The snow’s crackling... someone’s near... On her tiptoe fast she flies
And asks him stilly, sweetly sighs More tenderer than reed-pipe dear:
What is your name? - He’s looking on, {18} At last he answers: - Aghaphon…
X
Tatyana took advice of nanny; As she in bath-room had to guess
She ordered secretly her granny: Prepare table for a guest...
At once was frightened my Tatyana...
And I, while thinking of Swetlana,
Was too afraid, I must confess...
But with Tatyana shan’t we guess.
Her belt of silk she is removing, Undressed is going to bed,
And Lei is soaring above head: {19} And under pillow unmoving
Her maiden’s mirror yet she keeps.
It all is still.
Tatyana steeps.
XI
Tatyana has a dream unknown: As if she lone were to get
Across a glade, all under snow Around which all’s dark and sad.
In snow-drifts in front of maiden A stream is boiling, all is raging,
Makes noise, is dark and grey, quite lost Yet isn’t frozen by frost.
Two poles glued by halves of floe (Disastrous, trembling little aid)
Across the torrent have been laid. In front of noisy gulf of flow,
By deep embarrassment fulfilled She has to stop, she’s standing still.
XII
As at the reason of the parting Tatyana’s grumbling at the brook,
She doesn’t see yet any party Which could be helpful in the hook.
The snow-drift at once is moving...
And who, d’you think, from it is looking?
Some big and shaggy bear comes .. Tatyana: ‘Ah!’ But he becomes
Polite; with sharp-clawed paw he’s rapping Her hand to offer help; she bends
And leans on him with trembling hands; All fearful she’s shyly stepping
But crosses bridge; her helping her: She runs… the bear’s after her!
XIII
Of looking back she doesn’t dare And hurries up, she’s quickening steps,
But from. the shaggy lackey-bear She cannot get away, She flaps:
The bear drags behind and groans; In front of them she sees and moans:
A forest stands; a stout pine Is still and frowned, yet is fine
With flocks of snow; through the crowns Of naked birches from the sky
The heaven’s bodies beam and shine. The bushes, chutes without bounds
Are snow-bound by the storm. In depth of snow are forlorn.
XIV
She runs for forest... he’s about; The flabby snow is knee-deep;
Her neck was caught by long a bough, Then branches could her ears meet
And rent the ear-rings of gold; Then brittle snows fastly hold
Her summer shoes quite wet through all; Then she her handkerchief lets fall.
To take it up she can’t, in fear Of bear: he about hangs;
And even by her trembling hands To lift her dress ashamed she's here;
She’s running - he is after her; She can’t be running any more,
XV
She falls on snow - he is swifty: He’s taking her in paws and brings,