第 10 节
作者:不是就是      更新:2021-02-27 02:46      字数:9322
  the salle; and; after congratulating me with much empressement;
  handed me; according to instructions from my father; four bank…
  notes; as well as informed me that Papa had also given orders
  that; from that day forth; the groom Kuzma; the phaeton; and the
  bay horse Krassavchik were to be entirely at my disposal。 I was
  so overjoyed at this not altogether expected good…fortune that I
  could no longer feign indifference in Gabriel's presence; but;
  flustered and panting; said the first thing which came into my
  head (〃Krassavchik is a splendid trotter;〃 I think it was)。 Then;
  catching sight of the various heads protruding from the doors of
  the hall and corridor; I felt that I could bear no more; and set
  off running at full speed across the salle; dressed as I was in
  the new tunic; with its shining gilt buttons。 Just as I burst
  into Woloda's room; I heard behind me the voices of Dubkoff and
  Nechludoff; who had come to congratulate me; as well as to
  propose a dinner somewhere and the drinking of much champagne in
  honour of my matriculation。 Dimitri informed me that; though he
  did not care for champagne; he would nevertheless join us that
  evening and drink my health; while Dubkoff remarked that I looked
  almost like a colonel; and Woloda omitted to congratulate me at
  all; merely saying in an acid way that he supposed we should now
  i。e。 in two days timebe off into the country。 The truth was
  that Woloda; though pleased at my matriculation; did not
  altogether like my becoming as grown…up as himself。 St。 Jerome;
  who also joined us at this moment; said in a very pompous manner
  that his duties were now ended; and that; although he did not
  know whether they had been well done or ill; at least he had done
  his best; and must depart to…morrow to his Count's。 In replying
  to their various remarks I could feel; in spite of myself; a
  pleased; agreeable; faintly self…sufficient smile playing over my
  countenance; as well as could remark that that smile;
  communicated itself to those to whom I was speaking。
  So here was I without a tutor; yet with my own private drozhki;
  my name printed on the list of students; a sword and belt of my
  own; and a chance of an occasional salute from officials! In
  short; I was grownup and; I suppose; happy。
  Finally; we arranged to go out and dine at five o'clock; but since
  Woloda presently went off to Dubkoff's; and Dimitri disappeared
  in his usual fashion (saying that there was something he MUST do
  before dinner); I was left with two whole hours still at my
  disposal。 For a time I walked through the rooms of the house; and
  looked at myself in all the mirrorsfirstly with the tunic
  buttoned; then with it unbuttoned; and lastly with only the top
  button fastened。 Each time it looked splendid。 Eventually; though
  anxious not to show any excess of delight; I found myself unable
  to refrain from crossing over to the coach…house and stables to
  gaze at Krassovchik; Kuzma; and the drozhki。 Then I returned and
  once more began my tour of the rooms; where I looked at myself in
  all the mirrors as before; and counted my money over in my
  pocketmy face smiling happily the while。 Yet not an hour had
  elapsed before I began to feel slightly ennuyeto feel a shade
  of regret that no one was present to see me in my splendid
  position。 I began to long for life and movement; and so sent out
  orders for the drozhki to be got ready; since I had made up my
  mind to drive to the Kuznetski Bridge and make some purchases。
  In this connection I recalled how; after matriculating; Woloda
  had gone and bought himself a lithograph of horses by Victor Adam
  and some pipes and tobacco: wherefore I felt that I too must do
  the same。 Amid glances showered upon me from every side; and with
  the sunlight reflected from my buttons; cap…badge; and sword; I
  drove to the Kuznetski Bridge; where; halting at a Picture shop;
  I entered it with my eyes looking to every side。 It was not
  precisely horses by Adam which I meant to buy; since I did not
  wish to be accused of too closely imitating Woloda; wherefore;
  out of shame for causing the obsequious shopmen such agitation as
  I appeared to do; I made a hasty selection; and pitched upon a
  water…colour of a woman's head which I saw displayed in the
  windowprice twenty roubles。 Yet no sooner had I paid the twenty
  roubles over the counter than my heart smote me for having put
  two such beautifully dressed shop…assistants to so much trouble
  for such a trifle。 Moreover; I fancied that they were regarding
  me with some disdain。 Accordingly; in my desire to show them what
  manner of man I was; I turned my attention to a silver trifle
  which I saw displayed in a show…case; and; recognising that it
  was a porte…crayon (price eighteen roubles); requested that it
  should forthwith be wrapped in paper for me。 Next; the money
  paid; and the information acquired that splendid pipes and
  tobacco were to be obtained in an adjacent emporium; I bowed to
  the two shopmen politely; and issued into the street with the
  picture under my arm。 At the shop next door (which had painted on
  its sign…board a negro smoking a cigar) I bought (likewise out of
  a desire to imitate no one) some Turkish tobacco; a Stamboul
  hookah; and two pipes。 On coming out of the shop; I had just
  entered the drozhki when I caught sight of Semenoff; who was
  walking hurriedly along the pavement with his head bent down。
  Vexed that he should not have recognised me; I called out to him
  pretty loudly; 〃Hold on a minute!〃 and; whipping up the drozhki;
  soon overtook him。
  〃How do you do?〃 I said。
  〃My respects to you;〃 he replied; but without stopping。
  〃Why are you not in your University uniform?〃 I next inquired。
  At this he stopped short with a frown; and parted his white teeth
  as though the sun were hurting his eyes。 The next moment;
  however; he threw a glance of studied indifference at my drozhki
  and uniform; and continued on his way。
  From the Kuznetski Bridge; I drove to a confectioner's in
  Tverskaia Street; and; much as I should have liked it to be
  supposed that it was the newspapers which most interested me; I
  had no choice but to begin falling upon tartlet after tartlet。 In
  fact; for all my bashfulness before a gentleman who kept
  regarding me with some curiosity from behind a newspaper; I ate
  with great swiftness a tartlet of each of the eight different
  sorts which the confectioner kept。
  On reaching home; I experienced a slight touch of stomach…ache;
  but paid no attention to it; and set to work to inspect my
  purchases。 Of these; the picture so much displeased me that;
  instead of having it framed and hung in my room; as Woloda had
  done with his; I took pains to hide it behind a chest of drawers;
  where no one could see it。 Likewise; though I also found the
  porte…crayon distasteful; I was able; as I laid it on my table;
  to comfort myself with the thought that it was at least a SILVER
  articleso much capital; as it wereand likely to be very
  useful to a student。 As for the smoking things; I decided to put
  them into use at once; and try their capabilities。
  Unsealing the four packages; and carefully filling the Stamboul
  pipe with some fine…cut; reddish…yellow Turkish tobacco; I
  applied a hot cinder to it; and; taking the mouthpiece between my
  first and second fingers (a position of the hand which greatly
  caught my fancy); started to inhale the smoke。
  The smell of the tobacco seemed delightful; yet something burnt
  my mouth and caught me by the breath。 Nevertheless; I hardened my
  heart; and continued to draw abundant fumes into my interior。
  Then I tried blowing rings and retaining the smoke。 Soon the room
  became filled with blue vapours; while the pipe started to
  crackle and the tobacco to fly out in sparks。 Presently; also; I
  began to feel a smarting in my mouth and a giddiness in my head。
  Accordingly; I was on the point of stopping and going to look at
  myself and my pipe in the mirror; when; to my surprise; I found
  myself staggering about。 The room was whirling round and round;
  and as I peered into the mirror (which I reached only with some
  difficulty) I perceived that my face was as white as a sheet。
  Hardly had I thrown myself down upon a sofa when such nausea and
  faintness swept over me that; making up my mind that the pipe had
  proved my death; I expected every moment to expire。 Terribly
  frightened; I tried to call out for some one to come and help me;
  and to send for the doctor。
  However; this panic of mine did not last long; for I soon
  understood what the matter with me was; and remained lying on the
  sofa with a racking headache and my limbs relaxed as I stared
  dully at the stamp on the package of tobacco; the Pipe…tube
  coiled on the floor; and the odds and ends of tobacco and
  confectioner's tartlets which were littered about。 〃Truly;〃 I
  thought to myself in my dejection and disillusionment; 〃I cannot
  be quite grown…up if I cannot smoke as other fell