the man who was afraid-第28节

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〃So？　What　kind　are　they　then？〃

〃Shameless！〃　Foma　blurted　out。

Medinskaya　broke　into　her　silver　laughter；　and　Foma；　looking　at　her；　also　began　to　laugh。

〃Excuse　me！〃　said　he；　at　length。　〃Perhaps　I've　said　something　wrong；　improper。〃

〃Oh；　no；　no！　You　cannot　say　anything　improper。　You　are　a　pure；　amiable　boy。　And　so；　my　eyes　are　not　shameless？〃

〃Yours　are　like　an　angel's！〃　announced　Foma　with　enthusiasm；　looking　at　her　with　beaming　eyes。　And　she　glanced　at　him；　as　she　had　never　done　before；　her　look　was　that　of　a　mother；　a　sad　look　of　love　mingled　with　fear　for　the　beloved。

〃Go；　dear　one。　I　am　tired；　I　need　a　rest；〃　she　said　to　him；　as　she　rose　without　looking　at　him。　He　went　away　submissively。

For　some　time　after　this　incident　her　attitude　toward　him　was　stricter　and　more　sincere；　as　though　she　pitied　him；　but　later　their　relations　assumed　the　old　form　of　the　cat…and…mouse　play。

Foma's　relation　toward　Medinskaya　could　not　escape　his　godfather's　notice；　and　one　day　the　old　man　asked　him；　with　a　malicious　grimace：

〃Foma！　You　had　better　feel　your　head　more　often　so　that　you　may　not　lose　it　by　accident。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Foma。

〃I　speak　of　Sonka。　You　are　going　to　see　her　too　often。〃

〃What　has　that　to　do　with　you？〃　said　Foma；　rather　rudely。　〃And　why　do　you　call　her　Sonka？〃

〃It's　nothing　to　me。　I　would　lose　nothing　if　you　should　be　fleeced。　And　as　to　calling　her　Sonkaeverybody　knows　that　is　her　name。　So　does　everybody　know　that　she　likes　to　rake　up　the　fire　with　other　people's　hands。〃

〃She　is　clever！〃　announced　Foma；　firmly；　frowning　and　hiding　his　hands　in　his　pockets。　〃She　is　intelligent。〃

〃Clever；　that's　true！　How　cleverly　she　arranged　that　entertainment；　there　was　an　income　of　two　thousand　four　hundred　roubles；　the　expensesone　thousand　nine　hundred；　the　expenses　really　did　not　even　amount　to　a　thousand　roubles；　for　everybody　does　everything　for　her　for　nothing。　Intelligent！　She　will　educate　you；　and　especially　will　those　idlers　that　run　around　her。〃

〃They're　not　idlers；　they　are　clever　people！〃　replied　Foma；　angrily；　contradicting　himself　now。　〃And　I　learn　from　them。　What　am　I？　I　know　nothing。　What　was　I　taught？　While　there　they　speak　of　everythingand　each　one　has　his　word　to　say。　Do　not　hinder　me　from　being　like　a　man。〃

〃Pooh！　How　you've　learned　to　speak！　With　so　much　anger；　like　the　hail　striking　against　the　roof！　Very　well；　be　like　a　man；　but　in　order　to　be　like　a　man　it　might　be　less　dangerous　for　you　to　go　to　the　tavern；　the　people　there　are　after　all　better　than　Sophya's　people。　And　you；　young　man；　you　should　have　learned　to　discriminate　one　person　from　another。　Take　Sophya；　for　instance：　What　does　she　represent？　An　insect　for　the　adornment　of　nature　and　nothing　more！〃

Intensely　agitated；　Foma　set　his　teeth　together　and　walked　away　from　Mayakin；　thrusting　his　hands　still　deeper　into　his　pockets。　But　the　old　man　soon　started　again　a　conversation　about　Medinskaya。

They　were　on　their　way　back　from　the　bay　after　an　inspection　of　the　steamers；　and　seated　in　a　big　and　commodious　sledge；　they　were　enthusiastically　discussing　business　matters　in　a　friendly　way。　It　was　in　March。　The　water　under　the　sledge…runners　was　bubbling；　the　snow　was　already　covered　with　a　rather　dirty　fleece；　and　the　sun　shone　warmly　and　merrily　in　the　clear　sky。

〃Will　you　go　to　your　lady　as　soon　as　we　arrive？〃　asked　Mayakin；　unexpectedly；　interrupting　their　business　talk。

〃I　will；〃　said　Foma；　shortly；　and　with　displeasure；

〃Mm。　Tell　me；　how　often　do　you　give　her　presents？〃　asked　Mayakin；　plainly　and　somewhat　intimately。

〃What　presents？　What　for？〃　Foma　wondered。

〃You　make　her　no　presents？　You　don't　say。　Does　she　live　with　you　then　merely　so；　for　love's　sake？〃

Foma　boiled　up　with　anger　and　shame；　turned　abruptly　toward　the　old　man　and　said　reproachfully：

〃Eh！　You　are　an　old　man；　and　yet　you　speak　so　that　it　is　a　shame　to　listen　to　you！　To　say　such　a　thing！　Do　you　think　she　would　come　down　to　this？〃

Mayakin　smacked　his　lips　and　sang　out　in　a　mournful　voice：

〃What　a　blockhead　you　are！　What　a　fool！〃　and　suddenly　grown　angry；　he　spat　out：　〃Shame　upon　you！　All　sorts　of　brutes　drank　out　of　the　pot；　nothing　but　the　dregs　remained；　and　now　a　fool　has　made　a　god　unto　himself　of　this　dirty　pot。　Devil！　You　just　go　up　to　her　and　tell　her　plainly：　'I　want　to　be　your　lover。　I　am　a　young　man；　don't　charge　me　much　for　it。'〃

〃Godfather！〃　said　Foma；　sternly；　in　a　threatening　voice；　〃I　cannot　bear　to　hear　such　words。　If　it　were　someone　else。〃

〃But　who　except　myself　would　caution　you？　Good　God！〃　Mayakin　cried　out；　clasping　his　hands。　〃So　she　has　led　you　by　the　nose　all　winter　long！　What　a　nose！　What　a　beast　she　is！〃

The　old　man　was　agitated；　in　his　voice　rang　vexation；　anger；　even　tears　Foma　had　never　before　seen　him　in　such　a　state；　and　looking　at　him；　he　was　involuntarily　silent。

〃She　will　ruin　you！　0h　Lord！　The　Babylonian　prostitute！〃

Mayakin's　eyes　were　blinking；　his　lips　were　trembling；　and　in　rude；　cynical　words　he　began　to　speak　of　Medinskaya；　irritated；　with　a　wrathful　jar　in　his　voice。

Foma　felt　that　the　old　man　spoke　the　truth。　He　now　began　to　breathe　with　difficulty　and　he　felt　that　his　mouth　had　a　dry；　bitter　taste。

〃Very　well；　father；　enough；〃　he　begged　softly　and　sadly；　turning　aside　from　Mayakin。

〃Eh；　you　ought　to　get　married　as　soon　as　possible！〃　exclaimed　the　old　man　with　alarm。

〃For　Christ's　sake；　do　not　speak；〃　uttered　Foma　in　a　dull　voice。

Mayakin　glanced　at　his　godson　and　became　silent。　Foma's　face　looked　drawn；　he　grew　pale；　and　there　was　a　great　deal　of　painful；　bitter　stupor　in　his　half…open　lips　and　in　his　sad　look。　On　the　right　and　on　the　left　of　the　road　a　field　stretched　itself；　covered　here　and　there　with　patches　of　winter…raiment。　Rooks　were　hopping　busily　about　over　the　black　spots；　where　the　snow　had　melted。　The　water　under　the　sledge…runners　was　splashing；　the　muddy　snow　was　kicked　up　by　the　hoofs　of　the　horses。

〃How　foolish　man　is　in　his　youth！〃　exclaimed　Mayakin；　in　a　low　voice。　Foma　did　not　look　at　him。

〃Before　him　stands　the　stump　of　a　tree；　and　yet　he　sees　the　snout　of　a　beastthat's　how　he　frightens　himself。　Oh；　oh！〃

〃Speak　more　plainly；〃　said　Foma；　sternly。

〃What　is　there　to　say？　The　thing　is　clear：　girls　are　cream；　women　are　milk；　women　are　near；　girls　are　far。　Consequently；　go　to　Sonka；　if　you　cannot　do　without　it；　and　tell　her　plainly。　That's　how　the　matter　stands。　Fool！　If　she　is　a　sinner；　you　can　get　her　more　easily。　Why　are　you　so　angry；　then？　Why　so　bristled　up？〃

〃You　don't　understand；〃　said　Foma；　in　a　low　voice。

〃What　is　it　I　do　not　understand？　I　understand　everything！〃

〃The　heart。　Man　has　a　heart；〃　sighed　the　youth。

Mayakin　winked　his　eyes　and　said：

〃Then　he　has　no　mind。〃

CHAPTER　VI

WHEN　Foma　arrived　in　the　city　he　was　seized　with　sad；　revengeful　anger。　He　was　burning　with　a　passionate　desire　to　insult　Medinskaya；　to　abuse　her。　His　teeth　firmly　set　together；　his　hands　thrust　deep　into　his　pockets；　he　walked　for　a　few　hours　in　succession　about　the　deserted　rooms　of　his　house；　he　sternly　knitted　his　brow；　and　constantly　threw　his　chest　forward。　His　breast　was　too　narrow　to　hold　his　heart；　which　was　filled　with　wrath。　He　stamped　the　floor　with　heavy　and　measured　steps；　as　though　he　were　forging　his　anger。

〃The　vile　wretchdisguised　herself　as　an　angel！〃　Pelageya　vividly　arose　in　his　memory；　and　he　whispered　malignantly　and　bitterly：

〃Though　a　fallen　woman；　she　is　better。　She　did　not　play　the　hypocrite。　She　at　once　unfolded　her　soul　and　her　body；　and　her　heart　is　surely　just　as　her　breastwhite　and　sound。〃

Sometimes　Hope　would　whisper　timidly　in　his　ear：

〃Perhaps　all　that　was　said　of　her　was　a　lie。〃

But　he　recalled　the　eager　certainty　of　his　godfather；　and　the　power　of　his　words；　and　this　thought　perished。　He　set　his　teeth　more　firmly　together　and　threw　his　chest　still　more　forward。　Evil　thoughts　like　splinters　of　wood　stuck　into　his　heart；　and　his　heart　was　shattered　by　the　acute　pain　they　caused。

By　disparaging　Medinskaya；　Mayakin　made　her　more　accessible　to　his　godson；　and　Foma　soon　understood　this。　A　few　days　passed；　and　Foma's　agitated　feelings　became　calm；　absorbed　by　the　spring　business　cares。　The　sorrow　for　the　loss　of　the　individual　deadened　the　spite　he　owed　the　woman；　and　the　thought　of　the　woman's　accessibility　increased　his　passion　for　her。　And　somehow；　without　perceiving　it　himself；　he　suddenly　understood　and　resolved　that　he　ought　to　go　up　to　Sophya　Pavlovna　and　tell　her　plainly；　openly；　just　what　he　wanted　of　herthat's　all！　He　even　felt　a　certain　joy　at　this　resolution；　and　he　boldly　started　off　to　Medinskaya；　thinking　on　the　way　only　how　to　tell　her　best　all　that　was　necessary。

The　servants　of　Medinskaya　were　accustomed　to　his　visits；　and　to　his　question　whether　the　lady　was　at　home　the　maid　replied：

〃Please　go　into　the　drawing…room。　She　is　there　alone。〃

He　became　somewhat　frightened；　but　noticing　in　the　mirror　his　stately　figure　neatly　clad　with　a　frock…coat；　and　his　swarthy；　serious　face　in　a　frame　of　a　downy　black　beard；　set　with　large　dark　eyeshe　raised　his　shoulders　and　confidently　stepped　forward　through　the　parlour。　Strange　sounds　of　a　string　inst