Washington Journal., 1942-05-15

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tuation for Natashka Pushkina. Her husband
ON one occasion smilingly charged the mon
arch with it and implored him to desist from
the Irritation. Meanwhile Baron Georges
d'Anthes, a handsome young guardsman from
Alsatia, who had been adopted by Baron
Louis van Heeckeren, the Dutch envoy to st.
Petersburg, likewise had become infatuated
with Natashka and carried on an outrageous
Irritation with the giddy young woman. st.
Petersburg society was agog with gossip over
the affair. Pushkin took it very hard and
bitterly reproached his wife.
At this ~juncture Pushkin received an anony-
nous document wherein he was styled a cuck-
old. Others in high society received indenti-
cal documents. Convinced that either Baron
Won Heeckeren or his proteg6, the guardsman,
had written or i~nstigated the anonymous
documents, Pushkin at once challenged Baron
d'Anthes to a duel. D'Anthes accepted, but
his adaptive father begged for a fortnight's
delay, wherein to settle their family affairs.
Pushkin consented. Meanwhile friends. of
both parties got busy to hush up the scandal.
To avert the duel, d'Anthes went so far as
to announce his betrothal to Pushkin's sister
in-law. Ekaterina Goncharova. He followed
up this announcement with a hasty marriage
to the compromised girl. Pushkin consented
to call off the duel, but would not attend the
wedding and furthermore closed his house to
the bridegroom.
Ekaterina's husband, however, continued to
meet Natashka Pushkina at society functions
and court balls, where he once more pursued
her with attentions, thus reviving gossip
about her. Exasperated, her husband for
babe her to speak to d'Anthes. The giddy
Young woman now so far forgot the proprie-
ties as to grant her brother-in-law a clam
destine "farewell" rendezvous. This prompt
ly was reported to Pushkin in an other anony-
- l. NTo4,ol1~o aonfoo,n1 fho ,.oa1oU
vous to her husband, but insisted that she had
granted it only to repulse d'Anthes.
Infatuated beyond measure, Pushkin in a
formal letter to Baron van Heeckeren
charged him with having contrived the rendez-
vous and scathingly referred to the "abject
conduct of d'Anthes, whom he called van
Heeckeren's "bastard". This time d'Anthes
could no longer avoid a duel. His adaptive
father wrote a pompous letter to Pushkin, de-
handing satisfaction in his foster sons name.
For himself he reserved further action.
"'The Bloodier, the BetterP'
When Pushkin was consulted about the
conditions Of the duel he told the seconds:
''The bloodier, the better.0 Principals and
seconds met at dusk on January %, 1887, on
a snowy field on the bank Of the Black River
in the outskirts of st. Petersburg. The dis
lance between the two duellists was measured
at twenty PAGES. w CdpeS we're ldlu vi tHC
snow as barriers. Pushkin reached his barrier
first and raised his pistol, but at that instant
d'Anthes, still striding owar his barrier,
fired. Pushkin fell mortaly wounded on his
cape, with his head and the barrel OF his pistol
in the snow. Both seconds ran to him and
d,Anthes approached. After a few seconds
of silence Pushkin raised himself on his left
elbow, saying: "Wait! | have enough strength
to take my shot"
D,Anthes returned to his barrier, stood
sidewise and covered his breast with his right
hand and arm. Pushkn recovered his pistol,
took steady aim while lying in the snow and
fred. His bullet pierced d'Anthes' right arm
and chest. A metal button on d'Anthes tunlc
and a rib DETECTED the bullet from a more
vital organ; still, d'Anthes staggered and fell.
Pushkin shook his head at a suggestion OF
forgiveness and reconciliation, muttering:
HNo. If we both live, we shall fight again.
The wounded men were taken in sleighs to the
nearest surgeon. The two seconds gave them
selves up to the authorities.
Pushkin died from the gangrened wound IN
his abdomen two days later at his home.
D'Anthes recovered, but lost his lieutenant's
commission in the Horse Guards, was cash
Tered from the army, and together with his
wife was deported under police guard from
Russia. His foster father, Baron van Heck
eren, for his part in the affair, was recalled
from his diplomatic post at the Cars re-
quest. Neither Gar Nicholas nor his Czarlna
would receive the envoy for a farewell audi,
ence. The two seconds were c0urtmartlaled
and sentenced to two months confinement in
a guardhouse, but retained their rank and
grade in the army. After Pushkin's death
the Gar paid all the poets debts, which were
considerable, and granted his widow and or
phaned children a handsome pension. Natash-
ka Pushkina was made a lady of the Czarina's