Free Works of Alexander Pushkin by Alexander Pushkin

have I sought a mate to share
My lot; but all alone have passed,
Resigned, the cheating hours of life.
    ALEKO.
And wherefore didst thou not at once
Pursue the faithless perjured pair,
And plunge thy dagger in the heart
Of robber and his paramour?
    OLD MAN.
But why? Youth is free, free as a bird.
Who has strength to curb the flight of love?
To each one day of joy is sent;
And what has been can ne’er return.
    ALEKO.
Mine not the nature to forego
My right without a struggle fierce,
Be robbed the joy of sweet revenge.
Nay, if on brink of ocean cliff
I found my hated foe asleep,
I swear, I should not think to spare
His life, but with my foot would toss
O’er edge of cliff his helpless trunk,
And laugh in his pale, upturned face
Of wakened horror and surprise.
And in mine ear the water’s splash
Would echo like the stirring sound
Of conquering march loud and gay.
    IX.
    YOUNG GIPSY.
Yet one more kiss, before we part!
    ZEMPHIRE.
Lime flies: jealous he is, and harsh.
    YOUNG GIPSY.
A last.... but long caress.... but one!
    ZEMPHIRE.
Farewell, before he comes to seek me.
    YOUNG GIPSY.
But say, when shall we meet again?
    ZEMPHIRE.
To-night, when as the. moon goes down,
We’ll meet beyond the mounds. Farewell
    YOUNG GIPSY.
You will forget to come, I fear.
    ZEMPHIRE.
Away!... Fear not!... I’ll come, I swear!
    X.
    Aleko sleeps. But dreams confused
Disturb and haunt his troubled rest;
And with a startled cry he wakes,
And stretches forth his jealous hand,
Which falls on cold and vacant sheet;
No sleeping Zemphire lies by him.
With boding heart he listens long,
But all is still; and. filled with dread,
A chilling fear runs through his veins,
As out he hurries from the tent.
Pale and trembling, far he wanders,
But all the field is wrapt in sleep
The moon is hid behind the clouds
And twinkling light of stars is dim.
The faintest track of steps, the dews
Have nigh effaced, still show the way
That leads up to the burial mounds.
With eager pace he makes his way,
By demon urged along the path,
And stands before the long-ranged heaps,
That rear their pale and spectral tops.
And, filled with sense of coming ill,
Scarce his aching limbs can bear him:
With quivering lips and trembling knees
He pushes on — and does he dream?
He sees two shadows close to him,
And hears the murmured whisper near,
That floats above the lonely mounds.
    FIRST VOICE.
‘Tis time!
    SECOND VOICE.
Why this haste?
    FIRST VOICE.
I must away!
    SECOND VOICE.
Nay, rather let us wait the day!
    FIRST VOICE.
‘Tis late!
    SECOND VOICE.
How timid is thy love!
One minute!
    FIRST VOICE.
Wilt thou be my  death?
    SECOND VOICE.
One minute more!
    FIRST VOICE.
But if he wakes,
And finds me gone?
    ALEKO.
I have awaked!
Whither so fast? There is no haste!
‘Tis well, we need not search for graves!
    ZEMPHIRE.
Darling, run, escape!
    ALEKO.
Stay, sir, stay!
Whither, fair gipsy, wilt thou run?
Die!
( H e kills him w ith a dagger.)
    ZEMPHIRE.
What hast thou done?
    YOUNG GIPSY.
I die! Farewell!
    ZEMPHIRE.
Aleko, thou hast slain my friend!
And, see, thou art all stained with blood!.
Oh, what hast thou done?
    ALEKO.
I? Nothing!
His love, once thy breath, breathe it now!
    ZEMPHIRE.
Enough! I have no fear of thee!
Thine empty threats, I hold in scorn!
Thee and thy bloody crime, I curse!
    ALEKO.
Follow!
(He stabs Zemphire).
    ZEMPHIRE
And, loving, I will die!
    Night’s clouds were streaked with red of dawn.
Beyond the hills Aleko sate
Alone on ancient burial mound,
With blood-stained dagger in his hand.
Near him lay two lifeless bodies;
His face was fixed and motionless,
And vacant stared at gipsy crowd,
Who fearsome stood around and gazed.
In farther field they dug a grave;
With solemn step the women moved,
And kissed the eyelids of the dead.
Apart the old man stood and looked,
In silent helplessness of grief,
Upon the dead girl’s rigid form.
Lightly they raised the bodies twain,
And slowly bore them to the grave,
And laid the youthful erring pair
In the cold, bosom of the, earth.
Aleko from