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Updated: May 7, 2025
"Now it is your turn, take your stand! Embrace me first: we shall not see each other again!" They embraced; the captain could scarcely refrain from laughing. "Do not be afraid," he added, glancing cunningly at Grushnitski; "everything in this world is nonsense... Nature is a fool, fate a turkeyhen, and life a copeck!"
Six paces were measured from the projecting corner, and it was decided that whichever had first to meet the fire of his opponent should stand in the very corner with his back to the precipice; if he was not killed the adversaries would change places. I determined to relinquish every advantage to Grushnitski; I wanted to test him.
Grushnitski, however, seems to be a little more magnanimous than his companions. What do you think? Ought we not to let them see that we have guessed their plan?" "Not on any account, doctor! Make your mind easy; I will not give in to them." "But what are you going to do, then?" "That is my secret." "Mind you are not caught... six paces, you know!"
Out of breath, I came to a standstill at the edge of the mountain, and, leaning against the corner of a little house, I began to examine the picturesque surroundings, when suddenly I heard behind me a familiar voice. "Pechorin! Have you been here long?" I turned round. Grushnitski! We embraced. I had made his acquaintance in the active service detachment.
"You are speaking of a pretty woman just as you might of an English horse," said Grushnitski indignantly. "Mon cher," I answered, trying to mimic his tone, "je meprise les femmes, pour ne pas les aimer, car autrement la vie serait un melodrame trop ridicule." I turned and left him.
The quadrilles dragged on a dreadfully long time. At last the music struck up from the gallery, Princess Mary and I took up our places. I did not once allude to the drunken gentleman, or to my previous behaviour, or to Grushnitski.
He was paler than Grushnitski had been ten minutes before. The words which followed I purposely pronounced with a pause between each loudly and distinctly, as the sentence of death is pronounced: "Doctor, these gentlemen have forgotten, in their hurry, no doubt, to put a bullet in my pistol. I beg you to load it afresh and properly!" "Impossible!" cried the captain, "impossible!
To be always on one's guard, to catch every glance, the meaning of every word, to guess intentions, to crush conspiracies, to pretend to be deceived and suddenly with one blow to overthrow the whole immense and laboriously constructed edifice of cunning and design that is what I call life. During supper Grushnitski kept whispering and exchanging winks with the captain of dragoons.
NEARLY a week has passed, and I have not yet made the Ligovskis' acquaintance. I am awaiting a convenient opportunity. Grushnitski follows Princess Mary everywhere like a shadow. Their conversations are interminable; but, when will she be tired of him?... Her mother pays no attention, because he is not a man who is in a position to marry. Behold the logic of mothers!
Grushnitski has assumed an air of mystery; he walks with his arms folded behind his back and does not recognise anyone. His foot has got well all at once, and there is hardly a sign of a limp. He has found an opportunity of entering into conversation with Princess Ligovski and of paying Princess Mary some kind of a compliment.
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