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

Terror assails her. Hastily Tattiana would attempt to fly, She cannot—then impatiently She strains her throat to force a cry—She cannot—Eugene oped the door And the young girl appeared before Those hellish phantoms. Peals arise Of frantic laughter, and all eyes And hoofs and crooked snouts and paws, Tails which a bushy tuft adorns, Whiskers and bloody tongues and horns, Sharp rows of tushes, bony claws, Are turned upon her. All combine In one great shout: she's mine! she's mine!

XX

"Mine!" cried Eugene with savage tone. The troop of apparitions fled, And in the frosty night alone Remained with him the youthful maid.With tranquil air Oneguine leads Tattiana to a corner, bids Her on a shaky bench sit down; His head sinks slowly, rests upon Her shoulder—Olga swiftly came— And Lenski followed—a light broke— His fist Oneguine fiercely shook And gazed around with eyes of flame; The unbidden guests he roughly chides— Tattiana motionless abides.

XXI

The strife grew furious and Eugene Grasped a long knife and instantly Struck Lenski dead—across the scene Dark shadows thicken—a dread cry Was uttered, and the cabin shook— Tattiana terrified awoke.She gazed around her—it was day. Lo! through the frozen windows play Aurora's ruddy rays of light— The door flew open—Olga came, More blooming than the Boreal flame And swifter than the swallow's flight."Come," she cried, "sister, tell me e'en Whom you in slumber may have seen."

XXII

But she, her sister never heeding, With book in hand reclined in bed, Page after page continued reading, But no reply unto her made.Although her book did not contain The bard's enthusiastic strain, Nor precepts sage nor pictures e'en, Yet neither Virgil nor Racine Nor Byron, Walter Scott, nor Seneca, Nor the Journal des Modes, I vouch, Ever absorbed a maid so much: Its name, my friends, was Martin Zadeka, The chief of the Chaldean wise, Who dreams expound and prophecies.

XXIII

Brought by a pedlar vagabond Unto their solitude one day, This monument of thought profound Tattiana purchased with a stray Tome of "Malvina," and but three[59] And a half rubles down gave she;Also, to equalise the scales, She got a book of nursery tales, A grammar, likewise Petriads two, Marmontel also, tome the third; Tattiana every day conferred With Martin Zadeka. In woe She consolation thence obtained— Inseparable they remained.

XXIV