Kapitanskaya dochka continued

[Robert Chandler]

Dear Musya,

Thank you for your message!

 Но с 
другой стороны, нигде больше в повести не упоминается о
подобных наклонностях Савельича.
Yes, thank you!  This is important.  All the more so because so many tiny
details ARE repeated, one way or another, as the story progresses.

I also sent my questions to an email discussion group, SEELANGS.  There were
quite a number of answers.  This is what I have just written in reply:

Opinions were divided on my question about Pugachov and the Cross.  I have
decided to go along with those who considered that Pushkin’s grammatical
ambiguity is intentional, that the priest is trying to have it both ways.
My present version is as follows:
“Father Gerasim, pale and trembling, was standing nearby.  There was a
crucifix in his hands, and he looked as if he were interceding silently on
behalf of those about to be sacrificed.  A gallows was being quickly erected
in the square.”  

As for Savelich, nearly everyone agreed that ‘dyachikha’ should be taken
literally.  At present I have.  But Savelich’s folksy speech is hard to
reproduce.  If anyone has any further suggestions, I’ll be grateful!
 ‘Dear master! It’s myself I’m angry with – it was all my fault.  What on
earth made me leave you alone in the inn?  The Devil must have been at my
elbow.  I took it into my head to visit an old friend, the wife of the
sexton. (??) Yes – too much prattle, you’ll hear jail keys rattle. It’s a
bad business! Whatever are the master and mistress going to think of me now?
Whatever are they going to say when they hear that their child’s learned to
drink and to gamble?’


Love,

R.

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