The Shot by Alexander Pushkin
"The Shot" is a short story by Alexander Pushkin that delves into themes of honor, rivalry, and the complexities of human emotions in the context of dueling culture. The narrative is framed as a tale recounted by Ivan Petrovich Belkin, an army officer who documents stories shared with him before his death. Central to the plot is Silvio, a retired hussar known for his exceptional pistol shooting and mysterious past. The story unfolds in a garrison where Silvio's reputation and a brewing conflict with another officer, Lieutenant R——, lead to unexpected tensions during a card game.
As Silvio recounts a past encounter with Count B——, a fellow officer, readers learn about the intricacies of their rivalry, culminating in an interrupted duel that leaves lingering consequences. Silvio's ultimate confrontation with the Count years later reveals the psychological games at play, blurring the lines between jest and genuine animosity. The story concludes with a poignant reflection on the nature of revenge and the burdens of honor, leaving an indelible mark on both characters involved. Pushkin's work invites readers to contemplate the weight of actions and the often unpredictable outcomes of confrontations rooted in pride and reputation.
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The Shot by Alexander Pushkin
First published: "Vystrel," 1831 (English translation, 1875)
Type of plot: Sketch
Time of work: About 1815, 1821, and 1826
Locale: The fictitious villages of N—— and R—— in Russia
Principal Characters:
Ivan Petrovich Belkin , the compilerLieutenant-Colonel I. L. P , the narratorSilvio , a former officer in the Russian hussarsR—— , a lieutenant in the infantryCount B—— , a former officer in the hussarsMasha , his wife
The Story
This double story-within-a-story is presented by Ivan Petrovich Belkin, a gregarious but even-tempered army officer who committed to paper much of what others had told him before his untimely death. The first of his tales, which was related to him by Lieutenant-Colonel I. L. P., takes place among the garrison stationed in the village of N——. At the outset, so the story goes, all present in the garrison are awed and mystified by one Silvio; generous without any thought of recompense, he has retired at an early age from the hussars and exists on an uncertain income. His skill at pistol shooting has taken on nearly legendary proportions. It is said that he can take a loaded pistol and shoot a fly dead from across a room. Already rumors are current that he is troubled by some past dueling incident.
More enigmatic is Silvio's curt dismissal of an episode that the others consider to be manifestly grounds for a duel. During a game of cards, another officer, Lieutenant R——, twice challenges Silvio's scorekeeping, and thus, his reckoning of the money stakes; after two silent rebuffs, he hurls a candlestick at their host. In a cold fury, Silvio demands that he leave. The others expect a formal test of honor and are greatly surprised when Silvio later accepts a slight apology.
One day Silvio receives a letter and immediately begins to pack his possessions. He holds a final dinner for the regiment, and afterward he requests the narrator to stay behind. Pallid, preoccupied, but with devilish coolness, Silvio remarks on the general puzzlement when he did not duel with the unruly officer. Then he informs his guest that six years before, he had fought another hussar, who was also left alive. He shows the narrator a red cap from his previous regiment, with a bullet hole above the forehead.
Embarking on his story, Silvio recounts how he was stationed in a garrison town on the frontier; among his comrades he enjoyed an unrivaled reputation for gallantry, drinking capacity, and dueling skill. A newcomer to the regiment, Count B——, from a well-born family, outdid Silvio in cleverness and was more successful with the ladies. At a formal ball, Silvio sought out his rival and whispered an insult into his ear. When the count slapped his face, a duel was arranged for the following dawn. At the appointed place, his opponent, calmly eating cherries, put the first shot through Silvio's cap. Perturbed beyond measure by the other's nonchalant impudence, Silvio elected not to continue. He has now received an announcement of the other's betrothal to a young and beautiful lady in Moscow.
Following the telling of Silvio's story, five years pass. The narrator has moved to R——, another country village. A nobleman has purchased an estate in the area, and when the narrator comes calling, he is struck by the opulent furnishings. His attention is drawn to a painting of a Swiss scene, with two bullet holes in it right against each other. When the conversation turns to pistol shooting, the narrator lets slip Silvio's name; Count B——,for it is he, is thunderstruck. He completes the story of the interrupted duel. Quite unexpectedly, Silvio appeared at the estate, dusty from a long ride, and demanded of the count the shot he had not taken before. Then, unwilling to fire on an unarmed man, Silvio proposed that they draw lots; with a diabolical smile that the count shall never forget, he announced that, as before, his opponent had the first shot.
Unnerved, the count sent his bullet into the picture. Silvio took aim just as Masha, the count's wife, entered the room. Wildly he proclaimed the entire confrontation a joke—just as the original duel and the count's errant shot had been in jest. Then, taking heed of the count's visible consternation, he paused for a moment and pronounced himself satisfied; he measurably struck fear into his adversary, and that will always remain on the count's conscience. As Masha fell into a faint, Silvio turned to go; then, at the doorway, he drew back his pistol and almost effortlessly sent a second bullet into the picture beside the first shot. The narrator has also heard somewhere that, on the outbreak of the Greek revolution, Silvio commanded a detachment of volunteers and was killed in action against Ottoman forces.