Eugene Oneguine [Onegin]. A Romance of Russian Life in Verse

Habit alleviates the grief Inseparable from our lot; This great discovery relief And consolation soon begot.And then she soon 'twixt work and leisure Found out the secret how at pleasure To dominate her worthy lord, And harmony was soon restored.The workpeople she superintended, Mushrooms for winter salted down, Kept the accounts, shaved many a crown,[28]The bath on Saturdays attended, When angry beat her maids, I grieve, And all without her husband's leave.

XXIII

In her friends' albums, time had been, With blood instead of ink she scrawled, Baptized Prascovia Pauline, And in her conversation drawled.She wore her corset tightly bound, The Russian N with nasal sound She would pronounce a la Francaise; But soon she altered all her ways, Corset and album and Pauline, Her sentimental verses all, She soon forgot, began to call Akulka who was once Celine, And had with waddling in the end Her caps and night-dresses to mend.

XXXIV

As for her spouse he loved her dearly, In her affairs ne'er interfered, Entrusted all to her sincerely, In dressing-gown at meals appeared.Existence calmly sped along, And oft at eventide a throng Of friends unceremonious would Assemble from the neighbourhood:They growl a bit—they scandalise— They crack a feeble joke and smile— Thus the time passes and meanwhile Olga the tea must supervise— 'Tis time for supper, now for bed, And soon the friendly troop hath fled.

XXXV

They in a peaceful life preserved Customs by ages sanctified, Strictly the Carnival observed, Ate Russian pancakes at Shrovetide,Twice in the year to fast were bound, Of whirligigs were very fond, Of Christmas carols, song and dance; When people with long countenance On Trinity Sunday yawned at prayer, Three tears they dropt with humble mein Upon a bunch of lovage green; Kvass needful was to them as air; On guests their servants used to wait By rank as settled by the State.[29]

XXXVI

Thus age approached, the common doom, And death before the husband wide Opened the portals of the tomb And a new diadem supplied.[30]Just before dinner-time he slept, By neighbouring families bewept, By children and by faithful wife With deeper woe than others' grief.He was an honest gentleman, And where at last his bones repose The epitaph on marble shows: Demetrius Larine, sinful man, Servant of God and brigadier, Enjoyeth peaceful slumber here.

XXXVII