Таков обычай деревенской;
Все дочек прочили своих
За полурусского соседа;
Взойдет ли он, тотчас беседа
Заводит слово стороной
О скуке жизни холостой;
Зовут соседа к самовару,
А Дуня разливает чай,
Ей шепчут: «Дуня, примечай!»
Потом приносят и гитару:
И запищит она (бог мой!).
Приди в чертог ко мне златой!..
XI
In wilderness, where Eugene only
Could value his romantic gifts,
He didn’t like visit local landlords,
Who entertained themselves by feasts.
And he kept off their noisy sessions
And the judicious conversations
About haying, taste of wine,
About dogs and kin of mine.
They didn’t excel neither by feeling,
Nor by poetic charming flame,
Neither by wittiness of brain,
Nor by the art of common living.
But conversations of their wives
Were even worse and much less wise.
XII
Vladimir being rich and handsome
Was cared as bridegroom candidate,
It is a countrymen’s convention:
Search for a daughter a good mate.
He just comes in and is attacked
By the suggestions hinted at
The boredom of unmarried life
And pleasantness of a nice wife.
They call him to a samovar,
Where Dunya pours a cup of tee,
They whisper: “Dunya, do you see!»
And after bring her a guitar:
And she begins to squeak (my God!)
Come to my chamber made of gold!
XIII
Но Ленский, не имев конечно
Охоты узы брака несть,
С Онегиным желал сердечно
Знакомство покороче свесть.
Они сошлись. Волна и камень,
Стихи и проза, лед и пламень
Не столь различны меж собой.