The Queen of Spades and other stories

to that Alexander Nevsky who, in the thirteenth century, gained a great victory over the Sw

Abraham Petrovitch Hannibal, Peter the Great's famous negro. His

y; but it shows under what influence he grew up. In October, 1811, he entered the Lyceum of Tsarskoe Selo. Among the students a society was soon formed, whose members were united by friendship and by a taste for literature. They brought out several periodicals, in which tales and poems formed the chief features. Of this society (the late Prince Gortchakoff belonged to it) Pushkin

ersburg, and, though he entered thoroughly into the dissipated pleasures of its turbulent youth, he still clung to the int

tion. These at last brought him into great danger. But Karamsin came to his rescue, and managed to get him an appointment at Ekaterinoslavl, in the office of the Chief Inspector of the Southern Settlements. There he remained till 1824, travelling f

arrel, this person, Insoff by name, sent Pushkin to Ismail. There the poet joined a band of gypsies and remained with them for some time in th

ied by satire and bitter scorn. This work has lately been formed the subject of a very successful opera

gram upon Vorontsoff led the count to ask for Pushkin's removal from Odess

he local authorities at Michailovskoe, a village belonging to his father in the province of Pskoff. Here the eld

whose tales had first inspired him with a love of Russian popular poetry. At Michailovskoe, Pushkin continued his "Evguenie Onegin," finished "The Gyps

neighbours proved a turning point in his career. Now for the firs

his[Pg 5] old nurse's stories, collected and noted down songs, studied the habits and customs of Russian villages, and began a serious study of Russian history. All this helped great

guenie Onegin," ready for the press, a poem called "The Little House at Kolomna," and several dramatic scenes,

out thirty short poems, Nor is that, all, I have also

ber, 1825, the insurrection and military revolt against the Emperor Ni

at least, says Alexander Herzen in his curious "Development of Revolutionary Ideas in Russia." On leaving his country house, Pushkin met three ill omens. First a hare crossed his path, next he saw a priest, a

ow. Pushkin replied simply and frankly to all the Tsar's questions, and the la

to go to St. Petersburg. There he afterwards chiefly resided, returning sometimes to the

he Caucasus then operating against the Turks. He de

laevna Gontcharova, and soon afterwards received a For

n paid a short visit to Kazan and Orenburg to acquaint himself with the locality and c

he court balls, and the Emperor was ve

e much energy on petty struggles for social precedence. He was, moreover, constantly in lack of means to meet the expenses attending his position. Partly on this account he undertook, in 1836, the e

m impartiality. Pushkin's criticism, however, were independent, and for this reason they made a deep impression. On s

g

dent. His letters show that he had original ideas on literature, on contemporary politics, on social and d

oned for some years' leave in order that he might retire from the capital. In his last poe

y to pay her attention. Pushkin and many of his friends received anonymous letters maliciously hinting at Dantès success. Dantès's father, a di

ter made an offer to Madame Pushkin's sister, and married her. This did little to mend matters. Push

g

, showed for her the tenderest consideration. He wrote, however, a very insulting letter to old Heckeeren after which a duel between Pushkin and the son became inevitable. It was fought on the banks of the Black Elver, near the commandant o

when he fired at Dantès, and hit the arm

brought home in a hopeless condition by Lieutenant-Colonel Dansasse, the old schoolfell

dame Pushkin, not knowing what had happened,[Pg 10] wished to come in. But her husband called out loudly, "N'entrez pas

you are not to blame. I know it was not your fault." Meanwhile he did not let her know that his wound

xamining him Sadler went off to fetch the necessary instruments. Left

me can

re in

er, that I

," replied Scholtz. "But we shall have the opini

homme envers moi," said Pushkin; adding afte

e any of your fami

g

," said Pushkin, look

eave of animate or inanimate friends I

shall not last

u might like to see s

as for his wife. By this time Prince and Princess Viasemsky, Turgueneff, Count Vielgorsky, and myself had come. Princess Viasemsky was with the wife, who, in terrible distress, glided like a spectre in an

d to let her come near him lest she should be pained by hi

of Spaski. "She, poor thing, is sufferi

Dr. Arendt;[Pg 12] "and I have seen

urs before had raged so fiercely in him had disappeared, leaving no trace behind. In the midst of his suffering

ve him my kind regards, and tell him how since

ushkin assented gladly. It was settled that the

t on his return the Emperor should be told what had occurred. About midnight a mounted messenger arrived for Arendt. The Emperor desired him to go at o

t up for you," wrote the Emperor Ni

g

was as

don, and advise you to receive the last Christian rites. As to your wife and c

nearest church. Pushkin confessed and received the sacrament with great reverence. When Are

he called out to Arendt, who was unable to leave it with him, but tried to p

ho was in the room, rushed towards her, fearing the effect. But Madame Pushkin lay motionless on a sofa close to the door which separated her from her husband's death-bed.[Pg 14] According to both Spaski and Arendt the dying man stifled his cries at the moment of supreme anguish, and only groaned in fear lest his wife might hea

my wife. Let

er lifting a couple of spoonfuls to his mouth, leant h

m all right. Thank God, all

n half asleep: He blessed each one, making the sign of the cross, and placing his hand on their head; then he motioned to have them taken away. Afterwards he

g

m leaving him. I should

his son. A secret funeral was arranged. The body was carried into the church late at night in the presence of some friends and relations; and in the neighbouring courtyards piquets were stationed. After the service the corpse was despatched to the province of Psko

d at Moscow a statue of Pushkin, erected by vo

good humour, and his memory was prodigious. Pushkin, it has already been said, was of ancient lineage, but no Russian is sufficiently well-born to marry into the Imperial family, and when quite recently the Grand Duke Michael, grandson of the Emperor Nicholas, married without permission the granddaughter of Pushkin, he caused the liveliest dissatisfaction in the highest quarters. The bride may