the man who was afraid-第39节

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Now　the　peasant　went　down　on　his　knees；　and　gazing　at　Sasha；　waved　his　hands；　and　she　bent　down　toward　him　and　shook　her　head；　keeping　time　to　the　motions　of　his　hands。　Both　were　now　singing　without　words；　with　sounds　only；　and　Foma　still　could　not　believe　that　only　two　voices　were　pouring　into　the　air　these　moans　and　sobs　with　such　mighty　power。

When　they　had　finished　singing；　Foma；　trembling　with　excitement；　with　a　tear…stained　face；　gazed　at　them　and　smiled　sadly。

〃Well；　did　it　move　you？〃　asked　Sasha。　Pale　with　fatigue；　she　breathed　quickly　and　heavily。

Foma　glanced　at　the　peasant。　The　latter　was　wiping　the　sweat　off　his　brow　and　looking　around　him　with　such　a　wandering　look　as　though　he　could　not　make　out　what　had　taken　place。

All　was　silence。　All　were　motionless　and　speechless。

〃0h　Lord！〃　sighed　Foma；　rising　to　his　feet。　〃Eh；　Sasha！　Peasant！　Who　are　you？〃　he　almost　shouted。

〃I　amStepan；〃　said　the　peasant；　smiling　confusedly；　and　also　rose　to　his　feet。　〃I'm　Stepan。　Of　course！〃

〃How　you　sing！　Ah！〃　Foma　exclaimed　in　astonishment；　uneasily　shifting　from　foot　to　foot。

〃Eh；　your　Honour！〃　sighed　the　peasant　and　added　softly　and　convincingly：　〃Sorrow　can　compel　an　ox　to　sing　like　a　nightingale。　And　what　makes　the　lady　sing　like　this；　only　God　knows。　And　she　sings；　with　all　her　veinsthat　is　to　say；　so　you　might　just　lie　down　and　die　with　sorrow！　Well；　that's　a　lady。〃

〃That　was　sung　very　well！〃　said　Ookhtishchev　in　a　drunken　voice。

No；　the　devil　knows　what　this　is！〃　Zvantzev　suddenly　shouted；　almost　crying；　irritated　as　he　jumped　up　from　the　table。　〃I've　come　out　here　for　a　good　time。　I　want　to　enjoy　myself；　and　here　they　perform　a　funeral　service　for　me！　What　an　outrage！　I　can't　stand　this　any　longer。　I'm　going　away！〃

〃Jean；　I　am　also　going。　I'm　weary；　too；〃　announced　the　gentleman　with　the　side　whiskers。

〃Vassa；〃　cried　Zvantzev　to　his　lady；　〃dress　yourself！〃

〃Yes；　it's　time　to　go；〃　said　the　red…haired　lady　to　Ookhtishchev。　〃It　is　cold；　and　it　will　soon　be　dark。〃

〃Stepan！　Clear　everything　away！〃　commanded　Vassa。

All　began　to　bustle　about；　all　began　to　speak　of　something。　Foma　stared　at　them　in　suspense　and　shuddered。　Staggering；　the　crowd　walked　along　the　rafts。　Pale　and　fatigued；　they　said　to　one　another　stupid；　disconnected　things。　Sasha　jostled　them　unceremoniously；　as　she　was　getting　her　things　together。

〃Stepan！　Call　for　the　horses！〃

〃And　I'll　drink　some　more　cognac。　Who　wants　some　more　cognac　with　me？〃　drawled　the　gentleman　with　the　side　whiskers　in　a　beatific　voice；　holding　a　bottle　in　his　hands。

Vassa　was　muffling　Zvantzev's　neck　with　a　scarf。　He　stood　in　front　of　her；　frowning；　dissatisfied；　his　lips　curled　capriciously；　the　calves　of　his　legs　shivering。　Foma　became　disgusted　as　he　looked　at　them；　and　he　went　off　to　the　other　raft。　He　was　astonished　that　all　these　people　behaved　as　though　they　had　not　heard　the　song　at　all。　In　his　breast　the　song　was　alive　and　there　it　called　to　life　a　restless　desire　to　do　something；　to　say　something。　But　he　had　no　one　there　to　speak　to。

The　sun　had　set　and　the　distance　was　enveloped　in　blue　mist。　Foma　glanced　thither　and　turned　away。　He　did　not　feel　like　going　to　town　with　these　people；　neither　did　he　care　to　stay　here　with　them。　And　they　were　still　pacing　the　raft　with　uneven　steps；　shaking　from　side　to　side　and　muttering　disconnected　words。　The　women　were　not　quite　as　drunk　as　the　men；　and　only　the　red…haired　one　could　not　lift　herself　from　the　bench　for　a　long　time；　and　finally；　when　she　rose；　she　declared：

〃Well；　I'm　drunk。〃

Foma　sat　down　on　a　log　of　wood；　and　lifting　the　axe；　with　which　the　peasant　had　chopped　wood　for　the　fire；　he　began　to　play　with　it；　tossing　it　up　in　the　air　and　catching　it。

〃Oh；　my　God！　How　mean　this　is！〃　Zvantzev's　capricious　voice　was　heard。

Foma　began　to　feel　that　he　hated　it；　and　him；　and　everybody；　except　Sasha；　who　awakened　in　him　a　certain　uneasy　feeling；　which　contained　at　once　admiration　for　her　and　a　fear　lest　she　might　do　something　unexpected　and　terrible。

〃Brute！〃　shouted　Zvantzev　in　a　shrill　voice；　and　Foma　noticed　that　he　struck　the　peasant　on　the　chest；　after　which　the　peasant　removed　his　cap　humbly　and　stepped　aside。

〃Fo…o…ol！〃　cried　Zvantzev；　walking　after　him　and　lifting　his　hand。

Foma　jumped　to　his　feet　and　said　threateningly；　in　a　loud　voice：

〃Eh；　you！　Don't　touch　him！〃

〃Wha…a…at？〃　Zvantzev　turned　around　toward　him。

〃Stepan；　come　over　here；〃　called　Foma。

〃Peasant！〃　Zvantzev　hurled　with　contempt；　looking　at　Foma。

Foma　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　made　a　step　toward　him；　but　suddenly　a　thought　flashed　vividly　through　his　mind！　He　smiled　maliciously　and　inquired　of　Stepan；　softly：

〃The　string　of　rafts　is　moored　in　three　places；　isn't　it？

〃In　three；　of　course！〃

〃Cut　the　connections！〃

〃And　they？〃

〃Keep　quiet！　Cut！〃

〃But〃

〃Cut！　Quietly；　so　they　don't　notice　it！〃

The　peasant　took　the　axe　in　his　hands；　slowly　walked　up　to　the　place　where　one　link　was　well　fastened　to　another　link；　struck　a　few　times　with　his　axe；　and　returned　to　Foma。

〃I'm　not　responsible；　your　Honour；〃　he　said。

〃Don't　be　afraid。〃

〃They've　started　off；〃　whispered　the　peasant　with　fright；　and　hastily　made　the　sign　of　the　cross。　And　Foma　gazed；　laughing　softly；　and　experienced　a　painful　sensation　that　keenly　and　sharply　stung　his　heart　with　a　certain　strange；　pleasant　and　sweet　fear。

The　people　on　the　raft　were　still　pacing　to　and　fro；　moving　about　slowly；　jostling　one　another；　assisting　the　ladies　with　their　wraps；　laughing　and　talking；　and　the　raft　was　meanwhile　turning　slowly　and　irresolutely　in　the　water。

〃If　the　current　carries　them　against　the　fleet；〃　whispered　the　peasant；　〃they'll　strike　against　the　bowsand　they'll　be　smashed　into　splinters。〃

〃Keep　quiet！〃

〃They'll　drown！〃

〃You'll　get　a　boat；　and　overtake　them。〃

〃That's　it！　Thank　you。　What　then？　They're　after　all　human　beings。　And　we'll　be　held　responsible　for　them。〃　Satisfied　now；　laughing　with　delight；　the　peasant　dashed　in　bounds　across　the　rafts　to　the　shore。　And　Foma　stood　by　the　water　and　felt　a　passionate　desire　to　shout　something；　but　he　controlled　himself；　in　order　to　give　time　for　the　raft　to　float　off　farther；　so　that　those　drunken　people　would　not　be　able　to　jump　across　to　the　moored　links。　He　experienced　a　pleasant　caressing　sensation　as　he　saw　the　raft　softly　rocking　upon　the　water　and　floating　off　farther　and　farther　from　him　every　moment。The　heavy　and　dark　feeling；　with　which　his　heart　had　been　filled　during　this　time；　now　seemed　to　float　away　together　with　the　people　on　the　raft。　Calmly　he　inhaled　the　fresh　air　and　with　it　something　sound　that　cleared　his　brain。　At　the　very　edge　of　the　floating　raft　stood　Sasha；　with　her　back　toward　Foma；　he　looked　at　her　beautiful　figure　and　involuntarily　recalled　Medinskaya。　The　latter　was　smaller　in　size。　The　recollection　of　her　stung　him；　and　he　cried　out　in　a　loud；　mocking　voice：

〃Eh；　there！　Good…bye！　Ha！　ha！　ha！〃

Suddenly　the　dark　figures　of　the　people　moved　toward　him　and　crowded　together　in　one　group；　in　the　centre　of　the　raft。　But　by　this　time　a　clear　strip　of　water；　about　three　yards　wide；　was　flashing　between　them　and　Foma。

There　was　a　silence　lasting　for　a　few　seconds。

Then　suddenly　a　hurricane　of　shrill；　repulsively　pitiful　sounds；　which　were　full　of　animal　fright；　was　hurled　at　Foma；　and　louder　than　all　and　more　repulsive　than　all；　Zvantzev's　shrill；　jarring　cry　pierced　the　ear：

〃He…e…elp！〃

Some　onein　all　probability；　the　sedate　gentleman　with　the　side　whiskersroared　in　his　basso：

〃Drowning！　They're　drowning　people！〃

〃Are　you　people？〃　cried　Foma；　angrily；　irritated　by　their　screams　which　seemed　to　bite　him。　And　the　people　ran　about　on　the　raft　in　the　madness　of　fright；　the　raft　rocked　under　their　feet；　floated　faster　on　account　of　this；　and　the　agitated　water　was　loudly　splashing　against　and　under　it。　The　screams　rent　the　air；　the　people　jumped　about；　waving　their　hands；　and　the　stately　figure　of　Sasha　alone　stood　motionless　and　speechless　on　the　edge　of　the　raft。

〃Give　my　regards　to　the　crabs！〃　cried　Foma。　Foma　felt　more　and　more　cheerful　and　relieved　in　proportion　as　the　raft　was　floating　away　from　him。

〃Foma　Ignatyevich！〃　said　Ookhtishchev　in　a　faint；　but　sober　voice；　〃look　out；　this　is　a　dangerous　joke。　I'll　make　a　complaint。〃

〃When　you　are　drowned？　You　may　complain！〃　answered　Foma；　cheerfully。

〃You　are　a　murderer！〃　exclaimed　Zvantzev；　sobbing。　But　at　this　time　a　ringing　splash　of　water　was　heard　as　though　it　groaned　with　fright　or　with　astonishment。　Foma　shuddered　and　became　as　though　petrified。　Then　rang　out　the　wild；　deafening　shrieks　of　the　women；　and　the　terror…stricken　screams　of　men；　and　all　the　figures　on　the　raft　remained　petrified　in　their　places。　And　Foma；　staring　at　the　water；　felt　as　though　he　really　were　petrified。　In　the　water　something　black；　surrounded　with　splashes；　was　floating　toward　him。

Rather　instinctively　than　consciously；　Foma　threw　himself　with　his　chest　on　the　beams　of　the　raft；　and　stretched　out　his　hands；　his　head　hanging　down　over　the　water。　Several　incredibly　long　seconds　passed。　Cold；　wet　arms　clasped　his　neck　and　dark　eyes　flashed　before　him。　Then　he　unde