the witch and other stories(女巫)-第23节
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without and what is the enemy within。 The foremost of our enemies within
is Bacchus。〃 The pen squeaked； executing upon the paper flourishes like
fish…hooks。 Yegor hastened and read over every line several times。 He sat
on a stool sprawling his broad feet under the table； well…fed； bursting with
health； with a coarse animal face and a red bull neck。 He was vulgarity
itself： coarse； conceited； invincible； proud of having been born and bred in
a pot…house； and Vasilisa quite understood the vulgarity； but could not
express it in words； and could only look angrily and suspiciously at Yegor。
Her head was beginning to ache； and her thoughts were in confusion from
the sound of his voice and his unintelligible words； from the heat and the
stuffiness； and she said nothing and thought nothing； but simply waited for
him to finish scribbling。 But the old man looked with full confidence。 He
believed in his old woman who had brought him there； and in Yegor； and
when he had mentioned the hydropathic establishment it could be seen
that he believed in the establishment and the healing efficacy of water。
Having finished the letter； Yegor got up and read the whole of it
through from the beginning。 The old man did not understand； but he
nodded his head trustfully。
〃That's all right； it is smooth 。 。 。〃 he said。 〃God give you health。 That's
all right。 。 。 。〃
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They laid on the table three five…kopeck pieces and went out of the
tavern； the old man looked immovably straight before him as though he
were blind； and perfect trustfulness was written on his face； but as Vasilisa
came out of the tavern she waved angrily at the dog； and said angrily：
〃Ugh； the plague。〃
The old woman did not sleep all night； she was disturbed by thoughts；
and at daybreak she got up； said her prayers； and went to the station to
send off the letter。
It was between eight and nine miles to the station。
II
Dr。 B。 O。 Mozelweiser's hydropathic establishment worked on New
Year's Day exactly as on ordinary days； the only difference was that the
porter； Andrey Hrisanfitch； had on a uniform with new braiding； his boots
had an extra polish； and he greeted every visitor with 〃A Happy New Year
to you！〃
It was the morning； Andrey Hrisanfitch was standing at the door；
reading the newspaper。 Just at ten o'clock there arrived a general； one of
the habitual visitors； and directly after him the postman； Andrey
Hrisanfitch helped the general off with his great…coat； and said：
〃A Happy New Year to your Excellency！〃
〃Thank you； my good fellow； the same to you。〃
And at the top of the stairs the general asked； nodding towards the
door （he asked the same question every day and always forgot the
answer）：
〃And what is there in that room？〃
〃The massage room； your Excellency。〃
When the general's steps had died away Andrey Hrisanfitch looked at
the post that had come； and found one addressed to himself。 He tore it
open； read several lines； then； looking at the newspaper； he walked without
haste to his own room； which was downstairs close by at the end of the
passage。 His wife Yefimya was sitting on the bed； feeding her baby；
another child； the eldest； was standing by； laying its curly head on her knee；
a third was asleep on the bed。
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Going into the room； Andrey gave his wife the letter and said：
〃From the country； I suppose。〃
Then he walked out again without taking his eyes from the paper。 He
could hear Yefimya with a shaking voice reading the first lines。 She read
them and could read no more； these lines were enough for her。 She burst
into tears； and hugging her eldest child； kissing him； she began saying
and it was hard to say whether she were laughing or crying：
〃It's from granny； from grandfather；〃 she said。 〃From the country。 。 。 。
The Heavenly Mother； Saints and Martyrs！ The snow lies heaped up under
the roofs now 。 。 。 the trees are as white as white。 The boys slide on little
sledges 。 。 。 and dear old bald grandfather is on the stove 。 。 。 and there is a
little yellow dog。 。 。 。 My own darlings！〃
Andrey Hrisanfitch； hearing this； recalled that his wife had on three or
four occasions given him letters and asked him to send them to the country；
but some important business had always prevented him； he had not sent
them； and the letters somehow got lost。
〃And little hares run about in the fields；〃 Yefimya went on chanting；
kissing her boy and shedding tears。 〃Grandfather is kind and gentle；
granny is good； too kind…hearted。 They are warm…hearted in the country；
they are God…fearing 。 。 。 and there is a little church in the village； the
peasants sing in the choir。 Queen of Heaven； Holy Mother and Defender；
take us away from here！〃
Andrey Hrisanfitch returned to his room to smoke a little till there was
another ring at the door； and Yefimya ceased speaking； subsided； and
wiped her eyes； though her lips were still quivering。 She was very much
frightened of him oh； how frightened of him！ She trembled and was
reduced to terror by the sound of his steps； by the look in his eyes； and
dared not utter a word in his presence。
Andrey Hrisanfitch lighted a cigarette； but at that very moment there
was a ring from upstairs。 He put out his cigarette； and； assuming a very
grave face； hastened to his front door。
The general was coming downstairs； fresh and rosy from his bath。
〃And what is there in that room？〃 he asked； pointing to a door。
Andrey Hrisanfitch put his hands down swiftly to the seams of his
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trousers； and pronounced loudly：
〃Charcot douche； your Excellency！〃
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GUSEV
I
IT was getting dark； it would soon be night。
Gusev； a discharged soldier； sat up in his hammock and said in an
undertone：
〃I say； Pavel Ivanitch。 A soldier at Sutchan told me： while they were
sailing a big fish came into collision with their ship and stove a hole in it。〃
The nondescript individual whom he was addressing； and whom
everyone in the ship's hospital called Pavel Ivanitch； was silent； as though
he had not heard。
And again a stillness followed。 。 。 The wind frolicked with the rigging；
the screw throbbed； the waves lashed； the hammocks creaked； but the ear
had long ago become accustomed to these sounds； and it seemed that
everything around was asleep and silent。 It was dreary。 The three invalids …
… two soldiers and a sailor who had been playing cards all the day were
asleep and talking in their dreams。
It seemed as though the ship were beginning to rock。 The hammock
slowly rose and fell under Gusev； as though it were heaving a sigh； and
this was repeated once； twice； three times。 。 。 。 Something crashed on to the
floor with a clang： it must have been a jug falling down。
〃The wind has broken loose from its chain。 。 。〃 said Gusev； listening。
This time Pavel Ivanitch cleared his throat and answered irritably：
〃One minute a vessel's running into a fish； the next； the wind's
breaking loose from its chain。 Is the wind a beast that it can break loose
from its chain？〃
〃That's how christened folk talk。〃
〃They are as ignorant as you are then。 They say all sorts of things。 One
must keep a head on one's shoulders and use one's reason。 You are a
senseless creature。〃
Pavel Ivanitch was subject to sea…sickness。 When the sea was rough he
was usually ill…humoured； and the merest trifle would make him irritable。
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And in Gusev's opinion
