beasts, men and gods-第23节

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CHAPTER　XXII

AMONG　THE　MURDERERS


As　we　approached　the　telegraph　station；　we　were　met　by　a　blonde　young　man　who　was　in　charge　of　the　office；　Kanine　by　name。　　With　some　little　confusion　he　offered　us　a　place　in　his　house　for　the　night。　　When　we　entered　the　room；　a　tall；　lanky　man　rose　from　the　table　and　indecisively　walked　toward　us；　looking　very　attentively　at　us　the　while。

〃Guests　。　。　。〃　explained　Kanine。　　〃They　are　going　to　Khathyl。　Private　persons；　strangers；　foreigners　。　。　。〃

〃A…h；〃　drawled　the　stranger　in　a　quiet；　comprehending　tone。

While　we　were　untying　our　girdles　and　with　difficulty　getting　out　of　our　great　Mongolian　coats；　the　tall　man　was　animatedly　whispering　something　to　our　host。　　As　we　approached　the　table　to　sit　down　and　rest；　I　overheard　him　say：　　〃We　are　forced　to　postpone　it；〃　and　saw　Kanine　simply　nod　in　answer。

Several　other　people　were　seated　at　the　table；　among　them　the　assistant　of　Kanine；　a　tall　blonde　man　with　a　white　face；　who　talked　like　a　Gatling　gun　about　everything　imaginable。　　He　was　half　crazy　and　his　semi…madness　expressed　itself　when　any　loud　talking；　shouting　or　sudden　sharp　report　led　him　to　repeat　the　words　of　the　one　to　whom　he　was　talking　at　the　time　or　to　relate　in　a　mechanical；　hurried　manner　stories　of　what　was　happening　around　him　just　at　this　particular　juncture。　　The　wife　of　Kanine；　a　pale；　young；　exhausted…looking　woman　with　frightened　eyes　and　a　face　distorted　by　fear；　was　also　there　and　near　her　a　young　girl　of　fifteen　with　cropped　hair　and　dressed　like　a　man；　as　well　as　the　two　small　sons　of　Kanine。　　We　made　acquaintance　with　all　of　them。　The　tall　stranger　called　himself　Gorokoff；　a　Russian　colonist　from　Samgaltai；　and　presented　the　short…haired　girl　as　his　sister。　Kanine's　wife　looked　at　us　with　plainly　discernible　fear　and　said　nothing；　evidently　displeased　over　our　being　there。　　However；　we　had　no　choice　and　consequently　began　drinking　tea　and　eating　our　bread　and　cold　meat。

Kanine　told　us　that　ever　since　the　telegraph　line　had　been　destroyed　all　his　family　and　relatives　had　felt　very　keenly　the　poverty　and　hardship　that　naturally　followed。　　The　Bolsheviki　did　not　send　him　any　salary　from　Irkutsk；　so　that　he　was　compelled　to　shift　for　himself　as　best　he　could。　　They　cut　and　cured　hay　for　sale　to　the　Russian　colonists；　handled　private　messages　and　merchandise　from　Khathyl　to　Uliassutai　and　Samgaltai；　bought　and　sold　cattle；　hunted　and　in　this　manner　managed　to　exist。　　Gorokoff　announced　that　his　commercial　affairs　compelled　him　to　go　to　Khathyl　and　that　he　and　his　sister　would　be　glad　to　join　our　caravan。　　He　had　a　most　unprepossessing；　angry…looking　face　with　colorless　eyes　that　always　avoided　those　of　the　person　with　whom　he　was　speaking。　　During　the　conversation　we　asked　Kanine　if　there　were　Russian　colonists　near　by；　to　which　he　answered　with　knitted　brow　and　a　look　of　disgust　on　his　face：

〃There　is　one　rich　old　man；　Bobroff；　who　lives　a　verst　away　from　our　station；　but　I　would　not　advise　you　to　visit　him。　　He　is　a　miserly；　inhospitable　old　fellow　who　does　not　like　guests。〃

During　these　words　of　her　husband　Madame　Kanine　dropped　her　eyes　and　contracted　her　shoulders　in　something　resembling　a　shudder。　Gorokoff　and　his　sister　smoked　along　indifferently。　　I　very　clearly　remarked　all　this　as　well　as　the　hostile　tone　of　Kanine；　the　confusion　of　his　wife　and　the　artificial　indifference　of　Gorokoff；　and　I　determined　to　see　the　old　colonist　given　such　a　bad　name　by　Kanine。　　In　Uliassutai　I　knew　two　Bobroffs。　　I　said　to　Kanine　that　I　had　been　asked　to　hand　a　letter　personally　to　Bobroff　and；　after　finishing　my　tea；　put　on　my　overcoat　and　went　out。

The　house　of　Bobroff　stood　in　a　deep　sink　in　the　mountains；　surrounded　by　a　high　fence　over　which　the　low　roofs　of　the　houses　could　be　seen。　　A　light　shone　through　the　window。　　I　knocked　at　the　gate。　　A　furious　barking　of　dogs　answered　me　and　through　the　cracks　of　the　fence　I　made　out　four　huge　black　Mongol　dogs；　showing　their　teeth　and　growling　as　they　rushed　toward　the　gate。　　Inside　the　court　someone　opened　the　door　and　called　out：　　〃Who　is　there？〃

I　answered　that　I　was　traveling　through　from　Uliassutai。　　The　dogs　were　first　caught　and　chained　and　I　was　then　admitted　by　a　man　who　looked　me　over　very　carefully　and　inquiringly　from　head　to　foot。　　A　revolver　handle　stuck　out　of　his　pocket。　　Satisfied　with　his　observations　and　learning　that　I　knew　his　relatives；　he　warmly　welcomed　me　to　the　house　and　presented　me　to　his　wife；　a　dignified　old　woman；　and　to　his　beautiful　little　adopted　daughter；　a　girl　of　five　years。　　She　had　been　found　on　the　plain　beside　the　dead　body　of　her　mother　exhausted　in　her　attempt　to　escape　from　the　Bolsheviki　in　Siberia。

Bobroff　told　me　that　the　Russian　detachment　of　Kazagrandi　had　succeeded　in　driving　the　Red　troops　away　from　the　Kosogol　and　that　we　could　consequently　continue　our　trip　to　Khathyl　without　danger。

〃Why　did　you　not　stop　with　me　instead　of　with　those　brigands？〃　asked　the　old　fellow。

I　began　to　question　him　and　received　some　very　important　news。　　It　seemed　that　Kanine　was　a　Bolshevik；　the　agent　of　the　Irkutsk　Soviet；　and　stationed　here　for　purposes　of　observation。　　However；　now　he　was　rendered　harmless；　because　the　road　between　him　and　Irkutsk　was　interrupted。　　Still　from　Biisk　in　the　Altai　country　had　just　come　a　very　important　commissar。

〃Gorokoff？〃　I　asked。

〃That's　what　he　calls　himself；〃　replied　the　old　fellow；　〃but　I　am　also　from　Biisk　and　I　know　everyone　there。　　His　real　name　is　Pouzikoff　and　the　short…haired　girl　with　him　is　his　mistress。　　He　is　the　commissar　of　the　'Cheka'　and　she　is　the　agent　of　this　establishment。　　Last　August　the　two　of　them　shot　with　their　revolvers　seventy　bound　officers　from　Kolchak's　army。　　Villainous；　cowardly　murderers！　　Now　they　have　come　here　for　a　reconnaissance。　They　wanted　to　stay　in　my　house　but　I　knew　them　too　well　and　refused　them　place。〃

〃And　you　do　not　fear　him？〃　I　asked；　remembering　the　different　words　and　glances　of　these　people　as　they　sat　at　the　table　in　the　station。

〃No；〃　answered　the　old　man。　　〃I　know　how　to　defend　myself　and　my　family　and　I　have　a　protector　toomy　son；　such　a　shot；　a　rider　and　a　fighter　as　does　not　exist　in　all　Mongolia。　　I　am　very　sorry　that　you　will　not　make　the　acquaintance　of　my　boy。　　He　has　gone　off　to　the　herds　and　will　return　only　tomorrow　evening。〃

We　took　most　cordial　leave　of　each　other　and　I　promised　to　stop　with　him　on　my　return。

〃Well；　what　yarns　did　Bobroff　tell　you　about　us？〃　was　the　question　with　which　Kanine　and　Gorokoff　met　me　when　I　came　back　to　the　station。

〃Nothing　about　you；〃　I　answered；　〃because　he　did　not　even　want　to　speak　with　me　when　he　found　out　that　I　was　staying　in　your　house。　What　is　the　trouble　between　you？〃　I　asked　of　them；　expressing　complete　astonishment　on　my　face。

〃It　is　an　old　score；〃　growled　Gorokoff。

〃A　malicious　old　churl；〃　Kanine　added　in　agreement；　the　while　the　frightened；　suffering…laden　eyes　of　his　wife　again　gave　expression　to　terrifying　horror；　as　if　she　momentarily　expected　a　deadly　blow。　Gorokoff　began　to　pack　his　luggage　in　preparation　for　the　journey　with　us　the　following　morning。　　We　prepared　our　simple　beds　in　an　adjoining　room　and　went　to　sleep。　　I　whispered　to　my　friend　to　keep　his　revolver　handy　for　anything　that　might　happen　but　he　only　smiled　as　he　dragged　his　revolver　and　his　ax　from　his　coat　to　place　them　under　his　pillow。

〃This　people　at　the　outset　seemed　to　me　very　suspicious；〃　he　whispered。　　〃They　are　cooking　up　something　crooked。　　Tomorrow　I　shall　ride　behind　this　Gorokoff　and　shall　prepare　for　him　a　very　faithful　one　of　my　bullets；　a　little　dum…dum。〃

The　Mongols　spent　the　night　under　their　tent　in　the　open　court　beside　their　camels；　because　they　wanted　to　be　near　to　feed　them。　About　seven　o'clock　we　started。　　My　friend　took　up　his　post　as　rear　guard　to　our　caravan；　keeping　all　the　time　behind　Gorokoff；　who　with　his　sister；　both　armed　from　tip　to　toe；　rode　splendid　mounts。

〃How　have　you　kept　your　horses　in　such　fine　condition　coming　all　the　way　from　Samgaltai？〃　I　inquired　as　I　looked　over　their　fine　beasts。

When　he　answered　that　these　belonged　to　his　host；　I　realized　that　Kanine　was　not　so　poor　as　he　made　out；　for　any　rich　Mongol　would　have　given　him　in　exchange　for　one　of　these　lovely　animals　enough　sheep　to　have　kept　his　household　in　mutton　for　a　whole　year。

Soon　we　came　to　a　large　swamp　surrounded　by　dense　brush；　where　I　was　much　astonished　by　seeing　literally　hundreds　of　white　kuropatka　or　partridges。　　Out　of　the　water　rose　a　flock　of　duck　with　a　mad　rush　as　we　hove　in　sight。　　Winter；　cold　driving　wind；　snow　and　wild　ducks！　　The　Mongol　explained　it　to　me　thus：

〃This　swamp　always　remains　warm　and　never　freezes。　　The　wild　ducks　live　here　the　year　round　and　the　kuropatka　too；　finding　fresh　food　in　the　soft　warm　earth。〃

As　I　was　speaking　with　the　Mongol　I　noticed　over　the　swamp　a　tongue　of　reddish…yellow　flame。　　It　flashed　and　disappeared　at　once　but　later；　on　the　farther　edge；　two　further　tongues　ran　upward。　　I　realized　that　here　was　the　real　will…o'…the…wisp　surrounded　by　so　many　thousands　of　legends　and　explained　so　simply　by　chemistry　as　merely　a　flash　of　methane　or　swamp　gas　generated