Two passages from Platonov's HAPPY MOSCOW

[Robert Chandler]

Dear all,

We are revising our earlier (Harvill) translation for publication next year by NYRB CLassics.

1. At the beginning of chapter 7, Sartorius and Moscow Chestnova catch a late tram to the outskirts of Moscow.  after getting off the tram, and not long before they lie down and make love, Sarorius says:

 -- Товарищ  Сарториус,  что  мы  будем  теперь  делать? -- спросила Москва. -- Ведь ночь еще стоит и скоро ляжет роса...

“Comrade Sartorius, what are we going to do now?” asked Moscow.  “It’s still night, soon there’ll be dew on the ground.”  (Harvill ed.)

“Comrade Sartorius, what are we going to do now?” asked Moscow.  “It’s still night, soon dew will be lying on the ground.” (revised)

The play between 'stoit' and 'lyazhet' is, in the original, achieved with great delicacy.  Any ideas as to how we might reproduce this?

					*

2.  (A few lines later) Под  утро  Москва  и  Сарториус  сели  в  землемерную яму,
обросшую  теплым  буьяном,  спрятавшемся  здесь  от  культурных полей, как кулак на хуторе.

What is this zemlemernaya yama???  It seems to be an extremely uncommon phrase, probably Platonov's own. Though it does possibly evoke its opposite: землемерная вышка.

This sentence has to some degree been anticipated a few pages earlier, in the following: Sartorius smiled bleakly; he would have liked to remain now in the very lowest place of the earth, or even to find himself a place in an empty grave and, inseparably from Moscow Chestnova, live out his life there until death.
 

All the best,

Robert

Robert Chandler, 42 Milson Road, London, W14 OLD





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