the wife and other stories-第10节

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〃Eccellenza；〃　said　Sobol　solemnly；　〃just　look　at　nature　about　us：　if　you　poke　your　nose　or　your　ear　out　of　your　fur　collar　it　will　be　frost…bitten；　stay　in　the　fields　for　one　hour；　you'll　be　buried　in　the　snow；　while　the　village　is　just　the　same　as　in　the　days　of　Rurik；　the　same　Petchenyegs　and　Polovtsi。　It's　nothing　but　being　burnt　down；　starving；　and　struggling　against　nature　in　every　way。　What　was　I　saying？　Yes！　If　one　thinks　about　it；　you　know；　looks　into　it　and　analyses　all　this　hotchpotch；　if　you　will　allow　me　to　call　it　so；　it's　not　life　but　more　like　a　fire　in　a　theatre！　Any　one　who　falls　down　or　screams　with　terror；　or　rushes　about；　is　the　worst　enemy　of　good　order；　one　must　stand　up　and　look　sharp；　and　not　stir　a　hair！　There's　no　time　for　whimpering　and　busying　oneself　with　trifles。　When　you　have　to　deal　with　elemental　forces　you　must　put　out　force　against　them；　be　firm　and　as　unyielding　as　a　stone。　Isn't　that　right；　grandfather？〃　He　turned　to　Ivan　Ivanitch　and　laughed。　〃I　am　no　better　than　a　woman　myself；　I　am　a　limp　rag；　a　flabby　creature；　so　I　hate　flabbiness。　I　can't　endure　petty　feelings！　One　mopes；　another　is　frightened；　a　third　will　come　straight　in　here　and　say：　'Fie　on　you！　Here　you've　guzzled　a　dozen　courses　and　you　talk　about　the　starving！'　That's　petty　and　stupid！　A　fourth　will　reproach　you；　Eccellenza；　for　being　rich。　Excuse　me；　Eccellenza；〃　he　went　on　in　a　loud　voice；　laying　his　hand　on　his　heart；　〃but　your　having　set　our　magistrate　the　task　of　hunting　day　and　night　for　your　thieves　　excuse　me；　that's　also　petty　on　your　part。　I　am　a　little　drunk；　so　that's　why　I　say　this　now；　but　you　know；　it　is　petty！〃

〃Who's　asking　him　to　worry　himself？　I　don't　understand！〃　I　said；　getting　up。

I　suddenly　felt　unbearably　ashamed　and　mortified；　and　I　walked　round　the　table。

〃Who　asks　him　to　worry　himself？　I　didn't　ask　him　to。　。　。　。　Damn　him！〃

〃They　have　arrested　three　men　and　let　them　go　again。　They　turned　out　not　to　be　the　right　ones；　and　now　they　are　looking　for　a　fresh　lot；〃　said　Sobol；　laughing。　〃It's　too　bad！〃

〃I　did　not　ask　him　to　worry　himself；〃　said　I；　almost　crying　with　excitement。　〃What's　it　all　for？　What's　it　all　for？　Well；　supposing　I　was　wrong；　supposing　I　have　done　wrong；　why　do　they　try　to　put　me　more　in　the　wrong？〃

〃Come；　come；　come；　come！〃　said　Sobol；　trying　to　soothe　me。　〃Come！　I　have　had　a　drop；　that　is　why　I　said　it。　My　tongue　is　my　enemy。　Come；〃　he　sighed；　〃we　have　eaten　and　drunk　wine；　and　now　for　a　nap。〃

He　got　up　from　the　table；　kissed　Ivan　Ivanitch　on　the　head；　and　staggering　from　repletion；　went　out　of　the　dining…room。　Ivan　Ivanitch　and　I　smoked　in　silence。

I　don't　sleep　after　dinner；　my　dear；〃　said　Ivan　Ivanitch；　〃but　you　have　a　rest　in　the　lounge…room。〃

I　agreed。　In　the　half…dark　and　warmly　heated　room　they　called　the　lounge…room；　there　stood　against　the　walls　long；　wide　sofas；　solid　and　heavy；　the　work　of　Butyga　the　cabinet　maker；　on　them　lay　high；　soft；　white　beds；　probably　made　by　the　old　woman　in　spectacles。　On　one　of　them　Sobol；　without　his　coat　and　boots；　already　lay　asleep　with　his　face　to　the　back　of　the　sofa；　another　bed　was　awaiting　me。　I　took　off　my　coat　and　boots；　and；　overcome　by　fatigue；　by　the　spirit　of　Butyga　which　hovered　over　the　quiet　lounge…room；　and　by　the　light；　caressing　snore　of　Sobol；　I　lay　down　submissively。

And　at　once　I　began　dreaming　of　my　wife；　of　her　room；　of　the　station…master　with　his　face　full　of　hatred；　the　heaps　of　snow；　a　fire　in　the　theatre。　I　dreamed　of　the　peasants　who　had　stolen　twenty　sacks　of　rye　out　of　my　barn。

〃Anyway；　it's　a　good　thing　the　magistrate　let　them　go；〃　I　said。

I　woke　up　at　the　sound　of　my　own　voice；　looked　for　a　moment　in　perplexity　at　Sobol's　broad　back；　at　the　buckles　of　his　waistcoat；　at　his　thick　heels；　then　lay　down　again　and　fell　asleep。

When　I　woke　up　the　second　time　it　was　quite　dark。　Sobol　was　asleep。　There　was　peace　in　my　heart；　and　I　longed　to　make　haste　home。　I　dressed　and　went　out　of　the　lounge…room。　Ivan　Ivanitch　was　sitting　in　a　big　arm…chair　in　his　study；　absolutely　motionless；　staring　at　a　fixed　point；　and　it　was　evident　that　he　had　been　in　the　same　state　of　petrifaction　all　the　while　I　had　been　asleep。

〃Good！〃　I　said；　yawning。　〃I　feel　as　though　I　had　woken　up　after　breaking　the　fast　at　Easter。　I　shall　often　come　and　see　you　now。　Tell　me；　did　my　wife　ever　dine　here？〃

〃So…ome…ti…mes　。　。　。　sometimes；〃'　muttered　Ivan　Ivanitch；　making　an　effort　to　stir。　〃She　dined　here　last　Saturday。　Yes。　。　。　。　She　likes　me。〃

After　a　silence　I　said：

〃Do　you　remember；　Ivan　Ivanitch；　you　told　me　I　had　a　disagreeable　character　and　that　it　was　difficult　to　get　on　with　me？　But　what　am　I　to　do　to　make　my　character　different？〃

〃I　don't　know；　my　dear　boy。　。　。　。　I'm　a　feeble　old　man；　I　can't　advise　you。　。　。　。　Yes。　。　。　。　But　I　said　that　to　you　at　the　time　because　I　am　fond　of　you　and　fond　of　your　wife；　and　I　was　fond　of　your　father。　。　。　。　Yes。　I　shall　soon　die；　and　what　need　have　I　to　conceal　things　from　you　or　to　tell　you　lies？　So　I　tell　you：　I　am　very　fond　of　you；　but　I　don't　respect　you。　No；　I　don't　respect　you。〃

He　turned　towards　me　and　said　in　a　breathless　whisper：

〃It's　impossible　to　respect　you；　my　dear　fellow。　You　look　like　a　real　man。　You　have　the　figure　and　deportment　of　the　French　President　Carnot　　I　saw　a　portrait　of　him　the　other　day　in　an　illustrated　paper　。　。　。　yes。　。　。　。　You　use　lofty　language；　and　you　are　clever；　and　you　are　high　up　in　the　service　beyond　all　reach；　but　haven't　real　soul；　my　dear　boy　。　。　。　there's　no　strength　in　it。〃

〃A　Scythian；　in　fact；〃　I　laughed。　〃But　what　about　my　wife？　Tell　me　something　about　my　wife；　you　know　her　better。〃

I　wanted　to　talk　about　my　wife；　but　Sobol　came　in　and　prevented　me。

〃I've　had　a　sleep　and　a　wash；〃　he　said；　looking　at　me　naively。　〃I'll　have　a　cup　of　tea　with　some　rum　in　it　and　go　home。〃

VII

It　was　by　now　past　seven。　Besides　Ivan　Ivanitch；　women　servants；　the　old　dame　in　spectacles；　the　little　girls　and　the　peasant；　all　accompanied　us　from　the　hall　out　on　to　the　steps；　wishing　us　good…bye　and　all　sorts　of　blessings；　while　near　the　horses　in　the　darkness　there　were　standing　and　moving　about　men　with　lanterns；　telling　our　coachmen　how　and　which　way　to　drive；　and　wishing　us　a　lucky　journey。　The　horses；　the　men；　and　the　sledges　were　white。

〃Where　do　all　these　people　come　from？〃　I　asked　as　my　three　horses　and　the　doctor's　two　moved　at　a　walking　pace　out　of　the　yard。

〃They　are　all　his　serfs；〃　said　Sobol。　〃The　new　order　has　not　reached　him　yet。　Some　of　the　old　servants　are　living　out　their　lives　with　him；　and　then　there　are　orphans　of　all　sorts　who　have　nowhere　to　go；　there　are　some；　too；　who　insist　on　living　there；　there's　no　turning　them　out。　A　queer　old　man！〃

Again　the　flying　horses；　the　strange　voice　of　drunken　Nikanor；　the　wind　and　the　persistent　snow；　which　got　into　one's　eyes；　one's　mouth；　and　every　fold　of　one's　fur　coat。　。　。　。

〃Well；　I　am　running　a　rig；〃　I　thought；　while　my　bells　chimed　in　with　the　doctor's；　the　wind　whistled；　the　coachmen　shouted；　and　while　this　frantic　uproar　was　going　on；　I　recalled　all　the　details　of　that　strange　wild　day；　unique　in　my　life；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　I　really　had　gone　out　of　my　mind　or　become　a　different　man。　It　was　as　though　the　man　I　had　been　till　that　day　were　already　a　stranger　to　me。

The　doctor　drove　behind　and　kept　talking　loudly　with　his　coachman。　From　time　to　time　he　overtook　me；　drove　side　by　side；　and　always；　with　the　same　naive　confidence　that　it　was　very　pleasant　to　me；　offered　me　a　ci　garette　or　asked　for　the　matches。　Or；　overtaking　me；　he　would　lean　right　out　of　his　sledge；　and　waving　about　the　sleeves　of　his　fur　coat；　which　were　at　least　twice　as　long　as　his　arms；　shout：

〃Go　it；　Vaska！　Beat　the　thousand　roublers！　Hey；　my　kittens！〃

And　to　the　accompaniment　of　loud；　malicious　laughter　from　Sobol　and　his　Vaska　the　doctor's　kittens　raced　ahead。　My　Nikanor　took　it　as　an　affront；　and　held　in　his　three　horses；　but　when　the　doctor's　bells　had　passed　out　of　hearing；　he　raised　his　elbows；　shouted；　and　our　horses　flew　like　mad　in　pursuit。　We　drove　into　a　village；　there　were　glimpses　of　lights；　the　silhouettes　of　huts。　Some　one　shouted：

〃Ah；　the　devils！〃　We　seemed　to　have　galloped　a　mile　and　a　half；　and　still　it　was　the　village　street　and　there　seemed　no　end　to　it。　When　we　caught　up　the　doctor　and　drove　more　quietly；　he　asked　for　matches　and　said：

〃Now　try　and　feed　that　street！　And；　you　know；　there　are　five　streets　like　that；　sir。　Stay；　stay；〃　he　shouted。　〃Turn　in　at　the　tavern！　We　must　get　warm　and　let　the　horses　rest。〃

They　stopped　at　the　tavern。

〃I　have　more　than　one　village　like　that　in　my　district；〃　said　the　doctor；　opening　a　heavy　door　with　a　squeaky　block；　and　ushering　me　in　front　of　him。　〃If　you　look　in　broad　daylight　you　can't　see　to　the　end　of　the　street；　and　there　are　side…streets；　too；　and　one　can　do　nothing　but　scratch　one's　head。　It's　hard　to　do　anything。〃

We　went　into　the　best　room　where　there　was　a　strong　smell　of　table…cloths；　and　at　our　entrance　a　sleepy　peasant　in　a　waistcoat　and　a　shirt　worn　outside　his　trousers　jumped　up　from　a　bench。　Sobol　asked　for　some　beer　and　I　asked　for　tea。

〃It's　hard　to　do　anything；〃　said　Sobol。　〃Your