the man who was afraid-第8节

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h　water　and　laughingly　running　away；　when　they　threatened　to　pour　water　over　him。　But　after　Yakov　and　Petrovich　had　been　discharged；　he　felt　that　he　was　in　everybody's　way；　that　no　one　cared　to　play　with　him　and　that　no　one　regarded　him　kindly。　Surprised　and　melancholy；　he　left　the　deck；　walked　up　to　the　wheel；　sat　down　there；　and；　offended；　he　thoughtfully　began　to　stare　at　the　distant　green　bank　and　the　dented　strip　of　woods　upon　it。　And　below；　on　the　deck；　the　water　was　splashing　playfully；　and　the　sailors　were　gaily　laughing。　He　yearned　to　go　down　to　them；　but　something　held　him　back。

〃Keep　away　from　them　as　much　as　possible；〃　he　recalled　his　father's　words；　〃you　are　their　master。〃　Then　he　felt　like　shouting　at　the　sailorssomething　harsh　and　authoritative；　so　his　father　would　scold　them。　He　thought　a　long　time　what　to　say；　but　could　not　think　of　anything。　Another　two；　three　days　passed；　and　it　became　perfectly　clear　to　him　that　the　crew　no　longer　liked　him。　He　began　to　feel　lonesome　on　the　steamer；　and　amid　the　parti…coloured　mist　of　new　impressions；　still　more　often　there　came　up　before　Foma　the　image　of　his　kind　and　gentle　Aunt　Anfisa；　with　her　stories；　and　smiles；　and　soft；　ringing　laughter；　which　filled　the　boy's　soul　with　a　joyous　warmth。　He　still　lived　in　the　world　of　fairy…tales；　but　the　invisible　and　pitiless　hand　of　reality　was　already　at　work　tearing　the　beautiful；　fine　web　of　the　wonderful；　through　which　the　boy　had　looked　at　everything　about　him。　The　incident　with　the　machinist　and　the　pilot　directed　his　attention　to　his　surroundings；　Foma's　eyes　became　more　sharp…　sighted。　A　conscious　searchfulness　appeared　in　them　and　in　his　questions　to　his　father　rang　a　yearning　to　understand　which　threads　and　springs　were　managing　the　deeds　of　men。

One　day　a　scene　took　place　before　him：　the　sailors　were　carrying　wood；　and　one　of　them；　the　young；　curly…haired　and　gay　Yefim；　passing　the　deck　of　the　ship　with　hand…barrows；　said　loudly　and　angrily：

〃No；　he　has　no　conscience　whatever！　There　was　no　agreement　that　I　should　carry　wood。　A　sailorwell；　one's　business　is　clearbut　to　carry　wood　into　the　bargainthank　you！　That　means　for　me　to　take　off　the　skin　I　have　not　sold。　He　is　without　conscience！　He　thinks　it　is　clever　to　sap　the　life　out　of　us。〃

The　boy　heard　this　grumbling　and　knew　that　it　was　concerning　his　father。　He　also　noticed　that　although　Yefim　was　grumbling；　he　carried　more　wood　on　his　stretcher　than　the　others；　and　walked　faster　than　the　others。　None　of　the　sailors　replied　to　Yefim's　grumbling；　and　even　the　one　who　worked　with　him　was　silent；　only　now　and　then　protesting　against　the　earnestness　with　which　Yefim　piled　up　the　wood　on　the　stretchers。

〃Enough！〃　he　would　say；　morosely；　〃you　are　not　loading　a　horse；　are　you？〃

〃And　you　had　better　keep　quiet。　You　were　put　to　the　cartcart　it　and　don't　kickand　should　your　blood　be　suckedkeep　quiet　again。　What　can　you　say？〃

Suddenly　Ignat　appeared；　walked　up　to　the　sailor　and；　stopping　in　front　of　him；　asked　sternly：

〃What　were　you　talking　about？〃

〃I　am　talkingI　know；〃　replied　Yefim；　hesitating。　〃There　was　no　agreementthat　I　must　say　nothing。〃

〃And　who　is　going　to　suck　blood？〃　asked　Ignat；　stroking　his　beard。

The　sailor　understood　that　he　had　been　caught　unawares；　and　seeing　no　way　out　of　it；　he　let　the　log　of　wood　fall　from　his　hands；　rubbed　his　palms　against　his　pants；　and；　facing　Ignat　squarely；　said　rather　boldly：

〃And　am　I　not　right？　Don't　you　suck　it？〃

〃I？〃

〃You。〃

Foma　saw　that　his　father　swung　his　hand。　A　loud　blow　resounded；　and　the　sailor　fell　heavily　on　the　wood。　He　arose　immediately　and　worked　on　in　silence。　Blood　was　trickling　from　his　bruised　face　on　to　the　white　bark　of　the　birch　wood；　he　wiped　the　blood　off　his　face　with　the　sleeve　of　his　shirt；　looked　at　his　sleeve　and；　heaving　a　sigh；　maintained　silence；　and　when　he　went　past　Foma　with　the　hand…harrows；　two　big；　turbid　tears　were　trembling　on　his　face；　near　the　bridge　of　his　nose；　and　Foma　noticed　them。

At　dinner　Foma　was　pensive　and　now　and　then　glanced　at　his　father　with　fear　in　his　eyes。

〃Why　do　you　frown？〃　asked　his　father；　gently。

〃Frown？〃

〃Are　you　ill；　perhaps？　Be　careful。　If　there　is　anything；　tell　me。〃

〃You　are　strong；〃　said　Foma　of　a　sudden　musingly。

〃I？　That's　right。　God　has　favoured　me　with　strength。〃

〃How　hard　you　struck　him！〃　exclaimed　the　boy　in　a　low　voice；　lowering　his　head。

Ignat　was　about　to　put　a　piece　of　bread　with　caviar　into　his　mouth；　but　his　hand　stopped；　held　back　by　his　son's　exclamation；　he　looked　interrogatively　at　Foma's　drooping　head　and　asked：

〃You　mean　Yefim；　don't　you？〃

〃Yes；　he　was　bleeding。　And　how　he　walked　afterward；　how　he　cried；〃　said　the　boy　in　a　low　voice。

〃Mm；〃　roared　Ignat；　chewing　a　bite。　〃Well；　are　you　sorry　for　him？〃

〃It's　a　pity！〃　said　Foma；　with　tears　in　his　voice。

〃Yes。　So　that's　the　kind　of　a　fellow　you　are；〃　said　Ignat。

Then；　after　a　moment's　silence；　he　filled　a　wineglass　with　vodka；　emptied　it；　and　said　sternly；　in　a　slightly　reprimanding　tone：

〃There　is　no　reason　why　you　should　pity　him。　He　brawled　at　random；　and　therefore　got　what　he　deserved。　I　know　him：　he　is　a　good　fellow；　industrious；　strong　and　not　a　bit　foolish。　But　to　argue　is　not　his　business；　I　may　argue；　because　I　am　the　master。　It　isn't　simple　to　be　master。　A　punch　wouldn't　kill　him；　but　will　make　him　wiser。　That's　the　way。　Eh；　Foma！　You　are　an　infant；　and　you　do　not　understand　these　things。　I　must　teach　you　how　to　live。　It　may　be　that　my　days　on　earth　are　numbered。〃

Ignat　was　silent　for　awhile；　drank　some　more　vodka　and　went　on　instinctively：

〃It　is　necessary　to　have　pity　on　men。　You　are　right　in　doing　so。　But　you　must　pity　them　sensibly。　First　look　at　a　man；　find　out　what　good　there　is　in　him；　and　what　use　may　be　made　of　him！　And　if　you　find　him　to　be　strong　and　capablepity　and　assist　him。　And　if　he　is　weak　and　not　inclined　to　workspit　upon　him；　pass　him　by。　Just　keep　this　in　mindthe　man　who　complains　against　everything；　who　sighs　and　moans　all　the　timethat　man　is　worth　nothing；　he　merits　no　compassion　and　you　will　do　him　no　good　whatever；　even　if　you　help　him。　Pity　for　such　people　makes　them　more　morose；　spoils　them　the　more。　In　your　godfather's　house　you　saw　various　kinds　of　peopleunfortunate　travellers　and　hangers…　on；　and　all　sorts　of　rabble。　Forget　them。　They　are　not　men；　they　are　just　shells；　and　are　good　for　nothing。　They　are　like　bugs；　fleas　and　other　unclean　things。　Nor　do　they　live　for　God's　sake　they　have　no　God。　They　call　His　name　in　vain；　in　order　to　move　fools　to　pity；　and；　thus　pitied；　to　fill　their　bellies　with　something。　They　live　but　for　their　bellies；　and　aside　from　eating；　drinking；　sleeping　and　moaning　they　can　do　nothing。　And　all　they　accomplish　is　the　soul's　decay。　They　are　in　your　way　and　you　trip　over　them。　A　good　man　among　themlike　fresh　apples　among　bad　onesmay　soon　be　spoilt；　and　no　one　will　profit　by　it。　You　are　young；　that's　the　trouble。　You　cannot　comprehend　my　words。　Help　him　who　is　firm　in　misery。　He　may　not　ask　you　for　assistance；　but　think　of　it　yourself；　and　assist　him　without　his　request。　And　if　he　should　happen　to　be　proud　and　thus　feel　offended　at　your　aid；　do　not　allow　him　to　see　that　you　are　lending　him　a　helping　hand。　That's　the　way　it　should　be　done；　according　to　common　sense！　Here；　for　example；　two　boards；　let　us　say；　fall　into　the　mudone　of　them　is　a　rotten　one；　the　other；　a　good　sound　board。　What　should　you　do？　What　good　is　there　in　the　rotten　board？　You　had　better　drop　it；　let　it　stay　in　the　mud　and　step　on　it　so　as　not　to　soil　your　feet。　As　to　the　sound　board；　lift　it　up　and　place　it　in　the　sun；　if　it　can　be　of　no　use　to　you；　someone　else　may　avail　himself　of　it。　That's　the　way　it　is；　my　son！　Listen　to　me　and　remember。　There　is　no　reason　why　Yefim　should　be　pitied。　He　is　a　capable　fellow；　he　knows　his　value。　You　cannot　knock　his　soul　out　with　a　box　on　the　ear。　I'll　just　watch　him　for　about　a　week；　and　then　I'll　put　him　at　the　helm。　And　there；　I　am　quite　sure；　he'll　be　a　good　pilot。　And　if　he　should　be　promoted　to　captain；　he　wouldn't　lose　couragehe　would　make　a　clever　captain！　That's　the　way　people　grow。　I　have　gone　through　this　school　myself；　dear。　I；　too；　received　more　than　one　box　on　the　ear　when　I　was　of　his　age。　Life；　my　son；　is　not　a　dear　mother　to　all　of　us。　It　is　our　exacting　mistress。〃

Ignat　talked　with　his　son　about　two　hours；　telling　him　of　his　own　youth；　of　his　toils；　of　men；　their　terrible　power；　and　of　their　weakness；　of　how　they　live；　and　sometimes　pretend　to　be　unfortunate　in　order　to　live　on　other　people's　money；　and　then　he　told　him　of　himself；　and　of　how　he　rose　from　a　plain　working　man　to　be　proprietor　of　a　large　concern。　The　boy　listened　to　his　words；　looked　at　him　and　felt　as　though　his　father　were　coming　nearer　and　nearer　to　him。　And　though　his　father's　story　did　not　contain　the　material　of　which　Aunt　Anfisa's　fairy…tales　were　brimful；　there　was　something　new　in　it；　something　clearer　and　more　comprehensible　than　in　her　fairy…tales；　and　something　just　as　interesting。　Something　powerful　and　warm　began　to　throb　within　his　little　heart；　and　he　was　drawn　toward　his　father。　Ignat；　evidently；　surmised　his　son's　feelings　by　his　eyes：　he　rose　abruptly