creatures that once were men-第16章
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！
you on the spot like a fly！〃
He shook his fist in Vaviloff's face and ground his teeth till
they nearly broke。
After he had gone Vaviloff began smiling and winking to
himself。 Then two large drops rolled down his cheeks。 They
were grayish； and they hid themselves in his moustache； while
two others followed them。 Then Vaviloff went into his own
room and stood before the icon； stood there without praying；
immovable； with the salt tears running down his wrinkled brown
cheeks。 。 。 。
* * * * * * * * * *
Deacon Taras； who； as a rule； loved to loiter in the
woods and fields； proposed to the 〃creatures that once were
men〃 that they should go together into the fields； and there
drink Vaviloff's vodki in the bosom of Nature。 But the Captain
and all the rest swore at the Deacon； and decided to drink it
in the courtyard。
〃One； two； three；〃 counted Aristid Fomich； 〃our full number is
thirty； the teacher is not here 。 。 。 but probably many other
outcasts will come。 Let us calculate； say； twenty persons； and
to every person two…and…a…half cucumbers； a pound of bread； and
a pound of meat 。 。 。 That won't be bad！ One bottle of vodki each；
and there is plenty of sour cabbage； and three watermelons。
80 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
I ask you； what the devil could you want more； my scoundrel
friends？ Now； then； let us prepare to devour Egorka Vaviloff；
because all this is his blood and body！〃
They spread some old clothes on the ground； setting the
delicacies and the drink on them； and sat around the feast；
solemnly and quietly； but almost unable to control the craving
for drink that was shining in their eyes。
The evening began to fall； and its shadows were cast on the
human refuse of the earth in the courtyard of the dosshouse；
the last rays of the sun illumined the roof of the tumble…down
building。 The night was cold and silent。
〃Let us begin； brothers！〃 commanded the Captain。
〃How many cups have we？ Six 。 。 。 and there are thirty of us！
Aleksei Maksimovitch； pour it out。 Is it ready？ Now then；
the first toast 。 。 。 Come along！〃
They drank and shouted； and began to eat。
〃The teacher is not here 。 。 。 I have not seen him for three
days。 Has anyone seen him？〃 asked Kuvalda。
〃No one。〃
〃It is unlike 。 。 。 Let us drink to the health of Aristid
Kuvalda 。 。 。 the only friend who has never deserted me for
one moment of my life！ Devil take him all the same！ I might
have had something to wear had he left my society at least
for a little while。〃
〃You are bitter 。 。 。〃 said Abyedok； and coughed。
The Captain； with his feeling of superiority to the others；
never talked with his mouth full。
81 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
Having drunk twice； the company began to grow merry； the food
was grateful to them。
Paltara Taras expressed his desire to hear a tale； but the
Deacon was arguing with Kubaroff over his preferring thin
women to stout ones； and paid no attention to his friend's
request。 He was asserting his views on the subject to
Kubaroff with all the decision of a man who was deeply
convinced in his own mind。
The foolish face of Meteor； who was lying on the ground；
showed that he was drinking in the Deacon's strong words。
Martyanoff sat； clasping his large hairy hands round his
knees； looking silently and sadly at the bottle of vodki and
pulling his moustache as if trying to bite it with his teeth；
while Abyedok was teasing Tyapa。
〃I have seen you watching the place where your money is
hidden ！〃
〃That is jour luck；〃 shouted Tyapa。
〃I will go halves with you； brother。〃
〃All right； take it and welcome。〃
Kuvalda felt angry with these men。 Among them all there was
not one worthy of hearing his oratory or of understanding him。
〃I wonder where the teacher is？〃 he asked loudly。
Martyanoff looked at him and said； 〃He will come soon。。 。 。〃
〃I am positive that he will come； but he won't come in a
carriage。 Let us drink to your future health。 If you kill
any rich man go halves with me 。 。 。 then I shall go to
America； brother。 To those 。 。 。 what do you call them？
Limpas？ Pampas？
82 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
I will go there and I will work my way until I become the
President of the United States； and then I will challenge the
whole of Europe to war and I will blow it up！ I will buy the
army 。 。 。 in Europe that isI will invite the French； the
Germans； the Turks； and so on； and I will kill them by the
hands of their own relatives 。 。 。 Just as Elia Marumets
bought a Tartar with a Tartar。 With money it would be
possible even for Elia to destroy the whole of Europe and to
take Judas Petunikoff for his valet。 He would go 。 。 。 Give
him a hundred roubles a month and he would go！ But he would
be a bad valet； because he would soon begin to steal。 。 。 。〃
〃Now； besides that； the thin woman is better than the stout
one； because she costs one less；〃 said the Deacon；
convincingly。 〃My first Deaconess used to buy twelve arshins
for her clothes； but the second one only ten。 And so on even
in the matter of provisions and food。〃
Paltara Taras smiled guiltily。 Turning his head towards the
Deacon and looking straight at him； he said； with conviction：
〃I had a wife once； too。〃
〃Oh！ That happens to everyone；〃 remarked Kuvalda； but go on
with your lies。〃
〃She was thin； but she ate a lot； and even died from
over…eating。〃
〃You poisoned her； you hunchback！〃 said Abyedok； confidently。
〃No； by God I It was from eating sturgeon；〃 said Paltara Taras。
〃But I say that you poisoned her！〃 declared Abyedok； decisively。
83 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
It often happened； that having said something absolutely
impossible and without proof； he kept on repeating it； beginning
in a childish； capricious tone； and gradually raising his voice
to a mad shriek。
The Deacon stood up for his friend。 〃No； he did not poison her。
He had no reason to do so。〃
〃But I say that he poisoned her！〃 swore Abyedok。
〃Silence！〃 shouted the Captain； threateningly； becoming still
angrier。 He looked at his friends with his blinking eyes； and
not discovering anything to further provoke his rage in their
half…tipsy faces； he lowered his head； sat still for a little
while； and then turned over on his back on the ground。 Meteor
was biting cucumbers。 He took a cucumber in his hand without
looking at it； put nearly half of it into his mouth； and bit it
with his yellow teeth； so that the juice spurted out in all
directions and ran over his cheeks。 He did not seem to want to
eat； but this process pleased him。 Martyanoff sat motionless
on the ground； like a statue； and looked in a dull manner at
the half…vedro bottle； already getting empty。 Abyedok lay on
his belly and coughed； shaking all over his small body。 The
rest of the dark； silent figures sat and lay around in all
sorts of positions； and their tatters made them look like
untidy animals； created by some strange； uncouth deity to make
a mockery of man。
〃There once lived a lady in Suzdale；
A strange lady；
She fell into hysterics；
Most unpleasantly！〃
84 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
sang the Deacon in low tones embracing Aleksei Maksimovitch；
who was smiling kindly into his face。
Paltaras Taras giggled voluptuously。
The night was approaching。 High up in the sky the stars were
shining 。 。 。 and on the mountain and in the town the lights
of the lamps were appearing。 The whistles of the steamers
were heard all over the river； and the doors of Yaviloff's
eating…house opened noisily。 Two dark figures entered the
courtyard；
