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The Duel by Anton Chekhov. Translated by Constance Garnett., XXI

XXI

More than three months had passed.

The day came that Von Koren had fixed on for his departure. A cold, heavy rain had been falling from early morning, a north-east wind was blowing, and the waves were high on the sea. It was said that the steamer would hardly be able to come into the harbour in such weather. By the time-table it should have arrived at ten o'clock in the morning, but Von Koren, who had gone on to the sea-front at midday and again after dinner, could see nothing through the field-glass but grey waves and rain covering the horizon. Towards the end of the day the rain ceased and the wind began to drop perceptibly. Von Koren had already made up his mind that he would not be able to get off that day, and had settled down to play chess with Samoylenko; but after dark the orderly announced that there were lights on the sea and that a rocket had been seen.

Von Koren made haste. He put his satchel over his shoulder, and kissed Samoylenko and the deacon. Though there was not the slightest necessity, he went through the rooms again, said good-bye to the orderly and the cook, and went out into the street, feeling that he had left something behind, either at the doctor's or his lodging. In the street he walked beside Samoylenko, behind them came the deacon with a box, and last of all the orderly with two portmanteaus. Only Samoylenko and the orderly could distinguish the dim lights on the sea. The others gazed into the darkness and saw nothing. The steamer had stopped a long way from the coast.

"Make haste, make haste," Von Koren hurried them. "I am afraid it will set off." As they passed the little house with three windows, into which Laevsky had moved soon after the duel, Von Koren could not resist peeping in at the window. Laevsky was sitting, writing, bent over the table, with his back to the window.

"I wonder at him!" said the zoologist softly. "What a screw he has put on himself!" "Yes, one may well wonder," said Samoylenko. "He sits from morning till night, he's always at work. He works to pay off his debts. And he lives, brother, worse than a beggar!" Half a minute of silence followed. The zoologist, the doctor, and the deacon stood at the window and went on looking at Laevsky.

"So he didn't get away from here, poor fellow," said Samoylenko. "Do you remember how hard he tried?" "Yes, he has put a screw on himself," Von Koren repeated. "His marriage, the way he works all day long for his daily bread, a new expression in his face, and even in his walk—it's all so extraordinary that I don't know what to call it." The zoologist took Samoylenko's sleeve and went on with emotion in his voice: "You tell him and his wife that when I went away I was full of admiration for them and wished them all happiness . and I beg him, if he can, not to remember evil against me. He knows me. He knows that if I could have foreseen this change, then I might have become his best friend." "Go in and say good-bye to him." "No, that wouldn't do." "Why? God knows, perhaps you'll never see him again." The zoologist reflected, and said:

"That's true." Samoylenko tapped softly at the window. Laevsky started and looked round.

"Vanya, Nikolay Vassilitch wants to say goodbye to you," said Samoylenko. "He is just going away." Laevsky got up from the table, and went into the passage to open the door. Samoylenko, the zoologist, and the deacon went into the house.

"I can only come for one minute," began the zoologist, taking off his goloshes in the passage, and already wishing he had not given way to his feelings and come in, uninvited. "It is as though I were forcing myself on him," he thought, "and that's stupid." "Forgive me for disturbing you," he said as he went into the room with Laevsky, "but I'm just going away, and I had an impulse to see you. God knows whether we shall ever meet again." "I am very glad to see you. Please come in," said Laevsky, and he awkwardly set chairs for his visitors as though he wanted to bar their way, and stood in the middle of the room, rubbing his hands. "I should have done better to have left my audience in the street," thought Von Koren, and he said firmly: "Don't remember evil against me, Ivan Andreitch. To forget the past is, of course, impossible —it is too painful, and I've not come here to apologise or to declare that I was not to blame. I acted sincerely, and I have not changed my convictions since then. It is true that I see, to my great delight, that I was mistaken in regard to you, but it's easy to make a false step even on a smooth road, and, in fact, it's the natural human lot: if one is not mistaken in the main, one is mistaken in the details. Nobody knows the real truth." "No, no one knows the truth," said Laevsky. "Well, good-bye. God give you all happiness." Von Koren gave Laevsky his hand; the latter took it and bowed.

"Don't remember evil against me," said Von Koren. "Give my greetings to your wife, and say I am very sorry not to say good-bye to her." "She is at home." Laevsky went to the door of the next room, and said:

"Nadya, Nikolay Vassilitch wants to say goodbye to you." Nadyezhda Fyodorovna came in; she stopped near the doorway and looked shyly at the visitors. There was a look of guilt and dismay on her face, and she held her hands like a schoolgirl receiving a scolding.

"I'm just going away, Nadyezhda Fyodorovna," said Von Koren, "and have come to say good-bye." She held out her hand uncertainly, while Laevsky bowed.

"What pitiful figures they are, though!" thought Von Koren. "The life they are living does not come easy to them. I shall be in Moscow and Petersburg; can I send you anything?" he asked.

"Oh!" said Nadyezhda Fyodorovna, and she looked anxiously at her husband. "I don't think there's anything. ." "No, nothing . ." said Laevsky, rubbing his hands. "Our greetings." Von Koren did not know what he could or ought to say, though as he went in he thought he would say a very great deal that would be warm and good and important. He shook hands with Laevsky and his wife in silence, and left them with a depressed feeling.

"What people!" said the deacon in a low voice, as he walked behind them. "My God, what people! Of a truth, the right hand of God has planted this vine! Lord! Lord! One man vanquishes thousands and another tens of thousands. Nikolay Vassilitch," he said ecstatically, "let me tell you that to-day you have conquered the greatest of man's enemies—pride." "Hush, deacon! Fine conquerors we are! Conquerors ought to look like eagles, while he's a pitiful figure, timid, crushed; he bows like a Chinese idol, and I, I am sad. ." They heard steps behind them. It was Laevsky, hurrying after them to see him off. The orderly was standing on the quay with the two portmanteaus, and at a little distance stood four boatmen.

"There is a wind, though. Brrr!" said Samoylenko. "There must be a pretty stiff storm on the sea now! You are not going off at a nice time, Koyla." "I'm not afraid of sea-sickness." "That's not the point. I only hope these rascals won't upset you. You ought to have crossed in the agent's sloop. Where's the agent's sloop?" he shouted to the boatmen.

"It has gone, Your Excellency." "And the Customs-house boat?" "That's gone, too." "Why didn't you let us know," said Samoylenko angrily. "You dolts!" "It's all the same, don't worry yourself . ." said Von Koren. "Well, good-bye. God keep you." Samoylenko embraced Von Koren and made the sign of the cross over him three times.

"Don't forget us, Kolya. Write. We shall look out for you next spring." "Good-bye, deacon," said Von Koren, shaking hands with the deacon. "Thank you for your company and for your pleasant conversation. Think about the expedition." "Oh Lord, yes! to the ends of the earth," laughed the deacon. "I've nothing against it." Von Koren recognised Laevsky in the darkness, and held out his hand without speaking. The boatmen were by now below, holding the boat, which was beating against the piles, though the breakwater screened it from the breakers. Von Koren went down the ladder, jumped into the boat, and sat at the helm.

"Write!" Samoylenko shouted to him. "Take care of yourself." "No one knows the real truth," thought Laevsky, turning up the collar of his coat and thrusting his hands into his sleeves. The boat turned briskly out of the harbour into the open sea. It vanished in the waves, but at once from a deep hollow glided up onto a high breaker, so that they could distinguish the men and even the oars. The boat moved three yards forward and was sucked two yards back.

"Write!" shouted Samoylenko; "it's devilish weather for you to go in." "Yes, no one knows the real truth . ." thought Laevsky, looking wearily at the dark, restless sea.

"It flings the boat back," he thought; "she makes two steps forward and one step back; but the boatmen are stubborn, they work the oars unceasingly, and are not afraid of the high waves. The boat goes on and on. Now she is out of sight, but in half an hour the boatmen will see the steamer lights distinctly, and within an hour they will be by the steamer ladder. So it is in life. In the search for truth man makes two steps forward and one step back. Suffering, mistakes, and weariness of life thrust them back, but the thirst for truth and stubborn will drive them on and on. And who knows? Perhaps they will reach the real truth at last." "Go—o—od-by—e," shouted Samoylenko. "There's no sight or sound of them," said the deacon. "Good luck on the journey!" It began to spot with rain.

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XXI XXI

More than three months had passed.

The day came that Von Koren had fixed on for his departure. 馮·科倫預定離開的日子終於到來了。 A cold, heavy rain had been falling from early morning, a north-east wind was blowing, and the waves were high on the sea. 從一早起就下了一場寒冷的大雨,刮著東北風,海面波濤洶湧。 It was said that the steamer would hardly be able to come into the harbour in such weather. 據說這樣的天氣船幾乎無法進港。 By the time-table it should have arrived at ten o'clock in the morning, but Von Koren, who had gone on to the sea-front at midday and again after dinner, could see nothing through the field-glass but grey waves and rain covering the horizon. 按照時刻表,應該是早上十點到達,但是馮·科倫在中午和晚飯後又去了海濱,透過望遠鏡什麼也看不見,除了灰色的波浪和雨覆蓋了地平線。 Towards the end of the day the rain ceased and the wind began to drop perceptibly. 接近傍晚,雨停了,風也開始明顯減弱。 Von Koren had already made up his mind that he would not be able to get off that day, and had settled down to play chess with Samoylenko; but after dark the orderly announced that there were lights on the sea and that a rocket had been seen. 馮·科倫已經打定主意當天不能下車,而是坐下來和薩莫伊連科下棋;但天黑後,勤務兵宣布海上有燈光,並看到一枚火箭。

Von Koren made haste. He put his satchel over his shoulder, and kissed Samoylenko and the deacon. 他把書包扛在肩上,吻了薩莫伊連科和執事。 Though there was not the slightest necessity, he went through the rooms again, said good-bye to the orderly and the cook, and went out into the street, feeling that he had left something behind, either at the doctor's or his lodging. 儘管沒有絲毫必要,他還是再次巡視了房間,告別了勤務兵和廚師,走到街上,感覺自己落下了什麼東西,要么落在醫生那裡,要么落在他的住處。 In the street he walked beside Samoylenko, behind them came the deacon with a box, and last of all the orderly with two portmanteaus. Only Samoylenko and the orderly could distinguish the dim lights on the sea. 只有薩莫伊連科和勤務兵能分辨出海上昏暗的燈光。 The others gazed into the darkness and saw nothing. The steamer had stopped a long way from the coast.

"Make haste, make haste," Von Koren hurried them. "I am afraid it will set off." As they passed the little house with three windows, into which Laevsky had moved soon after the duel, Von Koren could not resist peeping in at the window. 當他們經過拉耶甫斯基在決鬥後不久搬進的那棟三窗小房子時,馮·科倫忍不住朝窗戶裡張望。 Laevsky was sitting, writing, bent over the table, with his back to the window.

"I wonder at him!" “我很奇怪他!” said the zoologist softly. "What a screw he has put on himself!" “他給自己下了多大的麻煩啊!” "Yes, one may well wonder," said Samoylenko. "He sits from morning till night, he's always at work. He works to pay off his debts. And he lives, brother, worse than a beggar!" 兄弟,他的生活比乞丐還糟糕! ” Half a minute of silence followed. The zoologist, the doctor, and the deacon stood at the window and went on looking at Laevsky. 動物學家、醫生和執事站在窗邊,繼續看著拉耶甫斯基。

"So he didn't get away from here, poor fellow," said Samoylenko. "Do you remember how hard he tried?" "Yes, he has put a screw on himself," Von Koren repeated. "His marriage, the way he works all day long for his daily bread, a new expression in his face, and even in his walk—it's all so extraordinary that I don't know what to call it." “他的婚姻,他為了每日麵包而整天工作的方式,他臉上的新表情,甚至他的走路方式——這一切都是如此非凡,我不知道該怎麼稱呼它。” The zoologist took Samoylenko's sleeve and went on with emotion in his voice: 動物學家拉著薩莫伊連科的袖子,語氣裡充滿感情地繼續說: "You tell him and his wife that when I went away I was full of admiration for them and wished them all happiness . 「你告訴他和他的妻子,當我離開時,我對他們充滿敬佩,並祝福他們一切幸福。 and I beg him, if he can, not to remember evil against me. 如果可以的話,我請求他不要記得對我的邪惡。 He knows me. He knows that if I could have foreseen this change, then I might have become his best friend." 他知道,如果我能預見到這種變化,那麼我可能會成為他最好的朋友。 "Go in and say good-bye to him." "No, that wouldn't do." "Why? God knows, perhaps you'll never see him again." The zoologist reflected, and said:

"That's true." Samoylenko tapped softly at the window. Laevsky started and looked round.

"Vanya, Nikolay Vassilitch wants to say goodbye to you," said Samoylenko. 「萬尼亞,尼可拉‧瓦西里奇想跟你道別。」薩莫伊連科說。 "He is just going away." Laevsky got up from the table, and went into the passage to open the door. Samoylenko, the zoologist, and the deacon went into the house.

"I can only come for one minute," began the zoologist, taking off his goloshes in the passage, and already wishing he had not given way to his feelings and come in, uninvited. 「我只能來一分鐘,」動物學家開始說道,在過道裡脫下了套鞋,他已經希望自己沒有屈服於自己的感情,不請自來地進來了。 "It is as though I were forcing myself on him," he thought, "and that's stupid." “就好像我把自己強加給他一樣,”他想,“這太愚蠢了。” "Forgive me for disturbing you," he said as he went into the room with Laevsky, "but I'm just going away, and I had an impulse to see you. 「請原諒我打擾你,」他一邊和拉耶甫斯基一起走進房間,一邊說道,「但我正要離開,我很想見見你。 God knows whether we shall ever meet again." "I am very glad to see you. Please come in," said Laevsky, and he awkwardly set chairs for his visitors as though he wanted to bar their way, and stood in the middle of the room, rubbing his hands. 請進去。 "I should have done better to have left my audience in the street," thought Von Koren, and he said firmly: "Don't remember evil against me, Ivan Andreitch. 「我應該做得更好,讓我的觀眾留在街上,」馮科倫想,他堅定地說:「不要記得對我的邪惡,伊凡安德烈伊奇。 To forget the past is, of course, impossible —it is too painful, and I've not come here to apologise or to declare that I was not to blame. 忘記過去當然是不可能的——這太痛苦了,我來這裡並不是為了道歉或聲明我不應該受到責備。 I acted sincerely, and I have not changed my convictions since then. 我是真誠的,從那時起我的信念就沒有改變過。 It is true that I see, to my great delight, that I was mistaken in regard to you, but it's easy to make a false step even on a smooth road, and, in fact, it's the natural human lot: if one is not mistaken in the main, one is mistaken in the details. 確實,令我非常高興的是,我對你的看法是錯誤的,但即使在平坦的道路上也很容易犯錯,事實上,這是人類的自然命運:如果一個人不一錯在大,一錯在細節。 Nobody knows the real truth." "No, no one knows the truth," said Laevsky. "Well, good-bye. God give you all happiness." Von Koren gave Laevsky his hand; the latter took it and bowed. 馮·科倫向拉耶夫斯基伸出了手。後者接過它並鞠躬。

"Don't remember evil against me," said Von Koren. 「不要記得對我的邪惡,」馮科倫說。 "Give my greetings to your wife, and say I am very sorry not to say good-bye to her." “代我向你的妻子問好,並表示很抱歉沒有向她告別。” "She is at home." Laevsky went to the door of the next room, and said:

"Nadya, Nikolay Vassilitch wants to say goodbye to you." “娜佳,尼古拉·瓦西里奇想跟你說再見。” Nadyezhda Fyodorovna came in; she stopped near the doorway and looked shyly at the visitors. 娜傑日達·費奧多羅芙娜進來了。她在門口停下來,害羞地看著訪客。 There was a look of guilt and dismay on her face, and she held her hands like a schoolgirl receiving a scolding.

"I'm just going away, Nadyezhda Fyodorovna," said Von Koren, "and have come to say good-bye." She held out her hand uncertainly, while Laevsky bowed. 她猶豫地伸出手,拉耶甫斯基則鞠躬。

"What pitiful figures they are, though!" thought Von Koren. "The life they are living does not come easy to them. 「他們的生活對他們來說並不容易。 I shall be in Moscow and Petersburg; can I send you anything?" he asked.

"Oh!" said Nadyezhda Fyodorovna, and she looked anxiously at her husband. "I don't think there's anything. ." "No, nothing . ." said Laevsky, rubbing his hands. "Our greetings." Von Koren did not know what he could or ought to say, though as he went in he thought he would say a very great deal that would be warm and good and important. 馮·科倫不知道他能或應該說什麼,儘管當他走進去時,他認為他會說很多溫暖、美麗和重要的話。 He shook hands with Laevsky and his wife in silence, and left them with a depressed feeling. 他默默地與拉耶甫斯基夫婦握手,留下了沮喪的心情。

"What people!" said the deacon in a low voice, as he walked behind them. "My God, what people! Of a truth, the right hand of God has planted this vine! Lord! Lord! One man vanquishes thousands and another tens of thousands. 一個人征服了數千人,另一個人征服了數萬人。 Nikolay Vassilitch," he said ecstatically, "let me tell you that to-day you have conquered the greatest of man's enemies—pride." 尼古拉·瓦西里奇,”他欣喜若狂地說,“讓我告訴你,今天你已經征服了人類最大的敵人——驕傲。 "Hush, deacon! Fine conquerors we are! Conquerors ought to look like eagles, while he's a pitiful figure, timid, crushed; he bows like a Chinese idol, and I, I am sad. 征服者應該看起來像鷹,而他卻是個可憐的人,膽怯,被壓垮;他像中國偶像一樣鞠躬,我,我很難過。 ." They heard steps behind them. It was Laevsky, hurrying after them to see him off. 是拉耶甫斯基,急匆匆地跟在他們後面送行。 The orderly was standing on the quay with the two portmanteaus, and at a little distance stood four boatmen. 勤務兵帶著兩個搬運工站在碼頭上,不遠處站著四個船夫。

"There is a wind, though. Brrr!" said Samoylenko. 薩莫伊連科說。 "There must be a pretty stiff storm on the sea now! You are not going off at a nice time, Koyla." "I'm not afraid of sea-sickness." "That's not the point. I only hope these rascals won't upset you. 我只希望這些無賴不會讓你不高興。 You ought to have crossed in the agent's sloop. 你應該搭乘特務的單桅帆船過去。 Where's the agent's sloop?" he shouted to the boatmen.

"It has gone, Your Excellency." "And the Customs-house boat?" "That's gone, too." "Why didn't you let us know," said Samoylenko angrily. "You dolts!" "It's all the same, don't worry yourself . ." said Von Koren. "Well, good-bye. God keep you." Samoylenko embraced Von Koren and made the sign of the cross over him three times.

"Don't forget us, Kolya. Write. We shall look out for you next spring." "Good-bye, deacon," said Von Koren, shaking hands with the deacon. "Thank you for your company and for your pleasant conversation. Think about the expedition." "Oh Lord, yes! to the ends of the earth," laughed the deacon. "I've nothing against it." Von Koren recognised Laevsky in the darkness, and held out his hand without speaking. The boatmen were by now below, holding the boat, which was beating against the piles, though the breakwater screened it from the breakers. 船夫們此時已經在下面,扶著小船,小船正在撞擊著樁子,儘管防波堤將它與碎浪隔開。 Von Koren went down the ladder, jumped into the boat, and sat at the helm.

"Write!" Samoylenko shouted to him. "Take care of yourself." "No one knows the real truth," thought Laevsky, turning up the collar of his coat and thrusting his hands into his sleeves. 「沒有人知道真正的真相,」拉耶夫斯基一邊想,一邊捲起外套領子,把手伸進袖子裡。 The boat turned briskly out of the harbour into the open sea. 船輕快地駛出港口,駛入大海。 It vanished in the waves, but at once from a deep hollow glided up onto a high breaker, so that they could distinguish the men and even the oars. 它消失在海浪中,但立即從深坑中滑到高高的浪花上,這樣他們就可以分辨出人,甚至槳。 The boat moved three yards forward and was sucked two yards back. 船向前移動了三碼,又被吸了回去兩碼。

"Write!" shouted Samoylenko; "it's devilish weather for you to go in." 薩莫伊連科喊道; “這天氣真不適合你進去。” "Yes, no one knows the real truth . ." thought Laevsky, looking wearily at the dark, restless sea. 拉耶甫斯基心想,疲倦地看著漆黑不安的大海。

"It flings the boat back," he thought; "she makes two steps forward and one step back; but the boatmen are stubborn, they work the oars unceasingly, and are not afraid of the high waves. The boat goes on and on. Now she is out of sight, but in half an hour the boatmen will see the steamer lights distinctly, and within an hour they will be by the steamer ladder. 現在她已經看不見了,但半小時後,船夫們就會清楚地看到輪船的燈光,一個小時之內,他們就到了輪梯旁。 So it is in life. In the search for truth man makes two steps forward and one step back. 人在尋求真理的過程中,前進兩步,後退一步。 Suffering, mistakes, and weariness of life thrust them back, but the thirst for truth and stubborn will drive them on and on. 苦難、錯誤和生活的疲倦將他們推回原處,但對真理的渴望和固執卻會驅使他們不斷前進。 And who knows? Perhaps they will reach the real truth at last." 也許他們最終會找到真正的真相。 "Go—o—od-by—e," shouted Samoylenko. "There's no sight or sound of them," said the deacon. 「沒有看到他們,也沒有聽到他們的聲音,」執事說。 "Good luck on the journey!" It began to spot with rain. 天開始下雨了。