The Adolescent

59 Alas, what good would it have done me to reveal it sooner . . . and wouldn’t I have gained just as much by keeping my shame hidden all my life? Perhaps it’s not honorable for a young woman to explain herself so freely in front of monsieur, but finally I’ll admit to you that if I were allowed to wish for something, oh, it would be to plunge my knife into his heart, but with my eyes averted, for fear that his execrable look would make my arm tremble and freeze my courage! He killed that Russian priest, monsieur, he tore out his red beard to sell it to a hair artist on the Blacksmiths’ [i.e., Kuznetsky] Bridge, just near the Maison of Monsieur Andrieux—the latest novelties, articles from Paris, linen, shirts, you know it, don’t you? . . . Oh, monsieur, when friendship gathers wife, children, sisters, friends around the table, when a lively happiness enflames my heart, I ask you, monsieur; is any happiness preferable to that which everyone enjoys? But he laughs, monsieur, this execrable and inconceivable monster, and if it weren’t through the agency of Monsieur Andrieux, never, oh, never would I be . . . But what is it, monsieur, what’s wrong with you, monsieur?

60 By this furious and inconceivable monster.

61 Where are you going, monsieur?

62 But it isn’t far, monsieur, it’s not far at all, it’s not worth the trouble of putting on your shuba, it’s nearby, monsieur.

63 This way, monsieur, it’s this way!

64; He’s leaving, he’s leaving!

65 But he’ll kill me, monsieur, he’ll kill me!

66 Calumny . . . something of it always remains.

67 Notice.

68 Excuse me, my dear.

69 But let’s leave that.

70 Wait (in mispronounced French).

71 Mister prince, do you have a silver rouble for us, not two, but only one, if you will?

72 We pay you back.

73 In railway carriages.

74 ;Ah, you damned . . .

Say, then, would you like me to crack your skull, my friend!

75 My friend, here’s Dolgorovky, the other my friend [sic].

76 Here he is!

77 It’s him!

78 Mlle. Alphonsine, do you want to kiss me?

79; Ah, the little rogue! . . . Don’t come near me, don’t dirty me, and you, you big booby, I’ll chuck you both out the door, do you know that!

80 Mlle. Alphonsine, have you sold your bologne [deformation of bolognais]?

81 What’s my bologne?

82 Say, what is this gibberish?

83; I talk like a Russian lady on the mineral waters [sic].

What’s a Russian lady on the mineral waters and . . . so where’s your pretty watch that Lambert gave you?

84 We have a silver rouble that we lent [sic] from our new friend.

85 We pay you back with much thanks.

86 Hey, Lambert! where’s Lambert, have you seen Lambert?

87 Sir (polite form of direct address in Polish).

88 Twenty-five roubles.

89 Farewell, my prince.

90 Very beautiful.

91 Put that in, and it changes the question.

92 Property is theft.

93 The truth’s in wine.

94 I’m a gentleman before all and I’ll die a gentleman!

95 Decree of fate.

96 Ah, good evening.

97 Well! . . . and what about friends?

98 What a bear!

99 Yes, yes . . . it’s a shame! A lady . . . Oh, you’re generous, you are! Don’t worry, I’ll make Lambert see reason . . .

100 Oh, I said he had a heart!

101 Isn’t it so, isn’t it so?

102 He always appeals to one’s feelings . . .

103; Afterwards, afterwards, don’t you think? My dear friend!

104 Yes, yes, he’s charming . . .

105 But it’s terrible what you say.

106 Isn’t it so? I don’t talk much, but I speak well.

107 That’s right.

108 He seems to be stupid, this gentleman.

109 Nothing, nothing at all . . . But I’m free here, am I not?

110 Dear Prince, we should be friends even by right of birth.

111 That’s my opinion!

112 She’s an angel, she’s an angel of heaven!

113 I say charming things and everybody laughs . . .

114 Dear child, I love you.

115 Yes, yes, I understand, I understood at the beginning . . .

116 That black man.

117 Madame the general’s wife.

118 Wait, I’ve forgotten his name . . . A dreadful man . . . Wait, Versiloff.

119; Oh, they will take their revenge!

120 Save her, save her!

121 You’re a pretty one, you are!

122 Scratch a Russian and you’ll find a Tartar.

ABOUT THE TRANSLATORS

RICHARD PEVEAR has published translations of Alain, Yves Bonnefoy, Alberto Savinio, Pavel Florensky, and Henri Volohonsky, as well as two books of poetry. He has received fellowships or grants for translation from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Ingram Merrill Foundation, the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the French Ministry of Culture.

LARISSA VOLOKHONSKY was born in Leningrad. She has translated works by the prominent Orthodox theologians Alexander Schmemann and John Meyendorff into Russian.