the man who was afraid-第2节

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ces；　he　did　all　this　in　silence；　an　idiotic　smile　on　his　wrinkled　face；　and　having　done　what　he　was　told　to　do；　he　invariably　said；　outstretching　his　hand　with　his　palm　upward：

〃Give　me　a　rouble。〃

They　laughed　at　him　and　sometimes　gave　him　twenty　kopeiks；　sometimes　gave　him　nothing；　but　it　sometimes　happened　that　they　threw　him　a　ten…rouble　bill　and　even　more。

〃You　abominable　fellow；〃　cried　Ignat　to　him　one　day。　〃Say；　who　are　you？〃

The　priest　was　frightened　by　the　call；　and　bowing　low　to　Ignat；　was　silent。

〃Who？　Speak！〃　roared　Ignat。

〃I　am　a　manto　be　abused；〃　answered　the　priest；　and　the　company　burst　out　laughing　at　his　words。

〃Are　you　a　rascal？〃　asked　Ignat；　sternly。

〃A　rascal？　Because　of　need　and　the　weakness　of　my　soul？〃

〃Come　here！〃　Ignat　called　him。　〃Come　and　sit　down　by　my　side。〃

Trembling　with　fear；　the　priest　walked　up　to　the　intoxicated　merchant　with　timid　steps　and　remained　standing　opposite　him。

〃Sit　down　beside　me！〃　said　Ignat；　taking　the　frightened　priest　by　the　hand　and　seating　him　next　to　himself。　〃You　are　a　very　near　man　to　me。　I　am　also　a　rascal！　You；　because　of　need；　I；　because　of　wantonness。　I　am　a　rascal　because　of　grief！　Understand？〃

〃I　understand；〃　said　the　priest；　softly。　All　the　company　were　giggling。

〃Do　you　know　now　what　I　am？〃

〃I　do。〃

〃Well；　say；　'You　are　a　rascal；　Ignat！'〃

The　priest　could　not　do　it。　He　looked　with　terror　at　the　huge　figure　of　Ignat　and　shook　his　head　negatively。　The　company's　laughter　was　now　like　the　rattling　of　thunder。　Ignat　could　not　make　the　priest　abuse　him。　Then　he　asked　him：

〃Shall　I　give　you　money？〃

〃Yes；〃　quickly　answered　the　priest。

〃And　what　do　you　need　it　for？〃

He　did　not　care　to　answer。　Then　Ignat　seized　him　by　the　collar；　and　shook　out　of　his　dirty　lips　the　following　speech；　which　he　spoke　almost　in　a　whisper；　trembling　with　fear：

〃I　have　a　daughter　sixteen　years　old　in　the　seminary。　I　save　for　her；　because　when　she　comes　out　there　won't　be　anything　with　which　to　cover　her　nakedness。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Ignat；　and　let　go　the　priest's　collar。　Then　he　sat　for　a　long　time　gloomy　and　lost　in　thought；　and　now　and　again　stared　at　the　priest。　Suddenly　his　eyes　began　to　laugh；　and　he　said：

〃Aren't　you　a　liar；　drunkard？〃

The　priest　silently　made　the　sign　of　the　cross　and　lowered　his　head　on　his　breast。

〃It　is　the　truth！〃　said　one　of　the　company；　confirming　the　priest's　words。

〃True？　Very　well！〃　shouted　Ignat；　and；　striking　the　table　with　his　fist；　he　addressed　himself　to　the　priest：

〃Eh；　you！　Sell　me　your　daughter！　How　much　will　you　take？〃

The　priest　shook　his　head　and　shrank　back。

〃One　thousand！〃

The　company　giggled；　seeing　that　the　priest　was　shrinking　as　though　cold　water　was　being　poured　on　him。

〃Two！〃　roared　Ignat；　with　flashing　eyes。

〃What's　the　matter　with　you？　How　is　it？〃　muttered　the　priest；　stretching　out　both　hands　to　Ignat。

〃Three！〃

〃Ignat　Matveyich！〃　cried　the　priest；　in　a　thin；　ringing　voice。　〃For　God's　sake！　For　Christ's　sake！　Enough！　I'll　sell　her！　For　her　own　sake　I'll　sell　her！〃

In　his　sickly；　sharp　voice　was　heard　a　threat　to　someone；　and　his　eyes；　unnoticed　by　anybody　before；　flashed　like　coals。　But　the　intoxicated　crowd　only　laughed　at　him　foolishly。

〃Silence！〃　cried　Ignat；　sternly；　straightening　himself　to　his　full　length　and　flashing　his　eyes。

〃Don't　you　understand；　devils；　what's　going　on　here？　It's　enough　to　make　one　cry；　while　you　giggle。〃

He　walked　up　to　the　priest；　went　down　on　his　knees　before　him；　and　said　to　him　firmly：

〃Father　now　you　see　what　a　rascal　I　am。　Well；　spit　into　my　face！〃

Something　ugly　and　ridiculous　took　place。　The　priest　too；　knelt　before　Ignat；　and　like　a　huge　turtle；　crept　around　near　his　feet；　kissed　his　knees　and　muttered　something；　sobbing。　Ignat　bent　over　him；　lifted　him　from　the　floor　and　cried　to　him；　commanding　and　begging：

〃Spit！　Spit　right　into　my　shameless　eyes！〃

The　company；　stupefied　for　a　moment　by　Ignat's　stern　voice；　laughed　again　so　that　the　panes　rattled　in　the　tavern　windows。

〃I'll　give　you　a　hundred　roubles。　Spit！〃

And　the　priest　crept　over　the　floor　and　sobbed　for　fear；　or　for　happiness；　to　hear　that　this　man　was　begging　him　to　do　something　degrading　to　himself。

Finally　Ignat　arose　from　the　floor；　kicked　the　priest；　and；　flinging　at　him　a　package　of　money；　said　morosely；　with　a　smile：

〃Rabble！　Can　a　man　repent　before　such　people？　Some　are　afraid　to　hear　of　repentance；　others　laugh　at　a　sinner。　I　was　about　to　unburden　myself　completely；　the　heart　trembled。　Let　me；　I　thought。　No；　I　didn't　think　at　all。　Just　so！　Get　out　of　here！　And　see　that　you　never　show　yourself　to　me　again。　Do　you　hear？〃

〃Oh；　a　queer　fellow！〃　said　the　crowd；　somewhat　moved。

Legends　were　composed　about　his　drinking　bouts　in　town；　everybody　censured　him　strictly；　but　no　one　ever　declined　his　invitation　to　those　drinking　bouts。　Thus　he　lived　for　weeks。

And　unexpectedly　he　used　to　come　home；　not　yet　altogether　freed　from　the　odour　of　the　kabaks；　but　already　crestfallen　and　quiet。　With　humbly　downcast　eyes；　in　which　shame　was　burning　now；　he　silently　listened　to　his　wife's　reproaches；　and；　humble　and　meek　as　a　lamb；　went　away　to　his　room　and　locked　himself　in。　For　many　hours　in　succession　he　knelt　before　the　cross；　lowering　his　head　on　his　breast；　his　hands　hung　helplessly；　his　back　was　bent；　and　he　was　silent；　as　though　he　dared　not　pray。　His　wife　used　to　come　up　to　the　door　on　tiptoe　and　listen。　Deep　sighs　were　heard　from　behind　the　doorlike　the　breathing　of　a　tired　and　sickly　horse。

〃God！　You　see；〃　whispered　Ignat　in　a　muffled　voice；　firmly　pressing　the　palms　of　his　hands　to　his　broad　breast。

During　the　days　of　repentance　he　drank　nothing　but　water　and　ate　only　rye　bread。

In　the　morning　his　wife　placed　at　the　door　of　his　room　a　big　bottle　of　water；　about　a　pound　and　a　half　of　bread；　and　salt。　He　opened　the　door；　took　in　these　victuals　and　locked　himself　in　again。　During　this　time　he　was　not　disturbed　in　any　way；　everybody　tried　to　avoid　him。　A　few　days　later　he　again　appeared　on　the　exchange；　jested；　laughed；　made　contracts　to　furnish　corn　as　sharp…sighted　as　a　bird　of　prey；　a　rare　expert　at　anything　concerning　his　affairs。

But　in　all　the　moods　of　Ignat's　life　there　was　one　passionate　desire　that　never　left　himthe　desire　to　have　a　son；　and　the　older　he　grew　the　greater　was　this　desire。　Very　often　such　conversation　as　this　took　place　between　him　and　his　wife。　In　the　morning；　at　her　tea；　or　at　noon　during　dinner　hour　he　gloomily　glared　at　his　wife；　a　stout；　well…fed　woman；　with　a　red　face　and　sleepy　eyes；　and　asked　her：

〃Well；　don't　you　feel　anything？〃

She　knew　what　he　meant；　but　she　invariably　replied：

〃How　can　I　help　feeling？　Your　fists　are　like　dumb…bells。〃

〃You　know　what　I'm　talking　about；　you　fool。〃

〃Can　one　become　pregnant　from　such　blows？〃

〃It's　not　on　account　of　the　blows　that　you　don't　bear　any　children；　it's　because　you　eat　too　much。　You　fill　your　stomach　with　all　sorts　of　foodand　there's　no　room　for　the　child　to　engender。〃

〃As　if　I　didn't　bear　you　any　children？〃

〃Those　were　girls；〃　said　Ignat；　reproachfully。　〃I　want　a　son！　Do　you　understand？　A　son；　an　heir！　To　whom　shall　I　give　my　capital　after　my　death？　Who　shall　pray　for　my　sins？　Shall　I　give　it　to　a　cloister？　I　have　given　them　enough！　Or　shall　I　leave　it　to　you？　What　a　fine　pilgrim　you　are！　Even　in　church　you　think　only　of　fish　pies。　If　I　die；　you'll　marry　again；　and　my　money　will　be　turned　over　to　some　fool。　Do　you　think　this　is　what　I　am　working　for？〃

And　he　was　seized　with　sardonic　anguish；　for　he　felt　that　his　life　was　aimless　if　he　should　have　no　son　to　follow　him。

During　the　nine　years　of　their　married　life　his　wife　had　borne　him　four　daughters；　all　of　whom　had　passed　away。　While　Ignat　had　awaited　their　birth　tremblingly；　he　mourned　their　death　but　littleat　any　rate　they　were　unnecessary　to　him。　He　began　to　beat　his　wife　during　the　second　year　of　their　married　life；　at　first　he　did　it　while　being　intoxicated　and　without　animosity；　but　just　according　to　the　proverb：　〃Love　your　wife　like　your　soul　and　shake　her　like　a　pear…tree；〃　but　after　each　confinement；　deceived　in　his　expectation；　his　hatred　for　his　wife　grew　stronger；　and　he　began　to　beat　her　with　pleasure；　in　revenge　for　not　bearing　him　a　son。

Once　while　on　business　in　the　province　of　Samarsk；　he　received　a　telegram　from　relatives　at　home；　informing　him　of　his　wife's　death。　He　made　the　sign　of　the　cross；　thought　awhile　and　wrote　to　his　friend　Mayakin：

〃Bury　her　in　my　absence；　look　after　my　property。〃

Then　he　went　to　the　church　to　serve　the　mass　for　the　dead；　and；　having　prayed　for　the　repose　of　the　late　Aquilina's　soul；　he　began　to　think　that　it　was　necessary　for　him　to　marry　as　soon　as　possible。

He　was　then　forty…three　years　old；　tall；　broad…shouldered；　with　a　heavy　bass　voice；　like　an　arch…deacon；　his　large　eyes　looked　bold　and　wise　from　under　his　dark　eyebrows；　in　his　sunburnt　face；　overgrown　with　a　thick；　black　beard；　and　in　all　his　mighty　figure　there　was　much　truly　Russian；　crude　and　healthy　beauty；　in　his　easy　motions　as　well　as　in　his　slow；　proud　walk；　a　consciousness　of　power　was　evidenta　firm　confidence　in　himself。　He　was　liked　by