a hero of our time-第14节

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to　the　blind　boy　and　sat　down　beside　him。　At　times　the　wind　wafted　their　conversation　to　me。

〃Well？〃　said　a　woman's　voice。　〃The　storm　is　violent；　Yanko　will　not　be　here。〃

〃Yanko　is　not　afraid　of　the　storm！〃　the　other　replied。

〃The　mist　is　thickening；〃　rejoined　the　woman's　voice；　sadness　in　its　tone。

〃In　the　mist　it　is　all　the　easier　to　slip　past　the　guardships；〃　was　the　answer。

〃And　if　he　is　drowned？〃

〃Well；　what　then？　On　Sunday　you　won't　have　a　new　ribbon　to　go　to　church　in。〃

An　interval　of　silence　followed。　One　thing；　however；　struck　me　　in　talking　to　me　the　blind　boy　spoke　in　the　Little　Russian　dialect；　but　now　he　was　expressing　himself　in　pure　Russian。

〃You　see；　I　am　right！〃　the　blind　boy　went　on；　clapping　his　hands。　〃Yanko　is　not　afraid　of　sea；　nor　winds；　nor　mist；　nor　coastguards！　Just　listen！　That　is　not　the　water　plashing；　you　can't　deceive　me　　it　is　his　long　oars。〃

The　woman　sprang　up　and　began　anxiously　to　gaze　into　the　distance。

〃You　are　raving！〃　she　said。　〃I　cannot　see　anything。〃

I　confess　that；　much　as　I　tried　to　make　out　in　the　distance　something　resembling　a　boat；　my　efforts　were　unsuccessful。　About　ten　minutes　passed　thus；　when　a　black　speck　appeared　between　the　mountains　of　the　waves！　At　one　time　it　grew　larger；　at　another　smaller。　Slowly　rising　upon　the　crests　of　the　waves　and　swiftly　de…　scending　from　them；　the　boat　drew　near　to　the　shore。

〃He　must　be　a　brave　sailor；〃　I　thought；　〃to　have　determined　to　cross　the　twenty　versts　of　strait　on　a　night　like　this；　and　he　must　have　had　a　weighty　reason　for　doing　so。〃

Reflecting　thus；　I　gazed　with　an　involuntary　beating　of　the　heart　at　the　poor　boat。　It　dived　like　a　duck；　and　then；　with　rapidly　swinging　oars　　like　wings　　it　sprang　forth　from　the　abyss　amid　the　splashes　of　the　foam。　〃Ah！〃　I　thought；　〃it　will　be　dashed　against　the　shore　with　all　its　force　and　broken　to　pieces！〃　But　it　turned　aside　adroitly　and　leaped　unharmed　into　a　little　creek。　Out　of　it　stepped　a　man　of　medium　height；　wearing　a　Tartar　sheepskin　cap。　He　waved　his　hand；　and　all　three　set　to　work　to　drag　something　out　of　the　boat。　The　cargo　was　so　large　that；　to　this　day；　I　cannot　understand　how　it　was　that　the　boat　did　not　sink。

Each　of　them　shouldered　a　bundle；　and　they　set　off　along　the　shore；　and　I　soon　lost　sight　of　them。　I　had　to　return　home；　but　I　confess　I　was　rendered　uneasy　by　all　these　strange　happenings；　and　I　found　it　hard　to　await　the　morning。

My　Cossack　was　very　much　astonished　when；　on　waking　up；　he　saw　me　fully　dressed。　I　did　not；　however；　tell　him　the　reason。　For　some　time　I　stood　at　the　window；　gazing　admiringly　at　the　blue　sky　all　studded　with　wisps　of　cloud；　and　at　the　distant　shore　of　the　Crimea；　stretching　out　in　a　lilac…coloured　streak　and　ending　in　a　cliff；　on　the　summit　of　which　the　white　tower　of　the　lighthouse　was　gleaming。　Then　I　betook　myself　to　the　fortress；　Phanagoriya；　in　order　to　ascertain　from　the　Commandant　at　what　hour　I　should　depart　for　Gelenjik。

But　the　Commandant；　alas！　could　not　give　me　any　definite　information。　The　vessels　lying　in　the　harbour　were　all　either　guard…ships　or　merchant…vessels　which　had　not　yet　even　begun　to　take　in　lading。

〃Maybe　in　about　three　or　four　days'　time　a　mail…boat　will　come　in；〃　said　the　Commandant；　〃and　then　we　shall　see。〃

I　returned　home　sulky　and　wrathful。　My　Cossack　met　me　at　the　door　with　a　frightened　countenance。

〃Things　are　looking　bad；　sir！〃　he　said。

〃Yes；　my　friend；　goodness　only　knows　when　we　shall　get　away！〃

Hereupon　he　became　still　more　uneasy；　and；　bending　towards　me；　he　said　in　a　whisper：

〃It　is　uncanny　here！　I　met　an　under…officer　from　the　Black　Sea　to…day　　he's　an　acquaintance　of　mine　　he　was　in　my　detachment　last　year。　When　I　told　him　where　we　were　staying；　he　said；　'That　place　is　uncanny；　old　fellow；　they're　wicked　people　there！'　。　。　。　And；　indeed；　what　sort　of　a　blind　boy　is　that？　He　goes　everywhere　alone；　to　fetch　water　and　to　buy　bread　at　the　bazaar。　It　is　evident　they　have　become　accus…　tomed　to　that　sort　of　thing　here。〃

〃Well；　what　then？　Tell　me；　though；　has　the　mistress　of　the　place　put　in　an　appear…　ance？〃

〃During　your　absence　to…day；　an　old　woman　and　her　daughter　arrived。〃

〃What　daughter？　She　has　no　daughter！〃

〃Goodness　knows　who　it　can　be　if　it　isn't　her　daughter；　but　the　old　woman　is　sitting　over　there　in　the　hut　now。〃

I　entered　the　hovel。　A　blazing　fire　was　burning　in　the　stove；　and　they　were　cooking　a　dinner　which　struck　me　as　being　a　rather　luxurious　one　for　poor　people。　To　all　my　questions　the　old　woman　replied　that　she　was　deaf　and　could　not　hear　me。　There　was　nothing　to　be　got　out　of　her。　I　turned　to　the　blind　boy　who　was　sitting　in　front　of　the　stove；　putting　twigs　into　the　fire。

〃Now；　then；　you　little　blind　devil；〃　I　said；　taking　him　by　the　ear。　〃Tell　me；　where　were　you　roaming　with　the　bundle　last　night；　eh？〃

The　blind　boy　suddenly　burst　out　weeping；　shrieking　and　wailing。

〃Where　did　I　go？　I　did　not　go　anywhere。　。　。　With　the　bundle？。　。　。　What　bundle？〃

This　time　the　old　woman　heard；　and　she　began　to　mutter：

〃Hark　at　them　plotting；　and　against　a　poor　boy　too！　What　are　you　touching　him　for？　What　has　he　done　to　you？〃

I　had　enough　of　it；　and　went　out；　firmly　resolved　to　find　the　key　to　the　riddle。

I　wrapped　myself　up　in　my　felt　cloak　and；　sitting　down　on　a　rock　by　the　fence；　gazed　into　the　distance。　Before　me　stretched　the　sea；　agitated　by　the　storm　of　the　previous　night；　and　its　monotonous　roar；　like　the　murmur　of　a　town　over　which　slumber　is　beginning　to　creep；　recalled　bygone　years　to　my　mind；　and　trans…　ported　my　thoughts　northward　to　our　cold　Capital。　Agitated　by　my　recollections；　I　became　oblivious　of　my　surroundings。

About　an　hour　passed　thus；　perhaps　even　longer。　Suddenly　something　resembling　a　song　struck　upon　my　ear。　It　was　a　song；　and　the　voice　was　a　woman's；　young　and　fresh　　but；　where　was　it　coming　from？。　。　。　I　listened；　it　was　a　harmonious　melody　　now　long…drawn…　out　and　plaintive；　now　swift　and　lively。　I　looked　around　me　　there　was　nobody　to　be　seen。　I　listened　again　　the　sounds　seemed　to　be　falling　from　the　sky。　I　raised　my　eyes。　On　the　roof　of　my　cabin　was　standing　a　young　girl　in　a　striped　dress　and　with　her　hair　hanging　loose　　a　regular　water…nymph。　Shading　her　eyes　from　the　sun's　rays　with　the　palm　of　her　hand；　she　was　gazing　intently　into　the　distance。　At　one　time；　she　would　laugh　and　talk　to　herself；　at　another；　she　would　strike　up　her　song　anew。

I　have　retained　that　song　in　my　memory；　word　for　word：


　　　　　At　their　own　free　will

　　　　　They　seem　to　wander

　　　　　O'er　the　green　sea　yonder；

　　　　　Those　ships；　as　still

　　　　　They　are　onward　going；

　　　　　With　white　sails　flowing。


　　　　　And　among　those　ships

　　　　　My　eye　can　mark

　　　　　My　own　dear　barque：

　　　　　By　two　oars　guided

　　　　　（All　unprovided

　　　　　With　sails）　it　slips。


　　　　　The　storm…wind　raves：

　　　　　And　the　old　ships　　see！

　　　　　With　wings　spread　free；

　　　　　Over　the　waves

　　　　　They　scatter　and　flee！


　　　　　The　sea　I　will　hail

　　　　　With　obeisance　deep：

　　　　　〃Thou　base　one；　hark！

　　　　　Thou　must　not　fail

　　　　　My　little　barque

　　　　　From　harm　to　keep！〃


　　　　　For　lo！　'tis　bearing

　　　　　Most　precious　gear；

　　　　　And　brave　and　daring

　　　　　The　arms　that　steer

　　　　　Within　the　dark

　　　　　My　little　barque。


Involuntarily　the　thought　occurred　to　me　that　I　had　heard　the　same　voice　the　night　before。　I　reflected　for　a　moment；　and　when　I　looked　up　at　the　roof　again　there　was　no　girl　to　be　seen。　Suddenly　she　darted　past　me；　with　another　song　on　her　lips；　and；　snapping　her　fingers；　she　ran　up　to　the　old　woman。　Thereupon　a　quarrel　arose　between　them。　The　old　woman　grew　angry；　and　the　girl　laughed　loudly。　And　then　I　saw　my　Undine　running　and　gambolling　again。　She　came　up　to　where　I　was；　stopped；　and　gazed　fixedly　into　my　face　as　if　surprised　at　my　presence。　Then　she　turned　carelessly　away　and　went　quietly　towards　the　harbour。　But　this　was　not　all。　The　whole　day　she　kept　hovering　around　my　lodging；　singing　and　gambolling　without　a　moment's　interruption。　Strange　creature！　There　was　not　the　slightest　sign　of　insanity　in　her　face；　on　the　contrary；　her　eyes；　which　were　continually　resting　upon　me；　were　bright　and　piercing。　Moreover；　they　seemed　to　be　endowed　with　a　certain　magnetic　power；　and　each　time　they　looked　at　me　they　appeared　to　be　expecting　a　question。　But　I　had　only　to　open　my　lips　to　speak；　and　away　she　would　run；　with　a　sly　smile。

Certainly　never　before　had　I　seen　a　woman　like　her。　She　was　by　no　means　beautiful；　but；　as　in　other　matters；　I　have　my　own　prepossessions　on　the　subject　of　beauty。　There　was　a　good　deal　of　breeding　in　her。　。　。　Breeding　in　women；　as　in　horses；　is　a　great　thing：　a　discovery；　the　credit　of　which　belongs　to　young　France。　It　　that　is　to　say；　breeding；　not　young　France　　is　chiefly　to　be　detected　in　the　gait；　in　the　hands　and　feet；　the　nose；　in　particular；　is　of　the　greatest　significance。　In　Russia　a　straight　nose　is　rarer　than　a　small　foot。

My　songstress　appeared　to　be　not　more　than　eighteen　years　of　age。　The　unusual　suppleness　of　her　figure；　the　characteristic　and　original　way　she　had　of　inclining　her　head；　her　long；　light…brown　hair；　the　g