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第15章

creatures that once were men-第15章

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〃He writes for the papers 。 。 。 He is one of your lodgers 。 。 。 

there they all are outside 。 。 。 Clear them away; for Christ's 

sake!  The robbers!  They disturb and annoy everyone in the 

street。  One cannot live for them 。 。 。 And they are all 

desperate fellows 。 。 。 You had better take care; or else they 

will rob or burn you。



〃And this reporter; who is he?〃 asked Petunikoff; with interest。



〃He?  A drunkard。  He was a teacher; but was dismissed。  He 

drank everything he possessed 。 。 。 and now he writes for the 

papers and composes petitions。 He is a very wicked man!〃



〃H'm!  And did he write your petition; too?  I suppose it was 

he who discovered the flaws in the building。 The beams were 

not rightly put in?〃



〃He did!  I know it for a fact!  The dog!  He read it aloud in 

here and boasted; 'Now I have caused Petunikoff some loss!'〃



〃Yees 。 。 。 Well; then; do you want to be reconciled?〃



〃To be reconciled?〃  The soldier lowered his head and thought。 

〃Ah!  This is a hard life!〃 said he; in a querulous voice; 

scratching his head。



〃One must learn by experience; Petunikoff reassured him; 

lighting a cigarette。



〃Learn 。 。 。 It is not that; my dear sir; but don't you see 

there is no freedom? Don't you see what a life I lead? 





75  CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN





I live in fear and trembling 。 。 。 I am refused the freedom 

so desirable to me in my movements; and I fear this ghost of 

a teacher will write about me in the papers。  Sanitary 

inspectors will be called for 。 。 。 fines will have to be paid 

。 。 。 or else your lodgers will set fire to the place or rob 

and kill me 。 。 。 I am powerless against them。  They are not 

the least afraid of the police; and they like going to prison; 

because they get their food for nothing there。〃



〃But then we will have them turned out if we come to terms 

with you;〃 promised Petunikoff。



〃What shall we arrange; then?〃 asked Vaviloff sadly and 

seriously。



〃Tell me your terms。〃



〃Well; give me the six hundred mentioned in the claim。〃



〃Won't you take a hundred roubles?〃 asked the merchant calmly; 

looking attentively at his companion; and smiling softly。 〃I 

will not give you one rouble more〃 。 。 。 he added。



After this; he took out his eyeglasses and began cleaning them 

with his handkerchief。  Vaviloff looked at him sadly and 

respectfully。  The calm face of Petunikoff; his gray eyes and 

clear complexion; every line of his thickset body betokened 

self…confidence and a well…balanced mind。  Vaviloff also liked 

Petunikoff's straightforward manner of addressing him without 

any pretensions; as if he were his own brother; though Vaviloff 

understood well enough that he was his superior; he being only 

a soldier。  





76  CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN





Looking at him; he grew fonder and fonder of him; and; 

forgetting for a moment the matter in hand; respectfully asked 

Petunikoff:



〃Where did you study?〃



〃In the technological institute。  Why?〃 answered the other; 

smiling:



〃Nothing。  Only 。 。 。 excuse me!〃  The soldier lowered his 

head; and then suddenly exclaimed; 〃What a splendid thing 

education is!  Sciencelight。  My brother; I am as stupid 

as an owl before the sun  。 。 。 Your honor; let us finish 

this job。〃



With an air of decision he stretched out his hand to 

Petunikoff and said:



〃Well; five hundred?〃



〃Not more than one hundred roubles; Egor Tereutievitch。〃



Petunikoff shrugged his shoulders as if sorry at being unable 

to give more; and touched the soldier's hairy hand with his 

long white fingers。  They soon ended the matter; for the 

soldier gave in quickly and met Petunikoff's wishes。  And when 

Vaviloff had received the hundred roubles and signed the paper; 

he threw the pen down on the table and said bitterly:



〃Now I will have a nice time!  They will laugh at me; they will 

cry shame on me; the devils!〃



〃But you tell them that I paid all your claim;〃 suggested 

Petunikoff; calmly puffing out clouds of smoke and watching 

them float upward。



〃But do you think they will believe it?  They are as clever 

swindlers if not worse 。 。 。〃



Vaviloff stopped himself in time before making the intended 

comparison; and looked at the merchant's son in terror。  





77  CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN





The other smoked on; and seemed to be absorbed in that 

occupation。  He went away soon; promising to destroy the nest 

of vagabonds。  Vaviloff looked after him and sighed; feeling 

as if he would like to shout some insult at the young man who 

was going with such firm steps toward the steep road; 

encumbered with its ditches and heaps of rubbish。



In the evening the Captain appeared in the eatinghouse。  His 

eyebrows were knit and his fist clenched。  Vaviloff smiled at 

him in a guilty manner。



〃Well; worthy descendant of Judas and Cain; tell us。 。 。 。〃



〃They decided〃 。 。 。 said Vaviloff; sighing and lowering his 

eyes。



〃I don't doubt it; how many silver pieces did you receive?〃



〃Four hundred roubles〃



〃Of course you are lying 。 。 。 But all the better for me。 

Without any further words; Egorka; ten per cent。 of it for my 

discovery; four per cent。 to the teacher for writing the 

petition; one 'vedro' of vodki to all of us; and refreshments 

all round。  Give me the money now; the vodki and refreshments 

will do at eight o'clock。〃



Vaviloff turned purple with rage; and stared at Kuvalda with 

wide…open eyes。



〃This is humbug! This is robbery! I will do nothing of the 

sort。  What do you mean; Aristid Fomich?  Keep your appetite 

for the next feast!  I am not afraid of you now。 。 。 。〃



Kuvalda looked at the clock。



〃I give you ten minutes; Egorka; for your idiotic talk。〃





78  CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN





〃Finish your nonsense by that time and give me what I demand。 

If you don't I will devour you!  Kanets has sold you 

something?  Did you read in the paper about the theft at 

Basoff's house?  Do you understand?  You won't have time to 

hide anything; we will not let you 。 。 。 and this very night 

。 。 。 do you understand?〃



〃Why; Aristid Fomich?〃 sobbed the discomfited merchant。



〃No more words! Did you understand or not?〃



Tall; gray; and imposing; Kuvalda spoke in half whispers; and 

his deep bass voice rang through the house Vaviloff always 

feared him because he was not only a retired military man; 

but a man who had nothing to lose。  But now Kuvalda appeared 

before him in a new role。  He did not speak much; and jocosely 

as usual; but spoke in the tone of a commander; who was 

convinced of the other's guilt。  And Vaviloff felt that the

Captain could and would ruin him with the greatest pleasure。 

He must needs bow before this power。  Nevertheless; the soldier 

thought of trying him once more。  He sighed deeply; and began 

with apparent calmness:



〃It is truly said that a man's sin will find him out 。 。 。 I 

lied to you; Aristid Fomich; 。 。 。 I tried to be cleverer than 

I am 。 。 。 I only received one hundred roubles。〃



〃Go on!〃 said Kuvalda。



〃And not four hundred as I told you 。 。 。 That means。 。 。 。〃



〃It does not mean anything。  It is all the same to me whether 

you lied or not。  You owe me sixty…five roubles。  That is not 

much; eh?〃





79  CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN





〃Oh! my Lord! Aristid Fomich!  I have always been attentive to 

your honor and done my best to please you。



 〃Drop all that; Egorka; grandchild of Judas!〃



〃All right! I will give it you 。 。 。 only God will punish you 

for this。 。 。 。〃



〃Silence!  You rotten pimple of the earth!〃 shouted the 

Captain; rolling his eyes。  〃He has punished me enough already 

in forcing me to have conversation with you 。 。 。 I will kill 

you on the spot like a fly!〃



He shook his fist in Vaviloff's fa

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