under western eyes-第2节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



hardly　credible；　but　it　is　a　fact　that　he　took　very　few

precautions　for　his　safety。　　In　the　preamble　of　a　certain　famous

State　paper　he　had　declared　once　that　〃the　thought　of　liberty　has

never　existed　in　the　Act　of　the　Creator。　　From　the　multitude　of

men's　counsel　nothing　could　come　but　revolt　and　disorder；　and

revolt　and　disorder　in　a　world　created　for　obedience　and

stability　is　sin。　　It　was　not　Reason　but　Authority　which

expressed　the　Divine　Intention。　　God　was　the　Autocrat　of　the

Universe。　。　。　。〃　　It　may　be　that　the　man　who　made　this

declaration　believed　that　heaven　itself　was　bound　to　protect　him

in　his　remorseless　defence　of　Autocracy　on　this　earth。



No　doubt　the　vigilance　of　the　police　saved　him　many　times；　but；

as　a　matter　of　fact；　when　his　appointed　fate　overtook　him；　the

competent　authorities　could　not　have　given　him　any　warning。　　They

had　no　knowledge　of　any　conspiracy　against　the　Minister's　life；

had　no　hint　of　any　plot　through　their　usual　channels　of

information；　had　seen　no　signs；　were　aware　of　no　suspicious

movements　or　dangerous　persons。



Mr。　de　P…　was　being　driven　towards　the　railway　station　in　a

two…horse　uncovered　sleigh　with　footman　and　coachman　on　the　box。

Snow　had　been　falling　all　night；　making　the　roadway；　uncleared　as

yet　at　this　early　hour；　very　heavy　for　the　horses。　　It　was　still

falling　thickly。　But　the　sleigh　must　have　been　observed　and

marked　down。　　As　it　drew　over　to　the　left　before　taking　a　turn；

the　footman　noticed　a　peasant　walking　slowly　on　the　edge　of　the

pavement　with　his　hands　in　the　pockets　of　his　sheepskin　coat　and

his　shoulders　hunched　up　to　his　ears　under　the　falling　snow。　　On

being　overtaken　this　peasant　suddenly　faced　about　and　swung　his

arm。　　In　an　instant　there　was　a　terrible　shock；　a　detonation

mufffled　in　the　multitude　of　snowflakes；　both　horses　lay　dead　and

mangled　on　the　ground　and　the　coachman；　with　a　shrill　cry；　had

fallen　off　the　box　mortally　wounded。　　The　footman　（who　survived）

had　no　time　to　see　the　face　of　the　man　in　the　sheepskin　coat。

After　throwing　the　bomb　this　last　got　away；　but　it　is　supposed　that；

seeing　a　lot　of　people　surging　up　on　all　sides　of　him　in　the　falling　snow；

and　all　running　towards　the　scene　of　the　explosion；　he　thought　it　safer

to　turn　back　with　them。



In　an　incredibly　short　time　an　excited　crowd　assembled　round　the

sledge。　　The　Minister…President；　getting　out　unhurt　into　the　deep

snow；　stood　near　the　groaning　coachman　and　addressed　the　people

repeatedly　in　his　weak；　colourless　voice：　〃I　beg　of　you　to　keep

off：　　For　the　love　of　God；　I　beg　of　you　good　people　to　keep　off。〃



It　was　then　that　a　tall　young　man　who　had　remained　standing

perfectly　still　within　a　carriage　gateway；　two　houses　lower　down；

stepped　out　into　the　street　and　walking　up　rapidly　flung　another

bomb　over　the　heads　of　the　crowd。　　It　actually　struck　the

Minister…President　on　the　shoulder　as　he　stooped　over　his　dying

servant；　then　falling　between　his　feet　exploded　with　a　terrific

concentrated　violence；　striking　him　dead　to　the　ground；　finishing

the　wounded　man　and　practically　annihilating　the　empty　sledge　in

the　twinkling　of　an　eye。　　With　a　yell　of　horror　the　crowd　broke

up　and　fled　in　all　directions；　except　for　those　who　fell　dead　or

dying　where　they　stood　nearest　to　the　Minister…President；　and　one

or　two　others　who　did　not　fall　till　they　had　run　a　little　way。



The　first　explosion　had　brought　together　a　crowd　as　if　by

enchantment；　the　second　made　as　swiftly　a　solitude　in　the　street

for　hundreds　of　yards　in　each　direction。　　Through　the　falling

snow　people　looked　from　afar　at　the　small　heap　of　dead　bodies

lying　upon　each　other　near　the　carcases　of　the　two　horses。

Nobody　dared　to　approach　till　some　Cossacks　of　a　street…patrol

galloped　up　and；　dismounting；　began　to　turn　over　the　dead。

Amongst　the　innocent　victims　of　the　second　explosion　laid　out　on

the　pavement　there　was　a　body　dressed　in　a　peasant's　sheepskin

coat；　but　the　face　was　unrecognisable；　there　was　absolutely

nothing　found　in　the　pockets　of　its　poor　clothing；　and　it　was　the

only　one　whose　identity　was　never　established。



That　day　Mr。　Razumov　got　up　at　his　usual　hour　and　spent　the

morning　　within　　the　　University　buildings　listening　to　the

lectures　and　working　for　some　time；in　the　library。　　He　heard　the

first　vague　rumour　of　something　in　the　way　of　bomb…throwing　at

the　table　of　the　students'　ordinary；　where　he　was　accustomed　to

eat　his　two　o'clock　dinner。　　But　this　rumour　was　made　up　of　mere

whispers；　and　this　was　Russia；　where　it　was　not　always　safe；　for

a　student　especially；　to　appear　too　much　interested　in　certain

kinds　of　whispers。　　Razumov　was　one　of　those　men　who；　living　in　a

period　of　mental　and　political　unrest；　keep　an　instinctive　hold

on　normal；　practical；　everyday　life。　　He　was　aware　of　the

emotional　tension　of　his　time；　he　even　responded　to　it　in　an

indefinite　way。　　But　his　main　concern　was　with　his　work；　his

studies；　and　with　his　own　future。



Officially　and　in　fact　without　a　family　（for　the　daughter　of　the

Archpriest　had　long　been　dead）；　no　home　influences　had　shaped　his

opinions　or　his　feelings。　　He　was　as　lonely　in　the　world　as　a　man

swimming　in　the　deep　sea。　　The　word　Razumov　was　the　mere　label　of

a　solitary　individuality。　　There　were　no　Razumovs　belonging　to

him　anywhere。　　His　closest　parentage　was　defined　in　the　statement

that　he　was　a　Russian。　　Whatever　good　he　expected　from　life

would　be　given　to　or　withheld　from　his　hopes　by　that　connexion

alone。　This　immense　parentage　suffered　from　the　throes　of

internal　dissensions；　and　he　shrank　mentally　from　the　fray　as　a

good…natured　man　may　shrink　from　taking　definite　sides　in　a

violent　family　quarrel。



Razumov；　going　home；　reflected　that　having　prepared　all　the

matters　of　the　forthcoming　examination；　he　could　now　devote　his

time　to　the　subject　of　the　prize　essay。　　He　hankered　after　the

silver　medal。　　The　prize　was　offered　by　the　Ministry　of

Education；　the　names　of　the　competitors　would　be　submitted　to　the

Minister　himself。　The　mere　fact　of　trying　would　be　considered

meritorious　in　the　higher　quarters；　and　the　possessor　of　the

prize　would　have　a　claim　to　an　administrative　appointment　of　the

better　sort　after　he　had　taken　his　degree。　　The　student　Razumov

in　an　access　of　elation　forgot　the　dangers　menacing　the　stability

of　the　institutions　which　give　rewards　and　appointments。　　But

remembering　the　medallist　of　the　year　before；　Razumov；　the　young

man　of　no　parentage；　was　sobered。　　He　and　some　others　happened　to

be　assembled　in　their　comrade's　rooms　at　the　very　time　when　that

last　received　the　official　advice　of　his　success。　　He　was　a　quiet；

unassuming　young　man：　〃Forgive　me；〃　he　had　said　with　a　faint

apologetic　smile　and　taking　up　his　cap；　〃I　am　going　out　to　order

up　some　wine。　　But　I　must　first　send　a　telegram　to　my　folk　at　home。

I　say！　　Won't　the　old　people　make　it　a　festive　time　for　the　neighbours

for　twenty　miles　around　our　place。〃



Razumov　thought　there　was　nothing　of　that　sort　for　him　in　the

world。　　His　success　would　matter　to　no　one。　But　he　felt　no

bitterness　against　the　nobleman　his　protector；　who　was　not　a

provincial　magnate　as　was　generally　supposed。　　He　was　in　fact

nobody　less　than　Prince　K…；　once　a　great　and　splendid　figure　in

the　world　and　now；　his　day　being　over；　a　Senator　and　a　gouty

invalid；　living　in　a　still　splendid　but　more　domestic　manner。　　He

had　some　young　children　and　a　wife　as　aristocratic　and　proud　as

himself。



In　all　his　life　Razumov　was　allowed　only　once　to　come　into

personal　contact　with　the　Prince。



It　had　the　air　of　a　chance　meeting　in　the　little　attorney's

office。　　One　day　Razumov；　coming　in　by　appointment；　found　a

stranger　standing　therea　tall；　aristocratic…looking　Personage

with　silky；　grey　sidewhiskers。　　The　bald…headed；　　sly　little

lawyer…fellow　called　out；　〃Come　income　in；　Mr。　Razumov；〃　with　a

sort　of　ironic　heartiness。　　Then　turning　deferentially　to　the

stranger　with　the　grand　air；　〃A　ward　of　mine；　your；　Excellency。

One　of　the　most　promising　students　of　his　faculty　in　the　St。

Petersburg　University。〃



To　his　intense　surprise　Razumov　saw　a　white　shapely　hand　extended

to　him。　　He　took　it　in　great　confusion　（it　was　soft　and　passive）

and　heard　at　the　same　time　a　condescending　murmur　in　which　he

caught　only　the　words　〃Satisfactory〃　and　〃Persevere。〃　　But　the

most　amazing　thing　of　all　was　to　feel　suddenly　a　distinct

pressure　of　the　white　shapely　hand　just　before　it　was　withdrawn：

a　light　pressure　like　a　secret　sign。　　The　emotion　of　it　was

terrible。　　Razumov's　heart　seemed　to　leap　into　his　throat。　　When

he　raised　his　eyes　the　aristocratic　personage；　motioning　the

little　lawyer　aside；　had　opened　the　door　and　was　going　out。



The　attorney　rummaged　amongst　the　papers　on　his　desk　for　a　time。

〃Do　you　know　who　that　was？〃　he　asked　suddenly。



Razumov；　whose　heart　was　thumping　hard　yet；　shook　his　head　in　si