Евгений Онегин / Eugene Onegin

XXXIX

Meantime, drink deeply of the flow

Of frivolous existence, friends;

Its insignificance I know

And care but little for its ends.

To dreams I long have closed mine eyes,

Yet sometimes banished hopes will rise

And agitate my heart again;

And thus it is ’twould cause me pain

Without the faintest trace to leave

This world. I do not praise desire,

Yet still apparently aspire

My mournful fate in verse to weave,

That like a friendly voice its tone

Rescue me from oblivion.

XL

Perchance some heart ’twill agitate,

And then the stanzas of my theme

Will not, preserved by kindly Fate,

Perish absorbed by Lethe’s stream.

Then it may be, O flattering tale,

Some future ignoramus shall

My famous portrait indicate

And cry: he was a poet great!

My gratitude do not disdain,

Admirer of the peaceful Muse,

Whose memory doth not refuse

My light productions to retain,

Whose hands indulgently caress

The bays of age and helplessness.

Canto the Third

�Elle était fille, elle était amoureuse’

В В В В Malfilatre

I

“Whither away? Deuce take the bard!” —

“Good-bye, Onegin, I must go.” —

“I won’t detain you; but ’tis hard

To guess how you the eve pull through.” —

“At Larina’s.” – “Hem, that is queer!

Pray is it not a tough affair

Thus to assassinate the eve?” —

“Not at all.

�Tis something of this sort I deem.

In the first place, say, am I right?

A Russian household simple quite,

Who welcome guests with zeal extreme,

Preserves and an eternal prattle

About the rain and flax and cattle.” —

II

“No misery I see in that” —

“Boredom, my friend, behold the ill – ”

“Your fashionable world I hate,

Domestic life attracts me still,

Where – “ – “What! another eclogue spin?

For God’s sake, Lenski, don’t begin!

What! really going? ’Tis too bad!

But Lenski, I should be so glad

Would you to me this Phyllis show,

Fair source of every fine idea,

Verses and tears et cetera.

Present me.” – “You are joking.” – “No.” —

“Delighted.” – “When?” – “This very night.

They will receive us with delight.