the man who was afraid-第6节

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s　fear　vanished。

Once；　when　the　boy　was　about　eight　years　old；　he　asked　his　father；　who　had　returned　from　a　long　journey：

〃Papa；　where　were　you？〃

〃On　the　Volga。〃

〃Were　you　robbing　there？〃　asked　Foma；　softly。

〃Wha…at？〃　Ignat　drawled　out；　and　his　eyebrows　contracted。

〃Aren't　you　a　robber；　papa？　I　know　it；〃　said　Foma；　winking　his　eyes　slyly；　satisfied　that　he　had　already　read　the　secret　of　his　father's　life。

〃I　am　a　merchant！〃　said　Ignat；　sternly；　but　after　a　moment's　thought　he　smiled　kind…heartedly　and　added：　〃And　you　are　a　little　fool！　I　deal　in　corn；　I　run　a　line　of　steamers。　Have　you　seen　the　'Yermak'？　Well；　that　is　my　steamer。　And　yours；　too。〃

〃It　is　a　very　big　one；〃　said　Foma　with　a　sigh。

〃Well；　I'll　buy　you　a　small　one　while　you　are　small　yourself。　Shall　I？〃

〃Very　well；〃　Foma　assented；　but　after　a　thoughtful　silence　he　again　drawled　out　regretfully：　〃But　I　thought　you　were　a　robber　or　a　giant。〃

〃I　tell　you　I　am　a　merchant！〃　repeated　Ignat；　insinuatingly；　and　there　was　something　discontented　and　almost　timorous　in　his　glance　at　the　disenchanted　face　of　his　son。

〃Like　Grandpa　Fedor；　the　Kalatch　baker？〃　asked　Foma；　having　thought　awhile。

〃Well；　yes；　like　him。　Only　I　am　richer　than　he。　I　have　more　money　than　Fedor。〃

〃Have　you　much　money？〃

Well；　some　people　have　still　more。〃

〃How　many　barrels　do　you　have？〃

〃Of　what？〃

〃Of　money；　I　mean。〃

〃Fool！　Is　money　counted　by　the　barrel？〃

〃How　else？〃　exclaimed　Foma；　enthusiastically；　and；　turning　his　face　toward　his　father；　began　to　tell　him　quickly：　〃Maksimka；　the　robber；　came　once　to　a　certain　town　and　filled　up　twelve　barrels　with　money　belonging　to　some　rich　man　there。　And　he　took　different　silverware　and　robbed　a　church。　And　cut　up　a　man　with　his　sword　and　threw　him　down　the　steeple　because　he　tried　to　sound　an　alarm。〃

〃Did　your　aunt　tell　you　that？〃　asked　Ignat　admiring　his　son's　enthusiasm。

〃Yes！　Why？〃

〃Nothing！〃　said　Ignat；　laughing。　〃So　you　thought　your　father　was　a　robber。〃

〃And　perhaps　you　were　a　robber　long　ago？〃

Foma　again　returned　to　his　theme；　and　it　was　evident　on　his　face　that　he　would　be　very　glad　to　hear　an　affirmative　answer。

〃I　was　never　a　robber。　Let　that　end　it。〃

〃Never？〃

〃I　tell　you　I　was　not！　What　a　queer　little　boy　you　are！　Is　it　good　to　be　a　robber？　They　are　all　sinners；　the　robbers。　They　don't　believe　in　Godthey　rob　churches。　They　are　all　cursed　in　the　churches。　Yes。　Look　here；　my　son；　you'll　have　to　start　to　study　soon。　It　is　time；　you'll　soon　be　nine　years　old。　Start　with　the　help　of　God。　You'll　study　during　the　winter　and　in　spring　I'll　take　you　along　with　me　on　the　Volga。〃

〃Will　I　go　to　school？〃　asked　Foma；　timidly。

〃First　you'll　study　at　home　with　auntie。〃　Soon　after　the　boy　would　sit　down　near　the　table　in　the　morning　and；　fingering　the　Slavonic　alphabet；　repeat　after　his　aunt：

〃Az；　Buky；　Vedy。〃

When　they　reached　〃bra；　vra；　gra；　dra〃　for　a　long　time　the　boy　could　not　read　these　syllables　without　laughter。　Foma　succeeded　easily　in　gaining　knowledge；　almost　without　any　effort；　and　soon　he　was　reading　the　first　psalm　of　the　first　section　of　the　psalter：　〃Blessed　is　the　man　that　walketh　not　in　the　counsel　of　the　ungodly。〃

〃That's　it；　my　darling！　So；　Fomushka；　that's　right！〃　chimed　in　his　aunt　with　emotion；　enraptured　by　his　progress。

〃You're　a　fine　fellow；　Foma！〃　Ignat　would　approvingly　say　when　informed　of　his　son's　progress。　〃We'll　go　to　Astrakhan　for　fish　in　the　spring；　and　toward　autumn　I'll　send　you　to　school！〃

The　boy's　life　rolled　onward；　like　a　ball　downhill。　Being　his　teacher；　his　aunt　was　his　playmate　as　well。　Luba　Mayakin　used　to　come；　and　when　with　them；　the　old　woman　readily　became　one　of　them。

They　played　at　〃hide　and　seek　and　〃blind　man's　buff；〃　the　children　were　pleased　and　amused　at　seeing　Anfisa；　her　eyes　covered　with　a　handkerchief；　her　arms　outstretched；　walking　about　the　room　carefully；　and　yet　striking　against　chairs　and　tables；　or　looking　for　them　in　each　and　every　commodious　corner；　saying：

〃Eh；　little　rascals。　Eh；　rogues。　Where　have　they　hidden　themselves？　Eh？〃

And　the　sun　shone　cheerfully　and　playfully　upon　the　old　worn…out　body；　which　yet　retained　a　youthful　soul；　and　upon　the　old　life；　that　was　adorning；　according　to　its　strength　and　abilities；　the　life…path　of　two　children。

Ignat　used　to　go　to　the　Exchange　early　in　the　morning　and　sometimes　stayed　away　until　evening；　in　the　evening　he　used　to　go　to　the　town　council　or　visiting　or　elsewhere。　Sometimes　he　returned　home　intoxicated。　At　first　Foma；　on　such　occasions；　ran　from　him　and　hid　himself；　then　he　became　accustomed　to　it；　and　learned　that　his　father　was　better　when　drunk　than　sober：　he　was　kinder　and　plainer　and　was　somewhat　comical。　If　it　happened　at　night；　the　boy　was　usually　awakened　by　his　trumpet…like　voice：

〃Anfisa！　Dear　sister！　Let　me　in　to　my　son；　let　me　in　to　my　successor！〃

And　auntie　answered　him　in　a　crying　and　reproachful　voice：

〃Go　on。　You　better　go　to　sleep；　you　cursed　devil！　Drunk　again；　eh？　You　are　gray　already？〃

〃Anfisa！　May　I　see　my　son；　with　one　eye？〃　Foma　knew　that　Anfisa　would　not　let　him　in；　and　he　again　fell　asleep　in　spite　of　the　noise　of　their　voices。　But　when　Ignat　came　home　intoxicated　during　the　day　he　immediately　seized　his　son　with　his　enormous　paws　and　carried　him　about　the　rooms；　asking　him　with　an　intoxicated；　happy　laughter：

〃Fomka！　What　do　you　wish？　Speak！　Presents？　Playthings？　Ask！　Because　you　must　know　there's　nothing　in　this　world　that　I　wouldn't　buy　for　you。　I　have　a　million！　Ha；　ha；　ha！　And　I'll　have　still　more！　Understand？　All's　yours！　Ha；　ha！〃

And　suddenly　his　enthusiasm　was　extinguished　like　a　candle　put　out　by　a　violent　puff　of　the　wind。　His　flushed　face　began　to　shake；　his　eyes；　burning　red；　filled　with　tears；　and　his　lips　expanded　into　a　sad　and　frightened　smile。

〃Anfisa；　in　case　he　should　die；　what　am　I　to　do　then？〃

And　immediately　after　these　words　he　was　seized　with　fury。

〃I'd　burn　everything！〃　he　roared；　staring　wildly　into　some　dark　corner　of　the　room。　〃I'd　destroy　everything！　I'd　blow　it　up　with　dynamite！〃

〃Enough；　you　ugly　brute！　Do　you　wish　to　frighten　the　child？　Or　do　you　want　him　to　take　sick？〃　interposed　Anfisa；　and　that　was　sufficient　for　Ignat　to　rush　off　hastily；　muttering：

〃Well；　well；　well！　I　am　going；　I　am　going；　but　don't　cry！　Don't　make　any　noise。　Don't　frighten　him。〃

And　when　Foma　was　somewhat　sick；　his　father；　casting　everything　aside；　did　not　leave　the　house　for　a　moment；　but　bothered　his　sister　and　his　son　with　stupid　questions　and　advice；　gloomy；　sighing；　and　with　fear　in　his　eyes；　he　walked　about　the　house　quite　out　of　sorts。

〃Why　do　you　vex　the　Lord？〃　said　Anfisa。　〃Beware；　your　grumblings　will　reach　Him；　and　He　will　punish　you　for　your　complaints　against　His　graces。〃

〃Eh；　sister！〃　sighed　Ignat。　〃And　if　it　should　happen？　My　entire　life　is　crumbling　away！　Wherefore　have　I　lived？　No　one　knows。〃

Similar　scenes　and　the　striking　transitions　of　his　father　from　one　mood　to　another　frightened　the　child　at　first；　but　he　soon　became　accustomed　to　all　this；　and　when　he　noticed　through　the　window　that　his　father；　on　coming　home；　was　hardly　able　to　get　out　of　the　sledge；　Foma　said　indifferently：

〃Auntie；　papa　came　home　drunk　again。〃

。。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。

Spring　came；　and；　fulfilling　his　promise；　Ignat　took　his　son　along　on　one　of　his　steamers；　and　here　a　new　life；　abounding　in　impressions；　was　opened　before　Foma's　eyes。

The　beautiful　and　mighty　〃Yermak；〃　Gordyeeff's　steam　tow…boat；　was　rapidly　floating　down　the　current；　and　on　each　side　the　shores　of　the　powerful　and　beautiful　Volga　were　slowly　moving　past　himthe　left　side；　all　bathed　in　sunshine；　stretching　itself　to　the　very　end　of　the　sky　like　a　pompous　carpet　of　verdure；　the　right　shore；　its　high　banks　overgrown　with　woods；　swung　skyward；　sinking　in　stern　repose。

The　broad…bosomed　river　stretched　itself　majestically　between　the　shores；　noiselessly；　solemnly　and　slowly　flowed　its　waters；　conscious　of　their　invincible　power；　the　mountainous　shore　is　reflected　in　the　water　in　a　black　shadow；　while　on　the　left　side　it　is　adorned　with　gold　and　with　verdant　velvet　by　a　border　of　sand　and　the　wide　meadows。　Here　and　there　villages　appear　on　mountain　and　on　meadow；　the　sun　shines　bright　on　the　window…panes　of　the　huts　and　on　the　yellow　roofs　of　straw；　the　church　crosses　sparkle　amid　the　verdure　of　the　trees；　gray　wind…mill　wings　revolve　lazily　in　the　air；　smoke　from　the　factory　chimney　rises　skyward　in　thick；　black　curling　clouds。　Crowds　of　children　in　blue；　red　or　white　shirts；　standing　on　the　banks；　shouted　loudly　at　the　sight　of　the　steamer；　which　had　disturbed　the　quiet　of　the　river；　and　from　under　the　steamer's　wheels　the　cheerful　waves　are　rushing　toward　the　feet　of　the　children　and　splash　against　the　bank。　Now　a　crowd　of　children；　seated　in　a　boat；　rowed　toward　the　middle　of　the　river　to　rock　there　on　the　waves　as　in　a　cradle。　Trees　stood　out　above　the　water；　sometimes　many　of　them　are　drowned　in　the　overflow　of　the　banks；　and　these　stand　in　the　water　like　islands。　From　the　shore　a　melancholy　song　is　heard：

〃Oh；　o…o…o；　once　more！〃

The　steamer　passes　many　rafts；　splashi