the man who was afraid-第7节

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ore　a　melancholy　song　is　heard：

〃Oh；　o…o…o；　once　more！〃

The　steamer　passes　many　rafts；　splashing　them　with　waves。　The　beams　are　in　continual　motion　under　the　blows　of　the　waves；　the　men　on　the　rafts　in　blue　shirts；　staggering；　look　at　the　steamer　and　laugh　and　shout　something。　The　big；　beautiful　vessel　goes　sidewise　on　the　river；　the　yellow　scantlings　with　which　it　is　loaded　sparkle　like　gold　and　are　dimly　reflected　in　the　muddy；　vernal　water。　A　passenger　steamer　comes　from　the　opposite　side　and　whistlesthe　resounding　echo　of　the　whistle　loses　itself　in　the　woods；　in　the　gorges　of　the　mountainous　bank；　and　dies　away　there。　In　the　middle　of　the　river　the　waves　stirred　up　by　the　two　vessels　strike　against　one　another　and　splash　against　the　steamers'　sides；　and　the　vessels　are　rocked　upon　the　water。　On　the　slope　of　the　mountainous　bank　are　verdant　carpets　of　winter　corn；　brown　strips　of　fallow　ground　and　black　strips　of　ground　tilled　for　spring　corn。　Birds；　like　little　dots；　soar　over　them；　and　are　clearly　seen　in　the　blue　canopy　of　the　sky；　nearby　a　flock　is　grazing；　in　the　distance　they　look　like　children's　toys；　the　small　figure　of　the　shepherd　stands　leaning　on　a　staff；　and　looks　at　the　river。

The　glare　of　the　water　freedom　and　liberty　are　everywhere；　the　meadows　are　cheerfully　verdant　and　the　blue　sky　is　tenderly　clear；　a　restrained　power　is　felt　in　the　quiet　motion　of　the　water；　above　it　the　generous　May　sun　is　shining；　the　air　is　filled　with　the　exquisite　odour　of　fir　trees　and　of　fresh　foliage。　And　the　banks　keep　on　meeting　them；　caressing　the　eyes　and　the　soul　with　their　beauty；　as　new　pictures　constantly　unfold　themselves。

Everything　surrounding　them　bears　the　stamp　of　some　kind　of　tardiness：　allnature　as　well　as　menlive　there　clumsily；　lazily；　but　in　that　laziness　there　is　an　odd　gracefulness；　and　it　seems　as　though　beyond　the　laziness　a　colossal　power　were　concealed；　an　invincible　power；　but　as　yet　deprived　of　consciousness；　as　yet　without　any　definite　desires　and　aims。　And　the　absence　of　consciousness　in　this　half…slumbering　life　throws　shades　of　sadness　over　all　the　beautiful　slope。　Submissive　patience；　silent　hope　for　something　new　and　more　inspiriting　are　heard　even　in　the　cry　of　the　cuckoo；　wafted　to　the　river　by　the　wind　from　the　shore。　The　melancholy　songs　sound　as　though　imploring　someone　for　help。　And　at　times　there　is　in　them　a　ring　of　despair。　The　river　answers　the　songs　with　sighs。　And　the　tree…　tops　shake；　lost　in　meditation。　Silence。

Foma　spent　all　day　long　on　the　captain's　bridge　beside　his　father。　Without　uttering　a　word；　he　stared　wide…eyed　at　the　endless　panorama　of　the　banks；　and　it　seemed　to　him　he　was　moving　along　a　broad　silver　path　in　those　wonderful　kingdoms　inhabited　by　the　sorcerers　and　giants　of　his　familiar　fairy…tales。　At　times　he　would　load　his　father　with　questions　about　everything　that　passed　before　them。　Ignat　answered　him　willingly　and　concisely；　but　the　boy　was　not　pleased　with　his　answers；　they　contained　nothing　interesting　and　intelligible　to　him；　and　he　did　not　hear　what　he　longed　to　hear。　Once　he　told　his　father　with　a　sigh：

〃Auntie　Anfisa　knows　better　than　you。〃

〃What　does　she　know？〃　asked　Ignat；　smiling。

〃Everything；〃　replied　the　boy；　convincedly。

No　wonderful　kingdom　appeared　before　him。　But　often　cities　appeared　on　the　banks　of　the　river；　just　such　cities　as　the　one　where　Foma　lived。　Some　of　them　were　larger；　some　smaller；　but　the　people；　and　the　houses；　and　the　churchesall　were　the　same　as　in　his　own　city。　Foma　examined　them　in　company　with　his　father；　but　was　still　unsatisfied　and　returned　to　the　steamer　gloomy　and　fatigued。

〃Tomorrow　we　shall　be　in　Astrakhan；〃　said　Ignat　one　day。

〃And　is　it　just　the　same　as　the　other　cities？〃

〃Of　course。　How　else　should　it　be？〃

〃And　what　is　beyond　Astrakhan？〃

〃The　sea。　The　Caspian　Sea　it　is　called。〃

〃And　what　is　there？〃

〃Fishes；　queer　fellow！　What　else　can　there　be　in　the　water？〃

〃There's　the　city　Kitezh　standing　in　the　water。〃

〃That's　a　different　thing！　That's　Kitezh。　Only　righteous　people　live　there。〃

〃And　are　there　no　righteous　cities　on　the　sea？〃

No；〃　said　Ignat；　and；　after　a　moment's　silence；　added：　〃The　sea　water　is　bitter　and　nobody　can　drink　it。〃

〃And　is　there　more　land　beyond　the　sea？〃

〃Certainly；　the　sea　must　have　an　end。　It　is　like　a　cup。〃

〃And　are　there　cities　there　too？〃

〃Again　cities。　Of　course！　Only　that　land　is　not　ours；　it　belongs　to　Persia。　Did　you　see　the　Persians　selling　pistachio…nuts　and　apricots　in　the　market？〃

〃Yes；　I　saw　them；〃　replied　Foma；　and　became　pensive。

One　day　he　asked　his　father：

〃Is　there　much　more　land　left？〃

〃The　earth　is　very　big；　my　dear！　If　you　should　go　on　foot；　you　couldn't　go　around　it　even　in　ten　years。〃

Ignat　talked　for　a　long　time　with　his　son　about　the　size　of　the　earth；　and　said　at　length：

〃And　yet　no　one　knows　for　certain　how　big　it　really　is；　nor　where　it　ends。〃

〃And　is　everything　alike　on　earth？〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃The　cities　and　all？〃

〃Well；　of　course；　the　cities　are　like　cities。　There　are　houses；　streetsand　everything　that　is　necessary。〃

After　many　similar　conversations　the　boy　no　longer　stared　so　often　into　the　distance　with　the　interrogative　look　of　his　black　eyes。

The　crew　of　the　steamer　loved　him；　and　he；　too；　loved　those　fine；　sun…burnt　and　weather…beaten　fellows；　who　laughingly　played　with　him。　They　made　fishing　tackles　for　him；　and　little　boats　out　of　bark；　played　with　him　and　rowed　him　about　the　anchoring　place；　when　Ignat　went　to　town　on　business。　The　boy　often　heard　the　men　talking　about　his　father；　but　he　paid　no　attention　to　what　they　said；　and　never　told　his　father　what　he　heard　about　him。　But　one　day；　in　Astrakhan；　while　the　steamer　was　taking　in　a　cargo　of　fuel；　Foma　heard　the　voice　of　Petrovich；　the　machinist：

〃He　ordered　such　a　lot　of　wood　to　be　taken　in。　What　an　absurd　man！　First　he　loads　the　steamer　up　to　the　very　deck；　and　then　he　roars。　'You　break　the　machinery　too　often；'　he　says。　'You　pour　oil；'　he　says；　'at　random。'〃

The　voice　of　the　gray　and　stern　pilot　replied：

〃It's　all　his　exorbitant　greediness。　Fuel　is　cheaper　here；　so　he　is　taking　all　he　can。　He　is　greedy；　the　devil！〃

〃Oh；　how　greedy！〃

This　word；　repeated　many　times　in　succession；　fixed　itself　in　Foma's　memory；　and　in　the　evening；　at　supper；　he　suddenly　asked　his　father：

〃Papa！〃

〃What？〃

〃Are　you　greedy？〃

In　reply　to　his　father's　questions　Foma　told　him　of　the　conversation　between　the　pilot　and　the　machinist。　Ignat's　face　became　gloomy；　and　his　eyes　began　to　flash　angrily。

〃That's　how　it　is；〃　ejaculated　Ignat；　shaking　his　head。　〃Well；　youdon't　you　listen　to　them。　They　are　not　your　equals；　don't　have　so　much　to　do　with　them。　You　are　their　master；　they　are　your　servants；　understand　that。　If　we　choose　to；　we　can　put　every　one　of　them　ashore。　They　are　cheap　and　they　can　be　found　everywhere　like　dogs。　Understand？　They　may　say　many　bad　things　about　me。　But　they　say　them；　because　I　am　their　master。　The　whole　thing　arises　because　I　am　fortunate　and　rich；　and　the　rich　are　always　envied。　A　happy　man　is　everybody's　enemy。〃

About　two　days　later　there　was　a　new　pilot　and　another　machinist　on　the　steamer。

〃And　where　is　Yakov？〃　asked　the　boy。

〃I　discharged　him。　I　ordered　him　away。〃

〃For　that？〃　queried　Foma。

〃Yes；　for　that　very　thing。〃

〃And　Petrovich；　too？〃

〃Yes；　I　sent　him　the　same　way。〃

Foma　was　pleased　with　the　fact　that　his　father　was　able　to　change　the　men　so　quickly。　He　smiled　to　his　father；　and；　coming　out　on　the　deck；　walked　up　to　a　sailor；　who　sat　on　the　floor；　untwisting　a　piece　of　rope　and　making　a　swab。

〃We　have　a　new　pilot　here；〃　announced　Foma。

〃I　know。　Good　health　to　you；　Foma　Ignatich！　How　did　you　sleep？〃

〃And　a　new　machinist；　too。〃

〃And　a　new　machinist。　Are　you　sorry　for　Petrovich？〃

〃Really？　And　he　was　so　good　to　you。〃

〃Well；　why　did　he　abuse　my　father？〃

〃Oh？　Did　he　abuse　him？〃

〃Of　course　he　did。　I　heard　it　myself。〃

〃Mmand　your　father　heard　it；　too？〃

〃No；　I　told　him。〃

〃Youso〃drawled　the　sailor　and　became　silent；　taking　up　his　work　again。

〃And　papa　says　to　me：　'You；'　he　says；　'you　are　master　hereyou　can　drive　them　all　away　if　you　wish。'〃

〃So；〃　said　the　sailor；　gloomily　looking　at　the　boy；　who　was　so　enthusiastically　boasting　to　him　of　his　supreme　power。　From　that　day　on　Foma　noticed　that　the　crew　did　not　regard　him　as　before。　Some　became　more　obliging　and　kind；　others　did　not　care　to　speak　to　him；　and　when　they　did　speak　to　him；　it　was　done　angrily；　and　not　at　all　entertainingly；　as　before。　Foma　liked　to　watch　while　the　deck　was　being　washed：　their　trousers　rolled　up　to　their　knees；　or　sometimes　taken　off　altogether；　the　sailors；　with　swabs　and　brushes　in　their　hands；　cleverly　ran　about　the　deck；　emptying　pails　of　water　on　it；　besprinkling　one　another；　laughing；　shouting；　falling。　Streams　of　water　ran　in　every　direction；　and　the　lively　noise　of　the　men　intermingled　with　the　gray　splash　of　the　water。　Before；　the　boy　never　bothered　the　sailors　in　this　playful　and　light　work；　nay；　he　took　an　active　part；　besprinkling　them　with　water　and　laughingly　running　away；　when　they　threatened　to　pour　water　over　him。　But　after　Yakov　an