the man who was afraid-第23节

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〃Is　it　harmful　to　aid　people？〃　asked　Foma；　hotly。

〃Eh；　you　cabbage　head！〃　said　Mayakin　with　a　smile。　〃You　had　better　come　up　to　my　house；　I'll　open　your　eyes　in　regard　to　this。　I　must　teach　you！　Will　you　come？〃

〃Very　well；　I　will　come！〃　replied　Foma。

〃So。　And　in　the　meantime；　hold　yourself　proud　at　the　laying　of　the　corner…stone。　Stand　in　view　of　everybody。　If　I　don't　tell　this　to　you；　you　might　hide　yourself　behind　somebody's　back。〃

〃Why　should　I　hide　myself？〃　said　Foma；　displeased。

〃That's　just　what　I　say：　there　is　no　reason　why。　For　the　money　was　donated　by　your　father　and　you　are　entitled　to　the　honour　as　his　heir。　Honour　is　just　the　same　as　money。　With　honour　a　business　man　will　get　credit　everywhere；　and　everywhere　there　is　a　way　open　to　him。　Then　come　forward；　so　that　everybody　may　see　you　and　that　if　you　do　five　copecks'　worth　of　work；　you　should　get　a　rouble　in　return　for　it。　And　if　you　will　hide　yourselfnothing　but　foolishness　will　be　the　result。〃

They　arrived　at　their　destination；　where　all　the　important　people　had　gathered　already；　and　an　enormous　crowd　of　people　surrounded　the　piles　of　wood；　bricks　and　earth。　The　bishop；　the　governor；　the　representatives　of　the　city's　aristocracy　and　the　administration　formed；　together　with　the　splendidly　dressed　ladies；　a　big　bright　group　and　looked　at　the　efforts　of　the　two　stonemasons；　who　were　preparing　the　bricks　and　the　lime。　Mayakin　and　his　godson　wended　their　way　toward　this　group。　He　whispered　to　Foma：

〃Lose　no　courage；　these　people　have　robbed　their　bellies　to　cover　themselves　with　silk。〃

And　he　greeted　the　governor　before　the　bishop；　in　a　respectfully　cheerful　voice。

〃How　do　you　do；　your　Excellency？　Give　me　your　blessing；　your　Holiness！〃

〃Ah；　Yakov　Tarasovich！〃　exclaimed　the　governor　with　a　friendly　smile；　shaking　and　squeezing　Mayakin's　hand；　while　the　old　man　was　at　the　same　time　kissing　the　bishop's　hand。　〃How　are　you；　deathless　old　man？〃

〃I　thank　you　humbly；　your　Excellency！　My　respects　to　Sophya　Pavlovna！〃　Mayakin　spoke　fast；　whirling　like　a　peg…top　amid　the　crowd　of　people。　In　a　minute　he　managed　to　shake　hands　with　the　presiding　justice　of　the　court；　with　the　prosecutor；　with　the　mayorin　a　word；　with　all　those　people　whom　he　considered　it　necessary　to　greet　first；　such　as　these；　however；　were　few。　He　jested；　smiled　and　at　once　attracted　everybody's　attention　to　his　little　figure；　and　Foma　with　downcast　head　stood　behind　him；　looking　askance　at　these　people　wrapped　in　costly　stuffs；　embroidered　with　gold；　he　envied　the　old　man's　adroitness　and　lost　his　courage；　and　feeling　that　he　was　losing　his　couragehe　grew　still　more　timid。　But　now　Mayakin　seized　him　by　the　hand　and　drew　him　up　to　himself。

〃There；　your　Excellency；　this　is　my　godson；　Foma；　the　late　Ignat's　only　son。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　the　governor　in　his　basso；　〃I'm　very　pleased。　I　sympathise　with　you　in　your　misfortune；　young　man！〃　he　said；　shaking　Foma's　hand；　and　became　silent；　then　he　added　resolutely　and　confidently：　〃To　lose　a　father；　that　is　a　very　painful　misfortune。〃

And；　having　waited　about　two　seconds　for　Foma's　answer；　he　turned　away　from　him；　addressing　Mayakin　approvingly：

〃I　am　delighted　with　the　speech　you　made　yesterday　in　the　city　hall！　Beautiful；　clever；　Yakov　Tarasovich。　Proposing　to　use　the　money　for　this　public　club；　they　do　not　understand　the　real　needs　of　the　population。〃

〃And　then；　your　Excellency；　a　small　capital　means　that　the　city　will　have　to　add　its　own　money。〃

〃Perfectly　true！　Perfectly　true！〃

〃Temperance；　I　say；　is　good！　Would　to　God　that　all　were　sober！　I　don't　drink；　either；　but　what　is　the　use　of　these　performances；　libraries　and　all　that；　since　the　people　cannot　even　read？〃

The　governor　replied　approvingly。

〃Here；　I　say；　you　better　use　this　money　for　a　technical　institution。　If　it　should　be　established　on　a　small　plan；　this　money　alone　will　suffice；　and　in　case　it　shouldn't；　we　can　ask　for　more　in　St。　Petersburgthey'll　give　it　to　us。　Then　the　city　wouldn't　have　to　add　of　its　own　money；　and　the　whole　affair　would　be　more　sensible。〃

〃Precisely！　I　fully　agree　with　you！　But　how　the　liberals　began　to　cry　at　you！　Eh？　Ha；　ha！〃

〃That　has　always　been　their　business；　to　cry。〃

The　deep　cough　of　the　archdeacon　of　the　cathedral　announced　the　beginning　of　the　divine　service。

Sophya　Pavlovna　came　up　to　Foma；　greeted　him　and　said　in　a　sad；　low　voice：

〃I　looked　at　your　face　on　the　day　of　the　funeral；　and　my　heart　saddened。　My　God；　I　thought；　how　he　must　suffer！〃

And　Foma　listened　to　her　and　felt　as　though　he　was　drinking　honey。

〃These　cries　of　yours；　they　shook　my　soul；　my　poor　child！　I　may　speak　to　you　this　way；　for　I　am　an　old　woman　already。〃

〃You！〃　exclaimed　Foma；　softly。

〃Isn't　that　so？〃　she　asked；　naively　looking　into　his　face。

Foma　was　silent；　his　head　bent　on　his　breast。

〃Don't　you　believe　that　I　am　an　old　woman？〃

〃I　believe　you；　that　is；　I　believe　everything　you　may　say；　only　this　is　not　true！〃　said　Foma；　feelingly；　in　a　low　voice。

〃What　is　not　true？　What　do　you　believe　me？〃

〃No！　not　this；　but　that。　Iexcuse　me！　I　cannot　speak！〃　said　Foma；　sadly；　all　aflush　with　confusion。　〃I　am　not　cultured。〃

〃You　need　not　trouble　yourself　on　this　account；〃　said　Medinskaya；　patronisingly。　〃You　are　so　young；　and　education　is　accessible　to　everybody。　But　there　are　people　to　whom　education　is　not　only　unnecessary；　but　who　can　also　be　harmed　by　it。　Those　that　are　pure　of　heart；　sanguine；　sincere；　like　children；　and　you　are　of　those　people。　You　are；　are　you　not？〃

What　could　Foma　say　in　answer　to　this　question？　He　said　sincerely：

〃I　thank　you　humbly！〃

And　noticing　that　his　words　called　forth　a　gay　gleam　in　Medinskaya's　eyes；　Foma　appeared　ridiculous　and　stupid　in　his　own　eyes；　he　immediately　became　angry　at　himself　and　said　in　a　muffled　voice：

〃Yes；　I　am　such。　I　always　speak　my　mind。　I　cannot　deceive。　If　I　see　something　to　laugh　at；　I　laugh　openly。　I　am　stupid！〃

〃What　makes　you　speak　that　way？〃　said　the　woman；　reproachfully；　and　adjusting　her　dress；　she　accidentally　stroked　Foma's　hand；　in　which　he　held　his　hat。　This　made　him　look　at　his　wrist　and　smile　joyously　and　confusedly。

〃You　will　surely　be　present　at　the　dinner；　won't　you？〃　asked　Medinskaya。

〃Yes。〃

〃And　tomorrow　at　the　meeting　in　my　house？〃

〃Without　fail！〃

〃And　perhaps　sometime　you　will　drop　in；　simply　on　a　visit；　wouldn't　you？〃

〃II　thank　you！　I'll　come！〃

〃I　must　thank　you　for　the　promise。〃

They　became　silent。　In　the　air　soared　the　reverently　soft　voice　of　the　bishop；　who　recited　the　prayer　expressively；　outstretching　his　hand　over　the　place　where　the　corner…stone　of　the　house　was　laid：

〃May　neither　the　wind；　nor　water；　nor　anything　else　bring　harm　unto　it；　may　it　be　completed　in　thy　benevolence；　and　free　all　those　that　are　to　live　in　it　from　all　kinds　of　calumny。〃

〃How　rich　and　beautiful　our　prayers　are；　are　they　not？〃　asked　Medinskaya。

〃Yes；〃　said　Foma；　shortly；　without　understanding　her　words　and　feeling　that　he　was　blushing　again。

〃They　will　always　be　opponents　of　our　commercial　interests；〃　Mayakin　whispered　loudly　and　convincingly；　standing　beside　the　city　mayor；　not　far　from　Foma。　〃What　is　it　to　them？　All　they　want　is　somehow　to　deserve　the　approval　of　the　newspaper。　But　they　cannot　reach　the　main　point。　They　live　for　mere　display；　not　for　the　organisation　of　life；　these　are　their　only　measures：　the　newspapers　and　Sweden！　＇Mayakin　speaks　of　Sweden；　meaning　Switzerland。　Translator's　note。＇　The　doctor　scoffed　at　me　all　day　yesterday　with　this　Sweden。　The　public　education；　says　he；　in　Sweden；　and　everything　else　there　is　first…class！　But　what　is　Sweden；　anyway？　It　may　be　that　Sweden　is　but　a　fib；　is　but　used　as　an　example；　and　that　there　is　no　education　whatever　or　any　of　the　other　things　there。　And　then；　we　don't　live　for　the　sake　of　Sweden；　and　Sweden　cannot　put　us　to　test。　We　have　to　make　our　lip　according　to　our　own　last。　Isn't　it　so？

And　the　archdeacon　droned；　his　head　thrown　back：

〃Eternal　me…emo…ory　to　the　founder　of　this　ho…ouse！〃

Foma　shuddered；　but　Mayakin　was　already　by　his　side；　and　pulling　him　by　the　sleeve；　asked：

〃Are　you　going　to　the　dinner？〃

And　Medinskaya's　velvet…like；　warm　little　hand　glided　once　more　over　Foma's　hand。

The　dinner　was　to　Foma　a　real　torture。　For　the　first　time　in　his　life　among　these　uniformed　people；　he　saw　that　they　were　eating　and　speakingdoing　everything　better　than　he；　and　he　felt　that　between　him　and　Medinskaya；　who　was　seated　just　opposite　him；　was　a　high　mountain；　not　a　table。　Beside　him　sat　the　secretary　of　the　society　of　which　Foma　had　been　made　an　honorary　member；　he　was　a　young　court　officer；　bearing　the　odd　name　of　Ookhtishchev。　As　if　to　make　his　name　appear　more　absurd　than　it　really　was；　he　spoke　in　a　loud；　ringing　tenor；　and　altogetherplump；　short；　round…　faced　and　a　lively　talkerhe　looked　like　a　brand　new　bell。

〃The　very　best　thing　in　our　society　is　the　patroness；　the　most　reasonable　is　what　we　are　doingcourting　the　patroness；　the　most　difficult　is　to　tell　the　patroness　such　a　compliment　as　would　satisfy　her；　and　the　most　sensible　thing　is　to　admire　the　patroness　silently　and　hopelessly。　So　that　in　reality；　you　are　a　member　not　of　'the　S