boyhood-第2节

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ge　to　grow　more　and　more　uncomfortable；　and　myself　to　feel　more　and　more　cramped。　Consequently；　I　relapsed　into　devoting　my　whole　faculties　to　the　distance…posts　and　their　numerals；　and　to　solving　difficult　mathematical　problems　for　reckoning　the　time　when　we　should　arrive　at　the　next　posting…house。

〃Twelve　versts　are　a　third　of　thirty…six；　and　in　all　there　are　forty…one　to　Lipetz。　We　have　done　a　third　and　how　much；　then？〃；　and　so　forth；　and　so　forth。

〃Vassili；〃　was　my　next　remark；　on　observing　that　he　was　beginning　to　nod　on　the　box…seat；　〃suppose　we　change　seats？　Will　you？〃　Vassili　agreed；　and　had　no　sooner　stretched　himself　out　in　the　body　of　the　vehicle　than　he　began　to　snore。　To　me　on　my　new　perch；　however；　a　most　interesting　spectacle　now　became　visible　namely；　our　horses；　all　of　which　were　familiar　to　me　down　to　the　smallest　detail。

〃Why　is　Diashak　on　the　right　today；　Philip；　not　on　the　left？〃　I　asked　knowingly。　〃And　Nerusinka　is　not　doing　her　proper　share　of　the　pulling。〃

〃One　could　not　put　Diashak　on　the　left；〃　replied　Philip；　altogether　ignoring　my　last　remark。　〃He　is　not　the　kind　of　horse　to　put　there　at　all。　A　horse　like　the　one　on　the　left　now　is　the　right　kind　of　one　for　the　job。〃

After　this　fragment　of　eloquence；　Philip　turned　towards　Diashak　and　began　to　do　his　best　to　worry　the　poor　animal　by　jogging　at　the　reins；　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　Diashak　was　doing　well　and　dragging　the　vehicle　almost　unaided。　This　Philip　continued　to　do　until　he　found　it　convenient　to　breathe　and　rest　himself　awhile　and　to　settle　his　cap　askew；　though　it　had　looked　well　enough　before。

I　profited　by　the　opportunity　to　ask　him　to　let　me　have　the　reins　to　hold；　until；　the　whole　six　in　my　hand；　as　well　as　the　whip；　I　had　attained　complete　happiness。　Several　times　I　asked　whether　I　was　doing　things　right；　but；　as　usual；　Philip　was　never　satisfied；　and　soon　destroyed　my　felicity。

The　heat　increased　until　a　hand　showed　itself　at　the　carriage　window；　and　waved　a　bottle　and　a　parcel　of　eatables；　whereupon　Vassili　leapt　briskly　from　the　britchka；　and　ran　forward　to　get　us　something　to　eat　and　drink。

When　we　arrived　at　a　steep　descent；　we　all　got　out　and　ran　down　it　to　a　little　bridge；　while　Vassili　and　Jakoff　followed；　supporting　the　carriage　on　either　side；　as　though　to　hold　it　up　in　the　event　of　its　threatening　to　upset。

After　that；　Mimi　gave　permission　for　a　change　of　seats；　and　sometimes　Woloda　or　myself　would　ride　in　the　carriage；　and　Lubotshka　or　Katenka　in　the　britchka。　This　arrangement　greatly　pleased　the　girls；　since　much　more　fun　went　on　in　the　britchka。　Just　when　the　day　was　at　its　hottest；　we　got　out　at　a　wood；　and；　breaking　off　a　quantity　of　branches；　transformed　our　vehicle　into　a　bower。　This　travelling　arbour　then　bustled　on　to　catch　the　carriage　up；　and　had　the　effect　of　exciting　Lubotshka　to　one　of　those　piercing　shrieks　of　delight　which　she　was　in　the　habit　of　occasionally　emitting。

At　last　we　drew　near　the　village　where　we　were　to　halt　and　dine。　Already　we　could　perceive　the　smell　of　the　placethe　smell　of　smoke　and　tar　and　sheep…and　distinguish　the　sound　of　voices；　footsteps；　and　carts。　The　bells　on　our　horses　began　to　ring　less　clearly　than　they　had　done　in　the　open　country；　and　on　both　sides　the　road　became　lined　with　hutsdwellings　with　straw　roofs；　carved　porches；　and　small　red　or　green　painted　shutters　to　the　windows；　through　which；　here　and　there；　was　a　woman's　face　looking　inquisitively　out。　Peasant　children　clad　in　smocks　only　stood　staring　open…eyed　or；　stretching　out　their　arms　to　us；　ran　barefooted　through　the　dust　to　climb　on　to　the　luggage　behind；　despite　Philip's　menacing　gestures。　Likewise；　red…haired　waiters　came　darting　around　the　carriages　to　invite　us；　with　words　and　signs；　to　select　their　several　hostelries　as　our　halting…place。

Presently　a　gate　creaked；　and　we　entered　a　courtyard。　Four　hours　of　rest　and　liberty　now　awaited　us。



II。　THE　THUNDERSTORM

The　sun　was　sinking　towards　the　west；　and　his　long；　hot　rays　were　burning　my　neck　and　cheeks　beyond　endurance；　while　thick　clouds　of　dust　were　rising　from　the　road　and　filling　the　whole　air。　Not　the　slightest　wind　was　there　to　carry　it　away。　I　could　not　think　what　to　do。　Neither　the　dust…blackened　face　of　Woloda　dozing　in　a　corner；　nor　the　motion　of　Philip's　back；　nor　the　long　shadow　of　our　britchka　as　it　came　bowling　along　behind　us　brought　me　any　relief。　　I　concentrated　my　whole　attention　upon　the　distance…　posts　ahead　and　the　clouds　which；　hitherto　dispersed　over　the　sky；　were　now　assuming　a　menacing　blackness；　and　beginning　to　form　themselves　into　a　single　solid　mass。

From　time　to　time　distant　thunder　could　be　hearda　circumstance　which　greatly　increased　my　impatience　to　arrive　at　the　inn　where　we　were　to　spend　the　night。　A　thunderstorm　always　communicated　to　me　an　inexpressibly　oppressive　feeling　of　fear　and　gloom。

Yet　we　were　still　ten　versts　from　the　next　village；　and　in　the　meanwhile　the　large　purple　cloudbankarisen　from　no　one　knows　wherewas　advancing　steadily　towards　us。　The　sun；　not　yet　obscured；　was　picking　out　its　fuscous　shape　with　dazzling　light；　and　marking　its　front　with　grey　stripes　running　right　down　to　the　horizon。　At　intervals；　vivid　lightning　could　be　seen　in　the　distance；　followed　by　low　rumbles　which　increased　steadily　in　volume　until　they　merged　into　a　prolonged　roll　which　seemed　to　embrace　the　entire　heavens。　At　length；　Vassili　got　up　and　covered　over　the　britchka；　the　coachman　wrapped　himself　up　in　his　cloak　and　lifted　his　cap　to　make　the　sign　of　the　cross　at　each　successive　thunderclap；　and　the　horses　pricked　up　their　ears　and　snorted　as　though　to　drink　in　the　fresh　air　which　the　flying　clouds　were　outdistancing。　The　britchka　began　to　roll　more　swiftly　along　the　dusty　road；　and　I　felt　uneasy；　and　as　though　the　blood　were　coursing　more　quickly　through　my　veins。　Soon　the　clouds　had　veiled　the　face　of　the　sun；　and　though　he　threw　a　last　gleam　of　light　to　the　dark　and　terrifying　horizon；　he　had　no　choice　but　to　disappear　behind　them。

Suddenly　everything　around　us　seemed　changed；　and　assumed　a　gloomy　aspect。　A　wood　of　aspen　trees　which　we　were　passing　seemed　to　be　all　in　a　tremble；　with　its　leaves　showing　white　against　the　dark　lilac　background　of　the　clouds；　murmuring　together　in　an　agitated　manner。　The　tops　of　the　larger　trees　began　to　bend　to　and　fro；　and　dried　leaves　and　grass　to　whirl　about　in　eddies　over　the　road。　Swallows　and　white…breasted　swifts　came　darting　around　the　britchka　and　even　passing　in　front　of　the　forelegs　of　the　horses。　While　rooks；　despite　their　outstretched　wings；　were　laid；　as　it　were；　on　their　keels　by　the　wind。　Finally；　the　leather　apron　which　covered　us　began　to　flutter　about　and　to　beat　against　the　sides　of　the　conveyance。

The　lightning　flashed　right　into　the　britchka　as；　cleaving　the　obscurity　for　a　second；　it　lit　up　the　grey　cloth　and　silk　galloon　of　the　lining　and　Woloda's　figure　pressed　back　into　a　corner。

Next　came　a　terrible　sound　which；　rising　higher　and　higher；　and　spreading　further　and　further；　increased　until　it　reached　its　climax　in　a　deafening　thunderclap　which　made　us　tremble　and　hold　our　breaths。　〃The　wrath　of　God〃what　poetry　there　is　in　that　simple　popular　conception！

The　pace　of　the　vehicle　was　continually　increasing；　and　from　Philip's　and　Vassili's　backs　（the　former　was　tugging　furiously　at　the　reins）　I　could　see　that　they　too　were　alarmed。

Bowling　rapidly　down　an　incline；　the　britchka　cannoned　violently　against　a　wooden　bridge　at　the　bottom。　I　dared　not　stir　and　expected　destruction　every　moment。

Crack！　A　trace　had　given　way；　and；　in　spite　of　the　ceaseless；　deafening　thunderclaps；　we　had　to　pull　up　on　the　bridge。

Leaning　my　head　despairingly　against　the　side　of　the　britchka；　I　followed　with　a　beating　heart　the　movements　of　Philip's　great　black　fingers　as　he　tied　up　the　broken　trace　and；　with　hands　and　the　butt…end　of　the　whip；　pushed　the　harness　vigorously　back　into　its　place。

My　sense　of　terror　was　increasing　with　the　violence　of　the　thunder。　Indeed；　at　the　moment　of　supreme　silence　which　generally　precedes　the　greatest　intensity　of　a　storm；　it　mounted　to　such　a　height　that　I　felt　as　though　another　quarter　of　an　hour　of　this　emotion　would　kill　me。

Just　then　there　appeared　from　beneath　the　bridge　a　human　being　who；　clad　in　a　torn；　filthy　smock；　and　supported　on　a　pair　of　thin　shanks　bare　of　muscles；　thrust　an　idiotic　face；　a　tremulous；　bare；　shaven　head；　and　a　pair　of　red；　shining　stumps　in　place　of　hands　into　the　britchka。

〃M…my　lord！　A　copeck　forfor　God's　sake！〃　groaned　a　feeble　voice　as　at　each　word　the　wretched　being　made　the　sign　of　the　cross　and　bowed　himself　to　the　ground。

I　cannot　describe　the　chill　feeling　of　horror　which　penetrated　my　heart　at　that　moment。　A　shudder　crept　through　all　my　hair；　and　my　eyes　stared　in　vacant　terror　at　the　outcast。

Vassili；　who　was　charged　with　the　apportioning　of　alms　during　the　journey；　was　busy　helping　Philip；　and　only　when　everything　had　been　put　straight　and　Philip　had　resumed　the　reins　again　had　he　time　to　look　for　his　purse。　Hardly　had　the　britchka　begun　to　move　when　a　blinding　flash　filled　the　welkin　with　a　blaze　of　light　which　brought　the　horses　to　their　haunches。　Then；　the