But the improvisator already felt the god’s approach…He gave the musicians a sign to play…His face turned terribly pale; he trembled as if in a fever; his eyes flashed with a wondrous fire; he swept back his black hair with his hand, wiped a handkerchief across his high forehead, which was covered with beads of sweat…and suddenly made a step forward, crossed his arms on his chest…The music stopped…The improvisator began.
The palace shone. A resounding choir
Sang to the sounds of flute and lyre.
And with her voice and gaze, the queen
Enlivened the splendid banquet scene.
All hearts were straining toward the throne,
But suddenly came a change of tone:
Low to her golden cup she brought
Her wondrous head, now lost in thought.
Sleep seems to fall on the splendid feast,
Mute is the choir, hushed are the guests.
But once more she her brow does raise
And with a serene air she says:
“In my love you find heaven’s bliss?
But you must pay for such a tryst.
Hear me well: I can renew
Equality between us two.
Who wants to enter passion’s deal?
I offer my sweet love for sale.
Who among you agrees to pay
His life for one night of such play?”
She spoke—and horror seized them all
And anguish held their hearts in thrall.
With a cold, insolent expression
She hears them mutter in confusion,
Scornfully she glances over
The circle of her would-be lovers…
But suddenly one man steps out,
And then two others, from the crowd.
Their tread is firm, their eyes are calm;
She rises and holds out her arm.
The deal is done, and, briefly wed,
Three men are summoned to death’s bed.
With the blessing of the priests,
There before the unmoving guests,
One by one three lots are drawn
Out of the dark and fateful urn.
First the brave soldier, Flavius,
Gone gray-haired in Roman service;
He found such high-and-mighty scorn
From a woman’s lips could not be borne;
He took the challenge of brief delight
As he had the challenge of fierce fight
In all his days and years of war.
Then Kriton, a young philosopher,
Born in the groves of Epicure,
Kriton, bard and worshipper
Of the Graces, Cyprus, and Amor…
The last one, pleasing to eye and heart
As a fresh-blown flower, played no part
In history and his name’s unknown.
His cheeks were covered with a first soft down;
His eyes with rapture gleamed, the force
Of inexperienced passion coursed
Through his young heart…With tenderness
The proud queen’s gaze on him did rest.
“I swear…—O mother of all delight,
I’ll serve you well and serve them right;
To the couch of passionate temptation,
I go as a simple boughten woman.
Then, mighty Cyprus, hear my word,
And you, kings of the nether world,
O gods of terrible Hades—know
That till the dawn begins to glow
I’ll weary with my sensual fires
All of my masters’ sweet desires
And sate them with my secret kiss
And wondrous languor—but I swear this:
Just when eternal Aurora spreads
Her purple robe above my bed,
The deadly axe will fall upon
The heads of all my lucky ones.”
*1 “Who is this man?” “Ah, he’s a great talent, he makes his voice into whatever he wants.” “Then he ought, madam, to make it into a pair of pants.” [From the French
*2 “Sir…please forgive me if…”
*3 “Sir…I believed…I felt…Your Excellency must forgive me…”
*4 “Devil take it!” (Literally, “Body of Bacchus!”)
*5
*6 because the great queen had many of them…
The Captain’s Daughter
Look after your honor when it’s young.
PROVERB
CHAPTER ONE A Sergeant of the Guards
“Tomorrow he could well be a captain of the guards.”
“There’s no need for that; let him serve in the ranks.”
“Rightly said! Let him suffer a bit for his thanks.”
……….
And who is his father?
KNYAZHNIN1
My father, Andrei Petrovich Grinyov, served under Count Münnich2 in his youth and retired as a lieutenant colonel in 17––. After that he lived on his estate in Simbirsk province, where he married Miss Avdotya Vasilyevna Yu., the daughter of a poor local gentleman. They had nine children. All my brothers and sisters died in infancy.
