the witch and other stories-第13节

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great　sin；　there's　no　doubt　about　it；　but　to　make　up　for　it　there
is；　maybe；　noble　blood　in　me。　Maybe　I　am　only　a　peasant　by　class；
but　in　nature　a　noble　gentleman。〃

The　〃noble　gentleman〃　uttered　all　this　in　a　soft；　sugary　tenor；
wrinkling　up　his　narrow　forehead　and　emitting　creaking　sounds
from　his　red；　frozen　little　nose。　Ptaha　listened　and　looked
askance　at　him　in　wonder；　continually　shrugging　his　shoulders。

After　going　nearly　five　miles　the　constables　and　the　tramp　sat
down　on　a　mound　to　rest。

〃Even　a　dog　knows　his　name；〃　Ptaha　muttered。　〃My　name　is
Andryushka；　his　is　Nikandr；　every　man　has　his　holy　name；　and　it
can't　be　forgotten。　Nohow。〃

〃Who　has　any　need　to　know　my　name？〃　sighed　the　tramp；　leaning　his
cheek　on　his　fist。　〃And　what　advantage　would　it　be　to　me　if　they
did　know　it？　If　I　were　allowed　to　go　where　I　would　　but　it
would　only　make　things　worse。　I　know　the　law；　Christian　brothers。
Now　I　am　a　tramp　who　doesn't　remember　his　name；　and　it's　the　very
most　if　they　send　me　to　Eastern　Siberia　and　give　me　thirty　or
forty　lashes；　but　if　I　were　to　tell　them　my　real　name　and
description　they　would　send　me　back　to　hard　labour；　I　know！〃

〃Why；　have　you　been　a　convict？〃

〃I　have；　dear　friend。　For　four　years　I　went　about　with　my　head
shaved　and　fetters　on　my　legs。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃For　murder；　my　good　man！　When　I　was　still　a　boy　of　eighteen　or
so；　my　mamma　accidentally　poured　arsenic　instead　of　soda　and　acid
into　my　master's　glass。　There　were　boxes　of　all　sorts　in　the
storeroom；　numbers　of　them；　it　was　easy　to　make　a　mistake　over
them。〃

The　tramp　sighed；　shook　his　head；　and　said：

〃She　was　a　pious　woman；　but；　who　knows？　another　man's　soul　is　a
slumbering　forest！　It　may　have　been　an　accident；　or　maybe　she
could　not　endure　the　affront　of　seeing　the　master　prefer　another
servant。　。　。　。　Perhaps　she　put　it　in　on　purpose；　God　knows！　I　was
young　then；　and　did　not　understand　it　all　。　。　。　now　I　remember
that　our　master　had　taken　another　mistress　and　mamma　was　greatly
disturbed。　Our　trial　lasted　nearly　two　years。　。　。　。　Mamma　was
condemned　to　penal　servitude　for　twenty　years；　and　I；　on　account
of　my　youth；　only　to　seven。〃

〃And　why　were　you　sentenced？〃

〃As　an　accomplice。　I　handed　the　glass　to　the　master。　That　was
always　the　custom。　Mamma　prepared　the　soda　and　I　handed　it　to
him。　Only　I　tell　you　all　this　as　a　Christian；　brothers；　as　I
would　say　it　before　God。　Don't　you　tell　anybody。　。　。　。〃

〃Oh；　nobody's　going　to　ask　us；〃　said　Ptaha。　〃So　you've　run　away
from　prison；　have　you？〃

〃I　have；　dear　friend。　Fourteen　of　us　ran　away。　Some　folks；　God
bless　them！　ran　away　and　took　me　with　them。　Now　you　tell　me；　on
your　conscience；　good　man；　what　reason　have　I　to　disclose　my
name？　They　will　send　me　back　to　penal　servitude；　you　know！　And　I
am　not　fit　for　penal　servitude！　I　am　a　refined　man　in　delicate
health。　I　like　to　sleep　and　eat　in　cleanliness。　When　I　pray　to
God　I　like　to　light　a　little　lamp　or　a　candle；　and　not　to　have　a
noise　around　me。　When　I　bow　down　to　the　ground　I　like　the　floor
not　to　be　dirty　or　spat　upon。　And　I　bow　down　forty　times　every
morning　and　evening；　praying　for　mamma。〃

The　tramp　took　off　his　cap　and　crossed　himself。

〃And　let　them　send　me　to　Eastern　Siberia；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　not
afraid　of　that。〃

〃Surely　that's　no　better？〃

〃It　is　quite　a　different　thing。　In　penal　servitude　you　are　like　a
crab　in　a　basket：　crowding；　crushing；　jostling；　there's　no　room
to　breathe；　it's　downright　hell　　such　hell；　may　the　Queen　of
Heaven　keep　us　from　it！　You　are　a　robber　and　treated　like　a
robber　　worse　than　any　dog。　You　can't　sleep；　you　can't　eat　or
even　say　your　prayers。　But　it's　not　like　that　in　a　settlement。　In
a　settlement　I　shall　be　a　member　of　a　commune　like　other　people。
The　authorities　are　bound　by　law　to　give　me　my　share　。　。　。　ye…es！
They　say　the　land　costs　nothing；　no　more　than　snow；　you　can　take
what　you　like！　They　will　give　me　corn　land　and　building　land　and
garden。　。　。　。　I　shall　plough　my　fields　like　other　people；　sow
seed。　I　shall　have　cattle　and　stock　of　all　sorts；　bees；　sheep；
and　dogs。　。　。　。　A　Siberian　cat；　that　rats　and　mice　may　not　devour
my　goods。　。　。　。　I　will　put　up　a　house；　I　shall　buy　ikons。　。　。　。
Please　God；　I'll　get　married；　I　shall　have　children。　。　。　。〃

The　tramp　muttered　and　looked；　not　at　his　listeners；　but　away
into　the　distance。　Naive　as　his　dreams　were；　they　were　uttered　in
such　a　genuine　and　heartfelt　tone　that　it　was　difficult　not　to
believe　in　them。　The　tramp's　little　mouth　was　screwed　up　in　a
smile。　His　eyes　and　little　nose　and　his　whole　face　were　fixed　and
blank　with　blissful　anticipation　of　happiness　in　the　distant
future。　The　constables　listened　and　looked　at　him　gravely；　not
without　sympathy。　They；　too；　believed　in　his　dreams。

〃I　am　not　afraid　of　Siberia；〃　the　tramp　went　on　muttering。
〃Siberia　is　just　as　much　Russia　and　has　the　same　God　and　Tsar　as
here。　They　are　just　as　orthodox　Christians　as　you　and　I。　Only
there　is　more　freedom　there　and　people　are　better　off。　Everything
is　better　there。　Take　the　rivers　there；　for　instance；　they　are
far　better　than　those　here。　There's　no　end　of　fish；　and　all　sorts
of　wild　fowl。　And　my　greatest　pleasure；　brothers；　is　fishing。
Give　me　no　bread　to　eat；　but　let　me　sit　with　a　fishhook。　Yes；
indeed！　I　fish　with　a　hook　and　with　a　wire　line；　and　set　creels；
and　when　the　ice　comes　I　catch　with　a　net。　I　am　not　strong　to
draw　up　the　net；　so　I　shall　hire　a　man　for　five　kopecks。　And；
Lord；　what　a　pleasure　it　is！　You　catch　an　eel…pout　or　a　roach　of
some　sort　and　are　as　pleased　as　though　you　had　met　your　own
brother。　And　would　you　believe　it；　there's　a　special　art　for
every　fish：　you　catch　one　with　a　live　bait；　you　catch　another
with　a　grub；　the　third　with　a　frog　or　a　grasshopper。　One　has　to
understand　all　that；　of　course！　For　example；　take　the　eel…pout。
It　is　not　a　delicate　fish　　it　will　take　a　perch；　and　a　pike
loves　a　gudgeon；　the　_shilishper_　likes　a　butterfly。　If　you　fish
for　a　roach　in　a　rapid　stream　there　is　no　greater　pleasure。　You
throw　the　line　of　seventy　feet　without　lead；　with　a　butterfly　or
a　beetle；　so　that　the　bait　floats　on　the　surface；　you　stand　in
the　water　without　your　trousers　and　let　it　go　with　the　current；
and　tug！　the　roach　pulls　at　it！　Only　you　have　got　to　be　artful
that　he　doesn't　carry　off　the　b　ait；　the　damned　rascal。　As　soon
as　he　tugs　at　your　line　you　must　whip　it　up；　it's　no　good
waiting。　It's　wonderful　what　a　lot　of　fish　I've　caught　in　my
time。　When　we　were　running　away　the　other　convicts　would　sleep　in
the　forest；　I　could　not　sleep；　but　I　was　off　to　the　river。　The
rivers　there　are　wide　and　rapid；　the　banks　are　steep　　awfully！
It's　all　slumbering　forests　on　the　bank。　The　trees　are　so　tall
that　if　you　look　to　the　top　it　makes　you　dizzy。　Every　pine　would
be　worth　ten　roubles　by　the　prices　here。〃

In　the　overwhelming　rush　of　his　fancies；　of　artistic　images　of
the　past　and　sweet　presentiments　of　happiness　in　the　future；　the
poor　wretch　sank　into　silence；　merely　moving　his　lips　as　though
whispering　to　himself。　The　vacant；　blissful　smile　never　left　his
lips。　The　constables　were　silent。　They　were　pondering　with　bent
heads。　In　the　autumn　stillness；　when　the　cold；　sullen　mist　that
rises　from　the　earth　lies　like　a　weight　on　the　heart；　when　it
stands　like　a　prison　wall　before　the　eyes；　and　reminds　man　of　the
limitation　of　his　freedom；　it　is　sweet　to　think　of　the　broad；
rapid　rivers；　with　steep　banks　wild　and　luxuriant；　of　the
impenetrable　forests；　of　the　boundless　steppes。　Slowly　and
quietly　the　fancy　pictures　how　early　in　the　morning；　before　the
flush　of　dawn　has　left　the　sky；　a　man　makes　his　way　along　the
steep　deserted　bank　like　a　tiny　speck：　the　ancient；　mast…like
pines　rise　up　in　terraces　on　both　sides　of　the　torrent；　gaze
sternly　at　the　free　man　and　murmur　menacingly；　rocks；　huge
stones；　and　thorny　bushes　bar　his　way；　but　he　is　strong　in　body
and　bold　in　spirit；　and　has　no　fear　of　the　pine…trees；　nor
stones；　nor　of　his　solitude；　nor　of　the　reverberating　echo　which
repeats　the　sound　of　every　footstep　that　he　takes。

The　peasants　called　up　a　picture　of　a　free　life　such　as　they　had
never　lived；　whether　they　vaguely　recalled　the　images　of　stories
heard　long　ago　or　whether　notions　of　a　free　life　had　been　handed
down　to　them　with　their　flesh　and　blood　from　far…off　free
ancestors；　God　knows！

The　first　to　break　the　silence　was　Nikandr　Sapozhnikov；　who　had
not　till　then　let　fall　a　single　word。　Whether　he　envied　the
tramp's　transparent　happiness；　or　whether　he　felt　in　his　heart
that　dreams　of　happiness　were　out　of　keeping　with　the　grey　fog
and　the　dirty　brown　mud　　anyway；　he　looked　sternly　at　the　tramp
and　said：

〃It's　all　very　well；　to　be　sure；　only　you　won't　reach　those
plenteous　regions；　brother。　How　could　you？　Before　you'd　gone　two
hundred　miles　you'd　give　up　your　soul　to　God。　Just　look　what　a
weakling　you　are！　Here　you've　hardly　gone　five　miles　and　you
can't　get　your　breath。〃

The　tramp　turned　slowly　toward　Nikandr；　and　the　blissful　smile
vanished　from　his　face。　He　looked　with　a　scared　and　guilty　air　at
the　peasant's　staid　face；　apparently　remembered　something；　and
bent　his　head。　A　silence　followed