creatures that once were men-第23节

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in　the　shade　of　a　stack　of　coal　baskets；　there　rose　to　meet　

him　a　thick…set　young　man；　with　purple　blotches　on　his　dull　

face　and　scratches　on　his　neck；　unmistakable　traces　of　a　

recent　thrashing。　　He　got　up　and　walked　beside　Chelkash；　

saying；　in　an　undertone：



〃The　dock　officers　have　got　wind　of　the　two　cases　of　goods。　

They're　on　the　look…out。　D'ye　hear；　Grishka？〃



〃What　then？〃　queried　Chelkash；　cooly　measuring　him　with　his　

eyes。



〃How　'what　then？'　They're　on　the　look…out；　I　say。　　That's　all。〃



〃Did　they　ask　for　me　to　help　them　look？〃



And　with　an　acrid　smile　Chelkash　looked　toward　the　storehouse　

of　the　Volunteer　Fleet。



〃You　go　to　the　devil！〃



His　companion　turned　away。



〃Ha；　wait　a　bit！　　Who's　been　decorating　you　like　that？　　Why；　

what　a　sight　they　have　made　of　your　signboard！　　Have　you　seen　

Mishka　here？〃



〃I've　not　seen　him　this　long　while！〃　the　other　shouted；　and　

hastily　went　back　to　his　companions。



Chelkash　went　on　farther；　greeted　by　everyone　as　a　familiar　

figure。　　But　he；　usually　so　lively　and　sarcastic；　was　

unmistakably　out　of　humor　to…day；　and　made　short　and　abrupt　

replies　to　all　inquiries。





130　CHELKASH





From　behind　a　pile　of　goods　emerged　a　customs…house　officer；　

a　dark　green；　dusty　figure；　of　military　erectness。　　He　barred　

the　way　for　Chelkash；　standing　before　him　in　a　challenging　

attitude；　his　left　hand　clutching　the　hilt　of　his　dirk；　while　

with　his　right　he　tried　to　seize　Chelkash　by　the　collar。



〃Stop！　Where　are　you　going？〃



Chelkash　drew　back　a　step；　raised　his　eyes；　looked　at　the　

official；　and　smiled　dryly。



The　red；　good…humoredly　crafty　face　of　the　official；　in　its　

attempt　to　assume　a　menacing　air；　puffed　and　grew　round　and　

purple；　while　the　brows　scowled；　the　eyes　rolled；　and　the　

effect　was　very　comic。



〃You've　been　tolddon't　you　dare　come　into　the　dock；　or　I'll　

break　your　ribs！　　And　you're　here　again！〃　the　man　roared　

threateningly。



〃How　d'ye　do；　Semyonitch！　　It's　a　long　while　since　we've　seen　

each　other；〃　Chelkash　greeted　him　calmly；　holding　out　his　hand。



〃Thankful　never　to　see　you　again！　　Get　along；　get　along！〃



But　yet　Semyonitch　took　the　outstretched　hand。　　



〃You　tell　me　this；〃　Chelkash　went　on；　his　gripping　fingers　

still　keeping　their　hold　of　Semyonitch's　hand；　and　shaking　

it　with　friendly　familiarity；　〃haven't　you　seen　Mishka？〃



〃Mishka；　indeed；　who's　Mishka？　I　don't　know　any　Mishka。　Get　

along；　mate！　or　the　inspector'll　see　you；　he'll〃



〃The　red…haired　fellow　that　I　worked　with　last　time　on　the　

'Kostroma'？〃　　Chelkash　persisted。



〃That　you　steal　with；　you'd　better　say。　　He's　been　taken　to　

the　hospital；　your　Mishka；　his　foot　was　crushed　by　an　iron　

bar。　　Go　away；　mate；　while　you're　asked　to　civilly；　　go　away；　

or　I'll　chuck　you　out　by　the　scruff　of　your　neck。〃





131　　CHELKASH





〃A…ha；　that's　like　you！　　And　you　say…you　don't　know　Mishka！　

But　I　say；　why　are　you　so　cross；　Semyonitch？〃



〃I　tell　you；　Grishka；　don't　give　me　any　of　your　jaw。　　Go…o！〃



The　official　began　to　get　angry　and；　looking　from　side　to　side；　

tried　to　pull　his　hand　away　from　Chelkash's　firm　grip。　　

Chelkash　looked　calmly　at　him　from　under　his　thick　eyebrows；　

smiled　behind　his　mustache　and　not　letting　go　of　his　hand；　

went　on　talking。



〃Don't　hurry　me。　　I'll　just　have　my　chat　out　with　you；　and　

then　I'll　go。　　Come；　tell　us　how　you're　getting　on；　wife　

and　children　quite　well？〃　　And　with　a　spiteful　gleam　in　his　

eyes；　he　added；　showing　his　teeth　in　a　mocking　grin：　

〃I've　been　meaning　to　pay　you　a　call　for　ever　so　long；　but　

I've　not　had　the　time；　I'm　always　drinking；　you　see。〃



〃Nownow　then…you　drop　that！　　Younone　of　your　jokes；　you　

bony　devil。　　I'm　in　earnest；　my　man。　So　you　mean　you're　coming　

stealing　in　the　houses　and　the　streets？〃



〃What　for？　Why　there's　goods　enough　here　to　last　our　timefor　

you　and　me。　　By　God；　there's　enough；　Semyonitch！　　So　you've　

been　filching　two　cases　of　goods；　eh？　　Mind；　Semyonitch；　you'd　

better　look　out？　　You'll　get　caught　one　day！〃



Enraged　by　Chelkash's　insolence；　Semyonitch　turned　blue；　and　

struggled；　spluttering　and　trying　to　say　something。　　





132　CHELKASH





Chelkash　let　go　of　his　hand；　and　with　complete　composure　

strode　back　to　the　dock　gates。　　The　customs…house　officer　

followed　him；　swearing　furiously。　　Chelkash　grew　more　

cheerful；　he　whistled　shrilly　through　his　teeth；　and　

thrusting　his　hands　in　his　breeches　pockets；　walked　with　the　

deliberate　gait　of　a　man　of　leisure；　firing　off　to　right　and　

to　left　biting　jeers　and　jests。　　He　was　followed　by　retorts　

in　the　same　vein。



〃I　say；　Grishka；　what　good　care　they　do　take　of　you！　　Made　

your　inspection；　eh？〃　shouted　one　out　of　a　group　of　dockers；　

who　had　finished　dinner　and　were　lying　on　the　ground；　resting。



〃I'm　barefoot；　so　here's　Semyonitch　watching　that　I　shouldn't　

graze　my　foot　on　anything；〃　answered　Chelkash。



They　reached　the　gates。　　Two　soldiers　felt　Chelkash　all　over；　

and　gave　him　a　slight　shove　into　the　streets。



〃Don't　let　him　go！〃　wailed　Semyonitch；　who　had　stayed　behind　

in　the　dockyard。



Chelkash　crossed　the　road　and　sat　down　on　a　stone　post　opposite　

the　door　of　the　inn。　　From　the　dock　gates　rolled　rumbling　an　

endless　string　of　laden　carts。　　To　meet　them；　rattled　empty　

carts；　with　their　drivers　jolting　up　and　down　in　them。　　The　

dock　vomited　howling　din　and　biting　dust；　and　set　the　earth　

quaking。



Chelkash；　accustomed　to　this　frenzied　uproar；　and　roused　by　

his　scene　with　Semyonitch；　felt　in　excellent　spirits。　　Before　

him　lay　the　attractive　prospect　of　a　substantial　haul；　which　

would　call　for　some　little　exertion　and　a　great　deal　of　

dexterity；　Chelkash　was　confident　that　he　had　plenty　of　the　

latter；　and；　half…closing　his　eyes；　dreamed　of　how　he　would　

indulge　to~morrow　morning　when　the　business　would　be　over　and　

the　notes　would　be　rustling　in　his　pocket。　





133　　CHELKASH





Then　he　thought　of　his　comrade；　Mishka；　who　would　have　been　

very　useful　that　night；　if　he　had　not　hurt　his　foot；　Chelkash　

swore　to　himself；　thinking　that；　all　alone；　without　Mishka；

maybe　he'd　hardly　manage　it　all。　　What　sort　of　night　would　it　

be？　Chelkash　looked　at　the　sky；　and　along　the　street。



Half…a…dozen　paces　from　him；　on　the　flagged　pavement；　there　

sat；　leaning　against　a　stone　post；　a　young　fellow　in　a　coarse　

blue　linen　shirt；　and　breeches　of　the　same；　in　plaited　bark　

shoes；　and　a　torn；　reddish　cap。　　Near　him　lay　a　little　bag；　

and　a　scythe　without　a　handle；　with　a　wisp　of　hay　twisted　

round　it　and　carefully　tied　with　string。　　The　youth　was　

broad…shouldered；　squarely　built；　flaxen　headed；　with　a　

sunburnt　and　weather…beaten　face；　and　big　blue　eyes　that　

stared　with　confident　simplicity　at　Chelkash。



Chelkash　grinned　at　him；　put　out　his　tongue；　and　making　a　

fearful　face；　stared　persistently　at　him　with　wide…open　eyes。



The　young　fellow　at　first　blinked　in　bewilderment；　but　then；　

suddenly　bursting　into　a　guffaw；　shouted　through　his　laughter：　

〃Oh！　you　funny　chap！〃　and　half　getting　up　from　the　ground；　

rolled　clumsily　from　his　post　to　Chelkash's；　upsetting　his　

bag　into　the　dust；　and　knocking　the　heel　of　his　scythe　on　the　

stone。



〃Eh；　mate；　you've　been　on　the　spree；　one　can　see！〃　he　said　to　

Chelkash；　pulling　at　his　trousers。



〃That's　so；　suckling；　that's　so　indeed！〃　Chelkash　admitted　

frankly；　he　took　at　once　to　this　healthy；　simple…hearted　

youth；　with　his　childish　clear　eyes。　　〃Been　off　mowing；　eh？〃





134　CHELKASH





〃To　be　sure！　　You've　to　mow　a　verst　to　earn　ten　kopecks！　　It's　

a　poor　business！　　Folksin　masses！　　Men　had　come　tramping　from　

the　famine　parts。　　They've　knocked　down　the　prices；　go　where　

you　will。　　Sixty　kopecks　they　paid　in　Kuban。　　And　in　years　gone　

by；　they　do　say；　it　was　three；　and　four；　and　five　roubles。〃



〃In　years　gone　by！　　Why；　in　years　gone　by；　for　the　mere　sight　

of　a　Russian　they　paid　three　roubles　out　that　way。　　Ten　years　

ago　I　used　to　make　a　regular　trade　of　it。　　One　would　go　to　a　

settlement'I'm　a　Russian；'　one　saidand　they'd　come　and　

gaze　at　you　at　once；　touch　you；　wonder　at　you；　andyou'd　get　

three　roubles。　　And　they'd　give　you　food　and　drinkstay　as　

long　as　you　like！〃



As　the　youth　listened　to　Chelkash；　at　first　his　mouth　dropped　

open；　his　round　face　expressing　bewildered　rapture；　then；　

grasping　the　fact　that　this　tattered　fellow　was　romancing；　he　

closed　his　lips　with　a　smack　and　guffawed。　　Chelkash　kept　a　

serious　face；　hiding　a　smile　in　his　mustache。



〃You　funny　chap；　you　chaff　away　as　though　it　were　the　truth；　

and　I　listen　as　if　it　were　a　bit　of　news！　　No；　upon　my　soul；　

in　years　gone　by〃



〃Why；　and　didn't　I　say　so？　　To　be　sure；　I'm　telling

you　how　in　years　gone　by〃



〃Go　on！〃　the　lad　waved　his　hand。　　〃A　cobbler