creatures that once were men-第11节

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Judas。　　We　will　calculate　how　much　it　will　take　to　break　the　

factory　down　to　its　very　foundations。　　We　will　make　an　estimate　

of　it　all；　counting　the　time　it　will　take　too；　and　we　will　make　

honest　Judas　pay　two　thousand　roubles　besides。〃

　　　　　

〃He　will　never　give　it！〃　cried　Vaviloff；　but　his　eyes　shone　

with　a　greedy　light。



〃You　lie！　　He　will　give　it　。　。　。　Use　your　brains　。　。　。　What　else　

can　he　do？　　But　look　here；　Egorka；　mind　you；　don't　go　in　for　

doing　it　on　the　cheap。　　They　are　sure　to　fry　to　buy　you　off。　

Don't　sell　yourself　cheap。　　They　will　probably　use　threats；　but　

rely　upon　us。　。　。　。〃





61　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





The　Captain's　eyes　were　alight　with　happiness；　and　his　face　

with　excitement。　　He　worked　upon　Vaviloff's　greed；　and　urging　

upon　him　the　importance　of　immediate　action　in　the　matter；　

went　away　in　a　very　joyful　and　happy　frame　of　mind。



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In　the　evening　everyone　was　told　of　the　Captain's　discovery；　

and　they　all　began　to　discuss　Petunikoff's　future　predicament；　

painting　in　vivid　colors　his　excitement　and　astonishment　on　the　

day　the　court　messenger　handed　him　the　copy　of　the　summons。　　

The　Captain　felt　himself　quite　a　hero。　　He　was　happy　and　all　

his　friends　highly　pleased。　　The　heap　of　dark　and　tattered

figures　that　lay　in　the　courtyard　made　noisy　demonstrations　of　

pleasure。　　They　all　knew　the　merchant；　Petunikoff；　who　passed　

them　very　often；　contemptuously　turning　up　his　eyes　and　giving　

them　no　more　attention　than　he　bestowed　on　the　other　heaps　of　

rubbish　lying　on　the　ground。　　He　was　well　fed；　and　that　

exasperated　them　still　more；　and　now　how　splendid　it　was　that　

one　of　themselves　had　struck　a　hard　blow　at　the　selfish　

merchant's　purse！　　It　gave　them　all　the　greatest　pleasure。　The　

Captain's　discovery　was　a　powerful　instrument　in　their　hands。　

Every　one　of　them　felt　keen　animosity　toward　all　those　who　were　

well　fed　and　well　dressed；　but　in　some　of　them　this　feeling　was　

only　beginning　to　develop。　　Burning　interest　was　felt　by　those　

〃creatures　that　once　were　men〃　in　the　prospective　fight　between

Kuvalda　and　Petunikoff；　which　they　already　saw　in　imagination。





62　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





For　a　fortnight　the　inhabitants　of　the　dosshouse　awaited　the　

further　development　of　events；　but　Petunikoff　never　once　visited　

the　building。　　It　was　known　that　he　was　not　in　town；　and　that　

the　copy　of　the　petition　had　not　yet　been　handed　to　him。　　

Kuvalda　raged　at　the　delays　of　the　civil　court。　　It　is　improbable　

that　anyone　had　ever　awaited　the　merchant　with　such　impatience　as　

did　this　bare…footed　brigade。



〃He　isn't　even　thinking　of　coming；　the　wretch！　。　。　。〃



〃That　means　that　he　does　not　love　me！〃　sang　Deacon　Taras；　leaning　

his　chin　on　his　hand　and　casting　a　humorous　glance　toward　the　

mountain。



At　last　Petunikoff　appeared。　　He　came　in　a　respectable　cart　with　

his　son　playing　the　role　of　groom。　　The　latter　was　a　red…cheeked；　

nice…looking　youngster；　in　a　long　square…cut　overcoat。　　He　wore　

smoked　eyeglasses。　　They　tied　the　horse　to　an　adjoining　tree；　the　

son　took　the　measuring　instrument　out　of　his　pocket　and　gave　it　

to　his　father；　and　they　began　to　measure　the　ground。　　Both　were　

silent　and　worried。



〃Aha！〃　shouted　the　Captain　gleefully。



All　those　who　were　in　the　dosshouse　at　the　moment　came　out　to　

look　at　them　and　expressed　themselves　loudly　and　freely　in　

reference　to　the　matter。



〃What　does　the　habit　of　thieving　mean？　　A　man　may　sometimes　make　

a　big　mistake　when　he　steals；　standing　to　lose　more　than　he　

gets；〃　said　the　Captain；　causing　much　laughter　among　his　staff　

and　eliciting　various　murmurs　of　assent。



〃Take　care；　you　devil！〃　shouted　Petunikoff；　〃lest　I　have　you　in　

the　police　court　for　your　words！〃





63　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





〃You　can　do　nothing　to　me　without　witnesses　。　。　。　Your　son　cannot　

give　evidence　on　your　side〃　。　。　。　the　Captain　warned　him。



〃Look　out　all　the　same；　you　old　wretch；　you　may　be　found　guilty　

too！〃　　And　Petunikoff　shook　his　fist　at　him。　　His　son；　deeply　

engrossed　in　his　calculations；　took　no　notice　of　the　dark　group　

of　men；　who　were　taking　such　a　wicked　delight　in　adding　to　his　

father's　discomfiture。　　He　did　not　even　once　look　in　their　

direction。



〃The　young　spider　has　himself　well　in　hand；〃　remarked　Abyedok；　

watching　young　Petunikoff's　every　movement　and　action。　　Having　

taken　all　the　measurements　he　desired；　Ivan　Andreyevitch　knit　

his　brows；　got　into　the　cart；　and　drove　away。　　His　son　went　with　

a　firm　step　into　Vaviloff's　eating…house；　and　disappeared　behind　

the　door。



〃Ho；　ho！　That's　a　determined　young　thief！　。　。　。　What　will　happen　

next；　I　wonder　。　。　。？〃　asked　Kuvalda。



〃Next？　Young　Petunikoff　will　buy　out　Egor　Vaviloff；〃　said　

Abyedok　with　conviction；　and　smacked　his　lips　as　if　the　idea　

gave　him　great　pleasure。



〃And　you　are　glad　of　that？〃　Kuvalda　asked　him　gravely。



〃I　am　always　pleased　to　see　human　calculations　miscarry；〃　

explained　Abyedok；　rolling　his　eyes　and　rubbing　his　hands　with　

delight。　　The　Captain　spat　angrily　on　the　ground　and　was　silent。　

They　all　stood　in　front　of　the　tumble…down　building；　and　silently　

watched　the　doors　of　the　eating…house。　　More　than　an　hour　passed

thus。　





64　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





Then　the　doors　opened　and　Petunikoff　came　out　as　silently　as　he　

had　entered。　　He　stopped　for　a　moment；　coughed；　turned　up　the　

collar　of　his　coat；　glanced　at　the　men；　who　were　following　all　

his　movements　with　their　eyes；　and　then　went　up　the　street　

toward　the　town。



The　Captain　watched　him　for　a　moment；　and　turning　to　Abyedok　

said　smilingly：



〃Probably　you　were　right　after　all；　you　son　of　a　scorpion　and　

a　wood…louse！　　You　nose　out　every　evil　thing。　　Yes；　the　face　

of　that　young　swindler　shows　that　be　has　got　what　he　wanted。　。　。　

I　wonder　how　much　Egorka　has　got　out　of　them。　　He　has　evidently　

taken　something　。　。　。　He　is　just　the　same　sort　of　rogue　that

they　are　。　。　。　they　are　all　tarred　with　the　same　brush。　He　has　

got　some　money；　and　I'm　damned　if　I　did　not　arrange　the　whole　

thing　for　him！　It　is　best　to　own　my　folly　。　。　。　Yes；　life　is　

against　us　all；　brothers　。　。　。　and　even　when　you　spit　upon　

those　nearest　to　you；　the　spittle　rebounds　and　hits　your　own　

face。〃



Having　satisfied　himself　with　this　reflection；　the　worthy　Captain　

looked　round　upon　his　staff。　　Every　one　of　them　was　disappointed；　

because　they　all　knew　that　something　they　did　not　expect　had　

taken　place　between　Petunikoff　and　Vaviloff；　and　they　all　felt　

that　they　had　been　insulted。　　The　feeling　that　one　is　unable　to　

injure　anyone　is　worse　than　the　feeling　that　one　is　unable　to　do　

good；　because　to　do　harm　is　far　easier　and　simpler。



〃Well；　why　are　we　loitering　here？　　We　have　nothing　more　to　wait　

for　。　。　。　except　the　reward　that　I　shall　get　outout　of　Egorka；　

。　。　。〃　said　the　Captain；　looking　angrily　at　the　eating…house。　

〃So　our　peaceful　life　under　the　roof　of　Judas　has　come　to　an　end。　





65　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





Judas　will　now　turn　us　out　。　。　。　So　do　not　say　that　I　have　not　

warned　you。〃



Kanets　smiled　sadly。



〃What　are　you　laughing　at；　jailer？〃　Kuvalda　asked。



〃Where　shall　I　go　then？〃



〃That；　my　soul；　is　a　question　that　fate　will　settle　for　you；　so　

do　not　worry；〃　said　the　Captain　thoughtfully；　entering　the　

dosshouse。　　〃The　creatures　that　once　were　men〃　followed　him。



〃We　can　do　nothing　but　await　the　critical　moment；〃　said　the　

Captain；　walking　about　among　them。　　〃When　they　turn　us　out　we　

shall　seek　a　new　place　for　ourselves；　but　at　present　there　is　

no　use　spoiling　our　life　by　thinking　of　it　。　。　。　In　times　of　

crisis　one　becomes　energetic　。　。　。　and　if　life　were　fuller　of　

them　and　every　moment　of　it　so　arranged　that　we　were　compelled　

to　tremble　for　our　lives　all　the　time　。　。　。　By　God！　life　would　be

livelier　and　even　fuller　of　interest　and　energy　than　it　is！〃



〃That　means　that　people　would　all　go　about　cutting　one　another's　

throats；〃　explained　Abyedok　smilingly。



〃Well；　what　about　it？〃　asked　the　Captain　angrily。　　He　did　not　

like　to　hear　his　thoughts　illustrated。



〃Oh！　Nothing！　When　a　person　wants　to　get　anywhere　quickly　he　

whips　up　the　horses；　but　of　course　it　needs　fire　to　make　engines　

go。　。　。　。〃



〃Well；　let　everything　go　to　the　Devil　as　quickly　as　possible。　

I'm　sure　I　should　be　pleased　if　the　earth　suddenly　opened　up　or　

was　burned　or　destroyed　somehow　。　。　。　only　I　were　left　to　the　

last　in　order　to　see　the　others　consumed。　。　。　。〃





66　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





〃Ferocious　creature！〃　smiled　Abyedok。



〃Well；　what　of　that？　　I　。　。　。　I　was　once　a　man　。　。　。　now　I　am　

an　outcast　。　。　。　that　means　I　have　no　obligations。　　It　means　

that　I　am