the witch and other stories-第19节

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was　a　soldier；　and　now；　to　be　sure；　he　is　at　Petersburg　at　a
hydropathic　establishment。　The　doctor　treats　the　sick　with　water。
So　he；　to　be　sure；　is　house…porter　at　the　doctor's。〃

〃Here　it　is　written　down；〃　said　the　old　woman；　taking　a　letter
out　of　her　pocket。　〃We　got　it　from　Yefimya；　goodness　knows　when。
Maybe　they　are　no　longer　in　this　world。〃

Yegor　thought　a　little　and　began　writing　rapidly：

〃At　the　present　time〃　he　wrote　　〃since　your　destiny　through
your　own　doing　allotted　you　to　the　Military　Career；　we　counsel
you　to　look　into　the　Code　of　Disciplinary　Offences　and
Fundamental　Laws　of　the　War　Office；　and　you　will　see　in　that　law
the　Civilization　of　the　Officials　of　the　War　Office。〃

He　wrote　and　kept　reading　aloud　what　was　written；　while　Vasilisa
considered　what　she　ought　to　write：　how　great　had　been　their　want
the　year　before；　how　their　corn　had　not　lasted　even　till
Christmas；　how　they　had　to　sell　their　cow。　She　ought　to　ask　for
money；　ought　to　write　that　the　old　father　was　often　ailing　and
would　soon　no　doubt　give　up　his　soul　to　God　。　。　。　but　how　to
express　this　in　words？　What　must　be　said　first　and　what
afterwards？

〃Take　note；〃　Yegor　went　on　writing；　〃in　volume　five　of　the　Army
Regulations　soldier
　is　a　common　noun　and　a　proper　one；　a　soldier　of　the　first　rank
is　called　a　general；　and　of　the　last　a　private。　。　。　。〃

The　old　man　stirred　his　lips　and　said　softly：

〃It　would　be　all　right　to　have　a　look　at　the　grandchildren。〃

〃What　grandchildren？〃　asked　the　old　woman；　and　she　looked　angrily
at　him；　〃perhaps　there　are　none。〃

〃Well；　but　perhaps　there　are。　Who　knows？〃

〃And　thereby　you　can　judge；〃　Yegor　hurried　on；　〃what　is　the　enemy
without　and　what　is　the　enemy　within。　The　foremost　of　our　enemies
within　is　Bacchus。〃　The　pen　squeaked；　executing　upon　the　paper
flourishes　like　fish…hooks。　Yegor　hastened　and　read　over　every
line　several　times。　He　sat　on　a　stool　sprawling　his　broad　feet
under　the　table；　well…fed；　bursting　with　health；　with　a　coarse
animal　face　and　a　red　bull　neck。　He　was　vulgarity　itself：　coarse；
conceited；　invincible；　proud　of　having　been　born　and　bred　in　a
pot…house；　and　Vasilisa　quite　understood　the　vulgarity；　but　could
not　express　it　in　words；　and　could　only　look　angrily　and
suspiciously　at　Yegor。　Her　head　was　beginning　to　ache；　and　her
thoughts　were　in　confusion　from　the　sound　of　his　voice　and　his
unintelligible　words；　from　the　heat　and　the　stuffiness；　and　she
said　nothing　and　thought　nothing；　but　simply　waited　for　him　to
finish　scribbling。　But　the　old　man　looked　with　full　confidence。
He　believed　in　his　old　woman　who　had　brought　him　there；　and　in
Yegor；　and　when　he　had　mentioned　the　hydropathic　establishment　it
could　be　seen　that　he　believed　in　the　establishment　and　the
healing　efficacy　of　water。

Having　finished　the　letter；　Yegor　got　up　and　read　the　whole　of　it
through　from　the　beginning。　The　old　man　did　not　understand；　but
he　nodded　his　head　trustfully。

〃That's　all　right；　it　is　smooth　。　。　。〃　he　said。　〃God　give　you
health。　That's　all　right。　。　。　。〃

They　laid　on　the　table　three　five…kopeck　pieces　and　went　out　of
the　tavern；　the　old　man　looked　immovably　straight　before　him　as
though　he　were　blind；　and　perfect　trustfulness　was　written　on　his
face；　but　as　Vasilisa　came　out　of　the　tavern　she　waved　angrily　at
the　dog；　and　said　angrily：

〃Ugh；　the　plague。〃

The　old　woman　did　not　sleep　all　night；　she　was　disturbed　by
thoughts；　and　at　daybreak　she　got　up；　said　her　prayers；　and　went
to　the　station　to　send　off　the　letter。

It　was　between　eight　and　nine　miles　to　the　station。

II


Dr。　B。　O。　Mozelweiser's　hydropathic　establishment　worked　on　New
Year's　Day　exactly　as　on　ordinary　days；　the　only　difference　was
that　the　porter；　Andrey　Hrisanfitch；　had　on　a　uniform　with　new
braiding；　his　boots　had　an　extra　polish；　and　he　greeted　every
visitor　with　〃A　Happy　New　Year　to　you！〃

It　was　the　morning；　Andrey　Hrisanfitch　was　standing　at　the　door；
reading　the　newspaper。　Just　at　ten　o'clock　there　arrived　a
general；　one　of　the　habitual　visitors；　and　directly　after　him　the
postman；　Andrey　Hrisanfitch　helped　the　general　off　with　his
great…coat；　and　said：

〃A　Happy　New　Year　to　your　Excellency！〃

〃Thank　you；　my　good　fellow；　the　same　to　you。〃

And　at　the　top　of　the　stairs　the　general　asked；　nodding　towards
the　door　（he　asked　the　same　question　every　day　and　always　forgot
the　answer）：

〃And　what　is　there　in　that　room？〃

〃The　massage　room；　your　Excellency。〃

When　the　general's　steps　had　died　away　Andrey　Hrisanfitch　looked
at　the　post　that　had　come；　and　found　one　addressed　to　himself。　He
tore　it　open；　read　several　lines；　then；　looking　at　the　newspaper；
he　walked　without　haste　to　his　own　room；　which　was　downstairs
close　by　at　the　end　of　the　passage。　His　wife　Yefimya　was　sitting
on　the　bed；　feeding　her　baby；　another　child；　the　eldest；　was
standing　by；　laying　its　curly　head　on　her　knee；　a　third　was
asleep　on　the　bed。

Going　into　the　room；　Andrey　gave　his　wife　the　letter　and　said：

〃From　the　country；　I　suppose。〃

Then　he　walked　out　again　without　taking　his　eyes　from　the　paper。
He　could　hear　Yefimya　with　a　shaking　voice　reading　the　first
lines。　She　read　them　and　could　read　no　more；　these　lines　were
enough　for　her。　She　burst　into　tears；　and　hugging　her　eldest
child；　kissing　him；　she　began　saying　　and　it　was　hard　to　say
whether　she　were　laughing　or　crying：

〃It's　from　granny；　from　grandfather；〃　she　said。　〃From　the
country。　。　。　。　The　Heavenly　Mother；　Saints　and　Martyrs！　The　snow
lies　heaped　up　under　the　roofs　now　。　。　。　the　trees　are　as　white
as　white。　The　boys　slide　on　little　sledges　。　。　。　and　dear　old
bald　grandfather　is　on　the　stove　。　。　。　and　there　is　a　little
yellow　dog。　。　。　。　My　own　darlings！〃

Andrey　Hrisanfitch；　hearing　this；　recalled　that　his　wife　had　on
three　or　four　occasions　given　him　letters　and　asked　him　to　send
them　to　the　country；　but　some　important　business　had　always
prevented　him；　he　had　not　sent　them；　and　the　letters　somehow　got
lost。

〃And　little　hares　run　about　in　the　fields；〃　Yefimya　went　on
chanting；　kissing　her　boy　and　shedding　tears。　〃Grandfather　is
kind　and　gentle；　granny　is　good；　too　　kind…hearted。　They　are
warm…hearted　in　the　country；　they　are　God…fearing　。　。　。　and　there
is　a　little　church　in　the　village；　the　peasants　sing　in　the
choir。　Queen　of　Heaven；　Holy　Mother　and　Defender；　take　us　away
from　here！〃

Andrey　Hrisanfitch　returned　to　his　room　to　smoke　a　little　till
there　was　another　ring　at　the　door；　and　Yefimya　ceased　speaking；
subsided；　and　wiped　her　eyes；　though　her　lips　were　still
quivering。　She　was　very　much　frightened　of　him　　oh；　how
frightened　of　him！　She　trembled　and　was　reduced　to　terror　by　the
sound　of　his　steps；　by　the　look　in　his　eyes；　and　dared　not　utter
a　word　in　his　presence。

Andrey　Hrisanfitch　lighted　a　cigarette；　but　at　that　very　moment
there　was　a　ring　from　upstairs。　He　put　out　his　cigarette；　and；
assuming　a　very　grave　face；　hastened　to　his　front　door。

The　general　was　coming　downstairs；　fresh　and　rosy　from　his　bath。

〃And　what　is　there　in　that　room？〃　he　asked；　pointing　to　a　door。

Andrey　Hrisanfitch　put　his　hands　down　swiftly　to　the　seams　of　his
trousers；　and　pronounced　loudly：

〃Charcot　douche；　your　Excellency！〃


GUSEV

I

IT　was　getting　dark；　it　would　soon　be　night。

Gusev；　a　discharged　soldier；　sat　up　in　his　hammock　and　said　in　an
undertone：

〃I　say；　Pavel　Ivanitch。　A　soldier　at　Sutchan　told　me：　while　they
were　sailing　a　big　fish　came　into　collision　with　their　ship　and
stove　a　hole　in　it。〃

The　nondescript　individual　whom　he　was　addressing；　and　whom
everyone　in　the　ship's　hospital　called　Pavel　Ivanitch；　was
silent；　as　though　he　had　not　heard。

And　again　a　stillness　followed。　。　。　The　wind　frolicked　with　the
rigging；　the　screw　throbbed；　the　waves　lashed；　the　hammocks
creaked；　but　the　ear　had　long　ago　become　accustomed　to　these
sounds；　and　it　seemed　that　everything　around　was　asleep　and
silent。　It　was　dreary。　The　three　invalids　　two　soldiers　and　a
sailor　　who　had　been　playing　cards　all　the　day　were　asleep　and
talking　in　their　dreams。

It　seemed　as　though　the　ship　were　beginning　to　rock。　The　hammock
slowly　rose　and　fell　under　Gusev；　as　though　it　were　heaving　a
sigh；　and　this　was　repeated　once；　twice；　three　times。　。　。　。
Something　crashed　on　to　the　floor　with　a　clang：　it　must　have　been
a　jug　falling　down。

〃The　wind　has　broken　loose　from　its　chain。　。　。〃　said　Gusev；
listening。

This　time　Pavel　Ivanitch　cleared　his　throat　and　answered
irritably：

〃One　minute　a　vessel's　running　into　a　fish；　the　next；　the　wind's
breaking　loose　from　its　chain。　Is　the　wind　a　beast　that　it　can
break　loose　from　its　chain？〃

〃That's　how　christened　folk　talk。〃

〃They　are　as　ignorant　as　you　are　then。　They　say　all　sorts　of
things。　One　must　keep　a　head　on　one's　shoulders　and　use　one's
reason。　You　are　a　senseless　creature。〃

Pavel　Ivanitch　was　subject　to　sea…sickness。　When　the　sea　was
rough　he　was　usually　ill…humoured；　and　the　merest　trifle　would
make　him　irritable。　And　in　Gusev's　opinion　there　was　absolutely
nothing　to　be　vexed　about。　What　was　there　strange　or　wonderful；
for　instance；　in　the　fish　or　in　the　wind's　breaking　lo