IT was a quiet summer morning. The sun stood already pretty high in the clear sky but the fields were still sparkling with dew; a fresh breeze blew fragrantly from the scarce awakened valleys and in the forest, still damp and hushed, the birds were merrily carolling their morning song. On the ridge of a swelling upland, which was covered from base to summit with blossoming rye, a little village was to be seen. Along a narrow by-road to this little village a young woman was walking in a white muslin gown, and a round straw hat, with a parasol in her hand. A page boy followed her some distance behind.

这是个寂静的夏日清晨。太阳早已高高地挂在晴朗的天空上，而田间露珠仍熠熠发光；微风从苏醒不久的山谷拂面而来，带着阵阵香甜，早起的鸟儿在仍然潮湿、静谧的林子里欢快地唱着它们的晨歌。隆起的山岭自上而下被开了花的黑麦覆盖着，从山顶上可以看见一个小村庄。在一条狭窄的乡间小道上，一位头戴圆形草帽、身穿白纱裙的年轻女子正撑着一把阳伞向着这个小村庄走来。在她身后远远地跟着一个侍童。

She moved without haste and as though she were enjoying the walk. The high nodding rye all round her moved in long softly rustling waves, taking here a shade of silvery green and there a ripple of red; the larks were trilling overhead. The young woman had come from her own estate, which was not more than a mile from the village to which she was turning her steps. Her name was Alexandra Pavlovna Lipin. She was a widow, childless, and fairly well off, and lived with her brother, a retired cavalry officer, Sergei Pavlitch Volintsev. He was unmarried and looked after her property.

她不慌不忙地走着，好像在享受这漫步的乐趣一般。在她四周，高高的黑麦秆上挂着沉甸甸的麦穗，随着轻风起伏摇摆着；麦浪发出轻柔的沙沙声，时而泛起微微的银绿色，时而泛起一抹浅红色；云雀在头顶欢快的啼鸣着。这位年轻的女人是从自己的家里出来的，她的住处离她现在要去的村庄仅有一英里的距离。她名叫亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜·李比娜。她是个遗孀，没有孩子，但相当富有，和弟弟谢尔盖·巴甫雷奇·沃伦采夫（一名退役的骑兵军官）一起生活。他尚未结婚，帮忙打理姐姐的产业。

Alexandra Pavlovna reached the village and, stopping at the last hut, a very old and low one, she called up the boy and told him to go in and ask after the health of its mistress. He quickly came back accompanied by a decrepit old peasant with a white beard.

亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜进了村子，在最后一间又旧又矮的小屋前停了下来，又招呼侍童上前，让他进去探问女主人的健康状况。他很快跟着一个年老体衰、胡子花白的农夫走了出来。

"Well, how is she?" asked Alexandra Pavlovna.

“她怎么样了？”亚历山德拉·巴甫洛夫娜问道。

"Well, she is still alive," began the old man.

“还活着呢。”老人说道。

"Can I go in?"

“我能进去吗？”

"Of course; yes." Alexandra Pavlovna went into the hut. It was narrow, stifling, and smoky inside. Some one stirred and began to moan on the stove which formed the bed. Alexandra Pavlovna looked round and discerned in the half darkness the yellow wrinkled face of the old woman tied up in a checked handkerchief. Covered to the very throat with a heavy overcoat she was breathing with difficulty, and her wasted hands were twitching.

“当然可以。亚历山德拉·巴甫洛夫娜走进了小屋。屋子很狭小，里面烟雾缭绕，令人窒息。有人在炉炕上动了动，然后开始发出阵阵呻吟声。亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜向四周看了看，在昏暗中瞧见了那个老妇，她头扎方格头巾，蜡黄的脸上布满了皱纹。一件厚重的大衣一直盖到了她的下巴，她呼吸困难，两只枯瘦如柴的手无力地抽搐着。

Alexandra Pavlovna went close up to the old woman and laid her fingers on her forehead; it was burning hot.

亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜向老妇人走了过去，伸出手摸了摸她的额头，发现她烧得很厉害。

"How do you feel, Matrona?" she inquired, bending over the bed.

“你感觉怎么样了，马特廖娜？”她弯下腰问道。

"Oh, oh!" groaned the old woman, trying to make her out, "bad, very bad, my dear! My last hour has come, my darling!"

“哎——哟！”老妇人呻吟着，尽力发出声音来，“不好，很不好啊，亲爱的！我要走了，亲爱的！”

"God is merciful, Matrona; perhaps you will be better soon. Did you take the medicine I sent you?"

“上帝是仁慈的，马特廖娜，也许你很快就好了。你吃了我送给你的药了吗？”

The old woman groaned painfully, and did not answer. She had hardly heard the question.

老妇人痛苦地呻吟着，没有回答她。她几乎没有听到她的问题。

"She has taken it," said the old man who was standing at the door. Alexandra Pavlovna turned to him. "Is there no one with her but you?" she inquired.

“她吃了。”站在门口的老头说。亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜转身向着他。“除了你以外就没有人陪她了吗？”她问道。

"There is the girl—her granddaughter, but she always keeps away. She won't sit with her; she's such a gad-about. To give the old woman a drink of water is too much trouble for her. And I am old; what use can I be?"

“还有她的孙女，但是她老是不在家。她不会照料她的，而是喜欢到处乱逛。连给她奶奶倒口水都嫌麻烦。我也老了，能有什么用？”

"Shouldn't she be taken to me—to the hospital?"

“是不是该把她送到我那儿——送到医院里去呢？”

"No. Why take her to the hospital? She would die just the same. She has lived her life; it's God's will now seemingly. She will never get up again. How could she go to the hospital? If they tried to lift her up, she would die."

“不用了，干吗送去医院？反正也是死。她天命已尽；看来是上帝要带走她了。她都起不了身。还怎么去医院？如果把她弄起来，她会死的。”

"Oh!" moaned the sick woman, "my pretty lady, don't abandon my little orphan; our master is far away, but you—"

“哎哟！”病妇呻吟着说，“漂亮夫人，千万别丢下我那个可怜的没爹妈的孙女；我家老爷离得远，但是您——”

She could not go on, she had spent all her strength in saying so much.

她说这些话的时候用尽了浑身的力气，已经无法继续说下去了。

"Do not worry yourself," replied Alexandra Pavlovna, "everything shall be done. Here is some tea and sugar I have brought you. If you can fancy it you must drink some. Have you a samovar, I wonder?" she added, looking at the old man. "A samovar? We haven't a samovar, but we could get one."

“别担心这些。”亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜回复她说，“一切都会为你打理得好好的。瞧，我给你捎来了点茶叶和白糖。如果你想喝就喝点儿吧。你们有茶炊吗？”她看着老头，又说道。没有，不过倒能找来一个。”

"Then get one, or I will send you one. And tell your granddaughter not to leave her like this. Tell her it's shameful."

“那就找一个来吧，或者我派人给你们送一个过来。叮嘱你孙女一声，让她别这样丢下她祖母了。告诉她，这是可耻的。”

The old man made no answer but took the parcel of tea and sugar with both hands.

老头没回答，双手将包着茶叶和白糖的纸包接了过来。

"Well, good-bye, Matrona!" said Alexandra Pavlovna, "I will come and see you again; and you must not lose heart but take your medicine regularly."

“那么，再见了，马特廖娜！”亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜说，“我改天再来看你；千万别灰心丧气，要按时吃药。”

The old woman raised her head and drew herself a little towards Alexandra Pavlovna.

老妇人抬了下头，向亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜微微靠了靠。

"Give me your little hand, dear lady," she muttered.

“把您的小手给我，我亲爱的夫人。”她喃喃地说道。

Alexandra Pavlovna did not give her hand; she bent over her and kissed her on the forehead.

亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜没有把手递给她，她弯下腰吻了吻她的额头。

"Take care, now," she said to the old man as she went out, "and give her the medicine without fail, as it is written down, and give her some tea to drink."

“现在要留意着她，”她出去的时候对老头说，“要按照药方给她吃药，一顿也别落下，再给她喝点茶。”

Again the old man made no reply, but only bowed.

老头还是没作声，只是给她鞠了个躬。

Alexandra Pavlovna breathed more freely when she came out into the fresh air. She put up her parasol and was about to start homewards, when suddenly there appeared round the corner of a little hut a man about thirty, driving a low racing droshky and wearing an old overcoat of grey linen, and a foraging cap of the same. Catching sight of Alexandra Pavlovna he at once stopped his horse and turned round towards her. His broad and colourless face with its small light grey eyes and almost white moustache seemed all in the same tone of colour as his clothes.

出来以后，亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜呼吸顺畅多了。她撑起阳伞，正要回家，这时一个男人驾着一辆低矮的双轮轻便马车突然从屋角后面驶了出来。他大约三十岁左右，穿着件破旧的灰色麻布大衣，头戴一顶同样布料的便帽。一看到亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜，他立刻勒住了马，向她转过身来。他那宽阔但没有血色的脸庞，加上他那浅灰色的小眼睛和发白的小胡子都跟他衣服的色调一致。

"Good-morning!" he began, with a lazy smile; "what are you doing here, if I may ask?"

“早上好！”他露出了懒散的微笑，说道，“请问，您在这儿干吗？”

"I have been visiting a sick woman... And where have you come from, Mihailo Mihailitch?"

“我来看望一个病人……那么您是打哪儿来，米哈伊洛·米哈伊雷奇？”

The man addressed as Mihailo Mihailitch looked into her eyes and smiled again.

那个叫米哈伊洛·米哈伊雷奇的人看着她的眼睛，又笑了笑。

"You do well," he said, "to visit the sick, but wouldn't it be better for you to take her into the hospital?"

“看望病人，”他说，“是件好事，不过把她送到医院去会不会更好些呢？”

"She is too weak; impossible to move her." "But don't you intend to give up your hospital?"

“她太虚弱了，根本不能动她。”“那么您是不是准备让您的医院歇业了？”

"Give it up? Why?"

“歇业？为什么？”

"Oh, I thought so."

“哦，我还以为是这样呢。”

"What a strange notion! What put such an idea into your head?"

“这想法真是不可思议！您怎么会有这样的想法呢？”

"Oh, you are always with Madame Lasunsky now, you know, and seem to be under her influence. And in her words—hospitals, schools, and all that sort of things, are mere waste of time—useless fads. Philanthropy ought to be entirely personal, and education too, all that is the soul's work... that's how she expresses herself, I believe. From whom did she pick up that opinion I should like to know?"

“哦，您现在和拉松斯卡娅夫人交情不浅，看起来受了她的影响。用她的话说，兴建医院啊，学校啊等等这些事情纯属浪费时间，毫无用处。慈善应该是个人的事，教育也是，这些都是事关灵魂的工作……我想她是这么说的。我很想知道，她的这些想法从何而来？”

Alexandra Pavlovna laughed.

亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜笑了起来。

"Darya Mihailovna is a clever woman, I like and esteem her very much; but she may make mistakes, and I don't put faith in everything she says."

“达里娅·米哈伊洛芙娜是个聪明的女人，我很喜欢她，也尊敬她；但是她也会犯错，我并不完全相信她的话。”

"And it's a very good thing you don't," rejoined Mihailo Mihailitch, who all the while remained sitting in his droshky, "for she doesn't put much faith in what she says herself. I'm very glad I met you."

“您这样做非常好。”米哈伊洛·米哈伊雷奇说，他依然坐在马车上，“因为她自己都不太相信她所说的话。碰到您真高兴。”

"Why?"

“为什么？”

"That's a nice question! As though it wasn't always delightful to meet you? Today you look as bright and fresh as this morning."

“问得真好！”好像碰到您并不总让人高兴似的！今天您看起来就像这个早晨一样清新明朗、光彩照人。”

Alexandra Pavlovna laughed again.

亚历山德拉·巴甫芙洛娜又笑了笑。

"What are you laughing at?"

“您在笑什么？”

"What, indeed! If you could see with what a cold and indifferent face you brought out your compliment! I wonder you didn't yawn over the last word!"

“笑什么!您要是能看到自己说这些恭维的话时那种冰冷、散漫的神情就好了！我感到奇怪的是，您说最后一个字的时候竟然没有打哈欠！”

"A cold face.... You always want fire; but fire is of no use at all. It flares and smokes and goes out."

“冰冷的神情……您总是需要火焰；可是火焰根本毫无用处。它先是猛烈燃烧，接着冒一下烟就熄灭了。”

"And warms,"…put in Alexandra Pavlovna.

“它还能给人们带来温暖。”亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜说。

"Yes... and burns."

“没错……还会灼伤人。”

"Well, what if it does burn! That's no great harm either! It's better anyway than—" "Well, we shall see what you will say when you do get nicely burnt one day," Mihailo Mihailitch interrupted her in a tone of vexation and made a cut at the horse with the reins, "Good-bye."

“灼伤又怎么样！也不会比这更糟糕了！总要比——”“当您哪天被狠狠地烧伤了我看您还怎么说。”米哈伊洛·米哈伊雷奇有点气恼地打断了她的话，还用缰绳抽了一下马，“再见。”

"Mihailo Mihailitch, stop a minute!" cried Alexandra Pavlovna, "when are you coming to see us?"

“米哈伊洛·米哈伊雷奇，等一下！”亚历山德拉·巴甫洛夫娜大声喊道，“你什么时候来看望我们？”

"Tomorrow; my greetings to your brother." And the droshky rolled away. Alexandra Pavlovna looked after Mihailo Mihailitch.

“明天，代我向您弟弟问好。”马车扬长而去。亚历山德拉·巴甫洛夫娜目光追随着逐渐远去的米哈伊洛·米哈伊雷奇。

"What a sack!" she thought. Sitting huddled up and covered with dust, his cap on the back of his head and tufts of flaxen hair straggling from beneath it, he looked strikingly like a huge sack of flour.

“真像一个大麻袋！”她想。他蜷着身子，满身尘土，帽子戴到了脑门后面，几绺亚麻色的头发从帽子底下翘了出来，实在是像极了一个巨大的面粉袋子。

Alexandra Pavlovna turned tranquilly back along the path homewards. She was walking with downcast eyes. The tramp of a horse near made her stop and raise her head.... Her brother had come on horseback to meet her; beside him was walking a young man of medium height, wearing a light open coat, a light tie, and a light grey hat, and carrying a cane in his hand. He had been smiling for a long time at Alexandra Pavlovna, even though he saw that she was absorbed in thought and noticing nothing, and when she stopped he went up to her and in a tone of delight, almost of emotion, cried:

亚历山德拉·巴甫洛夫娜默默地转身沿路往家走去。她低头走着。远处一阵马蹄声传来，她止住步伐，抬起头来……她弟弟骑着马接她来了；他旁边还站着一个年轻人，那人中等身材，敞着单薄的大衣，系着条轻便的领带，戴着顶浅灰色帽子，手执一根藤条。虽然他看见亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜沉浸在思绪中，目无旁视，但他还是早早地就对她微笑着。她刚停下脚步，他就走上前去，用愉快而又充满感情地大声说道：

"Good-morning, Alexandra Pavlovna, good-morning!"

“早上好啊，亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜，早上好！”

"Ah! Konstantin Diomiditch! good-morning!" she replied. "You have come from Darya Mihailovna?"

“啊！康斯坦丁·季奥米德奇！早上好！”她回答道，“您是从达里娅·米哈伊洛芙娜那里来的吧？”

"Precisely so, precisely so," rejoined the young man with a radiant face, "from Darya Mihailovna. Darya Mihailovna sent me to you; I preferred to walk.... It's such a glorious morning, and the distance is only three miles. When I arrived, you were not at home. Your brother told me you had gone to Semenovka; and he was just going out to the fields; so you see I walked with him to meet you. Yes, yes. How very delightful!"

“正是，正是。”年轻人容光焕发地说，“是从达里娅·米哈伊洛芙娜那儿来。达里娅·米哈伊洛芙娜让我来找您；我更喜欢步行过来……早晨真是格外美好，而且只有三里的路程。我到您家的时候您不在。您弟弟跟我说您去了谢苗诺夫卡；他也正打算去田里，所以，您瞧，我就这样走着跟他一起来接您了。就是这样。真是让人愉快啊！”

The young man spoke Russian accurately and grammatically but with a foreign accent, though it was difficult to determine exactly what accent it was. In his features there was something Asiatic. His long hook nose, his large expressionless prominent eyes, his thick red lips, and retreating forehead, and his jet black hair,—everything about him suggested an Oriental extraction; but the young man gave his surname as Pandalevsky and spoke of Odessa as his birthplace, though he was brought up somewhere in White Russia at the expense of a rich and benevolent widow. Another widow had obtained a government post for him. Middle-aged ladies were generally ready to befriend Konstantin Diomiditch; he knew well how to court them and was successful in coming across them. He was at this very time living with a rich lady, a landowner, Darya Mihailovna Lasunsky, in a position between that of a guest and of a dependant. He was very polite and obliging, full of sensibility and secretly given to sensuality, he had a pleasant voice, played well on the piano, and had the habit of gazing intently into the eyes of any one he was speaking to. He dressed very neatly, and wore his clothes a very long time, shaved his broad chin carefully, and arranged his hair curl by curl.

年轻人的俄语说得很标准，也很地道，但是有一点外国口音，虽然很难准确判断到底是哪国的口音。他的长相有点像亚洲人。他的鹰钩鼻长得很长，大而突出的眼睛没有表情，嘴唇又红又厚，额头很窄，头发漆黑——这一切都暗示他有东方人的血统；但是这个年轻人说他姓潘达列夫斯基，生于敖德萨，尽管他是在白俄罗斯由一个富有、善良的遗孀抚养成人。另一个遗孀给他在政府部门谋了份差事。中年太太们总是乐于跟康斯坦丁·季奥米徳奇做朋友；他知道如何恭维她们，很容易就能博得她们的欢心。此时他正寄居在一个富有的女地主达里娅·米哈伊洛芙娜·拉松斯卡娅家中，身份介于客人和食客之间。他举止彬彬有礼，表面敏感多情，实乃好色滥情；他的声音很好听，钢琴弹得极好；无论跟谁说话眼睛总是专注地盯着对方的眼睛。虽然他一件衣服穿很久，但是总是衣着干净整洁，宽阔的下巴总是刮得干干净净，头发也一绺一绺打理得服服帖帖。

Alexandra Pavlovna heard his speech to the end and turned to her brother.

亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜听完了他的话，转身向着她弟弟，

"I keep meeting people today; I have just been talking to Lezhnyov."

“今天总是碰到熟人，我刚刚还在和列日涅夫说话呢。”

"Oh, Lezhnyov!was he driving somewhere?"

“啊，列日涅夫！他是不是驾车去什么地方了？”

"Yes, and fancy; he was in a racing droshky, and dressed in a kind of linen sack, all covered with dust.... What a queer creature he is!"

“是啊，你想象一下，他驾着辆双轮马车，穿的像个麻布袋子似的，满身灰尘……真是个怪人！”

"Perhaps so; but he's a capital fellow."

“也许是吧；但是他是个很不错的家伙呢。”

"Who? Mr. Lezhnyov?" inquired Pandalevsky, as though he were surprised.

“谁？列日涅夫先生吗？”潘达列夫斯基带着似乎很惊讶的口吻问道。

"Yes, Mihailo Mihailitch Lezhnyov," replied Volintsev. "Well, good-bye; it's time I was off to the field; they are sowing your buckwheat. Mr. Pandalevsky will escort you home." And Volintsev rode off at a trot.

“是的，米哈伊洛·米哈伊雷奇·列日涅夫。”沃伦采夫答道，“啊，再见了；我得去田里看看了；他们正在给您种荞麦。潘达列夫斯基先生会送你回家的。”说完，沃伦采夫便扬鞭而去。

"With the greatest of pleasure!" cried Konstantin Diomiditch, offering Alexandra Pavlovna his arm.

“真是荣幸之至啊！”康斯坦丁·季奥米德奇大声喊道，向亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜伸出了胳膊。

She took it and they both turned along the path to her house.

她挽住了他的胳膊，两人沿着乡间小道往她家的方向走去。

Walking with Alexandra Pavlovna on his arm seemed to afford Konstantin Diomiditch great delight; he moved with little steps, smiling, and his Oriental eyes were even bedimmed by a slight moisture, though this indeed was no rare occurrence with them; it did not mean much for Konstantin Diomiditch to be moved and dissolve into tears. And who would not have been pleased to have on his arm a pretty, young and graceful woman? Of Alexandra Pavlovna the whole of her district was unanimous in declaring that she was charming, and the district was not wrong. Her straight, ever so slightly tilted nose would have been enough alone to drive any man out of his senses, to say nothing of her velvety dark eyes, her golden brown hair, the dimples in her smoothly curved cheeks, and her other beauties. But best of all was the sweet expression of her face; confiding, good and gentle, it touched and attracted at the same time. Alexandra Pavlovna had the glance and the smile of a child; other ladies found her a little simple.... Could one wish for anything more?

这样挽着亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜的胳膊走着路，似乎让康斯坦丁·季奥米德奇欣喜万分。虽然这种情况时常发生，他仍旧迈着小步子，面带微笑，那双东方人的眼睛甚至蒙上了一层泪花；对于康斯坦丁·季奥米德奇来说，摆出一副深受感动、泪眼朦胧的样子却并不意味着什么。况且挽着这样一位年轻、美貌又优雅的夫人谁又能不心花怒放呢？说到亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜，这个地区的人都会交口称赞她是个大美人，而且他们并没有夸大其词。她那挺拔的、微微翘起的鼻子已经足以让任何一个男人失去理智了，而她那天鹅绒般的黑色双眸，金褐色的秀发，光滑圆润的脸颊上的一对小酒窝，以及其他美丽之处就更不必说了。但是她最迷人的地方在于她脸上甜美的神情：天真、善良、温柔，既动人又诱人。亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜有着孩子般的眼神和笑容；但是其他夫人们觉得她有些单纯……难道这些还不够吗？

"Darya Mihailovna sent you to me, did you say?" she asked Pandalevsky.

“达里娅·米哈伊洛芙娜派您来找我，是这样吗？”她问潘达列夫斯基。

"Yes; she sent me," he answered, pronouncing the letter s like the English th. "She particularly wishes and told me to beg you very urgently to be so good as to dine with her today. She is expecting a new guest whom she particularly wishes you to meet'

“是的，她让我来找您。”他答道，把俄语的清辅音 "s"发成了英语的摩擦音"th"，“她非常希望您今天能和她一起吃饭，并且也嘱咐我一定要邀请到您。她请到了一位新客人，非常希望您也能去和他见见面。”

"Who is it?"

“是谁呀？”

"A certain Muffel, a baron, a gentleman of the bed-chamber from Petersburg. Darya Mihailovna made his acquaintance lately at the Prince Garin's, and speaks of him in high terms as an agreeable and cultivated young man. His Excellency the baron is interested, too, in literature, or more strictly speaking—ah!what an exquisite butterfly!pray look at it!—more strictly speaking, in political economy. He has written an essay on some very interesting question, and wants to submit it to Darya Mihailovna's criticism."

“一位叫做‘穆菲利’的男爵，是个来自彼得堡的宫廷侍卫。达里娅·米哈伊洛芙娜最近在加林公爵家里认识他的，对他极尽赞美之辞，说他是个温和又有教养的年轻人。男爵阁下对文学也很感兴趣，或者，更严格地说——啊!多么漂亮的一只蝴蝶！您快看！——更严格地说，是对政治经济学很感兴趣。他就一个非常有趣的问题写了一篇文章，想给达里娅·米哈伊洛芙娜看看，听听她的意见。”

"An article on political economy?"

“一篇关于政治经济学的文章？”

"From the literary point of view, Alexandra Pavlovna, from the literary point of view. You are well aware, I suppose, that in that line Darya Mihailovna is an authority. Zhukovsky used to ask her advice, and my benefactor, who lives at Odessa, that benevolent old man, Roxolan Mediarovitch Ksandrika—No doubt you know the name of that eminent man?"

“就文学层面而言，亚历山德拉·巴甫洛夫娜，就文学层面而言。我想您也知道，在那一方面达里娅·米哈伊洛芙娜可是个权威呢。茹科夫斯基也曾请教过她，还有我的恩人，那位住在敖德萨的好心的老人罗克索朗·梅奇阿罗维·克桑特雷卡——您应该听说过他的名字吧？他颇有些名气呢。”

"No; I have never heard of him."

“没有，从未听说过他。”

"You never heard of such a man? surprising! I was going to say that Roxolan Mediarovitch always had the very highest opinion of Darya Mihailovna's knowledge of Russian!

“这样的人您都没听说过？真是不可思议！我是说罗克索朗·梅奇阿罗维对达里娅·米哈伊洛芙娜在俄语方面的造诣极为赞赏！”

"Is this baron a pedant then?" asked Alexandra Pavlovna.

“那么这位男爵是个学究了？”亚历山德拉·巴甫洛夫娜问道。

"Not in the very least. Darya Mihailovna says, on the contrary, that you see that he belongs to the best society at once. He spoke of Beethoven with such eloquence that even the old prince was quite delighted by it. That, I own, I should like to have heard; you know that is in my line. Allow me to offer you this lovely wild-flower."

“绝对不是，恰恰相反，”达里娅·米哈伊洛芙娜说，“您一见他就知道他属于上流社会的一员。他说起贝多芬时滔滔不绝，连老公爵都深感欣慰。坦白地说，我本人也很想听听他的高见，您知道这也是我的特长呢。请允许我把这朵漂亮的野花献给您。”

Alexandra Pavlovna took the flower, and when she had walked a few steps farther, let it drop on the path. They were not more than two hundred paces from her house. It had been recently built and whitewashed, and looked out hospitably with its wide light windows from the thick foliage of the old limes and maples. "So what message do you give me for Darya Mihailovna?" began Pandalevsky, slightly hurt at the fate of the flower he had given her. "Will you come to dinner? She invites your brother too."

亚历山德拉·巴甫洛夫娜把花接了过来，走了几步远就任凭它掉落在小路上了。现在离她家只有仅剩两百步的距离了。她的房子是最近才建好的，墙壁刷得雪白，透过老椴树和枫树浓密的叶子，宽敞明亮的窗户清晰可见。“那么我该怎么跟达里娅·米哈伊洛芙娜说呢，夫人？”潘达列夫斯基问道，他为那支他送她的野花的命运感到痛心。“您会来共进午餐吗？她也邀请了您弟弟。”

"Yes; we will come, most certainly. And how is Natasha?"

“当然，我们一定会去的。娜塔莎还好吗？”

"Natalya Alexyevna is well, I am glad to say. But we have already passed the road that turns off to Darya Mihailovna's. Allow me to bid you good-bye."

“我很高兴地告诉您，娜塔利娅·阿列克谢耶芙娜她很好。不过通往达里娅·米哈伊洛芙娜家方向的路口已走过了。请原谅，我得跟您说再见了。”

Alexandra Pavlovna stopped. "But won't you come in?" she said in a hesitating voice.

亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜停下了脚步。“您不进去坐坐了吗？”她言语中有点儿犹豫。

"I should like to, indeed, but I am afraid it is late. Darya Mihailovna wishes to hear a new etude of Thalberg's, so I must practise and have it ready. Besides, I am doubtful, I must confess, whether my visit could afford you any pleasure."

“我倒真的很想进去呢，可是恐怕时间不早了。达里娅·米哈伊洛芙娜想听塔尔贝格一首新的练习曲，所以我得回去练习，好好准备一下。还有，说实话，我很怀疑我的拜访是否能让您感到愉快。”

"Oh, no! why?"

“啊，当然能了！怎么这么说呢？”

Pandalevsky sighed and dropped his eyes expressively.

潘达列夫斯基叹了口气，意味深长地垂下了双眼。

"Good-bye, Alexandra Pavlovna!" he said after a slight pause; then he bowed and turned back.

“再见了，亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜！”他沉默了一会儿说道，之后便鞠了个躬，转过身去了。

Alexandra Pavlovna turned round and went home.

亚历山德拉·巴甫洛芙娜转身往家中走去。

Konstantin Diomiditch, too, walked homewards. All softness had vanished at once from his face; a self-confident, almost hard expression came into it. Even his walk was changed; his steps were longer and he trod more heavily. He had walked about two miles, carelessly swinging his cane, when all at once he began to smile again: he saw by the roadside a young, rather pretty peasant girl, who was driving some calves out of an oat-field. Konstantin Diomiditch approached the girl as warily as a cat, and began to speak to her. She said nothing at first, only blushed and laughed, but at last she hid her face in her sleeve, turned away, and muttered:

康斯坦丁·季奥米德奇也往回走了。他脸上所有的柔情瞬间便消失不见了；取而代之的是一张自负、几近冷峻的面孔。就连步伐都变了；他步子迈得大了起来，步伐也重了许多。他漫不经心地挥着藤条，走了两英里左右，忽然间笑容又爬上了他的脸庞：他看到路边一个年轻貌美的农家姑娘正在把几头小牛犊赶出燕麦地。康斯坦丁·季奥米德奇像只猫一样悄悄走到姑娘的身旁，跟她搭起讪来。姑娘起初并没有理睬他，只是红着脸，腼腆地笑着，但是后来她用袖子捂着脸，背过身去，小声地说：

"Go away, sir; upon my word..."

“先生，请您走开，我是认真的……”

Konstantin Diomiditch shook his finger at her and told her to bring him some cornflowers.

康斯坦丁·季奥米德奇对她摇了摇手指，让她给他摘些矢车菊来。

"What do you want with cornflowers?—to make a wreath?" replied the girl; "come now, go along then."

“您要矢车菊干什么？编花环吗？”姑娘问道，“走吧，您走吧。”

"Stop a minute, my pretty little dear," Konstantin Diomiditch was beginning. "There now, go along," the girl interrupted him, "there are the young gentlemen coming."

“等一下，我的小美人。”康斯坦丁·季奥米德奇开口说道。“快走吧。”姑娘打断了他，“一群年轻先生们朝这儿走过来了。”

Konstantin Diomiditch looked round. There really were Vanya and Petya, Darya Mihailovna's sons, running along the road; after them walked their tutor, Bassistoff, a young man of two-and-twenty, who had only just left college. Bassistoff was a well-grown youth, with a simple face, a large nose, thick lips, and small pig's eyes, plain and awkward, but kind, good, and upright. He dressed untidily and wore his hair long—not from affectation, but from laziness; he liked eating and he liked sleeping, but he also liked a good book, and an earnest conversation, and he hated Pandalevsky from the depths of his soul.

康斯坦丁·季奥米德奇向四周望了望。果然，达里娅·米哈伊洛芙娜的两个儿子瓦尼亚和彼佳正朝这个方向跑来；紧跟其后的是他们的家庭教师，巴西斯托夫，他二十二岁，刚从大学毕业。巴西斯托夫是个体格健壮的年轻人，长相普通，鼻子很大，嘴唇厚实，一双小眼睛就像猪眼睛似的，相貌平平，还有点儿笨手笨脚，不过心地善良、秉性正直。他穿戴邋遢，蓄着长发——倒不是因为喜欢长发，只是因为懒散而不去打理；他贪吃贪睡，不过也很爱读书，喜欢跟人谈心，他打从心底讨厌潘达列夫斯基。

Darya Mihailovna's children worshipped Bassistoff, and yet were not in the least afraid of him; he was on a friendly footing with all the rest of the household, a fact which was not altogether pleasing to its mistress, though she was fond of declaring that for her social prejudices did not exist.

达里娅·米哈伊洛芙娜的两个儿子对巴西斯托夫很是崇拜，但却也一点都不怕他；他跟这个家里所有人都相处得很融洽，但这点他的女主人却并不完全欣赏，虽然她喜欢说自己没有社会偏见。

"Good-morning, my dears," began Konstantin Diomiditch, "how early you have come for your walk to-day! But I," he added, turning to Bassistoff, "have been out a long while already; it's my passion—to enjoy nature."

“早上好，亲爱的孩子们。”康斯坦丁·季奥米德奇说道，“今天怎么这么早就出来散步啦！不过我呢，”他转身向着巴西斯托夫，接着说道，“也已经出来好一会儿了，热爱大自然是我的热情之所在呢！”

"We saw how you were enjoying nature," muttered Bassistoff.

“我们已经看到您是如何享受大自然的了。”巴西斯托夫小声地说道。

"You are a materialist, God knows what you are imagining! I know you." When Pandalevsky spoke to Bassistoff or people like him, he grew slightly irritated, and pronounced the letter s quite clearly, even with a slight hiss.

“您就是个唯物主义者，上帝知道您在想些什么！我很了解您。”当潘达列夫斯基和巴西斯托夫或像他这样的人说话时，他总是有些恼火，他s的音发得非常清晰，甚至还微微带着“咝”音。

"Why, were you asking your way of that girl, am I to suppose?" said Bassistoff, shifting his eyes to right and to left.

“啊，我猜，您是在向那个姑娘问路吧？”巴西斯托夫的眼珠左右转动着说道。

He felt that Pandalevsky was looking him straight in the face, and this fact was exceedingly unpleasant to him. "I repeat, a materialist and nothing more."

他感觉到潘达列夫斯基正直勾勾地盯着他的脸，这让他非常不快。“我再强调一遍，您就是个唯物主义者，仅此而已。”

"You certainly prefer to see only the prosaic side in everything."

“凡事您都只喜欢看其单调乏味的一面。”

"Boys!" cried Bassistoff suddenly, "do you see that willow at the corner? let's see who can get to it first. One! two! three! and away!"

“孩子们！”巴西斯托夫忽然大声地叫道，“你们看到角落里的那颗柳树了吗？我们来比赛看谁能第一个跑到那里。一！二！三！跑！”

The boys set off at full speed to the willow. Bassistoff rushed after them.

孩子们拔腿就往柳树那里跑去。巴西斯托夫跑在他们后面。

"What a lout!" thought Pandalevsky, "he is spoiling those boys. A perfect peasant!" And looking with satisfaction at his own neat and elegant figure, Konstantin Diomiditch struck his coat-sleeve twice with his open hand, pulled up his collar, and went on his way. When he had reached his own room, he put on an old dressing-gown and sat down with an anxious face to the piano.

“真是个笨蛋！”潘达列夫斯基想着，“他这样会带坏这两个小家伙的。地地道道的乡巴佬！”康斯坦丁·季奥米德奇得意地看着自己整洁优雅的衣装，用空着的那只手掸了两下袖口，把衣领整了整，继续向前走去。他一回到自己的房间就把自己的那件旧睡衣给换上了，接着便坐到了钢琴前面，神情忧虑。 C9J1mwc5mALBg9gOw9V4sgZ9EHl1b9X/B0q2QE7q45aJ9RrT4N62qAJGk1oeoc42