boyhood-第6节

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for？〃

〃Woloda　says　that　Karl　Ivanitch　gave　him　the　powder　himself；〃　declared　Mimi。

〃Then　you　can　see　for　yourself　what　use　he　is；〃　continued　Grandmamma。　〃　And　where　IS　hethis　precious　'Uncle'？　How　is　one　to　get　hold　of　him？　Send　him　here。〃

〃He　has　gone　an　errand　for　me；〃　said　Papa。

〃That　is　not　at　all　right；〃　rejoined　Grandmamma。　〃He　ought　ALWAYS　to　be　here。　True；　the　children　are　yours；　not　mine；　and　I　have　nothing　to　do　with　them；　seeing　that　you　are　so　much　cleverer　than　I　am；　yet　all　the　same　I　think　it　is　time　we　had　a　regular　tutor　for　them；　and　not　this　'Uncle'　of　a　Germana　stupid　fellow　who　knows　only　how　to　teach　them　rude　manners　and　Tyrolean　songs！　Is　it　necessary；　I　ask　you；　that　they　should　learn　Tyrolean　songs？　However；　there　is　no　one　for　me　to　consult　about　it；　and　you　must　do　just　as　you　like。〃

The　word　〃NOW〃　meant　〃NOW　THAT　THEY　HAVE　NO　MOTHER；〃　and　suddenly　awakened　sad　recollections　in　Grandmamma's　heart。　She　threw　a　glance　at　the　snuff…box　bearing　Mamma's　portrait　and　sighed。

〃I　thought　of　all　this　long　ago；〃　said　Papa　eagerly；　〃as　well　as　taking　your　advice　on　the　subject。　How　would　you　like　St。　Jerome　to　superintend　their　lessons？〃

〃Oh；　I　think　he　would　do　excellently；　my　friend；〃　said　Grandmamma　in　a　mollified　tone；　〃He　is　at　least　a　tutor　comme　il　faut；　and　knows　how　to　instruct　des　enfants　de　bonne　maison。　He　is　not　a　mere　'Uncle'　who　is　good　only　for　taking　them　out　walking。〃

〃Very　well；　I　will　talk　to　him　to…morrow；〃　said　Papa。　And；　sure　enough；　two　days　later　saw　Karl　Ivanitch　forced　to　retire　in　favour　of　the　young　Frenchman　referred　to。



VIII。　KARL　IVANITCH'S　HISTORY

THE　evening　before　the　day　when　Karl　was　to　leave　us　for　ever；　he　was　standing　（clad；　as　usual；　in　his　wadded　dressing…gown　and　red　cap）　near　the　bed　in　his　room；　and　bending　down　over　a　trunk　as　he　carefully　packed　his　belongings。

His　behaviour　towards　us　had　been　very　cool　of　late；　and　he　had　seemed　to　shrink　from　all　contact　with　us。　Consequently；　when　I　entered　his　room　on　the　present　occasion；　he　only　glanced　at　me　for　a　second　and　then　went　on　with　his　occupation。　Even　though　I　proceeded　to　jump　on　to　his　bed　（a　thing　hitherto　always　forbidden　me　to　do）；　he　said　not　a　word；　and　the　idea　that　he　would　soon　be　scolding　or　forgiving　us　no　longerno　longer　having　anything　to　do　with　usreminded　me　vividly　of　the　impending　separation。　I　felt　grieved　to　think　that　he　had　ceased　to　love　us　and　wanted　to　show　him　my　grief。

〃Will　you　let　me　help　you？〃　I　said；　approaching　him。

He　looked　at　me　for　a　moment　and　turned　away　again。　Yet　the　expression　of　pain　in　his　eyes　showed　that　his　coldness　was　not　the　result　of　indifference；　but　rather　of　sincere　and　concentrated　sorrow。

〃God　sees　and　knows　everything；〃　he　said　at　length；　raising　himself　to　his　full　height　and　drawing　a　deep　sigh。　〃Yes；　Nicolinka；〃　he　went　on；　observing；　the　expression　of　sincere　pity　on　my　face；　〃　my　fate　has　been　an　unhappy　one　from　the　cradle；　and　will　continue　so　to　the　grave。　The　good　that　I　have　done　to　people　has　always　been　repaid　with　evil；　yet；　though　I　shall　receive　no　reward　here；　I　shall　find　one　THERE〃　（he　pointed　upwards）。　〃Ah；　if　only　you　knew　my　whole　story；　and　all　that　I　have　endured　in　this　life！I　who　have　been　a　bootmaker；　a　soldier；　a　deserter；　a　factory　hand；　and　a　teacher！　Yet　nownow　I　am　nothing；　and；　like　the　Son　of　Man；　have　nowhere　to　lay　my　head。〃　Sitting　down　upon　a　chair；　he　covered　his　eyes　with　his　hand。

Seeing　that　he　was　in　the　introspective　mood　in　which　a　man　pays　no　attention　to　his　listener　as　he　cons　over　his　secret　thoughts；　I　remained　silent；　and；　seating　myself　upon　the　bed；　continued　to　watch　his　kind　face。

〃You　are　no　longer　a　child。　You　can　understand　things　now；　and　I　will　tell　you　my　whole　story　and　all　that　I　have　undergone。　Some　day；　my　children；　you　may　remember　the　old　friend　who　loved　you　so　much〃

He　leant　his　elbow　upon　the　table　by　his　side；　took　a　pinch　of　snuff；　and；　in　the　peculiarly　measured；　guttural　tone　in　which　he　used　to　dictate　us　our　lessons；　began　the　story　of　his　career。

Since　he　many　times　in　later　years　repeated　the　whole　to　me　againalways　in　the　same　order；　and　with　the　same　expressions　and　the　same　unvarying　intonationI　will　try　to　render　it　literally；　and　without　omitting　the　innumerable　grammatical　errors　into　which　he　always　strayed　when　speaking　in　Russian。　Whether　it　was　really　the　history　of　his　life；　or　whether　it　was　the　mere　product　of　his　imaginationthat　is　to　say；　some　narrative　which　he　had　conceived　during　his　lonely　residence　in　our　house；　and　had　at　last；　from　endless　repetition；　come　to　believe　in　himselfor　whether　he　was　adorning　with　imaginary　facts　the　true　record　of　his　career；　I　have　never　quite　been　able　to　make　out。　On　the　one　hand；　there　was　too　much　depth　of　feeling　and　practical　consistency　in　its　recital　for　it　to　be　wholly　incredible；　while；　on　the　other　hand；　the　abundance　of　poetical　beauty　which　it　contained　tended　to　raise　doubts　in　the　mind　of　the　listener。

〃Me　vere　very　unhappy　from　ze　time　of　my　birth；〃　he　began　with　a　profound　sigh。　〃Ze　noble　blot　of　ze　Countess　of　Zomerblat　flows　in　my　veins。　Me　vere　born　six　veek　after　ze　vetting。　Ze　man　of　my　Mutter　（I　called　him　'Papa'）　vere　farmer　to　ze　Count　von　Zomerblat。　He　coult　not　forget　my　Mutter's　shame；　ant　loaft　me

not。　I　had　a　youngster　broser　Johann　ant　two　sister；　pot　me　vere　strange　petween　my　own　family。　Ven　Johann　mate　several　silly　trick　Papa　sayt；　'Wit　sis　chilt　Karl　I　am　never　to　have　one　moment　tranquil！'　and　zen　he　scoltet　and　ponishet　me。　Ven　ze　sister　quarrellet　among　zemselves　Papa　sayt；　'Karl　vill　never　be　one　opedient　poy；'　ant　still　scoltet　ant　ponishet　me。　My　goot　Mamma　alone　loaft　ant　tenteret　me。　Often　she　sayt　to　me；　'Karl；　come　in　my　room；'　ant　zere　she　kisset　me　secretly。　'Poorly；　poorly　Karl！'　she　sayt。　'Nopoty　loaf　you；　pot　I　will　not　exchange　you　for　somepoty　in　ze　worlt；　One　zing　your　Mutter　pegs　you；　to　rememper；'　sayt　she　to　me；　'learn　vell；　ant　be　efer　one　honest　man；　zen　Got　will　not　forsake　you。'　Ant　I　triet　so　to　become。　Ven　my　fourteen　year　hat　expiret；　ant　me　coult　partake　of　ze　Holy　Sopper；　my　Mutter　sayt　to　my　Vater；　'Karl　is　one　pig　poy　now；　Kustaf。　Vat　shall　we　do　wis　him？'　Ant　Papa　sayt；　'Me　ton't　know。'　Zen　Mamma　sayt；　'Let　us　give　him　to　town　at　Mister　Schultzen's；　and　he　may　pea　Schumacher；'　ant　my　Vater　sayt；　'Goot　！'　Six　year　ant　seven　mons　livet　I　in　town　wis　ze　Mister　Shoemaker；　ant　he　loaft　me。　He　sayt；　'Karl　are　one　goot　vorkman；　ant　shall　soon　become　my　Geselle。'　Pot…man　makes　ze　proposition；　ant　Got　ze　deposition。　In　ze　year　1796　one　conscription　took　place；　ant　each　which　vas　serviceable；　from　ze　eighteens　to　ze　twenty…first　year；　hat　to　go　to　town。

〃My　Fater　and　my　broser　Johann　come　to　town；　ant　ve　go　togezer　to　throw　ze　lot　for　which　shoult　pe　Soldat。　Johann　drew　ze　fatal　nomper；　and　me　vas　not　necessary　to　pe　Soldat。　Ant　Papa　sayt；　'I　have　only　vun　son；　ant　wis　him　I　must　now　separate！'

〃Den　I　take　his　hant；　ant　says；　'Why　say　you　so；　Papa？　Come　wis　me；　ant　I　will　say　you　somesing。'　Ant　Papa　come；　ant　we　seat　togezer　at　ze　publics…house；　ant　me　sayt；　'Vaiter；　give　us　one　Bierkrug；'　ant　he　gives　us　one。　We　trink　altogezer；　and　broser　Johann　also　trink。　'Papa；'　sayt　me；　'ton't　say　zat　you　have　only　one　son；　ant　wis　it　you　must　separate；　My　heart　was　breaking　ven　you　say　sis。　Broser　Johann　must　not　serve；　ME　shall　pe　Soldat。　Karl　is　for　nopoty　necessary；　and　Karl　shall　pe　Soldat。'

〃'You　is　one　honest　man；　Karl；'　sayt　Papa；　ant　kiss　me。　Ant　me　was　Soldat。〃



IX。　CONTINUATION　OF　KARL'S　NARRATIVE

〃Zat　was　a　terrible　time；　Nicolinka；〃　continued　Karl　Ivanitch；　〃ze　time　of　Napoleon。　He　vanted　to　conquer　Germany；　ant　we　protected　our　Vaterland　to　ze　last　trop　of　plot。　Me　vere　at　Ulm；　me　vere　at　Austerlitz；　me　vere　at　Wagram。〃

〃Did　you　really　fight？〃　I　asked　with　a　gaze　of　astonishment　〃Did　you　really　kill　anybody？〃

Karl　instantly　reassured　me　on　this　point；

〃Vonce　one　French　grenadier　was　left　behint；　ant　fell　to　ze　grount。　I　sprang　forvarts　wis　my　gon；　ant　vere　about　to　kill　him；　aber　der　Franzose　warf　sein　Gewehr　hin　und　rief；　'Pardon'ant　I　let　him　loose。

〃At　Wagram；　Napoleon　cut　us　open；　ant　surrountet　us　in　such　a　way　as　zere　vas　no　helping。　Sree　days　hat　we　no　provisions；　ant　stoot　in　ze　vater　op　to　ze　knees。　Ze　evil　Napoleon　neiser　let　us　go　loose　nor　catchet　us。

〃On　ze　fours　day　zey　took　us　prisonerszank　Got！　ant　sent　us　to　one　fortress。　Upon　me　vas　one　blue　trousers；　uniforms　of　very　goot　clos；　fifteen　of　Thalers；　ant　one　silver　clock　which　my　Vater　hat　given　me；　Ze　Frans　Soldaten　took　from　me　everysing。　For　my　happiness　zere　vas　sree　tucats　on　me　which　my　Mamma　hat　sewn　in　my　shirt　of　flannel。　Nopoty　fount　zem。

〃I　liket　not　long　to　stay　in　ze　fortresses；　ant　resoluted　to　ron　away。　Von　day；　von　pig　holitay；　says　I　to　the　sergeant　which　hat　to　look　after　us；　'Mister　Sergeant；　to…day　is　a　pig　holitay；　ant　me　vants　to　celeprate　it。　Pring　here；　if　you　please；　two　pottle　Mateira；　ant　we　shall　trink　zem　wis　each　oser。'　Ant　ze　sergeant　says；　'Goot！'　Ven　ze　sergeant　pring　ze　Mateira　ant　we　trink　it　out　to　ze　last　trop；　I　taket　his　hant　ant　says；　'Mister　Sergeant；　perhaps　you　have　still　on