the man who was afraid-第58节

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　am　the　son　of　a　soldier；　I　propose　a　toast　to　your　future！　Hurrah！〃

Yozhov　emptied　his　glass　and　sank　heavily　to　the　ground。　The　compositors　unanimously　took　up　his　broken　exclamation；　and　a　powerful；　thundering　shout　rolled　through　the　air；　causing　the　leaves　on　the　trees　to　tremble。

〃Let's　start　a　song　now；〃　proposed　the　stout　fellow　again。

〃Come　on！〃　chimed　in　two　or　three　voices。　A　noisy　dispute　ensued　as　to　what　to　sing。　Yozhov　listened　to　the　noise；　and；　turning　his　head　from　one　side　to　another；　scrutinized　them　all。

〃Brethren；〃　Yozhov　suddenly　cried　again；　〃answer　me。　Say　a　few　words　in　reply　to　my　address　of　welcome。〃

Againthough　not　at　onceall　became　silent；　some　looking　at　him　with　curiosity；　others　concealing　a　grin；　still　others　with　an　expression　of　dissatisfaction　plainly　written　on　their　faces。　And　he　again　rose　from　the　ground　and　said；　hotly：

〃Two　of　us　here　are　cast　away　by　lifeI　and　that　other　one。　We　both　desire　the　same　regard　for　man　and　the　happiness　of　feeling　ourselves　useful　unto　others。　Comrades！　And　that　big；　stupid　man…　…〃

〃Nikolay　Matveyich；　you　had　better　not　insult　our　guest！〃　said　someone　in　a　deep；　displeased　voice。

〃Yes；　that's　unnecessary；〃　affirmed　the　stout　fellow；　who　had　invited　Foma　to　the　fireside。　〃Why　use　offensive　language？〃

A　third　voice　rang　out　loudly　and　distinctly：

〃We　have　come　together　to　enjoy　ourselvesto　take　a　rest。〃

〃Fools！〃　laughed　Yozhov；　faintly。　〃Kind…hearted　fools！　Do　you　pity　him？　But　do　you　know　who　he　is？　He　is　of　those　people　who　suck　your　blood。〃

〃That　will　do；　Nikolay　Matveyich！〃　they　cried　to　Yozhov。　And　all　began　to　talk；　paying　no　further　attention　to　him。　Foma　felt　so　sorry　for　his　friend　that　he　did　not　even　take　offence。　He　saw　that　these　people　who　defended　him　from　Yozhov's　attacks　were　now　purposely　ignoring　the　feuilleton…writer；　and　he　understood　that　this　would　pain　Yozhov　if　he　were　to　notice　it。　And　in　order　to　take　his　friend　away　from　possible　unpleasantness；　he　nudged　him　in　the　side　and　said；　with　a　kind…hearted　laugh：

〃Well；　you　grumbler；　shall　we　have　a　drink？　Or　is　it　time　to　go　home？〃

〃Home？　Where　is　the　home　of　the　man　who　has　no　place　among　men？〃　asked　Yozhov；　and　shouted　again：　〃Comrades！〃

Unanswered；　his　shout　was　drowned　in　the　general　murmur。　Then　he　drooped　his　head　and　said　to　Foma：

〃Let's　go　from　here。〃

〃Let's　go。　Though　I　don't　mind　sitting　a　little　longer。　It's　interesting。　They　behave　so　nobly；　the　devils。　By　God！〃

〃I　can't　bear　it　any　longer。　I　feel　cold。　I　am　suffocating。〃

〃Well；　come　then。〃

Foma　rose　to　his　feet；　removed　his　cap；　and；　bowing　to　the　compositors；　said　loudly　and　cheerfully：

〃Thank　you；　gentlemen；　for　your　hospitality！　Good…bye！〃

They　immediately　surrounded　him　and　spoke　to　him　persuasively：

〃Stay　here！　Where　are　you　going？　We　might　sing　all　together；　eh？〃

〃No；　I　must　go；　it　would　be　disagreeable　to　my　friend　to　go　alone。　I　am　going　to　escort　him。　I　wish　you　a　jolly　feast！〃

〃Eh；　you　ought　to　wait　a　little！〃　exclaimed　the　stout　fellow；　and　then　whispered：

〃Some　one　will　escort　him　home！〃

The　consumptive　also　remarked　in　a　low　voice：

〃You　stay　here。　We'll　escort　him　to　town；　and　get　him　into　a　cab　andthere　you　are！〃

Foma　felt　like　staying　there；　and　at　the　same　time　was　afraid　of　something。　While　Yozhov　rose　to　his　feet；　and；　clutching　at　the　sleeves　of　his　overcoat；　muttered：

〃Come；　the　devil　take　them！〃

〃Till　we　meet　again；　gentlemen！　I'm　going！〃　said　Foma　and　departed　amid　exclamations　of　polite　regret。

〃Ha；　ha；　ha！〃　Yozhov　burst　out　laughing　when　he　had　got　about　twenty　steps　away　from　the　fire。　〃They　see　us　off　with　sorrow；　but　they　are　glad　that　I　am　going　away。　I　hindered　them　from　turning　into　beasts。〃

〃It's　true；　you　did　disturb　them；〃　said　Foma。　〃Why　do　you　make　such　speeches？　People　have　come　out　to　enjoy　themselves；　and　you　obtrude　yourself　upon　them。　That　bores　them！〃

〃Keep　quiet！　You　don't　understand　anything！〃　cried　Yozhov；　harshly。　〃You　think　I　am　drunk？　It's　my　body　that　is　intoxicated；　but　my　soul　is　sober；　it　is　always　sober；　it　feels　everything。　Oh；　how　much　meanness　there　is　in　the　world；　how　much　stupidity　and　wretchedness！　And　menthese　stupid；　miserable　men。〃

Yozhov　paused；　and；　clasping　his　head　with　his　hands；　stood　for　awhile；　staggering。

〃Yes！〃　drawled　out　Foma。　〃They　are　very　much　unlike　one　another。　Now　these　men；　how　polite　they　are；　like　gentlemen。　And　they　reason　correctly；　too；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing。　They　have　common　sense。　Yet　they　are　only　labourers。〃

In　the　darkness　behind　them　the　men　struck　up　a　powerful　choral　song。　Inharmonious　at　first；　it　swelled　and　grew　until　it　rolled　in　a　huge；　powerful　wave　through　the　invigorating　nocturnal　air；　above　the　deserted　field。

〃My　God！〃　said　Yozhov；　sadly　and　softly；　heaving　a　sigh。　〃Whereby　are　we　to　live？　Whereon　fasten　our　soul？　Who　shall　quench　its　thirsts　for　friendship　brotherhood；　love；　for　pure　and　sacred　toil？〃

〃These　simple　people；〃　said　Foma；　slowly　and　pensively；　without　listening　to　his　companion　s　words；　absorbed　as　he　was　in　his　own　thoughts；　〃if　one　looks　into　these　people；　they're　not　so　bad！　It's　even　veryit　is　interesting。　Peasants；　labourers；　to　look　at　them　plainly；　they　are　just　like　horses。　They　carry　burdens；　they　puff　and　blow。〃

〃They　carry　our　life　on　their　backs；〃　exclaimed　Yozhov　with　irritation。　〃They　carry　it　like　horses；　submissively；　stupidly。　And　this　submissiveness　of　theirs　is　our　misfortune；　our　curse！〃

And　Foma；　carried　away　by　his　own　thought；　argued：

〃They　carry　burdens；　they　toil　all　their　life　long　for　mere　trifles。　And　suddenly　they　say　something　that　wouldn't　come　into　your　mind　in　a　century。　Evidently　they　feel。　Yes；　it　is　interesting　to　be　with　them。〃

Staggering；　Yozhov　walked　in　silence　for　a　long　time；　and　suddenly　he　waved　his　hand　in　the　air　and　began　to　declaim　in　a　dull；　choking　voice；　which　sounded　as　though　it　issued　from　his　stomach：

〃Life　has　cruelly　deceived　me；　I　have　suffered　so　much　pain。〃

〃These；　dear　boy；　are　my　own　verses；〃　said　he；　stopping　short　and　nodding　his　head　mournfully。　〃How　do　they　run？　I've　forgotten。　There　is　something　there　about　dreams；　about　sacred　and　pure　longings；　which　are　smothered　within　my　breast　by　the　vapour　of　life。　Oh！〃

〃The　buried　dreams　within　my　breast　Will　never　rise　again。〃

〃Brother！　You　are　happier　than　I；　because　you　are　stupid。　While　I〃

〃Don't　be　rude！〃　said　Foma；　irritated。　〃You　would　better　listen　how　they　are　singing。〃

〃I　don't　want　to　listen　to　other　people's　songs；〃　said　Yozhov；　with　a　shake　of　the　head。　〃I　have　my　own；　it　is　the　song　of　a　soul　rent　in　pieces　by　life。〃

And　he　began　to　wail　in　a　wild　voice：

The　buried　dreams　within　my　breast　Will　never　rise　again。　。　。　How　great　their　number　is！〃

〃There　was　a　whole　flower　garden　of　bright；　living　dreams　and　hopes。　They　perished；　withered　and　perished。　Death　is　within　my　heart。　The　corpses　of　my　dreams　are　rotting　there。　Oh！　oh！〃

Yozhov　burst　into　tears；　sobbing　like　a　woman。　Foma　pitied　him；　and　felt　uncomfortable　with　him。　He　jerked　at　his　shoulder　impatiently；　and　said：

〃Stop　crying！　Come；　how　weak　you　are；　brother！〃　Clasping　his　head　in　his　hand　Yozhov　straightened　up　his　stooping　frame；　made　an　effort　and　started　again　mournfully　and　wildly：

〃How　great　their　number　is！　Their　sepulchre　how　narrow！　I　clothed　them　all　in　shrouds　of　rhyme　And　many　sad　and　solemn　songs　O'er　them　I　sang　from　time　to　time！〃

〃0h；　Lord！〃　sighed　Foma　in　despair。　〃Stop　that；　for　Christ's　sake！　By　God；　how　sad！〃

In　the　distance　the　loud　choral　song　was　rolling　through　the　darkness　and　the　silence。　Some　one　was　whistling；　keeping　time　to　the　refrain；　and　this　shrill　sound；　which　pierced　the　ear；　ran　ahead　of　the　billow　of　powerful　voices。　Foma　looked　in　that　direction　and　saw　the　tall；　black　wall　of　forest；　the　bright　fiery　spot　of　the　bonfire　shining　upon　it；　and　the　misty　figures　surrounding　the　fire。　The　wall　of　forest　was　like　a　breast；　and　the　fire　like　a　bloody　wound　in　it。　It　seemed　as　though　the　breast　was　trembling；　as　the　blood　coursed　down　in　burning　streams。　Embraced　in　dense　gloom　from　all　sides　the　people　seemed　on　the　background　of　the　forest；　like　little　children；　they；　too；　seemed　to　burn；　illuminated　by　the　blaze　of　the　bonfire。　They　waved　their　hands　and　sang　their　songs　loudly；　powerfully。

And　Yozhov；　standing　beside　Foma；　spoke　excitedly：

〃You　hard…hearted　blockhead！　Why　do　you　repulse　me？　You　ought　to　listen　to　the　song　of　the　dying　soul；　and　weep　over　it；　for；　why　was　it　wounded；　why　is　it　dying？　Begone　from　me；　begone！　You　think　I　am　drunk？　I　am　poisoned；　begone！〃

Without　lifting　his　eyes　off　the　forest　and　the　fire；　so　beautiful　in　the　darkness；　Foma　made　a　few　steps　aside　from　Yozhov　and　said　to　him　in　a　low　voice：

〃Don't　play　the　fool。　Why　do　you　abuse　me　at　random？〃

〃I　want　to　remain　alone；　and　finish　singing　my　song。〃

Staggering；　he；　too；　moved　aside　from　Foma；　and　after　a　few　seconds　again　exclaimed　in　a　sobbing　voice：

〃My　song　is　done！　And　nevermore　Shall　I　disturb　their　sleep　of　death；　Oh　Lord；　0h　Lord；　repose　my　soul！　For　it　is　hopeless　in　its　wounds；　Oh　Lord；　repose　my　soul。〃

Foma　shuddered　at　th