the wife and other stories-第3节

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the　hungry。　Yes　。　。　。　hunger　stupefies　and　maddens　a　man　and　makes　him　savage；　hunger　is　not　a　potato。　When　a　man　is　starving　he　uses　bad　language；　and　steals；　and　may　do　worse。　。　。　。　One　must　realize　that。〃

Ivan　Ivanitch　choked　over　his　tea；　coughed；　and　shook　all　over　with　a　squeaky；　smothered　laughter。

〃　'There　was　a　battle　at　Pol　。　。　。　Poltava；'　〃　he　brought　out；　gesticulating　with　both　hands　in　protest　against　the　laughter　and　coughing　which　prevented　him　from　speaking。　〃　'There　was　a　battle　at　Poltava！'　When　three　years　after　the　Emancipation　we　had　famine　in　two　districts　here；　Fyodor　Fyodoritch　came　and　invited　me　to　go　to　him。　'Come　along；　come　along；'　he　persisted；　and　nothing　else　would　satisfy　him。　'Very　well；　let　us　go；'　I　said。　And；　so　we　set　off。　It　was　in　the　evening；　there　was　snow　falling。　Towards　night　we　were　getting　near　his　place；　and　suddenly　from　the　wood　came　'bang！'　and　another　time　'bang！'　'Oh；　damn　it　all！'　。　。　。　I　jumped　out　of　the　sledge；　and　I　saw　in　the　darkness　a　man　running　up　to　me；　knee…deep　in　the　snow。　I　put　my　arm　round　his　shoulder；　like　this；　and　knocked　the　gun　out　of　his　hand。　Then　another　one　turned　up；　I　fetched　him　a　knock　on　the　back　of　his　head　so　that　he　grunted　and　flopped　with　his　nose　in　the　snow。　I　was　a　sturdy　chap　then；　my　fist　was　heavy；　I　disposed　of　two　of　them；　and　when　I　turned　round　Fyodor　was　sitting　astride　of　a　third。　We　did　not　let　our　three　fine　fellows　go；　we　tied　their　hands　behind　their　backs　so　that　they　might　not　do　us　or　themselves　any　harm；　and　took　the　fools　into　the　kitchen。　We　were　angry　with　them　and　at　the　same　time　ashamed　to　look　at　them；　they　were　peasants　we　knew；　and　were　good　fellows；　we　were　sorry　for　them。　They　were　quite　stupid　with　terror。　One　was　crying　and　begging　our　pardon；　the　second　looked　like　a　wild　beast　and　kept　swearing；　the　third　knelt　down　and　began　to　pray。　I　said　to　Fedya：　'Don't　bear　them　a　grudge；　let　them　go；　the　rascals！'　He　fed　them；　gave　them　a　bushel　of　flour　each；　and　let　them　go：　'Get　along　with　you；'　he　said。　So　that's　what　he　did。。　。　。　The　Kingdom　of　Heaven　be　his　and　everlasting　peace！　He　understood　and　did　not　bear　them　a　grudge；　but　there　were　some　who　did；　and　how　many　people　they　ruined！　Yes。　。　。　Why；　over　the　affair　at　the　Klotchkovs'　tavern　eleven　men　were　sent　to　the　disciplinary　battalion。　Yes。　。　。　。　And　now；　look；　it's　the　same　thing。　Anisyin；　the　investigating　magistrate；　stayed　the　night　with　me　last　Thursday；　and　he　told　me　about　some　landowner。　。　。　。　Yes。　。　。　。　They　took　the　wall　of　his　barn　to　pieces　at　night　and　carried　off　twenty　sacks　of　rye。　When　the　gentleman　heard　that　such　a　crime　had　been　committed；　he　sent　a　telegram　to　the　Governor　and　another　to　the　police　captain；　another　to　the　investigating　magistrate！　。　。　。　Of　course；　every　one　is　afraid　of　a　man　who　is　fond　of　litigation。　The　authorities　were　in　a　flutter　and　there　was　a　general　hubbub。　Two　villages　were　searched。〃

〃Excuse　me；　Ivan　Ivanitch；〃　I　said。　〃Twenty　sacks　of　rye　were　stolen　from　me；　and　it　was　I　who　telegraphed　to　the　Governor。　I　telegraphed　to　Petersburg；　too。　But　it　was　by　no　means　out　of　love　for　litigation；　as　you　are　pleased　to　express　it；　and　not　because　I　bore　them　a　grudge。　I　look　at　every　subject　from　the　point　of　view　of　principle。　From　the　point　of　view　of　the　law；　theft　is　the　same　whether　a　man　is　hungry　or　not。〃

〃Yes；　yes。　。　。〃　muttered　Ivan　Ivanitch　in　confusion。　〃Of　course。　。　。　To　be　sure；　yes。〃

Natalya　Gavrilovna　blushed。

〃There　are　people。　。　。〃　she　said　and　stopped；　she　made　an　effort　to　seem　indifferent；　but　she　could　not　keep　it　up；　and　looked　into　my　eyes　with　the　hatred　that　I　know　so　well。　〃There　are　people；〃　she　said；　〃for　whom　famine　and　human　suffering　exist　simply　that　they　may　vent　their　hateful　and　despicable　temperaments　upon　them。〃

I　was　confused　and　shrugged　my　shoulders。

〃I　meant　to　say　generally；〃　she　went　on；　〃that　there　are　people　who　are　quite　indifferent　and　completely　devoid　of　all　feeling　of　sympathy；　yet　who　do　not　pass　human　suffering　by；　but　insist　on　meddling　for　fear　people　should　be　able　to　do　without　them。　Nothing　is　sacred　for　their　vanity。〃

〃There　are　people；〃　I　said　softly；　〃who　have　an　angelic　character；　but　who　express　their　glorious　ideas　in　such　a　form　that　it　is　difficult　to　distinguish　the　angel　from　an　Odessa　market…woman。〃

I　must　confess　it　was　not　happily　expressed。

My　wife　looked　at　me　as　though　it　cost　her　a　great　effort　to　hold　her　tongue。　Her　sudden　outburst；　and　then　her　inappropriate　eloquence　on　the　subject　of　my　desire　to　help　the　famine…stricken　peasants；　were；　to　say　the　least；　out　of　place；　when　I　had　invited　her　to　come　upstairs　I　had　expected　quite　a　different　attitude　to　me　and　my　intentions。　I　cannot　say　definitely　what　I　had　expected；　but　I　had　been　agreeably　agitated　by　the　expectation。　Now　I　saw　that　to　go　on　speaking　about　the　famine　would　be　difficult　and　perhaps　stupid。

〃Yes　。　。　。〃　Ivan　Ivanitch　muttered　inappropriately。　〃Burov；　the　merchant；　must　have　four　hundred　thousand　at　least。　I　said　to　him：　'Hand　over　one　or　two　thousand　to　the　famine。　You　can't　take　it　with　you　when　you　die；　anyway。'　He　was　offended。　But　we　all　have　to　die；　you　know。　Death　is　not　a　potato。〃

A　silence　followed　again。

〃So　there's　nothing　left　for　me　but　to　reconcile　myself　to　loneliness；〃　I　sighed。　〃One　cannot　fight　single…handed。　Well；　I　will　try　single…handed。　Let　us　hope　that　my　campaign　against　the　famine　will　be　more　successful　than　my　campaign　against　indifference。〃

〃I　am　expected　downstairs；〃　said　Natalya　Gavrilovna。

She　got　up　from　the　table　and　turned　to　Ivan　Ivanitch。

〃So　you　will　look　in　upon　me　downstairs　for　a　minute？　I　won't　say　good…bye　to　you。〃

And　she　went　away。

Ivan　Ivanitch　was　now　drinking　his　seventh　glass　of　tea；　choking；　smacking　his　lips；　and　sucking　sometimes　his　moustache；　sometimes　the　lemon。　He　was　muttering　something　drowsily　and　listlessly；　and　I　did　not　listen　but　waited　for　him　to　go。　At　last；　with　an　expression　that　suggested　that　he　had　only　come　to　me　to　take　a　cup　of　tea；　he　got　up　and　began　to　take　leave。　As　I　saw　him　out　I　said：

〃And　so　you　have　given　me　no　advice。〃

〃Eh？　I　am　a　feeble；　stupid　old　man；〃　he　answered。　〃What　use　would　my　advice　be？　You　shouldn't　worry　yourself。　。　。　。　I　really　don't　know　why　you　worry　yourself。　Don't　disturb　yourself；　my　dear　fellow！　Upon　my　word；　there's　no　need；〃　he　whispered　genuinely　and　affectionately；　soothing　me　as　though　I　were　a　child。　〃Upon　my　word；　there's　no　need。〃

〃No　need？　Why；　the　peasants　are　pulling　the　thatch　off　their　huts；　and　they　say　there　is　typhus　somewhere　already。〃

〃Well；　what　of　it？　If　there　are　good　crops　next　year；　they'll　thatch　them　again；　and　if　we　die　of　typhus　others　will　live　after　us。　Anyway；　we　have　to　die　　if　not　now；　later。　Don't　worry　yourself；　my　dear。〃

〃I　can't　help　worrying　myself；〃　I　said　irritably。

We　were　standing　in　the　dimly　lighted　vestibule。　Ivan　Ivanitch　suddenly　took　me　by　the　elbow；　and；　preparing　to　say　something　evidently　very　important；　looked　at　me　in　silence　for　a　couple　of　minutes。

〃Pavel　Andreitch！〃　he　said　softly；　and　suddenly　in　his　puffy；　set　face　and　dark　eyes　there　was　a　gleam　of　the　expression　for　which　he　had　once　been　famous　and　which　was　truly　charming。　〃Pavel　Andreitch；　I　speak　to　you　as　a　friend：　try　to　be　different！　One　is　ill　at　ease　with　you；　my　dear　fellow；　one　really　is！〃

He　looked　intently　into　my　face；　the　charming　expression　faded　away；　his　eyes　grew　dim　again；　and　he　sniffed　and　muttered　feebly：

〃Yes；　yes。　。　。　。　Excuse　an　old　man。　。　。　。　It's　all　nonsense　。　。　。　yes。〃

As　he　slowly　descended　the　staircase；　spreading　out　his　hands　to　balance　himself　and　showing　me　his　huge；　bulky　back　and　red　neck；　he　gave　me　the　unpleasant　impression　of　a　sort　of　crab。

〃You　ought　to　go　away；　your　Excellency；〃　he　muttered。　〃To　Petersburg　or　abroad。　。　。　。　Why　should　you　live　here　and　waste　your　golden　days？　You　are　young；　wealthy；　and　healthy。　。　。　。　Yes。　。　。　。　Ah；　if　I　were　younger　I　would　whisk　away　like　a　hare；　and　snap　my　fingers　at　everything。〃

III

My　wife's　outburst　reminded　me　of　our　married　life　together。　In　old　days　after　every　such　outburst　we　felt　irresistibly　drawn　to　each　other；　we　would　meet　and　let　off　all　the　dynamite　that　had　accumulated　in　our　souls。　And　now　after　Ivan　Ivanitch　had　gone　away　I　had　a　strong　impulse　to　go　to　my　wife。　I　wanted　to　go　downstairs　and　tell　her　that　her　behaviour　at　tea　had　been　an　insult　to　me；　that　she　was　cruel；　petty；　and　that　her　plebeian　mind　had　never　risen　to　a　comprehension　of　what　_I_　was　saying　and　of　what　_I_　was　doing。　I　walked　about　the　rooms　a　long　time　thinking　of　what　I　would　say　to　her　and　trying　to　guess　what　she　would　say　to　me。

That　evening；　after　Ivan　Ivanitch　went　away；　I　felt　in　a　peculiarly　irritating　form　the　uneasiness　which　had　worried　me　of　late。　I　could　not　sit　down　or　sit　still；　but　kept　walking　about　in　the　rooms　that　were　lighted　up　and　keeping　near　to　the　one　in　which　Marya　Gerasimovna　was　sitting。　I　had　a　feeling　very　much　like　that　which　I　had　on　the　North　Sea　during　a　storm　when　every　one　thought　that　our　ship；　which　had　no　freight　nor　ballast；　would　overturn。　And　that　evening　I　understo