villagers, The little solitary nook Where shining runs the tiny brook, Her garden, and those books of hers, And the lime alley's twilight dim Where the first time she met with _him_.

LI

Thus widely meditation erred, Forgot the world, the noisy ball, Whilst from her countenance ne'er stirred The eyes of a grave general.

Both aunts looked knowing as a judge, Each gave Tattiana's arm a nudge And in a whisper did repeat: "Look quickly to your left, my sweet!"

"The left? Why, what on earth is there?"-- "No matter, look immediately.

There, in that knot of company, Two dressed in uniform appear-- Ah! he has gone the other way"-- "Who? Is it that stout general, pray?"--

LII

Let us congratulations pay To our Tattiana conquering, And for a time our course delay, That I forget not whom I sing.

Let me explain that in my song "I celebrate a comrade young And the extent of his caprice; O epic Muse, my powers increase And grant success to labour long; Having a trusty staff bestowed, Grant that I err not on the road."

Enough! my pack is now unslung-- To cla.s.sicism I've homage paid, Though late, have a beginning made.(77)

[Note 77: Many will consider this mode of bringing the canto to a conclusion of more than doubtful taste. The poet evidently aims a stroke at the pedantic and narrow-minded criticism to which original genius, emanc.i.p.ated from the strait-waistcoat of conventionality, is not unfrequently subjected.]

End of Canto The Seventh

CANTO THE EIGHTH

The Great World

'Fare thee well, and if for ever, Still for ever fare thee well.'--Byron