the man who was afraid-第34节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ed　at　his　godson　boastfully。

〃He　speaks　with　weight；〃　repeated　Foma。　〃He　is　complaining。　'The　real　merchant；'　says　he；　'is　passing　away。　All　people　are　taught　the　same　thing；'　he　says：　'so　that　all　may　be　equal；　looking　alike。〃'

〃Does　he　consider　it　wrong？〃

〃Evidently　so。〃

〃Fo…o…o…l！〃　Mayakin　drawled　out；　with　contempt。

〃Why？　Is　it　good？〃　asked　Foma；　looking　at　his　godfather　suspiciously。

〃We　do　not　know　what　is　good；　but　we　can　see　what　is　wise。　When　we　see　that　all　sorts　of　people　are　driven　together　in　one　place　and　are　all　inspired　there　with　one　and　the　same　ideathen　must　we　acknowledge　that　it　is　wise。　Becausewhat　is　a　man　in　the　empire？　Nothing　more　than　a　simple　brick；　and　all　bricks　must　be　of　the　same　size。　Do　you　understand？　And　those　people　that　are　of　equal　height　and　weightI　can　place　in　any　position　I　like。〃

〃And　whom　does　it　please　to　be　a　brick？〃　said　Foma；　morosely。

〃It　is　not　a　question　of　pleasing；　it　is　a　matter　of　fact。　If　you　are　made　of　hard　material；　they　cannot　plane　you。　It　is　not　everybody's　phiz　that　you　can　rub　off。　But　some　people；　when　beaten　with　a　hammer；　turn　into　gold。　And　if　the　head　happens　to　crack　what　can　you　do？It　merely　shows　it　was　weak。〃

〃He　also　spoke　about　toil。　'Everything；'　he　says；　'is　done　by　machinery；　and　thus　are　men　spoiled。〃'

〃He　is　out　of　his　wits！〃　Mayakin　waved　his　hand　disdainfully。　〃I　am　surprised；　what　an　appetite　you　have　for　all　sorts　of　nonsense！　What　does　it　come　from？〃

〃Isn't　that　true；　either？〃　asked　Foma；　breaking　into　stern　laughter。

〃What　true　thing　can　he　know？　A　machine！　The　old　blockhead　should　have　thought'what　is　the　machine　made　of？'　Of　iron！　Consequently；　it　need　not　be　pitied；　it　is　wound　upand　it　forges　roubles　for　you。　Without　any　words；　without　trouble；　you　set　it　into　motion　and　it　revolves。　While　a　man；　he　is　uneasy　and　wretched；　he　is　often　very　wretched。　He　wails；　grieves；　weeps；　begs。　Sometimes　he　gets　drunk。　Ah；　how　much　there　is　in　him　that　is　superfluous　to　me！　While　a　machine　is　like　an　arshin　（yardstick）；　it　contains　exactly　so　much　as　the　work　required。　Well；　I　am　going　to　dress。　It　is　time。〃

He　rose　and　went　away；　loudly　scraping　with　his　slippers　along　the　floor。　Foma　glanced　after　him　and　said　softly；　with　a　frown：

〃The　devil　himself　could　not　see　through　all　this。　One　says　this；　the　other；　that。〃

〃It　is　precisely　the　same　with　books；〃　said　Lubov　in　a　low　voice。

Foma　looked　at　her；　smiling　good…naturedly。　And　she　answered　him　with　a　vague　smile。

Her　eyes　looked　fatigued　and　sad。

〃You　still　keep　on　reading？〃　asked　Foma。

〃Yes；〃　the　girl　answered　sadly。

〃And　are　you　still　lonesome？〃

〃I　feel　disgusted；　because　I　am　alone。　There's　no　one　here　to　say　a　word　to。〃

〃That's　bad。〃

She　said　nothing　to　this；　but；　lowering　her　head；　she　slowly　began　to　finger　the　fringes　of　the　towel。

〃You　ought　to　get　married；〃　said　Foma；　feeling　that　he　pitied　her。

〃Leave　me　alone；　please；〃　answered　Lubov；　wrinkling　her　forehead。

〃Why　leave　you　alone？　You　will　get　married；　I　am　sure。〃

〃There！〃　exclaimed　the　girl　softly；　with　a　sigh。　〃That's　just　what　I　am　thinking　ofit　is　necessary。　That　is；　I'll　have　to　get　married。　But　how？　Do　you　know；　I　feel　now　as　though　a　mist　stood　between　other　people　and　myselfa　thick；　thick　mist！〃

〃That's　from　your　books；〃　Foma　interposed　confidently。

〃Wait！　And　I　cease　to　understand　what　is　going　on　about　me。　Nothing　pleases　me。　Everything　has　become　strange　to　me。　Nothing　is　as　it　should　be。　Everything　is　wrong。　I　see　it。　I　understand　it；　yet　I　cannot　say　that　it　is　wrong；　and　why　it　is　so。〃

〃It　is　not　so；　not　so；〃　muttered　Foma。　〃That's　from　your　books。　Yes。　Although　I　also　feel　that　it's　wrong。　Perhaps　that　is　because　we　are　so　young　and　foolish。〃

〃At　first　it　seemed　to　me；〃　said　Lubov；　not　listening　to　him；　〃that　everything　in　the　books　was　clear　to　me。　But　now〃

〃Drop　your　books；〃　suggested　Foma；　with　contempt。

〃Ah；　don't　say　that！　How　can　I　drop　them？　You　know　how　many　different　ideas　there　are　in　the　world！　O　Lord！　They're　such　ideas　that　set　your　head　afire。　According　to　a　certain　book　everything　that　exists　on　earth　is　rational。〃

〃Everything？〃　asked　Foma。

〃Everything！　While　another　book　says　the　contrary　is　true。〃

〃Wait！　Now　isn't　this　nonsense？〃

〃What　were　you　discussing？〃　asked　Mayakin；　appearing　at　the　door；　in　a　long　frock…coat　and　with　several　medals　on　his　collar　and　his　breast。

〃Just　so；〃　said　Lubov；　morosely。

〃We　spoke　about　books；〃　added　Foma。

〃What　kind　of　books？〃

〃The　books　she　is　reading。　She　read　that　everything　on　earth　is　rational。〃

〃Really！〃

〃Well；　and　I　say　it　is　a　lie！〃

〃Yes。〃　Yakov　Tarasovich　became　thoughtful；　he　pinched　his　beard　and　winked　his　eyes　a　little。

〃What　kind　of　a　book　is　it？〃　he　asked　his　daughter；　after　a　pause。

〃A　little　yellow…covered　book；〃　said　Lubov；　unwillingly。

〃Just　put　that　book　on　my　table。　That　is　said　not　without　reflectioneverything　on　earth　is　rational！　See　someone　thought　of　it。　Yes。　It　is　even　very　cleverly　expressed。　And　were　it　not　for　the　fools；　it　might　have　been　perfectly　correct。　But　as　fools　are　always　in　the　wrong　place；　it　cannot　be　said　that　everything　on　earth　is　rational。　And　yet；　I'll　look　at　the　book。　Maybe　there　is　common　sense　in　it。　Goodbye；　Foma！　Will　you　stay　here；　or　do　you　want　to　drive　with　me？〃

〃I'll　stay　here　a　little　longer。〃

〃Very　well。〃

Lubov　and　Foma　again　remained　alone。

〃What　a　man　your　father　is；〃　said　Foma；　nodding　his　head　toward　the　direction　of　his　godfather。

〃Well；　what　kind　of　a　man　do　you　think　he　is？〃

〃He　retorts　every　call；　and　wants　to　cover　everything　with　his　words。〃

〃Yes；　he　is　clever。　And　yet　he　does　not　understand　how　painful　my　life　is；〃　said　Lubov；　sadly。

〃Neither　do　I　understand　it。　You　imagine　too　much。〃

〃What　do　I　imagine？〃　cried　the　girl；　irritated。

〃Why；　all　these　are　not　your　own　ideas。　They　are　someone　else's。〃

〃Someone　else's。　Someone　else's。〃

She　felt　like　saying　something　harsh；　but　broke　down　and　became　silent。　Foma　looked　at　her　and；　setting　Medinskaya　by　her　side；　thought　sadly：

〃How　different　everything　isboth　men　and　womenand　you　never　feel　alike。〃

They　sat　opposite　each　other；　both　were　lost　in　thought；　and　neither　one　looked　at　the　other。　It　was　getting　dark　outside；　and　in　the　room　it　was　quite　dark　already。　The　wind　was　shaking　the　linden…trees；　and　their　branches　seemed　to　clutch　at　the　walls　of　the　house；　as　though　they　felt　cold　and　implored　for　shelter　in　the　rooms。

〃Luba！〃　said　Foma；　softly。

She　raised　her　head　and　looked　at　him。

〃Do　you　know；　I　have　quarrelled　with　Medinskaya。〃

〃Why？〃　asked　Luba；　brightening　up。

〃So。　It　came　about　that　she　offended　me。　Yes；　she　offended　me。〃

〃Well；　it's　good　that　you've　quarrelled　with　her；〃　said　the　girl；　approvingly；　〃for　she　would　have　turned　your　head。　She　is　a　vile　creature；　she　is　a　coquette；　even　worse　than　that。　Oh；　what　things　I　know　about　her！〃

〃She's　not　at　all　a　vile　creature；〃　said　Foma；　morosely。　〃And　you　don't　know　anything　about　her。　You　are　all　lying！〃

〃Oh；　I　beg　your　pardon！〃

〃No。　See　here；　Luba；〃　said　Foma；　softly；　in　a　beseeching　tone；　〃don't　speak　ill　of　her　in　my　presence。　It　isn't　necessary。　I　know　everything。　By　God！　She　told　me　everything　herself。〃

〃Herself！〃　exclaimed　Luba；　in　astonishment。　〃What　a　strange　woman　she　is！　What　did　she　tell　you？〃

〃That　she　is　guilty；〃　Foma　ejaculated　with　difficulty；　with　a　wry　smile。

〃Is　that　all？〃　There　was　a　ring　of　disappointment　in　the　girl's　question；　Foma　heard　it　and　asked　hopefully：

〃Isn't　that　enough？〃

〃What　will　you　do　now？〃

〃That's　just　what　I　am　thinking　about。〃

〃Do　you　love　her　very　much？〃

Foma　was　silent。　He　looked　into　the　window　and　answered　confusedly：

〃I　don't　know。　But　it　seems　to　me　that　now　I　love　her　more　than　before。〃

〃Than　before　the　quarrel？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　wonder　how　one　can　love　such　a　woman！〃　said　the　girl；　shrugging　her　shoulders。

〃Love　such　a　woman？　Of　course！　Why　not？〃　exclaimed　Foma。

〃I　can't　understand　it。　I　think；　you　have　become　attached　to　her　just　because　you　have　not　met　a　better　woman。〃

〃No；　I　have　not　met　a　better　one！〃　Foma　assented；　and　after　a　moment's　silence　said　shyly；　〃Perhaps　there　is　none　better。〃

〃Among　our　people；〃　Lubov　interposed。

〃I　need　her　very　badly！　Because；　you　see；　I　feel　ashamed　before　her。〃

〃Why　so？〃

〃Oh；　in　general；　I　fear　her；　that　is；　I　would　not　want　her　to　think　ill　of　me；　as　of　others。　Sometimes　I　feel　disgusted。　I　think　wouldn't　it　be　a　great　idea　to　go　out　on　such　a　spree　that　all　my　veins　would　start　tingling。　And　then　I　recall　her　and　I　do　not　venture。　And　so　everything　else；　I　think　of　her；　'What　if　she　finds　it　out？'　and　I　am　afraid　to　do　it。〃

〃Yes；〃　the　girl　drawled　out　thoughtfully；　〃that　shows　that　you　love　her。　I　would　also　be　like　this。　If　I　loved；　I　would　think　of　him　of　what　he　might　say。。。〃

〃And　everything　about　her　is　so　peculiar；〃　Foma　related　softly。　〃She　speaks　in　a　way　all　her　own。　And；　God！　How　beautiful　she　is！　And　then　she　is　so　small；　like　a　child。〃

〃And　what　took　place　between　you？〃　asked　Lubov。

Foma　moved　his　chair　closer　to　her；　and　stooping；　he　lowered　his　voice　fo