Part 17 (1/2)
The colonel sent it. Oh! delight!
So there will be a dance to-night.
Girls in antic.i.p.ation skip!
But dinner-time comes. Two and two They hand in hand to table go.
The maids beside Tattiana keep-- Men opposite. The cross they sign And chattering loud sit down to dine.
XXIX
Ceased for a s.p.a.ce all chattering.
Jaws are at work. On every side Plates, knives and forks are clattering And ringing wine-gla.s.ses are plied.
But by degrees the crowd begin To raise a clamour and a din: They laugh, they argue, and they bawl, They shout and no one lists at all.
The doors swing open: Lenski makes His entrance with Oneguine. ”Ah!
At last the author!” cries Mamma.
The guests make room; aside each takes His chair, plate, knife and fork in haste; The friends are called and quickly placed.
x.x.x
Right opposite Tattiana placed, She, than the morning moon more pale, More timid than a doe long chased, Lifts not her eyes which swimming fail.
Anew the flames of pa.s.sion start Within her; she is sick at heart; The two friends' compliments she hears Not, and a flood of bitter tears With effort she restrains. Well nigh The poor girl fell into a faint, But strength of mind and self-restraint Prevailed at last. She in reply Said something in an undertone And at the table sat her down.
x.x.xI
To tragedy, the fainting fit, And female tears hysterical, Oneguine could not now submit, For long he had endured them all.
Our misanthrope was full of ire, At a great feast against desire, And marking Tania's agitation, Cast down his eyes in trepidation And sulked in silent indignation; Swearing how Lenski he would rile, Avenge himself in proper style.
Triumphant by antic.i.p.ation, Caricatures he now designed Of all the guests within his mind.
x.x.xII
Certainly not Eugene alone Tattiana's trouble might have spied, But that the eyes of every one By a rich pie were occupied-- Unhappily too salt by far; And that a bottle sealed with tar Appeared, Don's effervescing boast,(59) Between the blanc-mange and the roast; Behind, of gla.s.ses an array, Tall, slender, like thy form designed, Zizi, thou mirror of my mind, Fair object of my guileless lay, Seductive cup of love, whose flow Made me so tipsy long ago!
[Note 59: The _Donskoe Champanskoe_ is a species of sparkling wine manufactured in the vicinity of the river Don.]
x.x.xIII
From the moist cork the bottle freed With loud explosion, the bright wine Hissed forth. With serious air indeed, Long tortured by his lay divine, Triquet arose, and for the bard The company deep silence guard.
Tania well nigh expired when he Turned to her and discordantly Intoned it, ma.n.u.script in hand.
Voices and hands applaud, and she Must bow in common courtesy; The poet, modest though so grand, Drank to her health in the first place, Then handed her the song with grace.
x.x.xIV
Congratulations, toasts resound, Tattiana thanks to all returned, But, when Oneguine's turn came round, The maiden's weary eye which yearned, Her agitation and distress Aroused in him some tenderness.
He bowed to her nor silence broke, But somehow there shone in his look The witching light of sympathy; I know not if his heart felt pain Or if he meant to flirt again, From habit or maliciously, But kindness from his eye had beamed And to revive Tattiana seemed.
x.x.xV
The chairs are thrust back with a roar, The crowd unto the drawing-room speeds, As bees who leave their dainty store And seek in buzzing swarms the meads.
Contented and with victuals stored, Neighbour by neighbour sat and snored, Matrons unto the fireplace go, Maids in the corner whisper low; Behold! green tables are brought forth, And testy gamesters do engage In boston and the game of age, Ombre, and whist all others worth: A strong resemblance these possess-- All sons of mental weariness.
x.x.xVI
Eight rubbers were already played, Eight times the heroes of the fight Change of position had essayed, When tea was brought. 'Tis my delight Time to denote by dinner, tea, And supper. In the country we Can count the time without much fuss-- The stomach doth admonish us.