|
| Uneasily she was expressing Her thoughts in mother tongue expressive; | Она по-русски плохо знала, Журналов наших не читала |
| Her Russian was yet very bad As Russian books she never read. | И выражалася с трудом На языке своем родном, |
| That's why in French she's always writing. | Итак, писала по-французски... |
| Alas! I must repeat again: | Что делать! повторяю вновь: |
| A lady's love until to-day To speak her Russian isn't trying, | Доныне дамская любовь Не изьяснялася по-русски, |
| And proud language's now lit For prose postal a bit. | Доныне гордый наш язык К почтовой прозе не привык. |
| XXYII | XXVII |
| To-day they wish to make each lady To read in Russian. | Я знаю: дам хотят заставить Читать по-русски. |
| What's the end? | Право, страх! |
| You'll hardly meet to-day a maiden With Russian magazine in hand. | Могу ли их себе представить С "Благонамеренным"21 в руках! |
| My poets! I'd like to hear If I am right; the ladies dear | Я шлюсь на вас, мои поэты; Не правда ль: милые предметы, |
| To whom in secret you did write Some verse, your sins to justify, | Которым, за свои грехи, Писали втайне вы стихи, |
| To whom your hearts were dedicating,- In written Russian they were bad | Которым сердце посвящали, Не все ли, русским языком |
| As no knowledge they had had, And dearly were deformating | Владея слабо и с трудом, Его так мило искажали, |
| The grammar; language from abroad For mother tongue they all had got. | И в их устах язык чужой Не обратился ли в родной? |
| XXVIII | XXVIII |
| And God forbid at evening party Or after ball, at porch, on step | Не дай мне бог сойтись на бале Иль при разъезде на крыльце |
| To meet a student while departing, Or scholar wearing night cap. | С семинаристом в желтой шале Иль с академиком в чепце! |
| I don't like the Russian speeches Without grammar incompleteness, As well as lips without smile. | Как уст румяных без улыбки, Без грамматической ошибки Я русской речи не люблю. |
| Perhaps I'll grieve if in a while | Быть может, на беду мою, |
| Of younger beauties generation Will follow the journal's call: | Красавиц новых поколенье, Журналов вняв молящий глас, |
| To grammar will subdue us all, To verse will pay too much attention: | К грамматике приучит нас; Стихи введут в употребленье; |
| But I... it doesn't bother me: To old times I'll loyal be. | Но я... какое дело мне? Я верен буду старине. |
