Chapter II Kapitel II Chapter II Capítulo II Chapitre II Глава II Bölüm II 第二章

'I'm fond of them, very fond! ... First-rate fellows! ... Ragazzi di prim'ordine! ... Fine! ' he kept repeating, and felt ready to cry. But why he wanted to cry, who were the first-rate fellows he was so fond of--was more than he quite knew. Now and then he looked round at some house and wondered why it was so curiously built; sometimes he began wondering why the post-boy and Vanyusha, who were so different from himself, sat so near, and together with him were being jerked about and swayed by the tugs the side-horses gave at the frozen traces, and again he repeated: 'First rate ... very fond! ' Ogni tanto guardava qualche casa e si chiedeva perché fosse costruita in modo così curioso; a volte cominciava a chiedersi perché il postino e Vanyusha, che erano così diversi da lui, si sedessero così vicini e insieme a lui venissero sballottati e fatti oscillare dagli strattoni che i cavalli laterali davano alle tracce ghiacciate, e ancora una volta ripeteva: "Di prima qualità... molto affettuoso!". and once he even said: 'And how it seizes one ... excellent! ' e una volta ha persino detto: "E come si impadronisce di uno... eccellente!". and wondered what made him say it. 'Dear me, am I drunk?' "Caro mio, sono ubriaco? he asked himself. He had had a couple of bottles of wine, but it was not the wine alone that was having this effect on Olenin. He remembered all the words of friendship heartily, bashfully, spontaneously (as he believed) addressed to him on his departure. Ricordava tutte le parole di amicizia che gli erano state rivolte di cuore, con discrezione, spontaneamente (come credeva) alla sua partenza. He remembered the clasp of hands, glances, the moments of silence, and the sound of a voice saying, 'Good-bye, Mitya! ' Ricorda le strette di mano, gli sguardi, i momenti di silenzio e il suono di una voce che dice: "Addio, Mitja!". when he was already in the sledge. quando era già nella slitta. He remembered his own deliberate frankness. And all this had a touching significance for him. Not only friends and relatives, not only people who had been indifferent to him, but even those who did not like him, seemed to have agreed to become fonder of him, or to forgive him, before his departure, as people do before confession or death. 'Perhaps I shall not return from the Caucasus, ' he thought. And he felt that he loved his friends and some one besides. E sentiva di amare i suoi amici e anche qualcun altro. He was sorry for himself. But it was not love for his friends that so stirred and uplifted his heart that he could not repress the meaningless words that seemed to rise of themselves to his lips; nor was it love for a woman (he had never yet been in love) that had brought on this mood. Ma non era l'amore per i suoi amici ad agitare ed elevare il suo cuore al punto da non riuscire a reprimere le parole senza senso che sembravano salire da sole alle sue labbra; e non era nemmeno l'amore per una donna (non era mai stato innamorato) che aveva provocato questo stato d'animo. Love for himself, love full of hope--warm young love for all that was good in his own soul (and at that moment it seemed to him that there was nothing but good in it)--compelled him to weep and to mutter incoherent words. L'amore per se stesso, l'amore pieno di speranza, l'amore giovane e caldo per tutto ciò che di buono c'era nella sua anima (e in quel momento gli sembrava che non ci fosse altro che il bene), lo costrinse a piangere e a mormorare parole incoerenti.

Olenin was a youth who had never completed his university course, never served anywhere (having only a nominal post in some government office or other), who had squandered half his fortune and had reached the age of twenty-four without having done anything or even chosen a career. Olenin era un giovane che non aveva mai completato il suo percorso universitario, non aveva mai prestato servizio da nessuna parte (avendo solo un incarico nominale in qualche ufficio governativo o altro), aveva sperperato metà della sua fortuna ed era arrivato a ventiquattro anni senza aver fatto nulla e senza aver scelto una carriera. He was what in Moscow society is termed un jeune homme.

At the age of eighteen he was free--as only rich young Russians in the 'forties who had lost their parents at an early age could be. A diciotto anni era libero, come potevano esserlo solo i giovani russi ricchi degli anni Quaranta che avevano perso i genitori in giovane età. Neither physical nor moral fetters of any kind existed for him; he could do as he liked, lacking nothing and bound by nothing. Non esistevano per lui catene fisiche o morali di alcun tipo; poteva fare ciò che voleva, non mancando di nulla e non essendo vincolato da nulla. Neither relatives, nor fatherland, nor religion, nor wants, existed for him. Per lui non esistevano né parenti, né patria, né religione, né desideri. He believed in nothing and admitted nothing. But although he believed in nothing he was not a morose or blase young man, nor self-opinionated, but on the contrary continually let himself be carried away. Ma pur non credendo in nulla, non era un giovane morigerato o ottuso, né auto-opinionista, ma al contrario si lasciava continuamente trasportare. He had come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as love, yet his heart always overflowed in the presence of any young and attractive woman. Era giunto alla conclusione che l'amore non esiste, eppure il suo cuore traboccava sempre in presenza di una donna giovane e attraente. He had long been aware that honours and position were nonsense, yet involuntarily he felt pleased when at a ball Prince Sergius came up and spoke to him affably. Era da tempo consapevole che gli onori e le cariche non avevano senso, eppure si sentì involontariamente compiaciuto quando a un ballo il principe Sergio si avvicinò e gli parlò affabilmente. But he yielded to his impulses only in so far as they did not limit his freedom. Ma ha ceduto ai suoi impulsi solo nella misura in cui questi non limitavano la sua libertà. As soon as he had yielded to any influence and became conscious of its leading on to labour and struggle, he instinctively hastened to free himself from the feeling or activity into which he was being drawn and to regain his freedom. Non appena ha ceduto a un'influenza e si è reso conto che essa portava al lavoro e alla lotta, si è affrettato istintivamente a liberarsi dal sentimento o dall'attività in cui era stato trascinato e a riconquistare la libertà. In this way he experimented with society-life, the civil service, farming, music--to which at one time he intended to devote his life--and even with the love of women in which he did not believe. In questo modo sperimentò la vita sociale, il servizio civile, l'agricoltura, la musica - alla quale un tempo intendeva dedicare la sua vita - e persino l'amore per le donne, nel quale non credeva. He meditated on the use to which he should devote that power of youth which is granted to man only once in a lifetime: that force which gives a man the power of making himself, or even--as it seemed to him--of making the universe, into anything he wishes: should it be to art, to science, to love of woman, or to practical activities? Meditava sull'uso che avrebbe dovuto fare di quella forza della giovinezza che è concessa all'uomo solo una volta nella vita: quella forza che dà all'uomo il potere di fare di se stesso, o addirittura - come gli sembrava - di fare dell'universo, tutto ciò che desidera: dovrebbe essere per l'arte, per la scienza, per l'amore per la donna, o per le attività pratiche? It is true that some people are devoid of this impulse, and on entering life at once place their necks under the first yoke that offers itself and honestly labour under it for the rest of their lives. È vero che alcune persone sono prive di questo impulso e, entrando nella vita, mettono subito il collo sotto il primo giogo che si offre e vi si affaticano onestamente per il resto della loro vita. But Olenin was too strongly conscious of the presence of that all-powerful God of Youth--of that capacity to be entirely transformed into an aspiration or idea--the capacity to wish and to do--to throw oneself headlong into a bottomless abyss without knowing why or wherefore. Ma Olenin era troppo consapevole della presenza di quel Dio onnipotente della giovinezza, di quella capacità di trasformarsi interamente in un'aspirazione o in un'idea, della capacità di desiderare e di fare, per gettarsi a capofitto in un abisso senza fondo senza sapere perché e percome. He bore this consciousness within himself, was proud of it and, without knowing it, was happy in that consciousness. Portava questa coscienza dentro di sé, ne era orgoglioso e, senza saperlo, era felice in quella coscienza. Up to that time he had loved only himself, and could not help loving himself, for he expected nothing but good of himself and had not yet had time to be disillusioned. Fino a quel momento aveva amato solo se stesso, e non poteva fare a meno di amarsi, perché non si aspettava altro che il bene di se stesso e non aveva ancora avuto il tempo di disilludersi. On leaving Moscow he was in that happy state of mind in which a young man, conscious of past mistakes, suddenly says to himself, 'That was not the real thing.' Alla partenza da Mosca si trovava in quel felice stato d'animo in cui un giovane, consapevole degli errori del passato, dice improvvisamente a se stesso: "Quello non era il vero". All that had gone before was accidental and unimportant. Till then he had not really tried to live, but now with his departure from Moscow a new life was beginning--a life in which there would be no mistakes, no remorse, and certainly nothing but happiness. Fino a quel momento non aveva mai provato a vivere, ma ora, con la partenza da Mosca, iniziava una nuova vita, una vita in cui non ci sarebbero stati errori, né rimorsi, e certamente solo felicità.

It is always the case on a long journey that till the first two or three stages have been passed imagination continues to dwell on the place left behind, but with the first morning on the road it leaps to the end of the journey and there begins building castles in the air. In un lungo viaggio accade sempre che fino alle prime due o tre tappe l'immaginazione continui a soffermarsi sul luogo lasciato alle spalle, ma con la prima mattina in viaggio balza alla fine del viaggio e lì inizia a costruire castelli in aria. So it happened to Olenin.

After leaving the town behind, he gazed at the snowy fields and felt glad to be alone in their midst. Wrapping himself in his fur coat, he lay at the bottom of the sledge, became tranquil, and fell into a doze. Avvolgendosi nella sua pelliccia, si sdraiò sul fondo della slitta, si tranquillizzò e si assopì. The parting with his friends had touched him deeply, and memories of that last winter spent in Moscow and images of the past, mingled with vague thoughts and regrets, rose unbidden in his imagination. La separazione dagli amici lo aveva toccato profondamente e i ricordi di quell'ultimo inverno trascorso a Mosca e le immagini del passato, mescolate a vaghi pensieri e rimpianti, sorgevano inaspettati nella sua immaginazione.

He remembered the friend who had seen him off and his relations with the girl they had talked about. Ricordò l'amico che lo aveva accompagnato e i suoi rapporti con la ragazza di cui avevano parlato. The girl was rich. "How could he love her knowing that she loved me?" thought he, and evil suspicions crossed his mind. pensò, e sospetti maligni gli attraversarono la mente. "There is much dishonesty in men when one comes to reflect." "C'è molta disonestà negli uomini quando si arriva a riflettere". Then he was confronted by the question: "But really, how is it I have never been in love? Poi si trovò di fronte alla domanda: "Ma davvero, come mai non sono mai stato innamorato? Every one tells me that I never have. Can it be that I am a moral monstrosity?" È possibile che io sia una mostruosità morale?". And he began to recall all his infatuations. E cominciò a ricordare tutte le sue infatuazioni. He recalled his entry into society, and a friend's sister with whom he spent several evenings at a table with a lamp on it which lit up her slender fingers busy with needlework, and the lower part of her pretty delicate face. Ricordava il suo ingresso in società e la sorella di un amico con la quale trascorse diverse serate a un tavolo con una lampada che illuminava le sue esili dita intente a ricamare e la parte inferiore del suo bel viso delicato. He recalled their conversations that dragged on like the game in which one passes on a stick which one keeps alight as long as possible, and the general awkwardness and restraint and his continual feeling of rebellion at all that conventionality. Ricordava le loro conversazioni che si trascinavano come il gioco in cui si passa su un bastone che si tiene acceso il più a lungo possibile, e la generale goffaggine e il contenimento e il suo continuo senso di ribellione a tutta quella convenzionalità. Some voice had always whispered: "That's not it, that's not it, " and so it had proved. Una voce aveva sempre sussurrato: "Non è così, non è così", e così si era dimostrato. Then he remembered a ball and the mazurka he danced with the beautiful D----. "How much in love I was that night and how happy! And how hurt and vexed I was next morning when I woke and felt myself still free! E quanto mi sentii ferita e irritata la mattina dopo, quando mi svegliai e mi sentii ancora libera! Why does not love come and bind me hand and foot?" thought he.

"No, there is no such thing as love! "No, l'amore non esiste! That neighbour who used to tell me, as she told Dubrovin and the Marshal, that she loved the stars, was not IT either." Anche la vicina che mi diceva, come a Dubrovin e al maresciallo, che amava le stelle, non era IT". And now his farming and work in the country recurred to his mind, and in those recollections also there was nothing to dwell on with pleasure. Ora gli tornavano in mente i lavori agricoli e di campagna, e anche in questi ricordi non c'era nulla su cui soffermarsi con piacere. "Will they talk long of my departure?" came into his head; but who "they" were he did not quite know. Next came a thought that made him wince and mutter incoherently. It was the recollection of M. Cappele the tailor, and the six hundred and seventy-eight rubles he still owed him, and he recalled the words in which he had begged him to wait another year, and the look of perplexity and resignation which had appeared on the tailor's face. Era il ricordo di M. Cappele, il sarto, e dei seicentosettantotto rubli che ancora gli doveva, e ricordava le parole con cui lo aveva pregato di aspettare un altro anno, e l'espressione di perplessità e rassegnazione che era apparsa sul volto del sarto. 'Oh, my God, my God! ' he repeated, wincing and trying to drive away the intolerable thought. 'All the same and in spite of everything she loved me, ' thought he of the girl they had talked about at the farewell supper. Nonostante tutto mi amava", pensò alla ragazza di cui avevano parlato durante la cena d'addio. 'Yes, had I married her I should not now be owing anything, and as it is I am in debt to Vasilyev.' Sì, se l'avessi sposata non avrei avuto alcun debito, e invece sono in debito con Vasilyev". Then he remembered the last night he had played with Vasilyev at the club (just after leaving her), and he recalled his humiliating requests for another game and the other's cold refusal. Poi ricordò l'ultima sera in cui aveva giocato con Vasilyev al club (subito dopo averla lasciata), e ricordò le sue umilianti richieste di un'altra partita e il freddo rifiuto dell'altro. 'A year's economizing and they will all be paid, and the devil take them! Un anno di risparmio e saranno tutti pagati, e che il diavolo se li porti! '... But despite this assurance he again began calculating his outstanding debts, their dates, and when he could hope to pay them off. ... Ma nonostante questa rassicurazione, ricominciò a calcolare i suoi debiti in sospeso, le loro date e quando avrebbe potuto sperare di saldarli. 'And I owe something to Morell as well as to Chevalier, ' thought he, recalling the night when he had run up so large a debt. E devo qualcosa a Morell oltre che a Chevalier", pensò, ricordando la notte in cui aveva accumulato un debito così grande. It was at a carousel at the gipsies arranged by some fellows from Petersburg: Sashka B---, an aide-de-camp to the Tsar, Prince D---, and that pompous old----. Fu a una giostra di zingari organizzata da alcuni tipi di Pietroburgo: Sashka B---, un aiutante di campo dello zar, il principe D---, e quel pomposo vecchio----. 'How is it those gentlemen are so self-satisfied?' Come mai questi signori sono così soddisfatti di sé?". thought he, 'and by what right do they form a clique to which they think others must be highly flattered to be admitted? pensò, "e con quale diritto formano una cricca alla quale pensano che gli altri debbano essere molto lusingati di essere ammessi? Can it be because they are on the Emperor's staff? Forse perché fanno parte dello staff dell'Imperatore? Why, it's awful what fools and scoundrels they consider other people to be! E' terribile quanto siano sciocchi e furfanti quelli che considerano gli altri! But I showed them that I at any rate, on the contrary, do not at all want their intimacy. Ma ho dimostrato loro che, al contrario, non desidero affatto la loro intimità. All the same, I fancy Andrew, the steward, would be amazed to know that I am on familiar terms with a man like Sashka B---, a colonel and an aide-de-camp to the Tsar! Tuttavia, credo che Andrew, l'intendente, sarebbe stupito di sapere che sono in rapporti familiari con un uomo come Sashka B---, colonnello e aiutante di campo dello Zar! Yes, and no one drank more than I did that evening, and I taught the gipsies a new song and everyone listened to it. Though I have done many foolish things, all the same I am a very good fellow, ' thought he. Morning found him at the third post-stage. Il mattino lo ha trovato al terzo post-stage. He drank tea, and himself helped Vanyusha to move his bundles and trunks and sat down among them, sensible, erect, and precise, knowing where all his belongings were, how much money he had and where it was, where he had put his passport and the post-horse requisition and toll-gate papers, and it all seemed to him so well arranged that he grew quite cheerful and the long journey before him seemed an extended pleasure-trip. Bevve il tè, aiutò Vanyusha a spostare i fagotti e i bauli e si sedette in mezzo a loro, assennato, eretto e preciso, sapendo dove si trovavano tutti i suoi effetti personali, quanti soldi aveva e dove si trovavano, dove aveva messo il passaporto, la richiesta del cavallo postale e i documenti per il pedaggio, e tutto gli sembrò così ben organizzato che divenne molto allegro e il lungo viaggio che lo attendeva gli sembrò un lungo viaggio di piacere.

All that morning and noon he was deep in calculations of how many versts he had travelled, how many remained to the next stage, how many to the next town, to the place where he would dine, to the place where he would drink tea, and to Stavropol, and what fraction of the whole journey was already accomplished. Per tutta la mattina e il mezzogiorno fu impegnato a calcolare quanti versetti aveva percorso, quanti ne mancavano alla prossima tappa, quanti alla prossima città, al luogo dove avrebbe cenato, al luogo dove avrebbe bevuto il tè e a Stavropol, e quale frazione dell'intero viaggio era già stata compiuta. He also calculated how much money he had with him, how much would be left over, how much would pay off all his debts, and what proportion of his income he would spend each month. Ha anche calcolato quanto denaro aveva con sé, quanto gli sarebbe rimasto, quanto sarebbe servito per pagare tutti i debiti e quale percentuale del suo reddito avrebbe speso ogni mese. Towards evening, after tea, he calculated that to Stavropol there still remained seven-elevenths of the whole journey, that his debts would require seven months' economy and one-eighth of his whole fortune; and then, tranquillized, he wrapped himself up, lay down in the sledge, and again dozed off. Verso sera, dopo il tè, calcolò che fino a Stavropol mancavano ancora sette undicesimi di tutto il viaggio, che i debiti avrebbero richiesto sette mesi di economia e un ottavo di tutto il suo patrimonio; poi, tranquillizzato, si avvolse, si sdraiò nella slitta e si assopì di nuovo. His imagination was now turned to the future: to the Caucasus. All his dreams of the future were mingled with pictures of Amalat-Beks, Circassian women, mountains, precipices, terrible torrents, and perils. Tutti i suoi sogni per il futuro si mescolavano a immagini di Amalat-Beks, donne circasse, montagne, precipizi, torrenti terribili e pericoli. All these things were vague and dim, but the love of fame and the danger of death furnished the interest of that future. Tutte queste cose erano vaghe e poco chiare, ma l'amore per la fama e il pericolo di morte costituivano l'interesse di quel futuro. Now, with unprecedented courage and a strength that amazed everyone, he slew and subdued an innumerable host of hillsmen; now he was himself a hillsman and with them was maintaining their independence against the Russians. Ora, con un coraggio senza precedenti e una forza che stupiva tutti, uccideva e sottometteva un'innumerevole schiera di montanari; ora era lui stesso un montanaro e con loro manteneva la loro indipendenza contro i russi. As soon as he pictured anything definite, familiar Moscow figures always appeared on the scene. Non appena immaginava qualcosa di preciso, sulla scena comparivano sempre le familiari figure di Mosca. Sashka B---fights with the Russians or the hillsmen against him. Even the tailor Cappele in some strange way takes part in the conqueror's triumph. Amid all this he remembered his former humiliations, weaknesses, and mistakes, and the recollection was not disagreeable. In mezzo a tutto questo, ricordava le sue precedenti umiliazioni, debolezze ed errori, e il ricordo non era spiacevole. It was clear that there among the mountains, waterfalls, fair Circassians, and dangers, such mistakes could not recur. Era chiaro che lì, tra le montagne, le cascate, i bei circassi e i pericoli, tali errori non potevano ripetersi. Having once made full confession to himself there was an end of it all. One other vision, the sweetest of them all, mingled with the young man's every thought of the future--the vision of a woman. And there, among the mountains, she appeared to his imagination as a Circassian slave, a fine figure with a long plait of hair and deep submissive eyes. E lì, tra le montagne, apparve alla sua immaginazione come una schiava circassa, una bella figura con una lunga treccia di capelli e profondi occhi sottomessi. He pictured a lonely hut in the mountains, and on the threshold she stands awaiting him when, tired and covered with dust, blood, and fame, he returns to her. Ha immaginato una capanna solitaria tra le montagne, e sulla soglia lei lo aspetta quando, stanco e coperto di polvere, sangue e fama, tornerà da lei. He is conscious of her kisses, her shoulders, her sweet voice, and her submissiveness. È consapevole dei suoi baci, delle sue spalle, della sua voce dolce e della sua sottomissione. She is enchanting, but uneducated, wild, and rough. In the long winter evenings he begins her education. She is clever and gifted and quickly acquires all the knowledge essential. Why not? She can quite easily learn foreign languages, read the French masterpieces and understand them: Notre Dame de Paris, for instance, is sure to please her. She can also speak French. In a drawing-room she can show more innate dignity than a lady of the highest society. She can sing, simply, powerfully, and passionately.... 'Oh, what nonsense! ' said he to himself. But here they reached a post-station and he had to change into another sledge and give some tips. But his fancy again began searching for the 'nonsense' he had relinquished, and again fair Circassians, glory, and his return to Russia with an appointment as aide-de-camp and a lovely wife rose before his imagination. Ma la sua fantasia ricominciò a cercare le "sciocchezze" a cui aveva rinunciato, e di nuovo i bei circassi, la gloria e il ritorno in Russia con una nomina ad aiutante di campo e una bella moglie si affacciarono alla sua immaginazione. 'But there's no such thing as love, ' said he to himself. 'Fame is all rubbish. But the six hundred and seventy-eight rubles? ... And the conquered land that will bring me more wealth than I need for a lifetime? It will not be right though to keep all that wealth for myself. I shall have to distribute it. But to whom? Well, six hundred and seventy-eight rubles to Cappele and then we'll see.' ... Quite vague visions now cloud his mind, and only Vanyusha's voice and the interrupted motion of the sledge break his healthy youthful slumber. ... Visioni piuttosto vaghe offuscano ora la sua mente, e solo la voce di Vanyusha e il movimento interrotto della slitta interrompono il suo sano sonno giovanile. Scarcely conscious, he changes into another sledge at the next stage and continues his journey.

Next morning everything goes on just the same: the same kind of post-stations and tea-drinking, the same moving horses' cruppers, the same short talks with Vanyusha, the same vague dreams and drowsiness, and the same tired, healthy, youthful sleep at night. La mattina dopo tutto continua allo stesso modo: lo stesso tipo di stazioni di posta e di bevute di tè, le stesse crocerossine dei cavalli in movimento, le stesse brevi chiacchierate con Vanyusha, gli stessi sogni vaghi e la stessa sonnolenza, e la notte lo stesso sonno stanco, sano e giovanile.