Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0019999, Sun, 9 May 2010 21:08:28 +0200

Subject
Re: bashmachok (little shoe) in Sashka
Date
Body
Dear Alexey,

*Btw., it is incomprehensible to me how anyone can fall asleep wearing
shoes, unless one is drunk.*
*
*
*Women do! Believe me, and without being drunk, only tired. But I 'guess'
realism is not the issue here, but then...you leave me quite a bit
frustrated and very eager to know what the stanza says. Couldn't you please
attempt just a rude translation? '"Twin hills", and not breasts are meant'?
What are you waiting for? How can you do this to us?*
*
*
*Best,*
*
*
*Hafid Bouazza
*
2010/5/8 Alexey Sklyarenko <skylark05@mail.ru>

> Lermontov's *Sashka* has a subtitle: нравственная поэма ("a moral poem").
> In fact, it is immoral and often tasteless (despite the young author's
> indisputable talent). Below is one of its erotic scenes, in which кончик *
> башмачка* (toe of a little shoe) of a sleeping beauty is mentioned. Btw.,
> it is incomprehensible to me how anyone can fall asleep wearing shoes,
> unless one is drunk. But then Tirza (the girl's unusual name) is a
> courtesan. Tirza's двойной курган ("twin hill", and not breasts are meant)
> somehow reminds me of Brownhill, Ada's school for girls, and its
> headmistress, Miss Cleft (1.27).
> Again, I'm sorry I post the stanza without English translation. Alexey
> Sklyarenko
>
> Он руку протянул, -- его рука
> Попала в стену; протянул другую, --
> Ощупал тихо кончик башмачка.
> Схватил потом и ножку, но какую?!..
> Так миньятюрна, так нежна, мягка
> Казалась эта ножка, что невольно
> Подумал он, не сделал ли ей больно.
> Меж тем рука всё далее ползет,
> Вот круглая коленочка... и вот,
> Вот -- для чего смеетесь вы заране? --
> Вот очутилась на двойном кургане...
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