the man who was afraid-第14节

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ffended　by　their　relations　toward　him。　As　for　his　father　and　Mayakin；　who　were　watching　him　vigilantly；　this　uncertainty　of　Foma's　character　inspired　them　with　serious　apprehensions。

〃I　cannot　understand　him！〃　Ignat　would　say　with　contrite　heart。　〃　He　does　not　lead　a　dissipated　life；　he　does　not　seem　to　run　after　the　women；　treats　me　and　you　with　respect；　listens　to　everythinghe　is　more　like　a　pretty　girl　than　a　fellow！　And　yet　he　does　not　seem　to　be　stupid！〃

〃No；　there's　nothing　particularly　stupid　about　him；〃　said　Mayakin。

〃It　looks　as　though　he　were　waiting　for　somethingas　though　some　kind　of　shroud　were　covering　his　eyes。　His　late　mother　groped　on　earth　in　the　same　way。

〃Just　look；　there's　Afrikanka　Smolin；　but　two　years　older　than　my　boywhat　a　man　he　has　become！　That　is；　it　is　difficult　to　tell　whether　he　is　his　father's　head　or　his　father　his。　He　wants　to　go　to　some　factory　to　study。　He　swears：

〃'Eh；'　says　he；　'papa；　you　have　not　taught　me　enough。'　Yes。　While　mine　does　not　express　himself　at　all。　0h　Lord！〃

〃Look　here；〃　Mayakin　advised　him；　〃you　had　better　push　him　head　foremost　into　some　active　business！　I　assure　you！　Gold　is　tested　in　fire。　We'll　see　what　his　inclinations　are　when　at　liberty。　Send　him　out　on　the　Kamaalone。〃

〃To　give　him　a　trial？〃

〃Well；　he'll　do　some　mischiefyou'll　lose　somethingbut　then　we'll　know　what　stuff　he　is　made　of。〃

〃IndeedI'll　send　him　off；〃　Ignat　decided。

And　thus　in　the　spring；　Ignat　sent　his　son　off　on　the　Kama　with　two　barges　laden　with　corn。　The　barges　were　led　by　Gordyeeff's　steamer　〃Philezhny；〃　under　the　command　of　Foma's　old　acquaintance；　the　former　sailor　Yefimnow；　Yefim　Ilyich；　a　squarely　built　man　of　about　thirty　with　lynx…like　eyesa　sober…minded；　steady　and　very　strict　captain。

They　sailed　fast　and　cheerfully；　because　all　were　contented。　At　first　Foma　was　proud　of　the　responsible　commission　with　which　he　had　been　charged。　Yefim　was　pleased　with　the　presence　of　the　young　master；　who　did　not　rebuke　or　abuse　him　for　each　and　every　oversight；　and　the　happy　frame　of　mind　of　the　two　most　important　persons　on　the　steamer　reflected　in　straight　rays　on　the　entire　crew。　Having　left　the　place　where　they　had　taken　in　their　cargo　of　corn　in　April；　the　steamer　reached　the　place　of　its　destination　in　the　beginning　of　May；　and　the　barges　were　anchored　near　the　shore　with　the　steamer　at　their　side。　Foma's　duty　was　to　deliver　the　corn　as　soon　as　possible；　and　receiving　the　payments；　start　off　for　Perm；　where　a　cargo　of　iron　was　awaiting　him；　which　Ignat　had　undertaken　to　deliver　at　the　market。

The　barges　stood　opposite　a　large　village；　near　a　pine　forest；　about　two　versts　distant　from　the　shore。　On　the　very　next　day　after　their　arrival；　a　big　and　noisy　crowd　of　women　and　peasants；　on　foot　and　on　horses；　came　up　to　the　shore　early　in　the　morning。　Shouting　and　singing；　they　scattered　on　the　decks　and　in　an　instant　work　started　expeditiously。　Having　descended　into　the　holds；　the　women　were　filling　the　sacks　with　rye；　the　peasants；　throwing　the　sacks　upon　their　shoulders；　ran　over　the　gang…planks　to　the　shore；　and　from　the　shore；　carts；　heavily　laden　with　the　long…expected　corn；　went　off　slowly　to　the　village。　The　women　sang　songs；　the　peasants　jested　and　gaily　abused　one　another；　the　sailors　representing　the　guardians　of　peace；　scolded　the　working　people　now　and　then；　the　gang…planks；　bending　under　the　feet　of　the　carriers；　splashed　against　the　water　heavily；　while　on　the　shore　the　horses　neighed；　and　the　carts　and　the　sand　under　the　wheels　were　creaking。

The　sun　had　just　risen；　the　air　was　fresh　and　invigorating　and　densely　filled　with　the　odour　of　pines；　the　calm　water　of　the　river；　reflecting　the　clear　sky；　was　gently　murmuring；　breaking　against　the　sides　of　the　vessels　and　the　chains　of　the　anchors。　The　loud　and　cheerful　noise　of　toil；　the　youthful　beauty　of　nature；　gaily　illumined　by　the　sunbeamsall　was　full　of　a　kind…hearted；　somewhat　crude；　sound　power；　which　pleasantly　stirred　Foma's　soul；　awakening　in　him　new　and　perplexed　sensations　and　desires。　He　was　sitting　by　the　table　under　the　awning　of　the　steamer　and　drinking　tea；　together　with　Yefim　and　the　receiver　of　the　corn；　a　provincial　clerka　redheaded；　short…sighted　gentleman　in　glasses。　Nervously　shrugging　his　shoulders　the　receiver　was　telling　in　a　hoarse　voice　how　the　peasants　were　starving；　but　Foma　paid　little　attention　to　his　words；　looking　now　at　the　work　below；　now　at　the　other　side　of　the　rivera　tall；　yellow；　sandy　steep　shore；　whose　edges　were　covered　with　pine　trees。　It　was　unpeopled　and　quiet。

〃I'll　have　to　go　over　there；〃　thought　Foma。　And　as　though　from　a　distance　the　receiver's　tiresome；　unpleasant；　harsh　voice　fell　on　his　ears：

〃You　wouldn't　believe　itat　last　it　became　horrible！　Such　an　incident　took　place！　A　peasant　came　up　to　a　certain　intelligent　man　in　Osa　and　brought　along　with　him　a　girl　about　sixteen　years　old。

〃'What　do　you　wish？〃

〃'Here；'　he　says；　'I've　brought　my　daughter　to　your　Honour。'

〃'What　for？'

〃'Perhaps；'　he　says；　'you'll　take　heryou　are　a　bachelor。'

〃'That　is；　how？　What　do　you　mean？'

〃'I　took　her　around　town；'　he　says。　'I　wanted　to　hire　her　out　as　a　servantbut　nobody　would　have　hertake　her　at　least　as　your　mistress！'

〃Do　you　understand？　He　offered　his　own　daughterjust　think　of　it！　A　daughteras　a　mistress！　The　devil　knows　what　that　is！　Eh？　The　man；　of　course；　became　indignant　and　began　abusing　the　peasant。　But　the　peasant　spoke　to　him　reasonably：

〃'Your　Honour！　Of　what　use　is　she　to　me　at　this　time？　Utterly　useless。　I　have；'　says　he；　'three　boysthey　will　be　working　men；　it　is　necessary　to　keep　them　up。　Give　me；'　says　he；　'ten　roubles　for　the　girl；　and　that　will　improve　my　lot　and　that　of　my　boys。'

〃How　is　that？　Eh？　It　is　simply　terrible；　I　tell　you。〃

〃No　good！〃　sighed　Yefim。　〃As　they　sayhunger　will　break　through　stone　walls。　The　stomach；　you　see；　has　its　own　laws。〃

This　story　called　forth　in　Foma　a　great　incomprehensible　interest　in　the　fate　of　the　girl；　and　the　youth　hastened　to　enquire　of　the　receiver：

〃Well；　did　the　man　buy　her？〃

〃Of　course　not！〃　exclaimed　the　receiver；　reproachfully。

〃Well；　and　what　became　of　her？〃

〃Some　good　people　took　pity　on　herand　provided　for　her。〃

〃A…h！〃　drawled　Foma；　and　suddenly　he　said　firmly　and　angrily：　〃I　would　have　given　that　peasant　such　a　thrashing！　I　would　have　broken　his　head！〃　And　he　showed　the　receiver　his　big　tightly…clenched　fist。

〃Eh！　What　for？〃　cried　the　receiver　in　a　sickly；　loud　voice；　tearing　his　spectacles　from　his　eyes。　〃You　do　not　understand　the　motive。〃

〃I　do　understand　it！〃　said　Foma；　with　an　obstinate　shake　of　his　head。

〃But　what　could　he　do？　It　came　to　his　mind。〃

〃How　can　one　allow　himself　to　sell　a　human　being？〃

〃Ah！　It　is　brutal；　I　agree　with　you。〃

〃And　a　girl　at　that！　I　would　have　given　him　the　ten　roubles！〃

The　receiver　waved　his　hand　hopelessly　and　became　silent。　His　gesture　confused　Foma。　He　arose　from　his　seat；　walked　off　to　the　railing　and　looked　down　at　the　deck　of　the　barge；　which　was　covered　with　an　industriously　working　crowd　of　people。　The　noise　intoxicated　him；　and　the　uneasy　something；　which　was　rambling　in　his　soul；　was　now　defined　into　a　powerful　desire　to　work；　to　have　the　strength　of　a　giant；　to　possess　enormous　shoulders　and　put　on　them　at　one　time　a　hundred　bags　of　rye；　that　every　one　looking　at　him　might　be　astonished。

〃Come　now；　hurry　up　there！〃　he　shouted　down　in　a　ringing　voice。　A　few　heads　were　raised　to　him；　some　faces　appeared　before　him；　and　one　of　themthe　face　of　a　dark…eyed　womansmiled　at　him　a　gentle　and　enticing　smile。　Something　flared　up　in　his　breast　at　this　smile　and　began　to　spread　over　his　veins　in　a　hot　wave。　He　drew　back　from　the　railing　and　walked　up　to　the　table　again；　feeling　that　his　cheeks　were　burning。

〃Listen！〃　said　the　receiver；　addressing　him；　〃wire　to　your　father　asking　him　to　allow　some　grain　for　waste！　Just　see　how　much　is　lost　here。　And　here　every　pound　is　precious！　You　should　have　understood　this！　What　a　fine　father　you　have；〃　he　concluded　with　a　biting　grimace。

〃How　much　shall　I　allow？〃　asked　Foma；　boldly　and　disdainfully。　〃Do　you　want　a　hundred　puds？　＇A　pud　is　a　weight　of　40　Russian　pounds。＇　Two　hundred？〃

〃II　thank　you！〃　exclaimed　the　receiver；　overjoyed　and　confused；　〃if　you　have　the　right　to　do　it。〃

〃I　am　the　master！〃　said　Foma；　firmly。　〃And　you　must　not　speak　that　way　about　my　fathernor　make　such　faces。〃

〃Pardon　me！　II　do　not　doubt　that　you　have　full　power。　I　thank　you　heartily。　And　your　father；　tooin　behalf　of　all　these　men　in　behalf　of　the　people！〃

Yefim　looked　cautiously　at　the　young　master；　spreading　out　and　smacking　his　lips；　while　the　master　with　an　air　of　pride　on　his　face　listened　to　the　quick…witted　speech　of　the　receiver；　who　was　pressing　his　hand　firmly。

〃Two　hundred　puds！　That　is　Russian…like；　young　man！　I　shall　directly　notify　the　peasants　of　your　gift。　You'll　see　how　grateful　they　will　behow　glad。〃　And　he　shouted　down：

〃Eh；　boys！　The　master　is　giving　away　two　hundred　puds。〃

〃Three　hundred！〃　interposed　Foma。

〃Three　hundred　puds。　Oh！　Thank　you！　Three　hundred　puds　of　grain；　boys！〃

But　their　response　was　weak。　The　peasants　lifted　up　their　heads　and　mute