creatures that once were men-第28节

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them　forth；　decking　them　with　a　fringe　of　foam；　flinging　them　

on　one　another；　and　breaking　them　up　into　tiny　eddies。　　The　

foam；　melting；　hissed　and　sighed；　and　everything　was　filled　

with　the　musical　plash　and　cadence。　　The　darkness　seemed　more　

alive。





158　CHELKASH





〃Come；　tell　me；〃　began　Chelkash；　〃you'll　go　home　to　the　village；　

and　you'll　marry　and　begin　digging　the　earth　and　sowing　corn；　

your　wife　will　bear　you　children；　food　won't　be　too　plentiful；　

and　so　you'll　grind　away　all　your　life。　　Well？　　Is　there　such　

sweetness　in　that？〃



〃Sweetness！〃　　Gavrilo　answered；　timid　and　trembling；　〃what；　

indeed？〃



The　wind　tore　a　rent　in　the　clouds　and　through　the　gap　peeped　

blue　bits　of　sky；　with　one　or　two　stars。　　Reflected　in　the　

frolicking　sea；　these　stars　danced　on　the　waves；　vanishing　and　

shining　out　again。



〃More　to　the　right！〃　said　Chelkash。　　〃Soon　we　shall　be　there。　　

Well；　well！　　It's　over。　　A　haul　that's　worth　it！　　See　here。　　

One　night；　and　I've　made　five　hundred　roubles！　　Eh？　　What　do　

you　say　to　that？〃



〃Five　hundred？〃　Gavrilo；　drawled；　incredulously；　but　he　was　

seared　at　once；　and　quickly　asked；　prodding　the　bundle　in　the　

boat　with　his　foot。　　〃Why；　what　sort　of　thing　may　this　be？〃



〃That's　silk。　　A　costly　thing。　　All　that；　if　one　sold　it　for　

its　value；　would　fetch　a　thousand。　　But　I　sell　cheap。　　Is　that　

smart　business？〃



〃I　saay？〃　Gavrilo　drawled　dubiously。　　〃If　only　I'd　all　that！〃　

be　sighed；　recalling　all　at　once　the　village；　his　poor　little　

bit　of　land；　his　poverty；　his　mother；　and　all　that　was　so　far　

away　and　so　near　his　heart；　for　the　sake　of　which　he　bad　gone　

to　seek　work；　for　the　sake　of　which　he　had　suffered　such　

agonies　that　night。　　A　flood　of　memories　came　back　to　him　of　

his　village；　running　down　the　steep　slope　to　the　river　and　

losing　itself　in　a　whole　forest　of　birch　trees；　willows；　and　

mountain…ashes。　　These　memories　breathed　something　warm　into

him　and　cheered　him　up。　　〃Ah；　it　would　be　grand！〃　he　sighed　

mournfully。





159　　CHELKASH





〃To　be　sure！　　I　expect　you'd　bolt　home　by　the　railway！　　And　

wouldn't　the　girls　make　love　to　you　at　home；　aye；　aye！　　You　

could　choose　which　you　liked！　　You'd　build　yourself　a　house。　

No；　the　money；　maybe；　would　hardly　be　enough　for　a　house。〃



〃That's　trueit　wouldn't　do　for　a　house。　　Wood's　dear　down　

our　way。〃



〃Well；　never　mind。　　You'd　mend　up　the　old　one。　　How　about　a　

horse？　　Have　you　got　one？〃



〃A　horse？　Yes；　I　have；　but　a　wretched　old　thing　it　is。〃



〃Well；　then；　you'd　have　a　horse。　　A　first…rate　horse！　A　cow

sheepfowls　of　all　sorts。　　Eh？〃



〃Don't　talk　of　it！　　If　I　only　could！　　Oh；　Lord！　　What　a　life　

I　should　have！〃



〃Aye；　mate；　your　life　would　be　first…rate。　　I　know　something　

about　such　things。　　I　had　a　home　of　my　own　once。　　My　father　

was　one　of　the　richest　in　the　village。〃



Chelkash　rowed　slowly。　　The　boat　danced　on　the　waves　that　

sportively　splashed　over　its　edge；　it　scarcely　moved　forward　

on　the　dark　sea；　which　frolicked　more　and　more　gayly。　　The　

two　men　were　dreaming；　rocked　on　the　water；　and　pensively　

looking　around　them。　　Chelkash　had　turned　Gavrilo's　thoughts　

to　his　village　with　the　aim　of　encouraging　and　reassuring　him。　





160　CHELKASH





At　first　he　had　talked　grinning　sceptically　to　himself　under

his　mustaches；　but　afterward；　as　he　replied　to　his　companion　

and　reminded　him　of　the　joys　of　a　peasant's　life；　which　he　had　

so　long　ago　wearied　of；　had　forgotten；　and　only　now　recalled；　

he　was　gradually　carried　away；　and；　instead　of　questioning　the　

peasant　youth　about　his　village　and　its　doings；　unconsciously　

he　dropped　into　describing　it　himself：



〃The　great　thing　in　the　peasant's　life；　mate；　is　its　freedom！　

You're　your　own　master。　　You've　your　own　homeworth　a　

farthing；　maybebut　it's　yours！　　You've　your　own　landonly　

a　handful　the　whole　of　itbut　it's　yours！　　Hens　of　your　own；　

eggs；　apples　of　your　own！　　You're　king　on　your　own　land！　　And　

then　the　regularity。　　You　get　up　in　the　morning；　you've　work　

to　do；　in　the　spring　one　sort；　in　the　summer　another；　in　the

autumn；　in　the　winterdifferent　again。　　Wherever　you　go；　

you've　home　to　come　back　to！　　It's　snug！　　There's　peace！　　

You're　a　king！　　Aren't　you　really？〃　Chelkash　concluded　

enthusiastically　his　long　reckoning　of　the　peasant's　

advantages　and　privileges；　forgetting；　somehow；　his　duties。



Gavrilo　looked　at　him　with　curiosity；　and　he；　too；　warmed　to　

the　subject。　　During　this　conversation　he　had　succeeded　in　

forgetting　with　whom　he　had　to　deal；　and　he　saw　in　his　

companion　a　peasant　like　himselfcemented　to　the　soil　for　

ever　by　the　sweat　of　generations；　and　bound　to　it　by　the　

recollections　of　childhoodwho　had　wilfully　broken　loose　

from　it　and　from　its　cares；　and　was　bearing　the　inevitable　

punishment　for　this　abandonment。



〃That's　true；　brother！　　Ah；　how　true　it　is！　　Look　at　you；　now；　

what　you've　become　away　from　the　land！　　Aha！　　The　land；　

brother；　is　like　a　mother；　you　can't　forget　it　for　long。〃





161　　CHELKASH





Chelkash　awaked　from　his　reverie。　　He　felt　that　scalding　

irritation　in　his　chest；　which　always　came　as　soon　as　his　

pride；　the　pride　of　the　reckless　vagrant；　was　touched　by　

anyone；　and　especially　by　one　who　was　of　no　value　in　his　eyes。



〃His　tongue's　set　wagging！〃　he　said　savagely；　〃you　thought；　

maybe；　I　said　all　that　in　earnest。　　Never　fear！〃



〃But；　you　strange　fellow　！〃Gavrilo　began；　overawed　again

〃Was　I　speaking　of　you？　　Why；　there's　lots　like　you！　　Ah；　

what　a　lot　of　unlucky　people　among　the　people！　　Wanderers〃



〃Take　the　oars；　you　sea…calf！〃　Chelkash　commanded　briefly；　for　

some　reason　holding　back　a　whole　torrent　of　furious　abuse；　

which　surged　up　into　his　throat。



They　changed　places　again；　and　Chelkash；　as　he　crept　across　

the　boat　to　the　stern；　felt　an　intense　desire　to　give　Gavrilo　

a　kick　that　would　send　him　flying　into　the　water；　and　at　the　

same　time　could　not　pluck　up　courage　to　look　him　in　the　face。



The　brief　conversation　dropped；　but　now　Gavrilo's　silence　even　

was　eloquent　of　the　country　to　Chelkash。　　He　recalled　the　past；　

and　forgot　to　steer　the　boat；　which　was　turned　by　the　current　

and　floated　away　out　to　sea。　　The　waves　seemed　to　understand　

that　this　boat　had　missed　its　way；　and　played　lightly　with　it；　

tossing　it　higher　and　higher；　and　kindling　their　gay　blue　light

under　its　oars。　　While　before　Chelkash's　eyes　floated　pictures　

of　the　past；　the　far　past；　separated　from　the　present　by　the　

whole　barrier　of　eleven　years　of　vagrant　life。　　





162　CHELKASH





He　saw　himself　　a　child；　his　village；　his　mother；　a　red…cheeked　

plump　woman；　with　kindly　gray　eyes；　his　father；　a　red…bearded　

giant　with　a　stern　face。　　He　saw　himself　betrothed；　and　saw　his　

wife；　black…eyed　Anfisa；　with　her　long　hair；　plump；　mild；　and　

good…humored；　again　himself　a　handsome　soldier　in　the　Guards；　

again　his　father；　gray　now　and　bent　with　toil；　and　his　mother　

wrinkled　and　bowed　to　the　ground；　he　saw；　too；　the　picture　of　

his　welcome　in　the　village　when　he　returned　from　the　service；　

saw　how　proud　his　father　was　before　all　the　village　of　his　

Grigory；　the　mustached；　stalwart　soldier；　so　smart　and　handsome。　

Memory；　the　scourge　of　the　unhappy；　gives　life　to　the　very　

stones　of　the　past；　and　even　into　the　poison　drunk　in　old　days

pours　drops　of　honey；　so　as　to　confound　a　man　with　his　mistakes　

and；　by　making　him　love　the　past；　rob　him　of　hope　for　the　future。



Chelkash　felt　a　rush　of　the　softening；　caressing　air　of　home；　

bringing　back　to　him　the　tender　words　of　his　mother　and　the　

weighty　utterances　of　the　venerable　peasant；　his　father；　many　

a　forgotten　sound　and　many　a　lush　smell　of　　mother…earth；　　

freshly　　thawing；　freshly　ploughed；　and　freshly　covered　with　

the　emerald　silk　of　the　corn。　　And　he　felt　crushed；　lost；　

pitiful；　and　solitary；　torn　up　and　cast　out　for　ever　from　that　

life　which　had　distilled　the　very　blood　that　flowed　in　his　veins。



　　　　　〃Hey！　but　where　are　we　going？〃　Gavrilo　asked　suddenly。



Chelkash　started　and　looked　round　with　the　uneasy　look　of　a　bird　

of　prey。



〃Ah；　the　devil's　taken　the　boat！　　No　matter。　　Row　a　bit　harder。　

We'll　be　there　directly。〃





163　　CHELKASH





〃You　were　dreaming？〃　Gavrilo　inquired；　smiling。



Chelkash　looked　searchingly　at　him。　　The　youth　had　completely　

regained　his　composure；　he　was　calm；　cheerful　and　even　seemed　

somehow　triumphant。　　He　was　very　young；　all　his　life　lay　before　

him。　　And　he　knew　nothing。　　That　was　bad。　　Maybe　the　earth　would　

keep　hold　of　him。　　As　these　thoughts　flashed　through　his　head；　

Chelkash　felt　still　more　mournful；　and　to　Gavrilo　he　jerked　out　

sullenly：



〃I'm　tired。　　And　it　rocks；　too。〃



〃It　does　rock；　that's　true。　　But　now；　I　suppose；　we　shan't　get　

caught　with　this？〃　　Gavrilo　shoved　the　bale　wit