(Kap dochka) Khorosh gus'

[Robert Chandler]

Dear all,

Pyotr returns to Belogorsk to rescue Masha.  He goes to the priest’s house.
Akulina then talks at him for some time.  She comes out with one phrase
which I entirely understand but cannot translate adequately:
Ай-да Алексей Иванович: хорош гусь!
Ai-da Aleksey Ivanovich: khorosh gus’
At present I have ‘And as for Shvabrin…  He’s a fine fellow and no mistake!’
This is obviously less vivid than the original.  And it is a pity to lose
the goose, all the more so since there a fair number of pigeons, eagles,
ravens and swans are mentioned in the course of the work.

Unfortunately, we tend to think of geese as being silly (You silly goose!),
and Shvabrin is far from silly.  Does anyone have any inspired suggestions?

R




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