the man who was afraid-第71节

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Foma；　seated　at　the　end　of　the　table　among　some　timid　and　modest　men　who　were　unfamiliar　to　him；　now　and　again　felt　on　himself　the　sharp　glances　of　the　old　man。

〃He's　afraid　I'll　make　a　scandal；〃　thought　Foma。　〃Brethren！〃　roared　the　monstrously　stout　ship　builder　Yashchurov；　in　a　hoarse　voice；〃　I　can't　do　without　herring！　I　must　necessarily　begin　with　herring；　that's　my　nature。〃

〃Musicians！　strike　up　'The　Persian　March！〃

〃Hold　on！　Better　'How　Glorious！'〃

〃Strike　up　'How　Glorious。〃'

The　puffing　of　the　engine　and　the　clatter　of　the　steamer's　wheels；　mingling　with　the　sounds　of　the　music；　produced　in　the　air　something　which　sounded　like　the　wild　song　of　a　snow…storm。　The　whistle　of　the　flute；　the　shrill　singing　of　the　clarionets；　the　heavy　roaring　of　the　basses；　the　ruffling　of　the　little　drum　and　the　drones　of　the　blows　on　the　big　one；　all　this　fell　on　the　monotonous　and　dull　sounds　of　the　wheels；　as　they　cut　the　water　apart；　smote　the　air　rebelliously；　drowned　the　noise　of　the　human　voices　and　hovered　after　the　steamer；　like　a　hurricane；　causing　the　people　to　shout　at　the　top　of　their　voices。　At　times　an　angry　hissing　of　steam　rang　out　within　the　engine；　and　there　was　something　irritable　and　contemptuous　in　this　sound　as　it　burst　unexpectedly　upon　the　chaos　of　the　drones　and　roars　and　shouts。

〃I　shall　never　forget；　even　unto　my　grave；　that　you　refused　to　discount　the　note　for　me；〃　cried　some　one　in　a　fierce　voice。

〃That　will　do！　Is　this　a　place　for　accounts？〃　rang　out　Bobrov's　bass。

〃Brethren！　Let　us　have　some　speeches！〃

〃Musicians；　bush！〃

〃Come　up　to　the　bank　and　I'll　explain　to　you　why　I　didn't　discount　it。〃

〃A　speech！　Silence！〃

〃Musicians；　cease　playing！〃

〃Strike　up　'In　the　Meadows。'〃

〃Madame　Angot！〃

〃No！　Yakov　Tarasovich；　we　beg　of　you！〃

〃That's　called　Strassburg　pastry。〃

〃We　beg　of　you！　We　beg　of　you！〃

〃Pastry？　It　doesn't　look　like　it；　but　I'll　taste　it　all　the　same。〃

〃Tarasovich！　Start。〃

〃Brethren！　It　is　jolly！　By　God。〃

〃And　in　'La　Belle　Helene'　she　used　to　come　out　almost　naked；　my　dear；〃　suddenly　Robustov's　shrill　and　emotional　voice　broke　through　the　noise。

〃Look　out！　Jacob　cheated　Esau？　Aha！〃

〃I　can't！　My　tongue　is　not　a　hammer；　and　I　am　no　longer　young。

〃Yasha！　We　all　implore　you！〃

〃Do　us　the　honour！〃

〃We'll　elect　you　mayor！〃

〃Tarasovich！　don't　be　capricious！〃

〃Sh！　Silence！　Gentlemen！　Yakov　Tarasovich　will　say　a　few　words！〃

〃Sh！〃

And　just　at　the　moment　the　noise　subsided　some　one's　loud；　indignant　whisper　was　heard：

〃How　she　pinched　me；　the　carrion。〃

And　Bobrov　inquired　in　his　deep　basso：

〃Where　did　she　pinch　you？〃

All　burst　into　ringing　laughter；　but　soon　fell　silent；　for　Yakov　Tarasovich　Mayakin；　rising　to　his　feet；　cleared　his　throat；　and；　stroking　his　bald　crown；　surveyed　the　merchants　with　a　serious　look　expecting　attention。

〃Well；　brethren；　open　your　ears！〃　shouted　Kononov；　with　satisfaction。

〃Gentlemen　of　the　merchant　class！〃　began　Mayakin　with　a　smile。　〃There　is　a　certain　foreign　word　in　the　language　of　intelligent　and　learned　people；　and　that　word　is　'culture。'　So　now　I　am　going　to　talk　to　you　about　that　word　in　all　the　simplicity　of　my　soul。〃

〃So；　that's　where　he　is　aiming　to！〃　some　ones　satisfied　exclamation　was　heard。

〃Sh！　Silence！〃

〃Dear　gentlemen！〃　said　Mayakin；　raising　his　voice；　〃in　the　newspapers　they　keep　writing　about　us　merchants；　that　we　are　not　acquainted　with　this　'culture；'　that　we　do　not　want　it；　and　do　not　understand　it。　And　they　call　us　savage；　uncultured　people。　What　is　culture？　It　pains　me；　old　man　as　I　am；　to　hear　such　words；　and　one　day　I　made　it　my　business　to　look　up　that　word；　to　see　what　it　really　contains。〃　Mayakin　became　silent；　surveyed　the　audience　with　his　eyes；　and　went　on　distinctly；　with　a　triumphant　smile：

〃It　proved；　upon　my　researches；　that　this　word　means　worship；　that　is；　love；　great　love　for　business　and　order　in　life。　'That's　right！'　I　thought；　'that's　right！'　That　means　that　he　is　a　cultured　man　who　loves　business　and　order；　who；　in　general；　loves　to　arrange　life；　loves　to　live；　knows　the　value　of　himself　and　of　life。　Good！〃　Yakov　Tarasovich　trembled；　his　wrinkles　spread　over　his　face　like　beams；　from　his　smiling　eyes　to　his　lips；　and　his　bald　head　looked　like　some　dark　star。

The　merchants　stared　silently　and　attentively　at　his　mouth；　and　all　faces　bespoke　intense　attention。　The　people　seemed　petrified　in　the　attitudes　in　which　Mayakin's　speech　had　overtaken　them。

〃But　if　that　word　is　to　be　interpreted　precisely　thus；　and　not　otherwise；　if　such　is　the　case　then　the　people　who　call　us　uncultured　and　savage；　slander　and　blaspheme　us！　For　they　love　only　the　word；　but　not　its　meaning；　while　we　love　the　very　root　of　the　word；　we　love　its　real　essence；　we　love　activity。　We　have　within　us　the　real　cult　toward　life；　that　is；　the　worship　of　life；　we；　not　they！　They　love　reasoning'　we　love　action。　And　here；　gentlemen　of　the　merchant　class；　here　is　an　example　of　our　culture；　of　our　love　for　action。　Take　the　Volga！　Here　she　is；　our　dear　own　mother！　With　each　and　every　drop　of　her　water　she　can　corroborate　our　honour　and　refute　the　empty　blasphemy　spattered　on　us。　Only　one　hundred　years　have　elapsed；　my　dear　sirs；　since　Emperor　Peter　the　Great　launched　decked　barks　on　this　river；　and　now　thousands　of　steamships　sail　up　and　down　the　river。　Who　has　built　them？　The　Russian　peasant；　an　utterly　unlettered　man！　All　these　enormous　steamers；　bargeswhose　are　they？　Ours！　Who　has　invented　them？　We！　Everything　here　is　ours；　everything　here　is　the　fruit　of　our　minds；　of　our　Russian　shrewdness；　and　our　great　love　for　action！　Nobody　has　assisted　us　in　anything！　We　ourselves　exterminated　piracy　on　the　Volga；　at　our　own　expense　we　hired　troops；　we　exterminated　piracy　and　sent　out　on　the　Volga　thousands　of　steamers　and　various　vessels　over　all　the　thousands　of　miles　of　her　course。　Which　is　the　best　town　on　the　Volga？　The　one　that　has　the　most　merchants。　Whose　are　the　best　houses　in　town？　The　merchants！　Who　takes　the　most　care　of　the　poor？　The　merchant！　He　collects　groshes　and　copecks；　and　donates　hundreds　of　thousands　of　roubles。　Who　has　erected　the　churches？　We！　Who　contributes　the　most　money　to　the　government？　The　merchants！　Gentlemen！　to　us　alone　is　the　work　dear　for　its　own　sake；　for　the　sake　of　our　love　for　the　arrangement　of　life；　and　we　alone　love　order　and　life！　And　he　who　talks　about　us　merely　talks；　and　that's　all！　Let　him　talk！　When　the　wind　blows　the　willow　rustles；　when　the　wind　subsides　the　willow　is　silent；　and　neither　a　cart…shaft；　nor　a　broom　can　be　made　out　of　the　willow；　it　is　a　useless　tree！　And　from　this　uselessness　comes　the　noise。　What　have　they；　our　judges；　accomplished；　how　have　they　adorned　life？　We　do　not　know　it。　While　our　work　is　clearly　evident！　Gentlemen　of　the　merchant　class！　Seeing　in　you　the　foremost　men　in　life；　most　industrious　and　loving　your　labours；　seeing　in　you　the　men　who　can　accomplish　and　have　accomplished　everything；　I　now　heartily；　with　respect　and　love　for　you；　lift　my　brimming　goblet；　to　the　glorious；　strong…souled；　industrious　Russian　merchant　class。　Long　may　you　live！　May　you　succeed　for　the　glory　of　Mother　Russia！　Hurrah！〃

The　shrill；　jarring　shout　of　Mayakin　called　forth　a　deafening；　triumphant　roar　from　the　merchants。　All　these　big；　fleshy　bodies；　aroused　by　wine　and　by　the　old　man's　words；　stirred　and　uttered　from　their　chests　such　a　unanimous；　massive　shout　that　everything　around　them　seemed　to　tremble　and　to　quake。

〃Yakov！　you　are　the　trumpet　of　the　Lord！〃　cried　Zubov；　holding　out　his　goblet　toward　Mayakin。

Overturning　the　chairs；　jostling　the　tables；　thus　causing　the　dishes　and　the　bottles　to　rattle　and　fall；　the　merchants；　agitated；　delighted；　some　with　tears　in　their　eyes；　rushed　toward　Mayakin　with　goblets　in　their　hands。

〃Ah！　Do　you　understand　what　has　been　said　here？〃　asked　Kononov；　grasping　Robustov　by　the　shoulder　and　shaking　him。　〃Understand　it！　That　was　a　great　speech！〃

〃Yakov　Tarasovich！　Come；　let　me　embrace　you！〃

〃Let's　toss；　Mayakin！

〃Strike　up　the　band。〃

〃Sound　a　flourish！　A　march。　'The　Persian　March。〃'

〃We　don't　want　any　music！　The　devil　take　it！〃

〃Here　is　the　music！　Eh；　Yakov　Tarasovich！　What　a　mind！〃

〃I　was　small　among　my　brethren；　but　I　was　favoured　with　understanding。〃

〃You　lie；　Trofim！〃

〃Yakov！　you'll　die　soon。　Oh；　what　a　pity！　Words　can't　express　how　sorry　we　are！〃

〃But　what　a　funeral　that　is　going　to　be！〃

〃Gentlemen！　Let　us　establish　a　Mayakin　fund！　I　put　up　a　thousand！〃

〃Silence！　Hold　on！〃

〃Gentlemen！〃　Yakov　Tarasovich　began　to　speak　again；　quivering　in　every　limb。　〃And；　furthermore；　we　are　the　foremost　men　in　life　and　the　real　masters　in　our　fatherland　because　we　arepeasants！'

〃Corr…rect！〃

〃That's　right！　Dear　mother！　That's　an　old　man　for　you！〃

〃Hold　on！　Let　him　finish。〃

〃We　are　primitive　Russian　people；　and　everything　that　comes　from　us　is　truly　Russian！　Consequently　it　is　the　most　genuine；　the　most　useful　and　obligatory。〃

〃As　true　as　two　and　two　make　four！〃

〃It's　so　simple。〃

〃He　is　as　wise　as　a　serpent！〃

〃And　as　meek　as　a〃

〃As　a　hawk。　Ha；　ha；　ha！〃

The　merchants　encircled　their　orator　in　a　close　ring；　they　looked　at　him　with