Eugene Onegin ( without commentary )

II

Thus a young scapegrace thought as with post horses in the dust he flew, by the most lofty will of Zeus 4 the heir of all his kin. Friends of Lyudmila and Ruslan! The hero of my novel, without preambles, forthwith, 8 I'd like to have you meet: Onegin, a good pal of mine, was born upon the Neva's banks, where maybe you were born, 12 or used to shine, my reader! There formerly I too promenadedbut harmful is the North to me.1 ill Having served excellently, nobly, his father lived by means of debts 5 gave three balls yearly 4 and squandered everything at last. Fate guarded Eugene: at first, Madame looked after him 5 later, Monsieur replaced her. 8 The child was boisterous but charming. Monsieur ? Abbe, a poor wretch of a Frenchman, not to wear out the infant, taught him all things in play, 12 bothered him not with stern moralization, scolded him slightly for his pranks, and to the Letniy Sad took him for walks. f1 For Pushkin's notes, see below, pp. 323-30.]