Lover's Prayer

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1

I fell in love over the course

of a summer in my youth.

Before the war in Crimea, I was

living in Moscow with my parents.

They took a house for the summer

near the Neskootchny Park.

I was preparing for the University,

but worked little and slowly.

I used to go for walks in

our garden or in the park.

I would take a book with me

and spent most of the time repeating

lines of poetry aloud to myself.

There rose, like the grasses

of early spring shoots

of happy feeling, of young

and surging life.

I remember that at that time the image of

woman, the shadowy vision of feminine love

scarcely ever took definite

shape in my mind

but in every thought,

in every sensation...

there lay a half-conscious awareness

of something new, sweet, feminine.

This presentiment,

this sense of expectancy

was in every drop of blood

that flowed through my veins.

Soon it was to be fulfilled.

How was your horse behaving, sir?

I stopped her oats to gentle her.

She's all right. I'm used to

a more spirited horse, though.

Are you then, sir? I'll oat her.

Mashenka there makes

traps, does she not?

I'd like to catch

a pheasant for my father.

Very well, sir. I shall get a trap

from Mashenka for you.

Dimitry, do you know who our new

neighbor at the other house might be?

- The Princess Zasyekin, ma' am.

- A princess? A poor one, I expect.

They came in three cabs, ma'am and

the furniture isn't worth mentioning.

All it takes to spoil

a summer is a neighbor.

I was in the habit of walking around every

evening with a gun looking for crows.

Suddenly I heard the sound of voices.

And there stood, on a lawn flanked

by green raspberry canes,

a tall, slender girl in a striped pink

dress with her hat dropped onto her back.

I forgot everything.

My eyes devoured the graceful figure,

the lovely hair, the charming smile.

I dropped my rifle.

Young man! Hey!

Is it proper to stare

at unknown ladies like that?

As I was going to bed,

without quite knowing why

I spun around two

or three times on one foot.

Then I put pomade on my hair and

combed up a dashing lock for my brow.

It may seem clumsy to say it

but all of the sudden... I liked me.

- Dimitry.

- Vladimir's Mah Jang.

I turn upon you as one

gentlewoman to another.

Moreover, I am delighted

to make use of this opportunity

to call you over to me

or I over to you.

Vladimir!

Go to that Princess, so called,

next door and explain to her

that I am ready to do anything within

my power to offer help to her ladyship.

And ask her to do me

the honor of calling here.

- Dimitry, are we free tomorrow?

- Yes, you are, ma'am.

- At six o'clock tomorrow.

- Yes, Mother.

- You see what to do then?

- Yes. I'll go straight away.

- What do you want?

- Is the princess Zasyekin at home?

Stepan! Have you been

to the police station?

- Old bag.

- What? Is there somebody there?

- The young gentleman from next door.

- Show him in.

Silly old cow.

Would you come into

the drawing room, sir?

Have I the honor to address

the Princess Zasyekin?

I am the Princess Zasyekin.

I have come to you with

a message from my mother.

Won't you sit down?

Stepan, where are my keys?

You haven't seen them, have you?

My mother says she is ready to offer

whatever help she can to your ladyship.

And she bids for you to please call

upon her tomorrow at six o'clock.

Very good. I shall be pleased to call.

But how handsome you are.

And young. How nubile.

Would you consider yourself nubile?

Are you a milksop, would you say?

I don't know. I haven't considered.

- Do you know what this is?

- No.

It is a picture of George Washington

saying goodbye to his mother.

- Very good likeness, don't you think?

- It's very nice.

Please make yourself at home.

We're very simple here.

Too simple, I could not help thinking.

Zinaida! Oh, Zinaida.

This is my daughter Zinaida.

This is the son of our neighbor.

- What is your name, if I may ask?

- Vladimir.

- And your patronymic?

- Petrovich.

I once knew a Chief Constable

by the name of Vladimir Petrovich.

Stepan, don't look for the keys!

They're in my pocket.

I have already seen Monsieur Woldemar.

You will let me call you so?

Yes please, call me Monsieur Woldemar.

Please do as you wish.

- Are you busy at this moment?

- No.

Would you like to

help me wind my wool?

Come with me.

I moved as in a dream and felt

through my entire being an intense,

almost imbecile sense of well-being.

What did you think of me yesterday,

Monsieur Woldemar?

You disapproved of me, I suppose.

No, Princess. How could I?

I didn't think anything.

Listen, you don't know me yet.

But since you are the neighbor's son,

let me tell you, I am very strange.

I am mature, you see,

for one of my years.

You must tell me the truth at all times

and do what I tell you. Always.

I take it you're at a stage of fascination

with fossils and steam engines?

- Models of ships?

- No, I don't. Never.

If you are through with toys,

you have much to discover.

Look at me. Why don't you

look at me? Do. I like your face.

I have a feeling that we shall

be friends. And do you like me?

Princess...

First of all, you must call me

Zinaida Alexandrovna.

And secondly, how queer that,

that young gentlemen do not

say straight out what they feel.

Do you like me, don't you?

Yes, of course, I like you

very much, Zinaida Alexanfrovna.

I have no wish to conceal it.

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