Lapkin and Anna went down the steep bank and sat down on a bench. The bench stood right by the water among some thick young osier1 bushes. What a wonderful little place! Once you’d sat down, you were hidden from the world—only the fish saw you, and the water-tigers, running like lightning over the water. The young people were armed with rods, nets, cans of worms, and other fishing equipment. Having sat down, they started fishing right away.
“I’m glad we’re alone at last,” Lapkin began looking around. “I have to tell you a lot of things, Anna... an awful lot... when I saw you the first time.... You’ve got a bite... then I understood what I’m living for, understood where my idol was—to whom I must devote my honest, active life.... Seeing you, I feel in love for the first time, feel passionately in love!Wait before you give it a jerk2... let it bite harder.... Tell me, my darling, I adjure3 you, may I count on—not on reciprocity4, no! I’m not worthy of that, I dare not even think of that—may I count on.... Pull!”
Anna raised her hand with the rod in it, yanked5, and cried out. A little silvery-GREen fish shimmered in the air.
“My God, a perch6! Ah, ah.... Quickly! It’s getting free!”
The perch got free of the hook, flopped7 through the grass toward its native element... and plopped8 into the water!
In pursuit of the fish, Lapkin somehow inadvertently9 grabbed Anna’s hand instead of the fish, inadvertently pressed it to his lips.... She quickly drew it back, but it was already too late; their mouths inadvertently merged in a kiss.
As the young people were kissing, a laugh suddenly rang out. They glanced at the river and were stupefied10: a naked boy was standing in the water up to his waist. This was Kolia, a schoolboy, Anna’s brother. He was standing in the water, staring at the young people, and laughing maliciously11.
“Ah—ah—ah... you’re kissing?” he said. “That’s GREat! I’ll tell Mama.”
“I hope that you, as an honest young man... ” muttered Lapkin, blushing. “It’s low-down to spy, and to tell tales12 is foul and detestable13.... I assume that you, as an honest and noble young man... ”
“Give me a ruble and then I won’t tell!” said the noble young man. “Or else I will.”
情场小鬼①
拉普金和安娜走下陡峭的河岸，在一条长凳上坐下来。长凳紧靠水边，掩映在密密匝匝的杞柳丛中。多么理想的小天地！你一坐下来，就与世隔绝了，看见你的只有鱼和闪电一样窜过水面的水虎。两个年轻人带着钓竿、鱼网、诱饵罐和其他钓具，坐下后马上钓起了鱼。
“我们总算有机会单独在一起了，我真高兴，”拉普金向四周瞧了瞧，开口说道，“安娜，我有好多话要对你说……太多了……从第一次看见你时起……鱼上钩了……那时我就知道我是为什么活着，知道我崇拜的人在哪里——我该把自己诚实、勤奋的一生献给谁，我心里第一次萌生了爱，死心塌地的爱！等一下再拉，让它再咬牢点儿……告诉我，亲爱的，我求求你，我能不能指望……指望你也一样爱我，不！那我不配，连想也不敢想──我能不能指望……拉！”
安娜抬起拿钓竿的手，猛地一拉，大声叫了起来，只见一条银绿色的小鱼在半空中熠熠闪光。
“我的天哪，一条鲈鱼！啊，啊……快！它要溜了！”
鲈鱼挣脱鱼钩，噗噗地跃过草地，向河跳去……然后扑通一声跳进了水里！
拉普金追鱼时，似乎漫不经心地抓住了安娜的手，漫不经心地把手送到了唇边……她赶忙抽回手，但为时已晚，两人的嘴碰巧合在了一块，接起吻来。
正在这时，突然有人大笑了一声。他们寻声向河边一看，顿时目瞪口呆：一个赤身裸体的男孩站在齐腰深的水里。原来是安娜的弟弟科烈，还在上小学。他站在水里，眼睛直瞅着两个年轻人，不怀好意地笑着。
“哈哈哈……你们在亲嘴？”他说，“太好了！我去告诉妈妈。”
“你是个诚实的孩子，我希望你……”拉普金红着脸咕哝道，“偷看不光彩，告密下流又可鄙……你是个诚实高尚的孩子，我觉得你……”
“给一卢布，我就不说！”诚实高尚的小家伙说，“要不我可要说了。”
Notes:
1. 杞柳 2. 猛拉 3. 恳求 4. 依靠 5. 使劲拉 6. 鲈鱼 7. 发出扑通声 8. 扑通一声落下 9. 漫不经心地 10. 目瞪口呆的 11. 不怀好意地 12. 告密 13. 可憎的
