No More Learning

”

Involuntarily I recalled to mind a certain lady, living in Moscow, who
used to maintain that Byron was nothing more nor less than a drunkard.
However, the staff-captain’s observation was more excusable; in order to
abstain from strong drink, he naturally endeavoured to convince himself
that all the misfortunes in the world are the result of drunkenness.



CHAPTER X

MEANWHILE the staff-captain continued his story.

“Kazbich never put in an appearance again; but somehow--I don’t know
why--I could not get the idea out of my head that he had had a reason
for coming, and that some mischievous scheme was in his mind.

“Well, one day Pechorin tried to persuade me to go boar-hunting with
him. For a long time I refused. What novelty was a wild boar to me?

“However, off he dragged me, all the same. We took four or five soldiers
and set out early in the morning. Up till ten o’clock we scurried about
the reeds and the forest--there wasn’t a wild beast to be found!

“‘I say, oughtn’t we to be going back? ’ I said. ‘What’s the use of
sticking at it? It is evident enough that we have happened on an unlucky
day! ’

“But, in spite of heat and fatigue, Pechorin didn’t like to return
empty-handed. . . That is just the kind of man he was; whatever he set
his heart on he had to have--evidently, in his childhood, he had been
spoiled by an indulgent mother. At last, at midday, we discovered one
of those cursed wild boars--Bang! Bang! --No good! --Off it went into the
reeds. That was an unlucky day, to be sure! . . . So, after a short rest,
we set off homeward. . .

“We rode in silence, side by side, giving the horses their head. We had
almost reached the fortress, and only the brushwood concealed it from
view. Suddenly a shot rang out. . . We glanced at each other, both struck
with the selfsame suspicion. . . We galloped headlong in the direction of
the shot, looked, and saw the soldiers clustered together on the rampart
and pointing towards a field, along which a rider was flying at full
speed, holding something white across his saddle. Grigori Aleksandrovich
yelled like any Chechene, whipped his gun from its cover, and gave
chase--I after him.

“Luckily, thanks to our unsuccessful hunt, our horses were not jaded;
they strained under the saddle, and with every moment we drew nearer and
nearer. . . At length I recognised Kazbich, only I could not make out what
it was that he was holding in front of him.

“Then I drew level with Pechorin and shouted to him:

“‘It is Kazbich! ’

“He looked at me, nodded, and struck his horse with his whip.

“At last we were within gunshot of Kazbich. Whether it was that his
horse was jaded or not so good as ours, I don’t know, but, in spite of
all his efforts, it did not get along very fast. I fancy at that moment
he remembered his Karagyoz!

“I looked at Pechorin. He was taking aim as he galloped. . .

“‘Don’t shoot,’ I cried. ‘Save the shot! We will catch up with him as it
is. ’

“Oh, these young men! Always taking fire at the wrong moment! The shot
rang out and the bullet broke one of the horse’s hind legs. It gave a
few fiery leaps forward, stumbled, and fell to its knees. Kazbich sprang
off, and then we perceived that it was a woman he was holding in his
arms--a woman wrapped in a veil. It was Bela--poor Bela! He shouted
something to us in his own language and raised his dagger over her. . .
Delay was useless; I fired in my turn, at haphazard. Probably the bullet
struck him in the shoulder, because he dropped his hand suddenly. When
the smoke cleared off, we could see the wounded horse lying on the
ground and Bela beside it; but Kazbich, his gun flung away, was
clambering like a cat up the cliff, through the brushwood. I should have
liked to have brought him down from there--but I hadn’t a charge ready.
We jumped off our horses and rushed to Bela. Poor girl! She was lying
motionless, and the blood was pouring in streams from her wound. The
villain! If he had struck her to the heart--well and good, everything
would at least have been finished there and then; but to stab her in
the back like that--the scoundrel! She was unconscious. We tore the
veil into strips and bound up the wound as tightly as we could. In vain
Pechorin kissed her cold lips--it was impossible to bring her to.

“Pechorin mounted; I lifted Bela from the ground and somehow managed to
place her before him on his saddle; he put his arm round her and we rode
back.

“‘Look here, Maksim Maksimych,’ said Grigori Aleksandrovich, after a few
moments of silence. ‘We will never bring her in alive like this. ’

“‘True! ’ I said, and we put our horses to a full gallop. ”



CHAPTER XI

“A CROWD was awaiting us at the fortress gate. Carefully we carried the
wounded girl to Pechorin’s quarters, and then we sent for the doctor.
The latter was drunk, but he came, examined the wound, and announced
that she could not live more than a day. He was mistaken, though. ”

“She recovered? ” I asked the staff-captain, seizing him by the arm, and
involuntarily rejoicing.

“No,” he replied, “but the doctor was so far mistaken that she lived two
days longer. ”

“Explain, though, how Kazbich made off with her! ”

“It was like this: in spite of Pechorin’s prohibition, she went out of
the fortress and down to the river. It was a very hot day, you know, and
she sat on a rock and dipped her feet in the water. Up crept Kazbich,
pounced upon her, silenced her, and dragged her into the bushes. Then
he sprang on his horse and made off. In the meantime she succeeded in
crying out, the sentries took the alarm, fired, but wide of the mark;
and thereupon we arrived on the scene. ”

“But what did Kazbich want to carry her off for? ”

“Good gracious! Why, everyone knows these Circassians are a race of
thieves; they can’t keep their hands off anything that is left lying
about! They may not want a thing, but they will steal it, for all that.
Still, you mustn’t be too hard on them. And, besides, he had been in
love with her for a long time. ”

“And Bela died? ”

“Yes, she died, but she suffered for a long time, and we were fairly
knocked up with her, I can tell you. About ten o’clock in the evening
she came to herself. We were sitting by her bed. As soon as ever she
opened her eyes she began to call Pechorin.

“‘I am here beside you, my janechka’ (that is, ‘my darling’), he
answered, taking her by the hand.

“‘I shall die,’ she said.

“We began to comfort her, telling her that the doctor had promised
infallibly to cure her. She shook her little head and turned to the
wall--she did not want to die! . . .

“At night she became delirious, her head burned, at times a feverish
paroxysm convulsed her whole body. She talked incoherently about her
father, her brother; she yearned for the mountains, for her home. . . Then
she spoke of Pechorin also, called him various fond names, or reproached
him for having ceased to love his janechka.

“He listened to her in silence, his head sunk in his hands; but yet,
during the whole time, I did not notice a single tear-drop on his
lashes. I do not know whether he was actually unable to weep or was
mastering himself; but for my part I have never seen anything more
pitiful.

“Towards morning the delirium passed off. For an hour or so she lay
motionless, pale, and so weak that it was hardly possible to observe
that she was breathing. After that she grew better and began to talk:
only about what, think you? Such thoughts come only to the dying! . . . She
lamented that she was not a Christian, that in the other world her
soul would never meet the soul of Grigori Aleksandrovich, and that in
Paradise another woman would be his companion. The thought occurred to
me to baptize her before her death. I told her my idea; she looked at me
undecidedly, and for a long time was unable to utter a word. Finally she
answered that she would die in the faith in which she had been born.
A whole day passed thus. What a change that day made in her! Her pale
cheeks fell in, her eyes grew ever so large, her lips burned. She felt
a consuming heat within her, as though a red-hot blade was piercing her
breast.

“The second night came on. We did not close our eyes or leave the
bedside. She suffered terribly, and groaned; and directly the pain began
to abate she endeavoured to assure Grigori Aleksandrovich that she felt
better, tried to persuade him to go to bed, kissed his hand and would
not let it out of hers. Before the morning she began to feel the death
agony and to toss about. She knocked the bandage off, and the blood
flowed afresh. When the wound was bound up again she grew quiet for a
moment and begged Pechorin to kiss her. He fell on his knees beside
the bed, raised her head from the pillow, and pressed his lips to
hers--which were growing cold. She threw her trembling arms closely
round his neck, as if with that kiss she wished to yield up her soul
to him. --No, she did well to die! Why, what would have become of her if
Grigori Aleksandrovich had abandoned her? And that is what would have
happened, sooner or later.

“During half the following day she was calm, silent and docile, however
much the doctor tortured her with his fomentations and mixtures.

“‘Good heavens! ’ I said to him, ‘you know you said yourself that she was
certain to die, so what is the good of all these preparations of yours? ’

“‘Even so, it is better to do all this,’ he replied, ‘so that I may have
an easy conscience. ’

“A pretty conscience, forsooth!

“After midday Bela began to suffer from thirst. We opened the windows,
but it was hotter outside than in the room; we placed ice round the
bed--all to no purpose. I knew that that intolerable thirst was a sign
of the approaching end, and I told Pechorin so.

“‘Water, water! ’ she said in a hoarse voice, raising herself up from the
bed.

“Pechorin turned pale as a sheet, seized a glass, filled it, and gave
it to her. I covered my eyes with my hands and began to say a prayer--I
can’t remember what. . . Yes, my friend, many a time have I seen people
die in hospitals or on the field of battle, but this was something
altogether different! Still, this one thing grieves me, I must confess:
she died without even once calling me to mind. Yet I loved her, I should
think, like a father! . . . Well, God forgive her! . . . And, to tell the
truth, what am I that she should have remembered me when she was
dying? . . .

“As soon as she had drunk the water, she grew easier--but in about three
minutes she breathed her last! We put a looking-glass to her lips--it
was undimmed!

“I led Pechorin from the room, and we went on to the fortress rampart.
For a long time we walked side by side, to and fro, speaking not a word
and with our hands clasped behind our backs. His face expressed nothing
out of the common--and that vexed me. Had I been in his place, I should
have died of grief. At length he sat down on the ground in the shade and
began to draw something in the sand with his stick. More for form’s sake
than anything, you know, I tried to console him and began to talk. He
raised his head and burst into a laugh! At that laugh a cold shudder ran
through me. . . I went away to order a coffin.

“I confess it was partly to distract my thoughts that I busied myself in
that way. I possessed a little piece of Circassian stuff, and I covered
the coffin with it, and decked it with some Circassian silver lace which
Grigori Aleksandrovich had bought for Bela herself.

“Early next morning we buried her behind the fortress, by the river,
beside the spot where she had sat for the last time. Around her little
grave white acacia shrubs and elder-trees have now grown up. I
should have liked to erect a cross, but that would not have done, you
know--after all, she was not a Christian. ”

“And what of Pechorin? ” I asked.

“Pechorin was ill for a long time, and grew thin, poor fellow; but
we never spoke of Bela from that time forth. I saw that it would be
disagreeable to him, so what would have been the use? About three months
later he was appointed to the E----Regiment, and departed for Georgia.
We have never met since. Yet, when I come to think of it, somebody told
me not long ago that he had returned to Russia--but it was not in the
general orders for the corps. Besides, to the like of us news is late in
coming. ”

Hereupon--probably to drown sad memories--he launched forth into a
lengthy dissertation on the unpleasantness of learning news a year late.
I did not interrupt him, nor did I listen.

In an hour’s time a chance of proceeding on our journey presented
itself. The snowstorm subsided, the sky became clear, and we set off. On
the way I involuntarily let the conversation turn on Bela and Pechorin.

“You have not heard what became of Kazbich? ” I asked.

“Kazbich? In truth, I don’t know. I have heard that with the Shapsugs,
on our right flank, there is a certain Kazbich, a dare-devil fellow who
rides about at a walking pace, in a red tunic, under our bullets, and
bows politely whenever one hums near him--but it can scarcely be the
same person! ”. . .

In Kobi, Maksim Maksimych and I parted company. I posted on, and he,
on account of his heavy luggage, was unable to follow me. We had no
expectation of ever meeting again, but meet we did, and, if you like,
I will tell you how--it is quite a history. . . You must acknowledge,
though, that Maksim Maksimych is a man worthy of all respect. . . If
you admit that, I shall be fully rewarded for my, perhaps, too lengthy
story.





BOOK II MAKSIM MAKSIMYCH

AFTER parting with Maksim Maksimych, I galloped briskly through the
gorges of the Terek and Darial, breakfasted in Kazbek, drank tea in
Lars, and arrived at Vladikavkaz in time for supper. I spare you a
description of the mountains, as well as exclamations which convey no
meaning, and word-paintings which convey no image--especially to
those who have never been in the Caucasus. I also omit statistical
observations, which I am quite sure nobody would read.

I put up at the inn which is frequented by all who travel in those
parts, and where, by the way, there is no one you can order to roast
your pheasant and cook your cabbage-soup, because the three veterans
who have charge of the inn are either so stupid, or so drunk, that it is
impossible to knock any sense at all out of them.

I was informed that I should have to stay there three days longer,
because the “Adventure” had not yet arrived from Ekaterinograd and
consequently could not start on the return journey. What a misadventure!
[18]. . . But a bad pun is no consolation to a Russian, and, for the sake
of something to occupy my thoughts, I took it into my head to write down
the story about Bela, which I had heard from Maksim Maksimych--never
imagining that it would be the first link in a long chain of novels: you
see how an insignificant event has sometimes dire results! . . . Perhaps,
however, you do not know what the “Adventure” is? It is a
convoy--composed of half a company of infantry, with a cannon--which
escorts baggage-trains through Kabardia from Vladikavkaz to
Ekaterinograd.

The first day I found the time hang on my hands dreadfully. Early next
morning a vehicle drove into the courtyard. . . Aha! Maksim Maksimych! . . .
We met like a couple of old friends. I offered to share my own room with
him, and he accepted my hospitality without standing upon ceremony; he
even clapped me on the shoulder and puckered up his mouth by way of a
smile--a queer fellow, that! . . .

Maksim Maksimych was profoundly versed in the culinary art. He roasted
the pheasant astonishingly well and basted it successfully with cucumber
sauce. I was obliged to acknowledge that, but for him, I should have had
to remain on a dry-food diet. A bottle of Kakhetian wine helped us to
forget the modest number of dishes--of which there was one, all told.
Then we lit our pipes, took our chairs, and sat down--I by the window,
and he by the stove, in which a fire had been lighted because the day
was damp and cold. We remained silent. What had we to talk about? He had
already told me all that was of interest about himself and I had nothing
to relate. I looked out of the window. Here and there, behind the trees,
I caught glimpses of a number of poor, low houses straggling along the
bank of the Terek, which flowed seaward in an ever-widening stream;
farther off rose the dark-blue, jagged wall of the mountains, behind
which Mount Kazbek gazed forth in his highpriest’s hat of white. I took
a mental farewell of them; I felt sorry to leave them. . .

Thus we sat for a considerable time. The sun was sinking behind the cold
summits and a whitish mist was beginning to spread over the valleys,
when the silence was broken by the jingling of the bell of a
travelling-carriage and the shouting of drivers in the street. A few
vehicles, accompanied by dirty Armenians, drove into the courtyard of
the inn, and behind them came an empty travelling-carriage. Its light
movement, comfortable arrangement, and elegant appearance gave it a kind
of foreign stamp. Behind it walked a man with large moustaches. He was
wearing a Hungarian jacket and was rather well dressed for a manservant.
From the bold manner in which he shook the ashes out of his pipe and
shouted at the coachman it was impossible to mistake his calling. He was
obviously the spoiled servant of an indolent master--something in the
nature of a Russian Figaro.

“Tell me, my good man,” I called to him out of the window. “What is
it? --Has the ‘Adventure’ arrived, eh? ”

He gave me a rather insolent glance, straightened his cravat, and turned
away. An Armenian, who was walking near him, smiled and answered for
him that the “Adventure” had, in fact, arrived, and would start on the
return journey the following morning.

“Thank heavens! ” said Maksim Maksimych, who had come up to the window at
that moment. “What a wonderful carriage! ” he added; “probably it belongs
to some official who is going to Tiflis for a judicial inquiry. You can
see that he is unacquainted with our little mountains! No, my friend,
you’re not serious! They are not for the like of you; why, they would
shake even an English carriage to bits! --But who could it be? Let us go
and find out. ”

We went out into the corridor, at the end of which there was an open
door leading into a side room. The manservant and a driver were dragging
portmanteaux into the room.

“I say, my man! ” the staff-captain asked him: “Whose is that marvellous
carriage? --Eh? --A beautiful carriage! ”

Without turning round the manservant growled something to himself as he
undid a portmanteau. Maksim Maksimych grew angry.

“I am speaking to you, my friend! ” he said, touching the uncivil fellow
on the shoulder.

“Whose carriage? --My master’s. ”

“And who is your master? ”

“Pechorin--”

“What did you say? What? Pechorin? --Great Heavens! . . . Did he not serve
in the Caucasus? ” exclaimed Maksim Maksimych, plucking me by the sleeve.
His eyes were sparkling with joy.

“Yes, he served there, I think--but I have not been with him long. ”

“Well! Just so! . . . Just so! . . . Grigori Aleksandrovich? . . . that is his
name, of course? Your master and I were friends,” he added, giving the
manservant a friendly clap on the shoulder with such force as to cause
him to stagger.

“Excuse me, sir, you are hindering me,” said the latter, frowning.

“What a fellow you are, my friend! Why, don’t you know, your master and
I were bosom friends, and lived together? . . . But where has he put up? ”

The servant intimated that Pechorin had stayed to take supper and pass
the night at Colonel N----‘s.

“But won’t he be looking in here in the evening? ” said Maksim Maksimych.
“Or, you, my man, won’t you be going over to him for something? . . . If
you do, tell him that Maksim Maksimych is here; just say that--he’ll
know! --I’ll give you half a ruble for a tip! ”

The manservant made a scornful face on hearing such a modest promise,
but he assured Maksim Maksimych that he would execute his commission.

“He’ll be sure to come running up directly! ” said Maksim Maksimych, with
an air of triumph. “I will go outside the gate and wait for him! Ah,
it’s a pity I am not acquainted with Colonel N----! ”

Maksim Maksimych sat down on a little bench outside the gate, and I
went to my room. I confess that I also was awaiting this Pechorin’s
appearance with a certain amount of impatience--although, from the
staff-captain’s story, I had formed a by no means favourable idea of
him. Still, certain traits in his character struck me as remarkable. In
an hour’s time one of the old soldiers brought a steaming samovar and a
teapot.

“Won’t you have some tea, Maksim Maksimych? ” I called out of the window.

“Thank you. I am not thirsty, somehow. ”

“Oh, do have some! It is late, you know, and cold! ”

“No, thank you”. . .

“Well, just as you like! ”

I began my tea alone. About ten minutes afterwards my old captain came
in.

“You are right, you know; it would be better to have a drop of tea--but
I was waiting for Pechorin. His man has been gone a long time now, but
evidently something has detained him. ”

The staff-captain hurriedly sipped a cup of tea, refused a second,
and went off again outside the gate--not without a certain amount of
disquietude. It was obvious that the old man was mortified by Pechorin’s
neglect, the more so because a short time previously he had been telling
me of their friendship, and up to an hour ago had been convinced that
Pechorin would come running up immediately on hearing his name.

It was already late and dark when I opened the window again and began to
call Maksim Maksimych, saying that it was time to go to bed. He muttered
something through his teeth. I repeated my invitation--he made no
answer.

I left a candle on the stove-seat, and, wrapping myself up in my cloak,
I lay down on the couch and soon fell into slumber; and I would have
slept on quietly had not Maksim Maksimych awakened me as he came into
the room. It was then very late. He threw his pipe on the table, began
to walk up and down the room, and to rattle about at the stove. At last
he lay down, but for a long time he kept coughing, spitting, and tossing
about.

“The bugs are biting you, are they not? ” I asked.

“Yes, that is it,” he answered, with a heavy sigh.

I woke early the next morning, but Maksim Maksimych had anticipated me.
I found him sitting on the little bench at the gate.

“I have to go to the Commandant,” he said, “so, if Pechorin comes,
please send for me. ”. . .

I gave my promise. He ran off as if his limbs had regained their
youthful strength and suppleness.

The morning was fresh and lovely. Golden clouds had massed themselves on
the mountaintops like a new range of aerial mountains. Before the gate
a wide square spread out; behind it the bazaar was seething with people,
the day being Sunday. Barefooted Ossete boys, carrying wallets of
honeycomb on their shoulders, were hovering around me. I cursed them;
I had other things to think of--I was beginning to share the worthy
staff-captain’s uneasiness.

Before ten minutes had passed the man we were awaiting appeared at the
end of the square. He was walking with Colonel N. , who accompanied him
as far as the inn, said good-bye to him, and then turned back to the
fortress. I immediately despatched one of the old soldiers for Maksim
Maksimych.

Pechorin’s manservant went out to meet him and informed him that they
were going to put to at once; he handed him a box of cigars, received
a few orders, and went off about his business. His master lit a cigar,
yawned once or twice, and sat down on the bench on the other side of the
gate. I must now draw his portrait for you.

He was of medium height. His shapely, slim figure and broad shoulders
gave evidence of a strong constitution, capable of enduring all the
hardships of a nomad life and changes of climates, and of resisting with
success both the demoralising effects of life in the Capital and the
tempests of the soul. His velvet overcoat, which was covered with dust,
was fastened by the two lower buttons only, and exposed to view linen of
dazzling whiteness, which proved that he had the habits of a gentleman.
His gloves, soiled by travel, seemed as though made expressly for
his small, aristocratic hand, and when he took one glove off I was
astonished at the thinness of his pale fingers. His gait was careless
and indolent, but I noticed that he did not swing his arms--a sure sign
of a certain secretiveness of character. These remarks, however, are the
result of my own observations, and I have not the least desire to make
you blindly believe in them.