Poor Zina
Gracious, proud, tall and slender in his coat Amazon, Zenaida Vladimirovna whip his gray mare. Sonia, though still young, responded obediently to the commands of his rider. Far from the plains of his native Ukraine, however, appreciate these Zina knew Payage countryside of Russia, his second homeland. His father was a boyar, attached to the brother of the Tsar. And it was to thank Vladimir Borisovich that worthy member of the imperial family had offered a luxurious dacha located a few miles from Moscow, a plethora of serfs in his service. In a surprisingly mild for a Russian nobleman, Vladimir manage staff knew of his property with firmness, without having to use too knout its peasants.
12 years old, the young squire Zina followed like a shadow. Ensuring that "Mademoiselle" did not fall, the young man s'aquittait his task with great zeal. Son of the steward of Boyard, Vika saw his mistress as his only family. The steward Oleg often seemed unaware that he had a son since the death of his wife he loved very little elsewhere. Zenaida only cared about this child, who had a fondness for the sickly young nobleman. Riding briskly
its proud Sonia, Zina let his mind drift to a handsome young man with the gentle name of Alexei Ivanovich. Member of the prestigious body of the pages in Yekaterinburg, Alexei was the very image of romantic hero tales of his golden childhood. Barely bigger than his admirer, Alexei was slender, but had broad shoulders. His face was endorsement, punctuated by a playful and mischievous eyes, green as the Ukrainian steppe in the spring. Even his mouth, smiling at the corners, and was mocking her blonde-red pigmentation, eyelash hair, to give it that finished look of a man-child. But this set was so smooth that he enjoyed great popularity among young girls. Zenaida was irresistibly attracted to him. Was it love? Zenaida mingled coquetry and love it? Who, of all her suitors was really sincere in his speeches of eternal love? But Alexei Ivanovich
was like no other. Confident, straight, always even-tempered and too clever with the horses a centaur, he exercised a fascination on the maiden herself could not explain.
Alas, dear Aliosha have been little more than a chimera, since Zenaida Vladimirovna was already promised to another man. His father had betrothed to a rich and distant cousin, Yuri Sergeyevich. Contract that benefited more than the father's daughter. That's what she found, this afternoon, with bitterness. This repulsive Yuri was not even the last of his choice, even if the survival of the planet would have depended. He was a paunchy and oozing earthworm, small piggy eyes and lustful. His mouth unveiled a teething aqueous unsightly and reeked reeks of fermented meat and bread and butter. His broad, flattened nose did not help his ugly face. And besides, it was a pretty confused that "elegance "With" excessive ". To camouflage his nails improperly cleaned, he adorned his fingers big heavy rings set with precious stones. He announced his presence with the fragrance of his mother, he carried to excess. And since she began thinking over his future stepmother, the heart of the beautiful sank further. Cantankerous and possessive, Madame Adelaide was confident until the blindness that the world had to bow down to his son. Yuri It simmering with so little restraint that the good society, all of which were members, had difficulty hiding his pity and contempt for them.
Zina shiver of horror and drove his head this sinister individual once and for all. The wedding date was still far and it could even think of a way to escape this impasse, even should she throw herself into the Volga! Imagine full marital duties with this snail pestilenciel, blowing like a seal on it, the poor girl enough to want to end his days.
But if she ran, where would she go? Alexei to his fine? She was not even sure if he remembered her from the last ball of the winter when they had committed a brief conversation. She must go as far possible so that it is neither recognized nor identified. In Poland, Aunt Olenka? Impossible. It was so attached to her brother, she would have ratted thinking to do well. Too bad! Zenaida would have no choice but to seek refuge among the Gypsies. They teach him the violin as she had secretly wanted to play: in their own way. There she would be truly free. But what would happen to Vika, if she put her plan into action? She took her with him, nobody would notice anyway its absence. It would raise horses and use the whip. Then the voice again child of his protege's left his dreams of running away. He warned that the dinner hour approached. Especially as master Vladimir was a stickler for punctuality.
a sigh, beautiful Zina ordered a half-flip to his mare. She knew that when she put one foot in the family dacha, his desire to fly fly away in smoke. She was too conscious of her submissive nature towards his parents and his disgust to displease his father. This sign of providence she waited for the issue of his cruel fate had not arrived and probably would ever.
Its future-as its end-face was so dark, she felt stifled, oppressed under the weight of filial duty which it had never failed (or was it just a sky so heavy that the whole day announced that a storm did not arrive?). The young woman had always done what was required of her. But join with Yuri, was beyond his strength.
Finally, the thunder rumbled. Not wanting to be soaked by the rain, Zenaida urged his mount to break from trot to canter. In the distance, his father was waiting on the pitch the door. Suddenly an obstacle Sugita of the driveway and cedar came to place on his route. A motley caravan, stood in the way of two walkers, astonished at such events. Two men got out and brought down the heiress of horse gently, without sudden movements. The response was so fast anyway that neither Zenaida nor Vika had time to intervene. But when the robbers drove his mistress in the trailer, without resistance on her part, Vika struggled vehemently against those who detained him against his will. He screamed all the expletives as he could learn coachmen and grooms. Flying, a woman of fierce beauty waiting for his accomplices, the reins in the hands ready to leave at the slightest sign of danger. His face was impassive, his expression was steady, his eyes reflected the ruse and authority. But she did not seem menacing. A gypsy, a real one! She spoke to her in Romany hostage without worrying whether it was included or not. Zenaida's heart pounded his chest. Excitement or dread? Difficult to determine.
With the consent of the mysterious driver of trailer, the daughter of Vladimir Borisovich approached his squire gently took her shoulders and whispered in his ear words that seemed to reassure him. And together, they indulged themselves to their captors, watched aghast, idigné helplessly the boyar who had attended the scene of his property. Everything happened so fast! It was too late to go to the rescue
No one knew what happened to Zenaida Vladimirovna thereafter. It is hoped that these gypsies were somehow the issue as she had hoped. His father sent thousands of men looking for him but in vain. He sank into despair and the game until it finds a semblance of peace in a monastery in Smolensk.
The end
Nathalie Benoit
The February 28, 2001
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