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    Three Years: Bilingual Edition (English – Russian)
    Three Years: Bilingual Edition (English – Russian)
    Three Years: Bilingual Edition (English – Russian)
    Ebook408 pages3 hours

    Three Years: Bilingual Edition (English – Russian)

    By Anton Chekhov

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    About this ebook

    Instead of memorizing vocabulary words, work your way through an actual well-written novel. Even novices can follow along as each individual English paragraph is paired with the corresponding Russian paragraph. It won't be an easy project, but you'll learn a lot.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPublishdrive
    Release dateJun 21, 2018
    Three Years: Bilingual Edition (English – Russian)
    Author

    Anton Chekhov

    Anton Chekhov was born in 1860 in Southern Russia and moved to Moscow to study medicine. Whilst at university he sold short stories and sketches to magazines to raise money to support his family. His success and acclaim grew as both a writer of fiction and of plays whilst he continued to practice medicine. Ill health forced him to move from his country estate near Moscow to Yalta where he wrote some of his most famous work, and it was there that he married actress Olga Knipper. He died from tuberculosis in 1904.

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      Three Years - Anton Chekhov

      Garnett

      I

      I

      IT was dark, and already lights had begun to gleam here and there in the houses, and a pale moon was rising behind the barracks at the end of the street. Laptev was sitting on a bench by the gate waiting for the end of the evening service at the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul.

      Было еще темно, но кое-где в домах уже засветились огни и в конце улицы из-за казармы стала подниматься бледная луна. Лаптев сидел у ворот на лавочке и ждал, когда кончится всенощная в церкви Петра и Павла.

      He was reckoning that Yulia Sergeyevna would pass by on her way from the service, and then he would speak to her, and perhaps spend the whole evening with her.

      He had been sitting there for an hour and a half already, and all that time his imagination had been busy picturing his Moscow rooms, his Moscow friends, his man Pyotr, and his writing-table.

      Он рассчитывал, что Юлия Сергеевна, возвращаясь от всенощной, будет проходить мимо, и тогда он заговорит с ней и, быть может, проведет с ней весь вечер.

      Он сидел уже часа полтора, и воображение его в это время рисовало московскую квартиру, московских друзей, лакея Петра, письменный стол;

      He gazed half wonderingly at the dark, motionless trees, and it seemed strange to him that he was living now, not in his summer villa at Sokolniki, but in a provincial town in a house by which a great herd of cattle was driven every morning and evening, accompanied by terrible clouds of dust and the blowing of a horn.

      он с недоумением посматривал на темные, неподвижные деревья, и ему казалось странным, что он живет теперь не на даче в Сокольниках, а в провинциальном городе, в доме, мимо которого каждое утро и вечер прогоняют большое стадо и при этом поднимают страшные облака пыли и играют на рожке.

      He thought of long conversations in which he had taken part quite lately in Moscow--conversations in which it had been maintained that one could live without love, that passionate love was an obsession, that finally there is no such love, but only a physical attraction between the sexes--and so on, in the same style; he remembered them and thought mournfully that if he were asked now what love was, he could not have found an answer.

      Он вспоминал длинные московские разговоры, в которых сам принимал участие еще так недавно,  — разговоры о том, что без любви жить можно, что страстная любовь есть психоз, что, наконец, нет никакой любви, а есть только физическое влечение полов — и всё в таком роде; он вспоминал и думал с грустью, что если бы теперь его спросили, что такое любовь, то он не нашелся бы, что ответить.

      The service was over, the people began to appear.

      Всенощная отошла, показался народ.

      Laptev strained his eyes gazing at the dark figures. The bishop had been driven by in his carriage, the bells had stopped ringing, and the red and green lights in the belfry were one after another extinguished-- there had been an illumination, as it was dedication day--but the people were still coming out, lingering, talking, and standing under the windows.

      Лаптев с напряжением всматривался в темные фигуры. Уже провезли архиерея в карете, уже перестали звонить, и на колокольне один за другим погасли красные и зеленые огни — это была иллюминация по случаю храмового праздника,  — а народ всё шел, не торопясь, разговаривая, останавливаясь под окнами.

      But at last Laptev heard a familiar voice, his heart began beating violently, and he was overcome with despair on seeing that Yulia Sergeyevna was not alone, but walking with two ladies.

      «It's awful, awful!» he whispered, feeling jealous. «It's awful!»

      At the corner of the lane, she stopped to say good-bye to the ladies, and while doing so glanced at Laptev.

      Но вот, наконец, Лаптев услышал знакомый голос, сердце его сильно забилось, и оттого, что Юлия Сергеевна была не одна, а с какими-то двумя дамами, им овладело отчаяние.

      «Это ужасно, ужасно!  — шептал он, ревнуя ее. — Это ужасно!»

      На углу, при повороте в переулок, она остановилась, чтобы проститься с дамами, и в это время взглянула на Лаптева.

      «I was coming to see you,» he said. «I'm coming for a chat with your father. Is he at home?»

      «Most likely,» she answered. «It's early for him to have gone to the club.»

      There were gardens all along the lane, and a row of lime-trees growing by the fence cast a broad patch of shadow in the moonlight, so that the gate and the fences were completely plunged in darkness on one side, from which came the sounds of women whispering, smothered laughter, and someone playing softly on a balalaika.

       — А я к вам,  — сказал он. — Иду потолковать с вашим батюшкой. Он дома?

       — Вероятно,  — ответила она. — В клуб ему еще рано.

      Переулок был весь в садах, и у заборов росли липы, бросавшие теперь при луне широкую тень, так что заборы и ворота на одной стороне совершенно утопали в потемках; слышался оттуда шепот женских голосов, сдержанный смех, и кто-то тихо-тихо играл на балалайке.

      There was a fragrance of lime-flowers and of hay. This fragrance and the murmur of the unseen whispers worked upon Laptev. He was all at once overwhelmed with a passionate longing to throw his arms round his companion, to shower kisses on her face, her hands, her shoulders, to burst into sobs, to fall at her feet and to tell her how long he had been waiting for her. A faint scarcely perceptible scent of incense hung about her; and that scent reminded him of the time when he, too, believed in God and used to go to evening service, and when he used to dream so much of pure romantic love.

      Пахло липой и сеном. Шепот невидимок и этот запах раздражали Лаптева. Ему вдруг страстно захотелось обнять свою спутницу, осыпать поцелуями ее лицо, руки, плечи, зарыдать, упасть к ее ногам, рассказать, как он долго ждал ее. От нее шел легкий, едва уловимый запах ладана, и это напомнило ему время, когда он тоже веровал в бога и ходил ко всенощной и когда мечтал много о чистой, поэтической любви.

      And it seemed to him that, because this girl did not love him, all possibility of the happiness he had dreamed of then was lost to him forever.

      She began speaking sympathetically of the illness of his sister, Nina Fyodorovna. Two months before his sister had undergone an operation for cancer, and now every one was expecting a return of the disease.

      «I went to see her this morning,» said Yulia Sergeyevna, «and it seemed to me that during the last week she has, not exactly grown thin, but has, as it were, faded.»

      И оттого, что эта девушка не любила его, ему теперь казалось, что возможность того счастья, о котором он мечтал тогда, для него утеряна навсегда.

      Она с участием заговорила о здоровье его сестры Нины Федоровны. Месяца два назад у его сестры вырезали рак, и теперь все ждали возврата болезни.

       — Я была у нее сегодня утром,  — сказала Юлия Сергеевна,  — и мне показалось, что за эту неделю она не то чтобы похудела, а поблекла.

      «Yes, yes,» Laptev agreed. «There's no return of the symptoms, but every day I notice she grows weaker and weaker, and is wasting before my eyes. I don't understand what's the matter with her.»

      «Oh dear! And how strong she used to be, plump and rosy!»

       — Да, да,  — согласился Лаптев. — Рецидива нет, но с каждым днем, я замечаю, она становится всё слабее и слабее и тает на моих глазах. Не пойму, что с ней.

       — Господи, а ведь какая она была здоровая, полная, краснощекая!

      said Yulia Sergeyevna after a moment's silence. «Every one here used to call her the Moscow lady. How she used to laugh! On holidays she used to dress up like a peasant girl, and it suited her so well.»

      Doctor Sergey Borisovitch was at home; he was a stout, red-faced man, wearing a long coat that reached below his knees, and looking as though he had short legs. He was pacing up and down his study, with his hands in his pockets, and humming to himself in an undertone, «Ru-ru-ru-ru.» His grey whiskers looked unkempt, and his hair was unbrushed, as though he had just got out of bed.

       — проговорила Юлия Сергеевна после минутного молчания. — Ее здесь все так и звали московкой. Как хохотала! Она на праздниках наряжалась простою бабой, и это очень шло к ней.

      Доктор Сергей Борисыч был дома; полный, красный, в длинном ниже колен сюртуке и, как казалось, коротконогий, он ходил у себя в кабинете из угла в угол, засунув руки в карманы, и напевал вполголоса: «Ру-ру-ру-ру». Седые бакены у него были растрепаны, голова не причесана, как будто он только что встал с постели.

      And his study with pillows on the sofa, with stacks of papers in the corners, and with a dirty invalid poodle lying under the table, produced the same impression of unkemptness and untidiness as himself.

      «M. Laptev wants to see you,» his daughter said to him, going into his study.

      «Ru-ru-ru-ru,» he hummed louder than ever, and turning into the drawing-room, gave his hand to Laptev, and asked: «What good news have you to tell me?»

      И кабинет его с подушками на диванах, с кипами старых бумаг по углам и с больным грязным пуделем под столом производил такое же растрепанное, шершавое впечатление, как он сам.

       — Тебя желает видеть м-сье Лаптев,  — сказала ему дочь, входя в кабинет.

       — Ру-ру-ру-ру,  — запел он громче и, повернув в гостиную, подал руку Лаптеву и спросил:  — Что скажете хорошенького?

      It was dark in the drawing-room. Laptev, still standing with his hat in his hand, began apologising for disturbing him; he asked what was to be done to make his sister sleep at night, and why she was growing so thin; and he was embarrassed by the thought that he had asked those very questions at his visit that morning.

      «Tell me,» he said, «wouldn't it be as well to send for some specialist on internal diseases from Moscow? What do you think of it?»

      Было темно в гостиной. Лаптев, не садясь и держа шляпу в руках, стал извиняться за беспокойство; он спросил, что делать, чтобы сестра спала по ночам, и отчего она так страшно худеет, и его смущала мысль, что, кажется, эти самые вопросы он уже задавал доктору сегодня во время его утреннего визита.

       — Скажите,  — спросил он,  — не пригласить ли нам из Москвы какого-нибудь специалиста по внутренним болезням? Как вы думаете?

      The doctor sighed, shrugged his shoulders, and made a vague gesture with his hands.

      It was evident that he was offended. He was a very huffy man, prone to take offence, and always ready to suspect that people did not believe in him, that he was not recognised or properly respected, that his patients exploited him, and that his colleagues showed him ill-will. He was always jeering at himself, saying that fools like him were only made for the public to ride rough-shod over them.

      Yulia Sergeyevna lighted the lamp. She was tired out with the service, and that was evident from her pale, exhausted face, and her weary step. She wanted to rest.

      Доктор вздохнул, пожал плечами и сделал обеими руками неопределенный жест.

      Было очевидно, что он обиделся. Это был чрезвычайно обидчивый, мнительный доктор, которому всегда казалось, что ему не верят, что его не признают и недостаточно уважают, что публика эксплоатирует его, а товарищи относятся к нему с недоброжелательством. Он всё смеялся над собой, говорил, что такие дураки, как он, созданы только для того, чтобы публика ездила на них верхом.

      Юлия Сергеевна зажгла лампу. Она утомилась в церкви, и это было заметно по ее бледному, томному лицу, по вялой походке. Ей хотелось отдохнуть.

      She sat down on the sofa, put her hands on her lap, and sank into thought.

      Она села на диван, положила руки на колени и задумалась.

      Laptev knew that he was ugly, and now he felt as though he were conscious of his ugliness all over his body. He was short, thin, with ruddy cheeks, and his hair had grown so thin that his head felt cold.

      Лаптев знал, что он некрасив, и теперь ему казалось, что он даже ощущает на теле эту свою некрасоту. Он был невысок ростом, худ, с румянцем на щеках, и волосы у него уже сильно поредели, так что зябла голова.

      In his expression there was none of that refined simplicity which makes even rough, ugly faces attractive;

      В выражении его вовсе не было той изящной простоты, которая даже грубые, некрасивые лица делает симпатичными;

      in the society of women, he was awkward, over-talkative, affected.

      в обществе женщин был неловок, излишне разговорчив, манерен.

      And now he almost despised himself for it. He must talk that Yulia Sergeyevna might not be bored in his company. But what about? About his sister's illness again?

      And he began to talk about medicine, saying what is usually said. He approved of hygiene, and said that he had long ago wanted to found a night-refuge in Moscow--in fact, he had already calculated the cost of it. According to his plan the workmen who came in the evening to the night-refuge were to receive a supper of hot cabbage soup with bread, a warm, dry bed with a rug, and a place for drying their clothes and their boots.

      И теперь он почти презирал себя за это. Чтобы Юлия Сергеевна не скучала в его обществе, нужно было говорить. Но о чем? Опять о болезни сестры?

      И он стал говорить о медицине то, что о ней обыкновенно говорят, похвалил гигиену и сказал, что ему давно хочется устроить в Москве ночлежный дом и что у него даже уже есть смета. По его плану рабочий, приходя вечером в ночлежный дом, за пять-шесть копеек должен получать порцию горячих щей с хлебом, теплую, сухую постель с одеялом и место для просушки платья и обуви.

      Yulia Sergeyevna was usually silent in his presence, and in a strange way, perhaps by the instinct of a lover, he divined her thoughts and intentions.

      Юлия Сергеевна обыкновенно молчала в его присутствии, и он странным образом, быть может чутьем влюбленного, угадывал ее мысли и намерения.

      And now, from the fact that after the evening service she had not gone to her room to change her dress and drink tea, he deduced that she was going to pay some visit elsewhere.

      И теперь он сообразил, что если она после всенощной не пошла к себе переодеваться и пить чай, то, значит, пойдет сегодня вечером еще куда-нибудь в гости.

      «But I'm in no hurry with the night-refuge,» he went on, speaking with vexation and irritability, and addressing the doctor, who looked at him, as it were, blankly and in perplexity, evidently unable to understand what induced him to raise the question of medicine and hygiene. «And most likely it will be a long time, too, before I make use of our estimate. I fear our night-shelter will fall into the hands of our pious humbugs and philanthropic ladies, who always ruin any undertaking.»

       — Но я не тороплюсь с ночлежным домом,  — продолжал он уже с раздражением и досадой, обращаясь к доктору, который глядел на него как-то тускло и с недоумением, очевидно не понимая, зачем это ему понадобилось поднимать разговор о медицине и гигиене. — И, должно быть, не скоро еще я воспользуюсь нашею сметой. Я боюсь, что наш ночлежный дом попадет в руки наших московских святош и барынь-филантропок, которые губят всякое начинание.

      Yulia Sergeyevna got up and held out her hand to Laptev.

      Юлия Сергеевна поднялась и протянула Лаптеву руку.

      «Excuse me,» she said, «it's time for me to go. Please give my love to your sister.»

      «Ru-ru-ru-ru,» hummed the doctor. «Ru-ru-ru-ru.»

      Yulia Sergeyevna went out, and after staying a little longer, Laptev said good-bye to the doctor and went home.

       — Виновата,  — сказала она,  — мне пора. Поклонитесь вашей сестре, пожалуйста.

       — Ру-ру-ру-ру,  — запел доктор. — Ру-ру-ру-ру.

      Юлия Сергеевна вышла, и Лаптев немного погодя простился с доктором и пошел домой.

      When a man is dissatisfied and feels unhappy, how trivial seem to him the shapes of the lime-trees, the shadows, the clouds, all the beauties of nature, so complacent, so indifferent! By now the moon was high up in the sky, and the clouds were scudding quickly below.

      Когда человек неудовлетворен и чувствует себя несчастным, то какою пошлостью веет на него от этих лип, теней, облаков, от всех этих красот природы, самодовольных и равнодушных! Луна стояла уже высоко, и под нею быстро бежали облака.

      «But how naive and provincial the moon is, how threadbare and paltry the clouds!» thought Laptev. He felt ashamed of the way he had talked just now about medicine, and the night-refuge. He felt with horror that next day he would not have will enough to resist trying to see her and talk to her again, and would again be convinced that he was nothing to her. And the day after--it would be the same. With what object?

      «Но какая наивная, провинциальная луна, какие тощие, жалкие облака!»  — думал Лаптев. Ему было стыдно, что он только что говорил о медицине и о ночлежном доме, он ужасался, что и завтра у него не хватит характера, и он опять будет пытаться увидеть ее и говорить с ней и еще раз убедится, что он для нее чужой. Послезавтра — опять то же самое. Для чего?

      And how and when would it all end?

      И когда и чем всё это кончится?

      At home he went in to see his sister.

      Дома он пошел к сестре.

      Nina Fyodorovna still looked strong and gave the impression of being a well-built, vigorous woman, but her striking pallor made her look like a corpse, especially when, as now, she was lying on her back with her eyes closed; her eldest daughter Sasha, a girl of ten years old, was sitting beside her reading aloud from her reading-book.

      Нина Федоровна была еще крепка на вид и производила впечатление хорошо сложенной, сильной женщины, но резкая бледность делала ее похожей на мертвую, особенно когда она, как теперь, лежала на спине, с закрытыми глазами; возле нее сидела ее старшая дочь, Саша, десяти лет, и читала ей что-то из своей хрестоматии.

      «Alyosha has come,» the invalid said softly to herself.

      There had long been established between Sasha and her uncle a tacit compact, to take turns in sitting with the patient. On this occasion Sasha closed her reading-book, and without uttering a word, went softly out of the room.

       — Алеша пришел,  — проговорила больная тихо, про себя.

      Между Сашей и дядей давно уже установилось молчаливое соглашение: они сменяли друг друга. Теперь Саша закрыла свою хрестоматию и, не сказав ни слова, тихо вышла из комнаты;

      Laptev took an historical novel from the chest of drawers, and looking for the right page, sat down and began reading it aloud.

      Nina Fyodorovna was born in Moscow of a merchant family.

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