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IV
By the shortest road on their homeward way
They hasten home at utmost speed.
And we may now eavesdrop indeed
On what these heroes have to say.
"Well then, Onegin. I see you're yawning."
"It's habit, Lensky." - "But it seems you're bored
Much more than usual." - "No. It's nothing to me.
Although in the fields it's dark, I see.
Quickly, Andryushka! Get a move on! Shift!
What stupid countryside this is, and ghastly!
But you know that Larin woman is okay,
Simple, but decent, in an old fashioned way.
But that cranberry water I rather fear
Will cost my stomach something dear. |
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V
But tell me, which one was Tatyana?"
"The one who, with a face of sorrow,
And silently, just like Svetlana,
Came in and sat beside the window."
"Can it be that you really love the younger ?"
"Why not?" - "Well, it's the elder I would
choose,
Being a poet, like you, and in your shoes.
That Olga has rather lifeless features,
Just like the madonna of Van Dyck,
A beautiful and round-faced creature,
Like this round moon, banal and pointless
Lying on the pointless, flat horizon."
Vladimir thought his friend was wrong,
But for the rest of the journey he held his
tongue. |
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VI
Meanwhile the appearance of Onegin
At the Larins, had of course produced
On all a suitable impression,
And all the neighbours were transfixed.
One surmise followed on another,
All stealthily began to mutter,
To joke, to make an errant guess,
To betroth Tatyana a new lover;
Some even stated positively
That the marriage was agreed, no less
But only put off temporarily
As modern rings were in short supply.
As for Lensky's marriage, (surely you know)
They all had agreed on it long ago.
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