the moscow census-第24节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


only　home　where　she　had　lived　so　long。　　While　she　was　on　her　way；
resting　at　times；　dusk　descended。　　She　approached　the　gates；　turned
in；　slipped；　groaned　and　fell。

One　man　came　up；　and　then　another。　　〃She　must　be　drunk。〃　　Another　man
came　up；　and　stumbled　over　the　laundress；　and　said　to　the　potter：
〃What　drunken　woman　is　this　wallowing　at　your　gate？　　I　came　near
breaking　my　head　over　her；　take　her　away；　won't　you？〃

The　porter　came。　　The　laundress　was　dead。　　This　is　what　my　friend
told　me。　　It　may　be　thought　that　I　have　wilfully　mixed　up　facts；I
encounter　a　prostitute　of　fifteen；　and　the　story　of　this　laundress。
But　let　no　one　imagine　this；　it　is　exactly　what　happened　in　the
course　of　one　night　（only　I　do　not　remember　which）　in　March；　1884。
And　so；　after　hearing　my　friend's　tale；　I　went　to　the　station…house；
with　the　intention　of　proceeding　thence　to　the　Rzhanoff　house　to
inquire　more　minutely　into　the　history　of　the　laundress。　　The　weather
was　very　beautiful　and　sunny；　and　again；　through　the　stars　of　the
night…frost；　water　was　to　be　seen　trickling　in　the　shade；　and　in　the
glare　of　the　sun　on　Khamovnitchesky　square　every　thing　was　melting；
and　the　water　was　streaming。　　The　river　emitted　a　humming　noise。　　The
trees　of　the　Neskutchny　garden　looked　blue　across　the　river；　the
reddish…brown　sparrows；　invisible　in　winter；　attracted　attention　by
their　sprightliness；　people　also　seemed　desirous　of　being　merry；　but
all　of　them　had　too　many　cares。　　The　sound　of　the　bells　was　audible；
and　at　the　foundation　of　these　mingling　sounds；　the　sounds　of　shots
could　be　heard　from　the　barracks；　the　whistle　of　rifle…balls　and
their　crack　against　the　target。

I　entered　the　station…house。　　In　the　station　some　armed　policemen
conducted　me　to　their　chief。　　He　was　similarly　armed　with　sword　and
pistol；　and　he　was　engaged　in　taking　some　measures　with　regard　to　a
tattered；　trembling　old　man；　who　was　standing　before　him；　and　who
could　not　answer　the　questions　put　to　him；　on　account　of　his
feebleness。　　Having　finished　his　business　with　the　old　man；　he　turned
to　me。　　I　inquired　about　the　girl　of　the　night　before。　　At　first　he
listened　to　me　attentively；　but　afterwards　he　began　to　smile；　at　my
ignorance　of　the　regulations；　in　consequence　of　which　she　had　been
taken　to　the　station…house；　and　particularly　at　my　surprise　at　her
youth。

〃Why；　there　are　plenty　of　them　of　twelve；　thirteen；　or　fourteen　years
of　age；〃　he　said　cheerfully。

But　in　answer　to　my　question　about　the　girl　whom　I　had　seen　on　the
preceding　evening；　he　explained　to　me　that　she　must　have　been　sent　to
the　committee　（so　it　appeared）。　　To　my　question　where　she　had　passed
the　night；　he　replied　in　an　undecided　manner。　　He　did　not　recall　the
one　to　whom　I　referred。　　There　were　so　many　of　them　every　day。

In　No。　32　of　the　Rzhanoff　house　I　found　the　sacristan　already　reading
prayers　over　the　dead　woman。　　They　had　taken　her　to　the　bunk　which
she　had　formerly　occupied；　and　the　lodgers；　all　miserable　beings；　had
collected　money　for　the　masses　for　her　soul；　a　coffin　and　a　shroud；
and　the　old　women　had　dressed　her　and　laid　her　out。　　The　sacristan
was　reading　something　in　the　gloom；　a　woman　in　a　long　wadded　cloak
was　standing　there　with　a　wax　candle；　and　a　man　（a　gentleman；　I　must
state）　in　a　clean　coat　with　a　lamb's…skin　collar；　polished　overshoes；
and　a　starched　shirt；　was　holding　one　like　it。　　This　was　her　brother。
They　had　hunted　him　up。

I　went　past　the　dead　woman　to　the　landlady's　nook；　and　questioned　her
about　the　whole　business。

She　was　alarmed　at　my　queries；　she　was　evidently　afraid　that　she
would　be　blamed　for　something；　but　afterwards　she　began　to　talk
freely；　and　told　me　every　thing。　　As　I　passed　back；　I　glanced　at　the
dead　woman。　　All　dead　people　are　handsome；　but　this　dead　woman　was
particularly　beautiful　and　touching　in　her　coffin；　her　pure；　pale
face；　with　closed　swollen　eyes；　sunken　cheeks；　and　soft　reddish　hair
above　the　lofty　brow；a　weary　and　kind　and　not　a　sad　but　a　surprised
face。　　And　in　fact；　if　the　living　do　not　see；　the　dead　are　surprised。

On　the　same　day　that　I　wrote　the　above；　there　was　a　great　ball　in
Moscow。

That　night　I　left　the　house　at　nine　o'clock。　　I　live　in　a　locality
which　is　surrounded　by　factories；　and　I　left　the　house　after　the
factory…whistles　had　sounded；　releasing　the　people　for　a　day　of
freedom　after　a　week　of　unremitting　toil。

Factory…hands　overtook　me；　and　I　overtook　others　of　them；　directing
their　steps　to　the　drinking…shops　and　taverns。　　Many　were　already
intoxicated；　many　were　women。　　Every　morning　at　five　o'clock　we　can
hear　one　whistle；　a　second；　a　third；　a　tenth；　and　so　forth；　and　so
forth。　　That　means　that　the　toil　of　women；　children；　and　of　old　men
has　begun。　　At　eight　o'clock　another　whistle；　which　signifies　a
breathing…spell　of　half　an　hour。　　At　twelve；　a　third：　　this　means　an
hour　for　dinner。　　And　a　fourth　at　eight；　which　denotes　the　end　of　the
day。

By　an　odd　coincidence；　all　three　of　the　factories　which　are　situated
near　me　produce　only　articles　which　are　in　demand　for　balls。

In　one　factory；　the　nearest；　only　stockings　are　made；　in　another
opposite；　silken　fabrics；　in　the　third；　perfumes　and　pomades。

It　is　possible　to　listen　to　these　whistles；　and　connect　no　other　idea
with　them　than　as　denoting　the　time：　　〃There's　the　whistle　already；
it　is　time　to　go　to　walk。〃　　But　one　can　also　connect　with　those
whistles　that　which　they　signify　in　reality；　that　first　whistle；　at
five　o'clock；　means　that　people；　often　all　without　exception；　both
men　and　women；　sleeping　in　a　damp　cellar；　must　rise；　and　hasten　to
that　building　buzzing　with　machines；　and　must　take　their　places　at
their　work；　whose　end　and　use　for　themselves　they　do　not　see；　and
thus　toil；　often　in　heat　and　a　stifling　atmosphere；　in　the　midst　of
dirt；　and　with　the　very　briefest　breathing…spells；　an　hour；　two
hours；　three　hours；　twelve；　and　even　more　hours　in　succession。　　They
fall　into　a　doze；　and　again　they　rise。　　And　this；　for　them；　senseless
work；　to　which　they　are　driven　only　by　necessity；　is　continued　over
and　over　again。

And　thus　one　week　succeeds　another　with　the　breaks　of　holidays；　and　I
see　these　work…people　released　on　one　of　these　holidays。　　They　emerge
into　the　street。　　Everywhere　there　are　drinking…shops；　taverns；　and
loose　girls。　　And　they；　in　their　drunken　state；　drag　by　the　hand　each
other；　and　girls　like　the　one　whom　I　saw　taken　to　the　station…house；
they　drag　with　them　cabmen；　and　they　ride　and　they　walk　from　one
tavern　to　another；　and　they　curse　and　stagger；　and　say　they
themselves　know　not　what。　　I　had　previously　seen　such　unsteady　gait
on　the　part　of　factory…hands；　and　had　turned　aside　in　disgust；　and
had　been　on　the　point　of　rebuking　them；　but　ever　since　I　have　been　in
the　habit　of　hearing　those　whistles　every　day；　and　understand　their
meaning；　I　am　only　amazed　that　they；　all　the　men；　do　not　come　to　the
condition　of　the　〃golden　squad；〃　of　which　Moscow　is　full；　｛26｝　＇and
the　women　to　the　state　of　the　one　whom　I　had　seen　near　my　house＇。
｛27｝

Thus　I　walked　along；　and　scrutinized　these　factory…hands；　as　long　as
they　roamed　the　streets；　which　was　until　eleven　o'clock。　　Then　their
movements　began　to　calm　down。　　Some　drunken　men　remained　here　and
there；　and　here　and　there　I　encountered　men　who　were　being　taken　to
the　station…house。　　And　then　carriages　began　to　make　their　appearance
on　all　sides；　directing　their　course　toward　one　point。

On　the　box　sits　a　coachman；　sometimes　in　a　sheepskin　coat；　and　a
footman；　a　dandy；　with　a　cockade。　　Well…fed　horses　in　saddle…cloths
fly　through　the　frost　at　the　rate　of　twenty　versts　an　hour；　in　the
carriages　sit　ladies　muffled　in　round　cloaks；　and　carefully　tending
their　flowers　and　head…dresses。　　Every　thing　from　the　horse…
trappings；　the　carriages；　the　gutta…percha　wheels；　the　cloth　of　the
coachman's　coat；　to　the　stockings；　shoes；　flowers；　velvet；　gloves；
and　perfumes；every　thing　is　made　by　those　people；　some　of　whom
often　roll　drunk　into　their　dens　or　sleeping…rooms；　and　some　stay
with　disreputable　women　in　the　night…lodging　houses；　while　still
others　are　put　in　jail。　　Thus　past　them　in　all　their　work；　and　over
them　all；　ride　the　frequenters　of　balls；　and　it　never　enters　their
heads；　that　there　is　any　connection　between　these　balls　to　which　they
make　ready　to　go；　and　these　drunkards　at　whom　their　coachman　shouts
so　roughly。

These　people　enjoy　themselves　at　the　ball　with　the　utmost　composure
of　spirit；　and　assurance　that　they　are　doing　nothing　wrong；　but
something　very　good。　　Enjoy　themselves！　　Enjoy　themselves　from　eleven
o'clock　until　six　in　the　morning；　in　the　very　dead　of　night；　at　the
very　hour　when　people　are　tossing　and　turning　with　empty　stomachs　in
the　night…lodging　houses；　and　while　some　are　dying；　as　did　the
laundress。

Their　enjoyment　consists　in　this；that　the　women　and　young　girls；
having　bared　their　necks　and　arms；　and　applied　bustles　behind；　place
themselves　in　a　situation　in　which　no　uncorrupted　woman　or　maiden
would　care　to　display　herself　to　a　man；　on　any　consideration　in　the
world；　and　in　this　half…naked　condition；　with　their　uncovered　bosoms
exposed　to　view；　with　arms　bare