Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-07-12
NO. 1863.
Gales and Skftehes.
ONE SHOT.
BY ALEXANEER PUsCHKIN

Translated from the Russian by Claire Won Glue
mer From the German by Thurlow Weed
| Barnes.
Confined from Yesterday
| Now it was my game-his life be-
longed to me With wild ioy | glanced
toward him. seeking to find shadow of
anxiety in his countenance: but he stood
there quietly, picked the best cherry out
OF bis cap, ate 1t and snapped the pit at
my feet.
This indifference set my blood on FIRE.
| What does it amount to that should take
| his life, when he holds it worth so little 2'
| asked myself.
| Suddenly a devilish thought possessed
me let my pistol drop and said:
| You are not ready to die. but wish to
breakfast. ] will not disturb
you"
'fou do not disturb me, " he answered
only shoot. OF course, however, il vou
wish you can wait; this shot belongs To
you. and if you say so will stand up for
it another time"
''Thereupon | turned to my seconds
| and declared that | would not shoot that
| day. -.
| 81 left the service and came to this lit
tie place, but have never ceased to think
of my revenge. The hour for it has now
| come"
Silvio took from his pocket the letter
which he had received in the morning and
handed it to me to read. 1t had been
sent from Moscow-by his attorney, ap-
parentlv, TO inform him that a certain
young man expected soon to be united iny
marriage to beautiful young girl. -, 5 :
/ 10 sa
| guess" continued Silvio. II am off to-
| night, and shall see whether he will face
death as fearlessly when In the ecstacies
OF love as when he ate the cherries
| With these words he left his seat, and.
throwing the cap upon the floor, walked
up and down like Gagged tiger. had
heard his story without a word, and nv
heart was filled with strange and conflict
ing emotions.
The servant came in hastily. announc-
ing the horses were ready. Silvio pressed
my hand warmly and we embraced Then
he took his place in the carriage and was
driven off rapidly in the direction of Mos.
| COW.
| A few years later was stationed by the
government in that wretched little place.
| W. Engrossed in various duties, |
used to think longingly of the careless
and happy life had formerly led. Things
were now especially dull on account of
the solitary evenings.
| I managed very well up to the hour of
dining, by chatting with the Starost (as
the Poles call the commander of a station)
or by riding about to inspect the fortifica-
tions and nv own surroundings. But as
soon rs night came on was at loss what
to do. The few works Of which could OBJ
tain possession | read over and over
again. All the legends which my kind
hearted hostess, Kuschnitza KirOloffna,
had packed away in her memory | knew
bv heart. and the oftheard songs of the viii
lage women made me melancholy. Once
| even went so far as to try to accustom
myself to brandy, but it made nv head
ache. and was afraid it would make
drankard of me rs well. There were on
| ly too many hard drinkers already In our
district
| | had no near neighbors, except two or
three OF the kind just named. Four versts
or so from my rooms, however. there was
a fine old estate which belonged to the
Countess B, but at the time was occu-
pied orly by the servants. The countess
herself had only been there for few
weeks, soon after her wedding but in the
| second year OF my stay in the neighbor-
hood it was suddenly noised abroad that
she had re turned, and, sure enough, one
day in June she and her husband appeared
and assumed control.
The entrance of rich landed proprietor
upon his possessions Is an event for the
surrounding country that is talked over by
the nobility and peasantry for three months
beforehand and three years afterwards. |
among the rest was much interested In the
advent of an accomplished young woman.
was full of curiosity to see her, and on
the first Sunday after the coming of the
count and countess, started out to pay
them a visit
| Reaching the mansion, a servant in liv-
Iely ushered me into a finely furnished
waiting-room and went to announce my
arrival. Next to the walls stood elaborate
old book cases, ornamented with busts an
lelegant rug was spread upon the floor and
there was large mirror over the marble
fire place. Unaccustomed in nv simple
Iquarers to so much luxury. felt some
what oppressed by this aristocratic dis
play, aud approached the count not with
the ease Of an equal but with the timidi-
Ity of a countryman who has come to petit
tion an audience from the minister.
The door opened distinguished look
ing young man, perhaps thity-two years
of age. entered and advanced toward me
cordially. | was about to present my Gre
dentials, but his remarkable sauvity put an
end to all ceremony at once. We seated
ourselves. The unconstrained manner in
which he entered into conversation got the
best of my awkwardness, and | began TO
feel like myself again when the cOuntess
appeared.
She was indeed extremely charming.
and her presence put me in worse plight
than before. The count presented me to
her; tried not to appear Ill at ease. but
the more | endeavored to put on self
possessed air. the more became confused.
Finally, in order to give me time to col-
lect myself, the two began to chat togeth-
i or thouah in ihe lars.sei,:a Of <aid