Повести Белкина / The Tales of the Late Ivan Petrovich Belkin

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Александр Пушкин. Повести Белкина / The Tales of the Late Ivan Petrovich Belkin

Editor’s Foreword

The Shot

I

II

The Snowstorm

The Undertaker

The Postmaster

Mistress into Maid

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Having undertaken to arrange the publication of the Tales of I.P. Belkin, which are herewith offered to the public, we wished to add to these a biography, however brief, of the late author, and thereby to satisfy, at least partly, the just curiosity of lovers of our native letters. To that end we addressed ourselves to Marya Alexeyevna Trafilina, the heiress of Ivan Petrovich Belkin and his nearest of kin; but unfortunately it was impossible for her to furnish any intelligence concerning him, inasmuch as she had never known the deceased. She advised us to confer on the matter with an esteemed person, who had been a friend of Ivan Petrovich. We followed this advice, and our letter elicited the following answer. We present it here without any changes or explanatory notes, as a precious testimony to a noble manner of thinking and a touching friendship, and at the same time as a sufficient biographical account.

Considering it our duty to respect the wish of our author’s esteemed friend, we signalize our deepest gratitude to him for the intelligence furnished by him, and trust that the public will appreciate his candor and good nature.

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“A good shot, that!” said I, turning to the Count.

“Yes,” replied he, “a very remarkable shot … Do you shoot well?” he continued.

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