Chapter 6 snowstorm

Horseshoes trample the thick snow, The horse gallops among the hills, Look!Over there is a church of God, Alone, standing on the side of the road. Suddenly there was a heavy snowstorm, and the surrounding area was completely white. Big snowflakes fell from the sky one after another, A crow flies over the sleigh, flaps its wings, hovering over our heads, A "croak" is an ominous omen! The horses hurried on, their manes bristling, Gazing into the dark distance... Zhukovsky ① ① Zhukovsky (1783-1852) Russian poet.The lines here are quoted from his epic poem "Svetlana".

At the end of 1811, in our memorable era, the good-natured Gavrila Gavrilovich was living at leisure on his estate in the village of Nenaradovo.He was known for his hospitality and amiability.Neighbors often came to his house to eat and drink, and played five-kopeck Boston with his wife, and some guests came here just to see his daughter Maria Gavrilovna, A slender, fair complexioned lady of seventeen.She was regarded as a wealthy girl, and many people wanted to hunt her down, either for themselves or for their sons. Maria Gavrilovna had been educated by reading French novels, and the result was, of course, that she fell in love.Her chosen love interest was a poor warrant officer who was living on leave in his village at the time.It goes without saying that the young man also burned with the same fire of love.However, the woman's parents realized that the two were in love with each other, so they forbade their daughter to miss him, and received him in a very bad manner, worse than receiving a retired juror.

We are a pair of lovers who keep writing letters and tryst every day in the Myitsone forest or by the ancient church.They swore each other forever, complained about their fate, and came up with all kinds of schemes.During such correspondence and discussions, they came to the following conclusions: (of course it is not a problem) Since we cannot live without one, and the cruel parents' dead-headedness hinders our marriage, can we avoid it? What about driving them?wonderful!The good idea of ​​happiness finally found its way into the young man's head, and Maria Gavrilovna, who was infatuated with romance, was very pleased with it.

When winter came, their trysts stopped, but their love letters became more frequent.In every letter Vladimir Nikolayevich begged her to marry him, to marry him in secret, to hide for a few days, and then both kneel at the feet of their parents, who were sure to end up regretting their lover's heroic brutality and Moved by the misfortune, Gu Bao said to them: "Children! Throw yourself into our arms!" For a long time Marya Gavrilovna could not make up her mind.A whole host of elopement plans were overturned.At last she agreed to the following: On a given day, she should skip supper, and retreat to her room on the pretext of a headache.Her valet was her accomplice.They should go through the porch at the back of the house to the garden, behind which there is a prepared sleigh, get on it and go straight to the village of Zandlino, five versts from Nenaradovo, and then go to the church, Vladimir will wait for them there.

On the eve of the fateful day Marya Gavrilovna did not sleep all night.She packed up her things, packed a few shirts and dresses, and wrote a long letter to her girlfriend, a sentimental lady, and another letter to her parents.She bid farewell to her parents in the most moving words, stated that love was irresistible, and begged her parents to forgive her mistakes. She wrote at the end of the letter: If she could be allowed to kneel at the knees of her closest relatives one day, it would be a blessing. The happiest moment of her life.She sealed the two letters and sealed them with a stamp from Tulla, which bore two burning hearts and a poignant inscription.Then she lay down in bed and dozed before dawn, but the terrifying visions kept haunting her.Now and then it seemed to her that, just as she was getting into the sleigh to be married, her father stopped her, dragged her across the snow, and threw her into the dark abyss... She floated headfirst Going down, she was so frightened that she couldn't speak; every now and then she seemed to see Vladimir lying on the grass again, his face pale and bloody.He was dying, speaking in piercing, heart-wrenching voices, begging her to marry him as soon as possible... and some shapeless, incoherent visions flashed before her eyes one after another.Finally, she got up from the bed, her face was paler than usual, and she really had a headache.Her parents saw that she was restless, and they cared for her lovingly, asking: "Masha! What's the matter with you? Are you sick? Masha!"—all this broke her heart.She tried to comfort them, trying to look happy, but not pretending to be.In the evening, her heart clenched at the thought that this was the last moment of her life at home.She was already half dead, and secretly said goodbye to her family and things around her.

It was time for dinner, and her heart was pounding.She announced in a trembling voice that she did not want to eat and left her parents.The parents kissed her and blessed her as usual.She almost cried.After returning to the room, she collapsed in the armchair with tears in her eyes.The maid persuaded her to calm down and cheer her up.Everything is ready.In half an hour Masha would give up forever her parents' house, her boudoir, and her peaceful life of virginity... There was a blizzard outside, the wind was howling, the shutters were shaking and banging.She felt that everything had hidden murderous intentions, and the omens were not good.Soon the house became quiet and everyone fell into a deep sleep.Masha put on a flowered shawl, put on a warm coat, held a small suitcase in her hand, and went out of the room to the back door.The maid followed, carrying two bundles.They went into the garden.The blizzard did not subside, and the wind was blowing head-on, as if trying to block the young female criminal.With difficulty they reached the end of the garden.The sled was already waiting for them on the road.The horse was frozen and refused to stand still.Vladimir's driver walked up and down in front of the wheels, reining in the horses.He helped the lady and the maid into the sleigh, packed the bundles and the box, grabbed the reins, and the horse galloped away.it is good!Let us leave the young lady to the protection of fate and the skill of the coachman Tereshka, and now turn to our young bridegroom!

Vladimir drove all day in the car, and in the morning he went to the priest of Zandlino village, and after some difficulty settled with him, he went to the neighboring landowners to find a witness for the marriage.The first person he went to was Draven, a retired second lieutenant in the cavalry, in his forties, who was more than happy to be a witness.He said the adventure brought back memories of the good old days and the pranks of the hussars.He stayed with Vladimir for lunch and assured him that he had taken care of the other two witnesses.Sure enough, after lunch, there came Schmidt, a land surveyor with a mustache and boots with spurs, and the son of the county police chief, a sixteen-year-old boy who had just recently participated in the guns. cavalry.These two not only readily accepted Vladimir's request, but even swore to God that they would sacrifice their lives to serve him.Vladimir embraced them with deep admiration, and then went home to gather.

It's been a long time since it was dark.He instructed his trusted coachman, Teryoshka, to arrange the arrangement in detail, and then sent him to drive a three-horse sleigh to the village of Nenaradovo, and then ordered him to harness a one-horse sleigh. The little sleigh, without the driver, set off alone to the village of Zandlino, where Maria Gavrilovna was supposed to arrive there in about two hours.He knows the way, and the journey takes only twenty minutes. But just as Vladimir was out of the village and into the fields, the wind blew up, and a blizzard swept across the sky, and he couldn't see anything.In a minute, the road was covered with snow.The surrounding scenery all disappeared into the dim chaos, but seeing the snowflakes dancing wildly, the sky and the earth couldn't be distinguished.Finding himself stuck in the field, Vladimir tried to get on the road again, but in vain.The horse scrambled, sometimes ran up the snow bank, sometimes got stuck in a ravine, and sometimes the sled overturned.Vladimir tried his best, but please don't get lost in the general direction.It seemed to him that more than half an hour had passed, and he had not yet reached the jungle of Zandlino.After another ten minutes, the jungle was still invisible.Vladimir drives across a field riddled with ditches.The snowstorm has not stopped, and the sky is not open.The horse, too, was tired and sweating profusely, though he sank now and then into waist-deep snow.

Finally, he felt that he was going in the wrong direction.Vladimir stopped the sledge: he used his brains, recalled and thought hard, and decided that he should turn to the right.He turned the sled and drove off to the right.The horse shuffled and shuffled.He had spent a good hour on the road.Randelino Village should not be far away.He walked and walked, and the fields had no end.Every now and then there were snowdrifts and ditches, and every now and then the sled would overturn and he would pick it up again.Time is ticking.Vladimir was really disturbed. Finally he saw a black thing over there.Vladimir turned over there.When he got closer, it turned out to be a forest.Thank goodness!Now, he thought, it was almost here.He walked along the wood, intending to immediately follow the path he knew, or to go around it: the village of Randrino lay behind it.Soon he was on the road, into the shadows of the winter-leaved trees.The wind was not strong here, the road was flat, the horses gained strength, and Vladimir was relieved.

He walked, and walked, and the village of Zandlino was still out of sight, and the woods never ended.To Vladimir's horror, he walked into an unfamiliar forest.He is desperate.He beat the horse, and the poor beast set off at a gallop, but soon slowed down, and after a quarter of an hour was dragging him along step by step, no matter how hard the unfortunate Vladimir tried. The trees were thinning, and Vladimir was out of the forest, but Gendelino could not see him.It must be almost midnight by now.Tears welled up in his eyes, and he let go of his horse and walked away.Then the wind and snow subsided, the dark clouds dissipated, and before him lay a plain, covered with a carpet of undulating whiteness.The night was exceptionally clear.He saw a small village not far away, scattered about four or five farmhouses.Vladimir's sleigh headed for the village.When he reached the first hut, he jumped out of the sled, ran to the window, and began to knock.After a few minutes the shutters of the farmhouse were opened, and an old man stretched out a great white beard.

"What are you doing?" "Is the village of Randelino far from here?" "Are you asking if Randrino village is far away?" "Yes! Yes! Is it far?" "It's not far, only ten versts." Hearing this, Vladimir froze by pulling his hair, as if a person had been sentenced to death. "Where are you from?" the old man went on.Vladimir didn't bother to answer him anymore. "Old man!" said he, "can you get a horse to take me to Randrino?" "What horses do we have!" replied the old man. "Then, can't I even find a guide? I'll pay him as much as he wants." "Wait!" said the old man, drawing down the shutter, "I have sent you my son, and he will lead the way." Vladimir waited.After a few minutes, he knocked on the window again.The shutters were opened again, and the beard appeared again. "What are you doing?" "What happened to your son?" "I'll be there in a minute. Putting on your shoes. Maybe you're freezing? Come inside and warm up!" "Thank you! Tell your son to come out!" The gate creaked open; a boy came out with a cane, and he walked ahead to feel the way, sometimes pointing, sometimes exploring where the road was, because the road was blocked by snowdrifts. "What time is it?" Vladimir asked him. "It's almost dawn," answered the young man.Vladimir was at a loss for words. When we arrived at Randrino Village, it was dawn already.The church closed its doors.Vladimir paid the guide and went into the courtyard to find the priest.The three-horse sleigh he had sent was nowhere in the yard.What news awaits him? But let us turn to the landowners of Nenaradovo and see what happened to them. Actually nothing happened. The two old men walked into the living room after waking up.Gavrila Gavrilovich also wore a nightcap and a terry jacket.Praskovya Petrovna was still in her cotton nightgown.The samovar was set, and Gavrila Gavrilovitch sent a maid to ask Marya Gavrilovna how she was doing, and whether she had slept well last night.The maid came back to report that the young lady had not slept well last night, but she felt better now, and she would come to the drawing room at once.Sure enough, the door opened, and Marya Gavrilovna came forward to greet her parents. "Is your headache all right, Masha?" Gavrila Gavrilovitch asked her. "Better, Daddy!" Masha replied. "Masha! Did you have gas poisoning last night?" said Praskovya Petrovna. "It's possible too. Mom!" All was well during the day, but at night Masha fell ill.They sent for a doctor into the city.The doctor arrived in the evening, just in time for the patient talking nonsense.The poor patient had a high fever, and for a fortnight she was on the verge of death. No one in the family knew about the premeditated elopement.The two letters written on the eve of that day have been burned.Her maid did not dare to tell anyone, for fear of her master's anger.The priest, the retired second lieutenant, the bearded land surveyor, and the baby lancers were cautious, and with good reason.Tereshka the handlebar never said a word even when he was drunk.In this way, the secret was not leaked, although as many as half a dozen people were involved in it.But Marya Gavrilovna kept talking nonsense, and she herself told the truth.However, her words were so confused that even though her mother never left her hospital bed, she could only understand one thing from her words: the daughter was desperately in love with Vladimir, and this love might be the cause of her serious illness.She discussed with her husband and several neighbors, and finally agreed: It seems that Marya Gavrilovna is destined to be like this, if she is destined, she will not escape, poverty is not a crime, and women marry men, not money. Get married, and so on.Moral maxims come in handy whenever we have trouble thinking of reasons to justify ourselves. During this period, Miss's body began to recover.At Gavrila Gavrilovitch's house Vladimir was long gone.The previous indifference frightened him.They sent someone to find him and announced an unexpected happy news to him: they agreed to get married!But just see how surprised the two old landowners of Nenaradovo will be!Recruiting him to be his son-in-law, he actually returned a half-crazy letter.The letter declared that his feet would never cross the threshold of their home, and asked them to forget that he was a poor man, and his only hope was death.A few days later, they learned that Vladimir had joined the army. This was in 1812. For a long time they were afraid to break the news to Masha, who was recovering.Nor did she say a word about Vladimir.Months passed, and seeing his name in the list of meritorious and wounded in the Borodino Battle, she fainted, and her parents were afraid that she would have a relapse.Thank goodness though!This time the fainting finally did not lead to serious consequences. Another catastrophe fell from heaven: Gavrila Gavrilovich died, and all the property went to his daughter.But the inheritance could not appease her, and she sincerely shared the grief of poor Praskovya Petrovna, and swore never to be separated from her mother.The mother and daughter left Nenaradovo, an exciting place, and moved to their other farm, the village of XX. A succession of suitors circled the sweet and rich girl again, but she hoped nothing for any of them.Her mother sometimes advised her to choose a friend, to which Marya Gavrilovna merely shook her head, and then gazed quietly.Vladimir is no more: he died in Moscow on the eve of the French attack.Masha felt that nothing could be more holy than to remember him.At least she kept everything that recalled him: the books he had read, his drawings, musical scores, and poems transcribed for her.When the neighbors learned of this, they were all amazed at her steadfastness, and waited with curiosity for the appearance of a hero, hoping that he would be worthy to overcome the plaintive chastity of the virgin Artemis. During this period, the war ended with honor.Our team returned triumphantly from abroad.The people welcome them.The band played a triumphant song: "Long Live Henry IV!" "② and "Ruo Kangte" ③ in Giroles dance and aria.The officers were almost all children when they went out to war. After the baptism of the war, they have now become dignified men with medals on their chests, and they have returned victorious.The soldiers chatted merrily, now and then, with a few words of French and German.Unforgettable moments!An hour of glory and joy!How the heart of every Russian beats at the word "Fatherland"!How sweet are the tears at meeting!With one heart, we combine the pride of the whole people with the love for the emperor.What an hour for Your Majesty! ①The goddess Diana, known for her chastity. ②The original text is French. ③Niccolò's opera "Jocante, also known as the Explorer" Women, Russian women were unmatched in those days.The usual indifference was swept away.Their ecstasy was truly intoxicating, and as they greeted the victors, they cried out: Ola! and throw the hat in the air① ①Recorded from the comedy "The Pain of Wisdom" by Griboyedov (1765-1829). Who among the officers of the time dared not admit that the Russian woman gave him the best and most precious remuneration? ... At that glorious time, Marya Gavrilovna was living with her mother in the province of XX, and did not have the opportunity to witness the fervent celebrations of the triumphant troops in the two capitals.However, in small counties and rural areas, the joy of the whole people may be even more enthusiastic.To an officer, if he showed his face, it was a victorious march for him, and his frock-coated beau would have been inferior to him. We have already pointed out above that, despite Marya Gavrilovna's icy coldness, there was still a steady stream of pleasure-seekers and treasure-hunters around her.At last, however, the gang retreated quietly one by one, because a major of the hussars showed up in her family, his name was Bourmin, and he wore the Order of Georgy around his neck, and his face was white. Quoting the private words of the local ladies.He was about twenty-six, had returned to his estate on leave, and happened to be Marya Gavrilovna's next neighbor.Marya Gavrilovna looked at him differently.When he was present, her usual boudoir worries disappeared, and she appeared particularly lively.Never say that she was flirting with him.But if a poet had seen her manners, he would have said: If this is not love, what is it? ... ① ①The original text is Italian. Bourmin was also a very lovely young man.He had just the wit to win a woman's heart: gracious, considerate, generous without pretentiousness, but with a touch of indifferent mockery.His association with Marya Gavrilovna was simple, sincere, and natural.However, no matter what she says or does, his mind and eyesight guarantee to follow her.He appears to be a humble and quiet man, but rumors tell him that he was once an absurd prodigal.However, in Marya Gavrilovna's eyes, this did not detract from his reputation, because she, like all young ladies, readily forgave his nonsense, which just showed that he was naturally brave and capable. Fiery character. But the young hussar's silence was better than anything... (better than his attentiveness, his cheerful conversation, his charming pale face, his bandaged hands), his silence There is nothing easier than to arouse a girl's curiosity and spark her imagination.She couldn't help acquiescing that she liked him, and he was smart, quick-witted and experienced, and he probably already saw that she treated him differently.Why hasn't she seen him kneeling at her feet and heard him confess his love?What obstacle stopped him?Is that because, if you are sincere and eager, you will feel palpitations and timidity?Is that because he is defiant?Is that the usual trick of the flower pickers playing hard to get?It was a mystery to her.She thought it over and decided that timidity was the only reason, so she was more considerate and considerate to him, and if circumstances allowed, she even looked forward to him affectionately, she wanted to encourage him by such means.She prepares for the most unexpected happy ending, and anxiously awaits that romantic final confession.Secrets, no matter what type they belong to, are always a stone in a woman's heart.At last her strategy succeeded as expected: at least Bourmin could not help silently concentrating on Maria Gavrilovna's face with burning black eyes.It appears that the decisive moment is approaching.The neighbors were already talking about marriage, as if it was a foregone conclusion, and good Praskovya Petrovna was delighted that her daughter had finally found her husband. One day, when the old lady was sitting in the drawing-room, arranging cards for divination, Bourmin came in and asked where Marya Gavrilovna was. "She is in the garden," answered the old lady, "go to her! I will wait for you here." Bourmin went.The old lady made a sign of the cross on her chest and thought to herself: "I hope things will come to an end today!" Bourmin found Maria Gavrilovna under a willow tree by the pond.She was holding a book in her hand, wearing a white dress, like a heroine in a romance novel.After exchanging pleasantries, Marya Gavrilovna deliberately interrupted the conversation, which aggravated the embarrassment between the two, and perhaps only a sudden and decisive confession could break the deadlock.And so it happened, and Bourmin, feeling embarrassed, said that he had been longing for an opportunity to reveal his feelings to her, and to ask her to listen for a minute.Marya Gavrilovna closed the book and lowered her eyes in agreement. "I love you," said Bourmin, "I love you passionately..." (Maria Gavrilovna blushed and lowered her head even lower.) "I have behaved carelessly and indulged myself to see you every day , listening to you every day—what an intoxicating bliss!..." (Maria Gavrilovna remembered Saint Prieille's first letter.) "So far, I It is too late to rebel against fate. The thought of you, your tenderness and incomparable image, will henceforth be a source of pain and joy for me, but I must now fulfill a great duty, which is to reveal to you a terrible There is an insurmountable barrier between us..." ①The male protagonist in the French writer Rousseau's novel "New Love Lvqisi". "There are always obstacles," interrupted Maria Gavrilovna hastily, "I will never be your wife...." "I know," he answered her in a low voice, "I know that you once loved someone, but he died, and you have been wronged for three years... My dear Maria Gavrilovna! Please don't Deprive me of this last chance to forgive myself: I imagine that you might make my happiness, if that... Wait a minute, for God's sake, don't open your mouth! You make me miserable. Yes, I I know, I feel, you might be my wife, but—I'm a very unfortunate man... I'm married!" Marya Gavrilovna glanced at him in horror. "I was married," went on Bourmin, "for the fourth year, and I don't know who my wife is, where she is, and whether I'll ever see her again!" "What are you talking about?" cried Marya Gavrilovna, "that's strange! Go on! I'll tell you later. . . Do a good job and go on!" "At the beginning of 1812," said Bourmin, "I was on my way to Vilna, where my party was. Arriving at a small station one evening, it was already late, and I ordered the horses to be harnessed, when suddenly there was a snowstorm, and the postmaster and the coachman advised I waited. I listened to what they said, but an indescribable restlessness took hold of me, as if someone was pushing me forward. At this time, the snowstorm did not stop. I was impatient, so I Ordered the horses to be harnessed again, and set off in the snowstorm. The driver wanted to drive the sledge along the river, which would shorten the distance by three versts. The river bank was covered with snow. The driver missed the turning point into the road, and we found ourselves walking Arrived in a strange place. The storm did not stop. I saw a light in the distance, so I ordered to go there. We drove into a village. There was a light in the wooden church. The church door was open, and a few cars parked outside the fence gate A sleigh, someone walking up and down the church steps. Come here!Come here!Several voices called out. I told the coachman to hurry over. Come on!Where are you delaying?I was told that the bride had fainted, the priest didn't know what to do, and we were going home.get out of the car! "In silence I jumped out of the sleigh and went into the church, where two or three candles were burning. A girl was sitting on a bench in a dark corner, and another was rubbing her temples. Thank goodness!The last girl said, you are here at last!You almost killed the lady! The old priest came up to me and asked: Are you going to start? You go!Let's go, Father!I answered casually. "They helped the young lady up. I thought she was not bad. . . I made a mistake, what an incomprehensible, unforgivable frivolity! . . . The man and a maid helped the bride, and went to attend to her. We are married. kiss it!they said to us. "The wife turned her pale face to look at me. I was about to kiss her... She exclaimed: Oh! It's not him! It's not him! She fell to the ground, unconscious. The witnesses looked at me, their eyes wide with horror Yes. I turned and walked away, and when I got out of the church without any hindrance, I jumped into the sled and said aloud: "Go!" "My God!" exclaimed Marya Gavrilovna, "you don't know what happened to your poor wife?" "I don't know," answered Bourmin, "I don't know the name of the village where I was married, and I can't remember which post I started from. I didn't mind my criminal mischief then, and went out." I fell asleep on the sleigh when I reached the church, and woke up the next morning, already at the third station. My former valet died on the march, so I had no hope of finding the girl, and I had no hope of finding the girl. Cruelly made a joke, and now she's cruelly revenged on me." "My God! My God!" said Marya Gavrilovna, grabbing his hand, "that's you! Don't you recognize me?" Burmin turned pale... knelt at her feet...