The most highly acclaimed of Pushkin's works, this 1831 romance depicts a post-Napoleonic society in which a jaded young aristocrat rejects the love of a country maiden. Adapted by Tchaikovsky for his opera, this classic tale appears in an outstanding translation that reproduces the 14-line stanza format of the original. Evocative lithographs grace the start of each chapter, and extensive supplements include an introduction, notes, and an appendix.