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coat。 He is a young man and fond of hunting。 Off he'll go； but you will find that he will come back； and； if you are going to be unhappy； you will soon make him tired of you。'
〃'True； true！' she said。 'I will be merry。'
〃And with a burst of laughter； she seized her tambourine； began to sing； dance； and gambol around me。 But that did not last long either； she fell upon the bed again and buried her face in her hands。
〃What could I do with her？ You know I have never been accustomed to the society of women。 I thought and thought how to cheer her up； but couldn't hit on anything。 For some time both of us remained silent。 。 。 A most unpleasant situation； sir！
〃At length I said to her：
〃'Would you like us to go and take a walk on the rampart？ The weather is splendid。'
〃This was in September； and indeed it was a wonderful day； bright and not too hot。 The mountains could be seen as clearly as though they were but a hand's…breadth away。 We went； and walked in silence to and fro along the rampart of the fortress。 At length she sat down on the sward； and I sat beside her。 In truth； now； it is funny to think of it all！ I used to run after her just like a kind of children's nurse！
〃Our fortress was situated in a lofty position； and the view from the rampart was superb。 On one side； the wide clearing； seamed by a few clefts； was bounded by the forest which stretched out to the very ridge of the mountains。 Here and there； on the clearing； villages were to be seen sending forth their smoke； and there were droves of horses roaming about。 On the other side flowed a tiny stream； and close to its banks came the dense undergrowth which covered the flinty heights joining the principal chain of the Caucasus。 We sat in a corner of the bastion； so that we could see everything on both sides。 Suddenly I perceived someone on a grey horse riding out of the forest； nearer and nearer he approached until finally he stopped on the far side of the river； about a hundred fathoms from us； and began to wheel his horse round and round like one possessed。 'Strange！' I thought。
〃'Look； look； Bela；' I said； 'you've got young eyes what sort of a horseman is that？ Who is it he has come to amuse？' 。 。 。
〃'It is Kazbich！' she exclaimed after a glance。
〃'Ah； the robber！ Come to laugh at us； has he？'
〃I looked closely； and sure enough it was Kazbich； with his swarthy face； and as ragged and dirty as ever。
〃'It is my father's horse！' said Bela； seizing my arm。
〃She was trembling like a leaf and her eyes were sparkling。
〃'Aha！' I said to myself。 'There is robber's blood in your veins still； my dear！'
〃'Come here；' I said to the sentry。 'Look to your gun and unhorse that gallant for me and you shall have a silver ruble。'
〃'Very well； your honour； only he won't keep still。'
〃'Tell him to！' I said； with a laugh。
〃'Hey； friend！' cried the sentry； waving his hand。 'Wait a bit。 What are you spinning round like a humming…top for？'
〃Kazbich halted and gave ear to the sentry probably thinking that we were going to parley with him。 Quite the contrary！ 。 。 。 My grena… dier took aim。 。 。 Bang！ 。 。 。 Missed！ 。 。 。 Just as the powder flashed in the pan Kazbich jogged his horse； which gave a bound to one side。 He stood up in his stirrups； shouted something in his own language； made a threatening gesture with his whip and was off。
〃'Aren't you ashamed of yourself？' I said to the sentry。
〃'He has gone away to die； your honour；' he answered。 'There's no killing a man of that cursed race at one stroke。'
〃A quarter of an hour later Pechorin returned from hunting。 Bela threw herself on his neck without a single complaint； without a single reproach for his lengthy absence！ 。 。 。 Even I was angry with him by this time！
〃'Good heavens！' I said； 'why； I tell you； Kazbich was here on the other side of the river just a moment ago； and we shot at him。 How easily you might have run up against him； you know！ These mountaineers are a vindictive race！ Do you suppose he does not guess that you gave Azamat some help？ And I wager that he recognised Bela to…day！ I know he was desper… ately fond of her a year ago he told me so himself and； if he had had any hope of getting together a proper bridegroom's gift； he would certainly have sought her in marriage。'
〃At this Pechorin became thoughtful。
〃'Yes；' he answered。 'We must be more cautious Bela； from this day forth you mustn't walk on the rampart any more。'
〃In the evening I had a lengthy explanation with him。 I was vexed that his feelings towards the poor girl had changed； to say nothing of his spending half the day hunting； his manner towards her had become cold。 He rarely caressed her； and she was beginning perceptibly to pine away； her little face was becoming drawn； her large eyes growing dim。
〃'What are you sighing for； Bela？' I would ask her。 'Are you sad？'
〃'No！'
〃'Do you want anything？'
〃'No！'
〃'You are pining for your kinsfolk？'
〃'I have none！'
〃Sometimes for whole days not a word could be drawn from her but 'Yes' and 'No。'
〃So I straightway proceeded to talk to Pechorin about her。〃
CHAPTER IX
〃'LISTEN； Maksim Maksimych；' said Pech… orin。 'Mine is an unfortunate dis… position； whether it is the result of my up… bringing or whether it is innate I know not。 I only know this； that if I am the cause of un… happiness in others I myself am no less unhappy。 Of course； that is a poor consolation to them only the fact remains that such is the case。 In my early youth； from the moment I ceased to be under the guardianship of my relations； I began madly to enjoy all the pleasures which money could buy and； of course； such pleasures became irksome to me。 Then I launched out into the world of fashion and that； too； soon palled upon me。 I fell in love with fashionable beauties and was loved by them； but my imagina… tion and egoism alone were aroused； my heart remained empty。 。 。 I began to read； to study but sciences also became utterly wearisome to me。 I saw that neither fame nor happiness depends on them in the least； because the happiest people are the uneducated； and fame is good fortune； to attain which you have only to be smart。 Then I grew bored。 。 。 Soon after… wards I was transferred to the Caucasus； and that was the happiest time of my life。 I hoped that under the bullets of the Chechenes boredom could not exist a vain hope！ In a month I grew so accustomed to the buzzing of the bullets and to the proximity of death that； to tell the truth； I paid more attention to the gnats and I became more bored than ever； because I had lost what was almost my last hope。 When I saw Bela in my own house； when； for the first time； I held her on my knee and kissed her black locks； I； fool that I was； thought that she was an angel sent to me by sympathetic fate。 。 。 Again I was mistaken； the love of a savage is little better than that of your lady of quality； the barbaric ignorance and simplicity of the one weary you as much as the coquetry of the other。 I am not saying that I do not love her still； I am grateful to her for a few fairly sweet moments； I would give my life for her only I am bored with her。 。 。 Whether I am a fool or a villain I know not； but this is certain； I am also most deserving of pity perhaps more than she。 My soul has been spoiled by the world； my imagination is unquiet； my heart insatiate。 To me everything is of little moment。 I become as easily accus… tomed to grief as to joy； and my life grows emptier day by day。 One expedient only is left to me travel。
〃'As soon as I can； I shall set off but not to Europe。 Heaven forfend！ I shall go to America； to Arabia； to India perchance I shall die some… where on the way。 At any rate； I am convinced that； thanks to storms and bad roads； that last consolation will not quickly be exhausted！'
〃For a long time he went on speaking thus； and his words have remained stamped upon my memory； because it was the first time that I had heard such things from a man of five…and…twenty and Heaven grant it may be the last。 Isn't it astonishing？ Tell me； please；〃 continued the staff…captain； appealing to me。 〃You used to live in the Capital； I think； and that not so very long ago。 Is it possible that the young men there are all like that？〃
I replied that there were a good many people who used the same sort of language； that； prob… ably； there might even be some who spoke in all sincerity； that disillusionment； moreover； like all other vogues； having had its beginning in the higher strata of society； had descended to the lower； where it was being worn threadbare； and that； now； those who were really and truly bored strove to conceal their misfortune as if it were a vice。 The staff…captain did not under… stand these subtleties； shook his head； and smiled slyly。
〃Anyhow； I suppose it was the French who introduced the fashion？〃
〃No； the English。〃
〃Aha； there you are！〃 he answered。 〃They always have been arrant drunkards； you know！〃
Involuntarily I recalled to mind a certain lady； living in Moscow； who used to maintain that Byron was nothing more nor less than a drunkard。 However； the staff…captain's observation was more excusable；