Teffi - 'Sobaka' - 'Vot tak Garri!'

[Philip Robinson]

"Always looking for a chance to play the hero" could even be winnowed down
to "always playing the hero."

Phil

2010/7/26 Valentino, Russell <russell-valentino at uiowa.edu>

> It does sound ironic. The telegraphic quality seems important for that,
> too: That was Harry for you! Capable of heroism. Even more than that--he was
> in search of it. Or present tense.
>
> Russell
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list
> [mailto:SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of Hugh McLean
> Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 12:13 PM
> To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
> Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Teffi - 'Sobaka' - 'Vot tak Garri!'
>
> Dear Robert,
>
> I think you are right about the irony, but the phrase "going out of his
> way to display heroism" strikes me as bookish and artificial. . How
> about "always looking for a chance to play the hero"? Hugh
> > Dear all,
> >
> > The narrator in this story is talking about a long-ago incident in her
> life,
> > around 1919, when she was infatuated with a vile man called Harry.  It
> will
> > eventually emerge that he has been working for the Cheka.
> >
> > But in these lines she is talking about a time before she learned this.
> >
> > Я была тронута Гарриной добротой.
> > - Гарри, разве вам не было бы страшно прятать у себя белого офицера? Он
> > чуть-чуть покраснел.
> > - Пустяки! - пробормотал он. - Если встретите его снова, непременно -
> > слышите? - непременно позовите к себе.
> > Вот так Гарри! Способен на подвиг. Даже больше того - ищет подвига.
> >
> > Am I correct in hearing the whole of the last line as ironical in tone,
> i.e.
> > imbued with an irony that springs from what she eventually learned about
> > him?  Something like:
> >
> > Harry was a fine fellow.  Capable of heroism.  Even going out of his way
> to
> > display heroism.
> >
> > Vsego dobrogo,
> >
> > Robert
> >
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