the wife and other stories-第9节

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helped　me　off　with　my　coat　in　the　entry；　and　a　peasant　in　a　red　shirt　hung　it　on　a　hook；　and　when　Ivan　Ivanitch　and　I　went　into　his　little　study；　two　barefooted　little　girls　were　sitting　on　the　floor　looking　at　a　picture…book；　when　they　saw　us　they　jumped　up　and　ran　away；　and　a　tall；　thin　old　woman　in　specta　cles　came　in　at　once；　bowed　gravely　to　me；　and　picking　up　a　pillow　from　the　sofa　and　a　picture…book　from　the　floor；　went　away。　From　the　adjoining　rooms　we　heard　incessant　whispering　and　the　patter　of　bare　feet。

〃I　am　expecting　the　doctor　to　dinner；〃　said　Ivan　Ivanitch。　〃He　promised　to　come　from　the　relief　centre。　Yes。　He　dines　with　me　every　Wednesday；　God　bless　him。〃　He　craned　towards　me　and　kissed　me　on　the　neck。　〃You　have　come；　my　dear　fellow；　so　you　are　not　vexed；〃　he　whispered；　sniffing。　〃Don't　be　vexed；　my　dear　creature。　Yes。　Perhaps　it　is　annoying；　but　don't　be　cross。　My　only　prayer　to　God　before　I　die　is　to　live　in　peace　and　harmony　with　all　in　the　true　way。　Yes。〃

〃Forgive　me；　Ivan　Ivanitch；　I　will　put　my　feet　on　a　chair；〃　I　said；　feeling　that　I　was　so　exhausted　I　could　not　be　myself；　I　sat　further　back　on　the　sofa　and　put　up　my　feet　on　an　arm…chair。　My　face　was　burning　from　the　snow　and　the　wind；　and　I　felt　as　though　my　whole　body　were　basking　in　the　warmth　and　growing　weaker　from　it。

〃It's　very　nice　here；〃　I　went　on　　〃warm；　soft；　snug　。　。　。　and　goose…feather　pens；〃　I　laughed；　looking　at　the　writing…table；　〃sand　instead　of　blotting…paper。〃

〃Eh？　Yes　。　。　。　yes。　。　。　。　The　writing…table　and　the　mahogany　cupboard　here　were　made　for　my　father　by　a　self…taught　cabinet…maker　　Glyeb　Butyga；　a　serf　of　General　Zhukov's。　Yes　。　。　。　a　great　artist　in　his　own　way。〃

Listlessly　and　in　the　tone　of　a　man　dropping　asleep；　he　began　telling　me　about　cabinet…maker　Butyga。　I　listened。　Then　Ivan　Ivanitch　went　into　the　next　room　to　show　me　a　polisander　wood　chest　of　drawers　remarkable　for　its　beauty　and　cheapness。　He　tapped　the　chest　with　his　fingers；　then　called　my　attention　to　a　stove　of　patterned　tiles；　such　as　one　never　sees　now。　He　tapped　the　stove；　too；　with　his　fingers。　There　was　an　atmosphere　of　good…natured　simplicity　and　well…fed　abundance　about　the　chest　of　drawers；　the　tiled　stove；　the　low　chairs；　the　pictures　embroidered　in　wool　and　silk　on　canvas　in　solid；　ugly　frames。　When　one　remembers　that　all　those　objects　were　standing　in　the　same　places　and　precisely　in　the　same　order　when　I　was　a　little　child；　and　used　to　come　here　to　name…day　parties　with　my　mother；　it　is　simply　unbelievable　that　they　could　ever　cease　to　exist。

I　thought　what　a　fearful　difference　between　Butyga　and　me！　Butyga　who　made　things；　above　all；　solidly　and　substantially；　and　seeing　in　that　his　chief　object；　gave　to　length　of　life　peculiar　significance；　had　no　thought　of　death；　and　probably　hardly　believed　in　its　possibility；　I；　when　I　built　my　bridges　of　iron　and　stone　which　would　last　a　thousand　years；　could　not　keep　from　me　the　thought；　〃It's　not　for　long　。　。　。　。it's　no　use。〃　If　in　time　Butyga's　cupboard　and　my　bridge　should　come　under　the　notice　of　some　sensible　historian　of　art；　he　would　say：　〃These　were　two　men　remarkable　in　their　own　way：　Butyga　loved　his　fellow…creatures　and　would　not　admit　the　thought　that　they　might　die　and　be　annihilated；　and　so　when　he　made　his　furniture　he　had　the　immortal　man　in　his　mind。　The　engineer　Asorin　did　not　love　life　or　his　fellow…creatures；　even　in　the　happy　moments　of　creation；　thoughts　of　death；　of　finiteness　and　dissolution；　were　not　alien　to　him；　and　we　see　how　insignificant　and　finite；　how　timid　and　poor；　are　these　lines　of　his。　。　。　。〃

〃I　only　heat　these　rooms；〃　muttered　Ivan　Ivanitch；　showing　me　his　rooms。　〃Ever　since　my　wife　died　and　my　son　was　killed　in　the　war；　I　have　kept　the　best　rooms　shut　up。　Yes　。　。　。　see。　。　。〃

He　opened　a　door；　and　I　saw　a　big　room　with　four　columns；　an　old　piano；　and　a　heap　of　peas　on　the　floor；　it　smelt　cold　and　damp。

〃The　garden　seats　are　in　the　next　room　。　。　。〃　muttered　Ivan　Ivanitch。　〃There's　no　one　to　dance　the　mazurka　now。　。　。　。　I've　shut　them　up。〃

We　heard　a　noise。　It　was　Dr。　Sobol　arriving。　While　he　was　rubbing　his　cold　hands　and　stroking　his　wet　beard；　I　had　time　to　notice　in　the　first　place　that　he　had　a　very　dull　life；　and　so　was　pleased　to　see　Ivan　Ivanitch　and　me；　and；　secondly；　that　he　was　a　naive　and　simple…hearted　man。　He　looked　at　me　as　though　I　were　very　glad　to　see　him　and　very　much　interested　in　him。

〃I　have　not　slept　for　two　nights；〃　he　said；　looking　at　me　naively　and　stroking　his　beard。　〃One　night　with　a　confinement；　and　the　next　I　stayed　at　a　peasant's　with　the　bugs　biting　me　all　night。　I　am　as　sleepy　as　Satan；　do　you　know。〃

With　an　expression　on　his　face　as　though　it　could　not　afford　me　anything　but　pleasure；　he　took　me　by　the　arm　and　led　me　to　the　dining…room。　His　naive　eyes；　his　crumpled　coat；　his　cheap　tie　and　the　smell　of　iodoform　made　an　unpleasant　impression　upon　me；　I　felt　as　though　I　were　in　vulgar　company。　When　we　sat　down　to　table　he　filled　my　glass　with　vodka；　and；　smiling　helplessly；　I　drank　it；　he　put　a　piece　of　ham　on　my　plate　and　I　ate　it　submissively。

〃_Repetitia　est　mater　studiorum_；〃　said　Sobol；　hastening　to　drink　off　another　wineglassful。　〃Would　you　believe　it；　the　joy　of　seeing　good　people　has　driven　away　my　sleepiness？　I　have　turned　into　a　peasant；　a　savage　in　the　wilds；　I've　grown　coarse；　but　I　am　still　an　educated　man；　and　I　tell　you　in　good　earnest；　it's　tedious　without　company。〃

They　served　first　for　a　cold　course　white　sucking…pig　with　horse…radish　cream；　then　a　rich　and　very　hot　cabbage　soup　with　pork　on　it；　with　boiled　buckwheat；　from　which　rose　a　column　of　steam。　The　doctor　went　on　talking；　and　I　was　soon　convinced　that　he　was　a　weak；　unfortunate　man；　disorderly　in　external　life。　Three　glasses　of　vodka　made　him　drunk；　he　grew　unnaturally　lively；　ate　a　great　deal；　kept　clearing　his　throat　and　smacking　his　lips；　and　already　addressed　me　in　Italian；　〃Eccellenza。〃　Looking　naively　at　me　as　though　he　were　convinced　that　I　was　very　glad　to　see　and　hear　him；　he　informed　me　that　he　had　long　been　separated　from　his　wife　and　gave　her　three…quarters　of　his　salary；　that　she　lived　in　the　town　with　his　children；　a　boy　and　a　girl；　whom　he　adored；　that　he　loved　another　woman；　a　widow；　well　educated；　with　an　estate　in　the　country；　but　was　rarely　able　to　see　her；　as　he　was　busy　with　his　work　from　morning　till　night　and　had　not　a　free　moment。

〃The　whole　day　long；　first　at　the　hospital；　then　on　my　rounds；〃　he　told　us；　〃and　I　assure　you；　Eccellenza；　I　have　not　time　to　read　a　book；　let　alone　going　to　see　the　woman　I　love。　I've　read　nothing　for　ten　years！　For　ten　years；　Eccellenza。　As　for　the　financial　side　of　the　question；　ask　Ivan　Ivanitch：　I　have　often　no　money　to　buy　tobacco。〃

〃On　the　other　hand；　you　have　the　moral　satisfaction　of　your　work；〃　I　said。

〃What？〃　he　asked；　and　he　winked。　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃better　let　us　drink。〃

I　listened　to　the　doctor；　and；　after　my　invariable　habit；　tried　to　take　his　measure　by　my　usual　classification　　materialist；　idealist；　filthy　lucre；　gregarious　instincts；　and　so　on；　but　no　classification　fitted　him　even　approximately；　and　strange　to　say；　while　I　simply　listened　and　looked　at　him；　he　seemed　perfectly　clear　to　me　as　a　person；　but　as　soon　as　I　began　trying　to　classify　him　he　became　an　exceptionally　complex；　intricate；　and　incomprehensible　character　in　spite　of　all　his　candour　and　simplicity。　〃Is　that　man；〃　I　asked　myself；　〃capable　of　wasting　other　people's　money；　abusing　their　confidence；　being　disposed　to　sponge　on　them？〃　And　now　this　question；　which　had　once　seemed　to　me　grave　and　important；　struck　me　as　crude；　petty；　and　coarse。

Pie　was　served；　then；　I　remember；　with　long　intervals　between；　during　which　we　drank　home…made　liquors；　they　gave　us　a　stew　of　pigeons；　some　dish　of　giblets；　roast　sucking…pig；　partridges；　cauliflower；　curd　dumplings；　curd　cheese　and　milk；　jelly；　and　finally　pancakes　and　jam。　At　first　I　ate　with　great　relish；　especially　the　cabbage　soup　and　the　buckwheat；　but　afterwards　I　munched　and　swallowed　mechanically；　smiling　helplessly　and　unconscious　of　the　taste　of　anything。　My　face　was　burning　from　the　hot　cabbage　soup　and　the　heat　of　the　room。　Ivan　Ivanitch　and　Sobol；　too；　were　crimson。

〃To　the　health　of　your　wife；〃　said　Sobol。　〃She　likes　me。　Tell　her　her　doctor　sends　her　his　respects。〃

〃She's　fortunate；　upon　my　word；〃　sighed　Ivan　Ivanitch。　〃Though　she　takes　no　trouble；　does　not　fuss　　or　worry　　herself；　she　has　become　the　most　important　person　in　the　whole　district。　Almost　the　whole　business　is　in　her　hands；　and　they　all　gather　round　her；　the　doctor；　the　District　Captains；　and　the　ladies。　With　people　of　the　right　sort　that　happens　of　itself。　Yes。　。　。　。　The　apple…tree　need　take　no　thought　for　the　apple　to　grow　on　it；　it　will　grow　of　itself。〃

〃It's　only　people　who　don't　care　who　take　no　thought；〃　said　I。

〃Eh？　Yes　。　。　。　〃　muttered　Ivan　Ivanitch；　not　catching　what　I　said；　〃that's　true。　。　。　。　One　must　not　worry　oneself。　Just　so；　just　so。　。　。　。　Only　do　your　duty　towards　God　and　your　neighbour；　and　then　never　mind　what　happens。〃

〃Eccellenza；〃　said　Sobol　solemnly；　〃just　look　at　nature　about　us：　if　you　poke　your　nose　or　your　ear　out　of　your　fur　collar　it