the witch and other stories-第20节

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nothing　to　be　vexed　about。　What　was　there　strange　or　wonderful；
for　instance；　in　the　fish　or　in　the　wind's　breaking　loose　from
its　chain？　Suppose　the　fish　were　as　big　as　a　mountain　and　its
back　were　as　hard　as　a　sturgeon：　and　in　the　same　way；　supposing
that　away　yonder　at　the　end　of　the　world　there　stood　great　stone
walls　and　the　fierce　winds　were　chained　up　to　the　walls　。　。　。　if
they　had　not　broken　loose；　why　did　they　tear　about　all　over　the
sea　like　maniacs；　and　struggle　to　escape　like　dogs？　If　they　were
not　chained　up；　what　did　become　of　them　when　it　was　calm？

Gusev　pondered　for　a　long　time　about　fishes　as　big　as　a　mountain
and　stout；　rusty　chains；　then　he　began　to　feel　dull　and　thought
of　his　native　place　to　which　he　was　returning　after　five　years'
service　in　the　East。　He　pictured　an　immense　pond　covered　with
snow。　。　。　。　On　one　side　of　the　pond　the　red…brick　building　of　the
potteries　with　a　tall　chimney　and　clouds　of　black　smoke；　on　the
other　side　　a　village。　。　。　。　His　brother　Alexey　comes　out　in　a
sledge　from　the　fifth　yard　from　the　end；　behind　him　sits　his
little　son　Vanka　in　big　felt　over…boots；　and　his　little　girl
Akulka；　also　in　big　felt　boots。　Alexey　has　been　drinking；　Vanka
is　laughing；　Akulka's　face　he　could　not　see；　she　had　muffled
herself　up。

〃You　never　know；　he'll　get　the　children　frozen　。　。　。〃　thought
Gusev。　〃Lord　send　them　sense　and　judgment　that　they　may　honour
their　father　and　mother　and　not　be　wiser　than　their　parents。〃

〃They　want　re…soleing；〃　a　delirious　sailor　says　in　a　bass　voice。
〃Yes；　yes！〃

Gusev's　thoughts　break　off；　and　instead　of　a　pond　there　suddenly
appears　apropos　of　nothing　a　huge　bull's　head　without　eyes；　and
the　horse　and　sledge　are　not　driving　along；　but　are　whirling
round　and　round　in　a　cloud　of　smoke。　But　still　he　was　glad　he　had
seen　his　own　folks。　He　held　his　breath　from　delight；　shudders　ran
all　over　him；　and　his　fingers　twitched。

〃The　Lord　let　us　meet　again；〃　he　muttered　feverishly；　but　he　at
once　opened　his　eyes　and　sought　in　the　darkness　for　water。

He　drank　and　lay　back；　and　again　the　sledge　was　moving；　then
again　the　bull's　head　without　eyes；　smoke；　clouds。　。　。　。　And　so
on　till　daybreak。

II

The　first　outline　visible　in　the　darkness　was　a　blue　circle　
the　little　round　window；　then　little　by　little　Gusev　could
distinguish　his　neighbour　in　the　next　hammock；　Pavel　Ivanitch。
The　man　slept　sitting　up；　as　he　could　not　breathe　lying　down。　His
face　was　grey；　his　nose　was　long　and　sharp；　his　eyes　looked　huge
from　the　terrible　thinness　of　his　face；　his　temples　were　sunken；
his　beard　was　skimpy；　his　hair　was　long。　。　。　。　Looking　at　him　you
could　not　make　out　of　what　class　he　was；　whether　he　were　a
gentleman；　a　merchant；　or　a　peasant。　Judging　from　his　expression
and　his　long　hair　he　might　have　been　a　hermit　or　a　lay　brother　in
a　monastery　　but　if　one　listened　to　what　he　said　it　seemed　that
he　could　not　be　a　monk。　He　was　worn　out　by　his　cough　and　his
illness　and　by　the　stifling　heat；　and　breathed　with　difficulty；
moving　his　parched　lips。　Noticing　that　Gusev　was　looking　at　him
he　turned　his　face　towards　him　and　said：

〃I　begin　to　guess。　。　。　。　Yes。　。　。　。　I　understand　it　all　perfectly
now。〃

〃What　do　you　understand；　Pavel　Ivanitch？〃

〃I'll　tell　you。　。　。　。　It　has　always　seemed　to　me　strange　that
terribly　ill　as　you　are　you　should　be　here　in　a　steamer　where　it
is　so　hot　and　stifling　and　we　are　always　being　tossed　up　and
down；　where；　in　fact；　everything　threatens　you　with　death；　now　it
is　all　clear　to　me。　。　。　。　Yes。　。　。　。　Your　doctors　put　you　on　the
steamer　to　get　rid　of　you。　They　get　sick　of　looking　after　poor
brutes　like　you。　。　。　。　You　don't　pay　them　anything；　they　have　a
bother　with　you；　and　you　damage　their　records　with　your　deaths　
so；　of　course；　you　are　brutes！　It's　not　difficult　to　get　rid　of
you。　。　。　。　All　that　is　necessary　is；　in　the　first　place；　to　have
no　conscience　or　humanity；　and；　secondly；　to　deceive　the　steamer
authorities。　The　first　condition　need　hardly　be　considered；　in
that　respect　we　are　artists；　and　one　can　always　succeed　in　the
second　with　a　little　practice。　In　a　crowd　of　four　hundred　healthy
soldiers　and　sailors　half　a　dozen　sick　ones　are　not　conspicuous；
well；　they　drove　you　all　on　to　the　steamer；　mixed　you　with　the
healthy　ones；　hurriedly　counted　you　over；　and　in　the　confusion
nothing　amiss　was　noticed；　and　when　the　steamer　had　started　they
saw　that　there　were　paralytics　and　consumptives　in　the　last　stage
lying　about　on　the　deck。　。　。　。〃

Gusev　did　not　understand　Pavel　Ivanitch；　but　supposing　he　was
being　blamed；　he　said　in　self…defence：

〃I　lay　on　the　deck　because　I　had　not　the　strength　to　stand；　when
we　were　unloaded　from　the　barge　on　to　the　ship　I　caught　a　fearful
chill。〃

〃It's　revolting；〃　Pavel　Ivanitch　went　on。　〃The　worst　of　it　is
they　know　perfectly　well　that　you　can't　last　out　the　long
journey；　and　yet　they　put　you　here。　Supposing　you　get　as　far　as
the　Indian　Ocean；　what　then？　It's　horrible　to　think　of　it。　。　。　。
And　that's　their　gratitude　for　your　faithful；　irreproachable
service！〃

Pavel　Ivanitch's　eyes　looked　angry；　he　frowned　contemptuously　and
said；　gasping：

〃Those　are　the　people　who　ought　to　be　plucked　in　the　newspapers
till　the　feathers　fly　in　all　directions。〃

The　two　sick　soldiers　and　the　sailor　were　awake　and　already
playing　cards。　The　sailor　was　half　reclining　in　his　hammock；　the
soldiers　were　sitting　near　him　on　the　floor　in　the　most
uncomfortable　attitudes。　One　of　the　soldiers　had　his　right　arm　in
a　sling；　and　the　hand　was　swathed　up　in　a　regular　bundle　so　that
he　held　his　cards　under　his　right　arm　or　in　the　crook　of　his
elbow　while　he　played　with　the　left。　The　ship　was　rolling
heavily。　They　could　not　stand　up；　nor　drink　tea；　nor　take　their
medicines。

〃Were　you　an　officer's　servant？〃　Pavel　Ivanitch　asked　Gusev。

〃Yes；　an　officer's　servant。〃

〃My　God；　my　God！〃　said　Pavel　Ivanitch；　and　he　shook　his　head
mournfully。　〃To　tear　a　man　out　of　his　home；　drag　him　twelve
thousand　miles　away；　then　to　drive　him　into　consumption　and。　。　。
and　what　is　it　all　for；　one　wonders？　To　turn　him　into　a　servant
for　some　Captain　Kopeikin　or　midshipman　Dirka！　How　logical！〃

〃It's　not　hard　work；　Pavel　Ivanitch。　You　get　up　in　the　morning
and　clean　the　boots；　get　the　samovar；　sweep　the　rooms；　and　then
you　have　nothing　more　to　do。　The　lieutenant　is　all　the　day
drawing　plans；　and　if　you　like　you　can　say　your　prayers；　if　you
like　you　can　read　a　book　or　go　out　into　the　street。　God　grant
everyone　such　a　life。〃

〃Yes；　very　nice；　the　lieutenant　draws　plans　all　the　day　and　you
sit　in　the　kitchen　and　pine　for　home。　。　。　。　Plans　indeed！　。　。　。
It　is　not　plans　that　matter；　but　a　human　life。　Life　is　not　given
twice；　it　must　be　treated　mercifully。〃

〃Of　course；　Pavel　Ivanitch；　a　bad　man　gets　no　mercy　anywhere；
neither　at　home　nor　in　the　army；　but　if　you　live　as　you　ought　and
obey　orders；　who　has　any　need　to　insult　you？　The　officers　are
educated　gentlemen；　they　understand。　。　。　。　In　five　years　I　was
never　once　in　prison；　and　I　was　never　struck　a　blow；　so　help　me
God；　but　once。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃For　fighting。　I　have　a　heavy　hand；　Pavel　Ivanitch。　Four　Chinamen
came　into　our　yard；　they　were　bringing　firewood　or　something；　I
don't　remember。　Well；　I　was　bored　and　I　knocked　them　about　a　bit；
one's　nose　began　bleeding；　damn　the　fellow。　。　。　。　The　lieutenant
saw　it　through　the　little　window；　he　was　angry　and　gave　me　a　box
on　the　ear。〃

〃Foolish；　pitiful　man　。　。　。〃　whispered　Pavel　Ivanitch。　〃You　don't
understand　anything。〃

He　was　utterly　exhausted　by　the　tossing　of　the　ship　and　closed
his　eyes；　his　head　alternately　fell　back　and　dropped　forward　on
his　breast。　Several　times　he　tried　to　lie　down　but　nothing　came
of　it；　his　difficulty　in　breathing　prevented　it。

〃And　what　did　you　hit　the　four　Chinamen　for？〃　he　asked　a　little
while　afterwards。

〃Oh；　nothing。　They　came　into　the　yard　and　I　hit　them。〃

And　a　stillness　followed。　。　。　。　The　card…players　had　been　playing
for　two　hours　with　enthusiasm　and　loud　abuse　of　one　another；　but
the　motion　of　the　ship　overcame　them；　too；　they　threw　aside　the
cards　and　lay　down。　Again　Gusev　saw　the　big　pond；　the　brick
building；　the　village。　。　。　。　Again　the　sledge　was　coming　along；
again　Vanka　was　laughing　and　Akulka；　silly　little　thing；　threw
open　her　fur　coat　and　stuck　her　feet　out；　as　much　as　to　say：
〃Look；　good　people；　my　snowboots　are　not　like　Vanka's；　they　are
new　ones。〃

〃Five　years　old；　and　she　has　no　sense　yet；〃　Gusev　muttered　in
delirium。　〃Instead　of　kicking　your　legs　you　had　better　come　and
get　your　soldier　uncle　a　drink。　I　will　give　you　something　nice。〃

Then　Andron　with　a　flintlock　gun　on　his　sh　oulder　was　carrying　a
hare　he　had　killed；　and　he　was　followed　by　the　decrepit　old　Jew
Isaitchik；　who　offers　to　barter　the　hare　for　a　piece　of　soap；
then　the　black　calf　in　the　shed；　then　Domna　sewing　at　a　shirt　and
crying　about　something；　and　then　again　the　bull's　head　without
eyes；　black　smoke。　。　。　。

Overhead　someone　gave　a　loud　shout；　several　sailors　ran　by；　they
seemed　to　be　dragging　something　bulky　over　the　deck；　something
fell　with　a　crash。　Again　they　ran　by。　。　。　。　Had　something　gone
wrong？　Gus