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第17章

creatures that once were men-第17章

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eating…house opened noisily。  Two dark figures entered the 

courtyard; and one of them asked in a hoarse voice:



〃Are you drinking?〃  And the other said in a jealous aside:



〃Just see what devils they are!〃



Then a hand stretched over the Deacon's head and took away 

the bottle; and the characteristic sound of vodki being poured 

into a glass was heard。  Then they all protested loudly。



〃Oh this is sad!〃 shouted the Deacon。  〃Krivoi; let us remember 

the ancients!  Let us sing 'On the Banks of Babylonian Rivers。'〃



〃But can he?〃 asked Simtsoff。



〃He?  He was a chorister in the Bishop's choir。  Now then; 

Krivoi! 。 。 。 On the r…i…v…e…r…s…〃  The Deacon's voice was 

loud and hoarse and cracked; but his friend sang in a shrill 

falsetto。



The dirty building loomed large in the darkness and seemed to 

be coming nearer; threatening the singers; who were arousing 

its dull echoes。  The heavy; pompous clouds were floating in 

the sky over their heads。  One of the 〃creatures that once 

were men〃 was snoring; while the rest of them; not yet so 

drunk as he was; ate and drank quietly or spoke to each other 

at long intervals。





85  CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN





It was unusual for them to be in such low spirits during such 

a feast; with so much vodki。  Somehow the drink tonight did 

not seem to have its usual exhilarating effect。



〃Stop howling; you dogs!〃 。 。 。 said the Captain to the singers; 

raising his head from the ground to listen。



〃Some one is passing 。 。 。 in a droshky。 。 。 。〃



A droshky at such a time in the main street could not but 

attract general attention。  Who would risk crossing the ditches 

between it and the town; and why?  They all raised their heads 

and listened。  In the silence of the night the wheels were 

distinctly heard。  They came gradually nearer。  A voice was 

heard; asking roughly:



〃Well; where then?〃



Someone answered; 〃It must be there; that house。〃



〃I shall not go any farther。〃



〃They are coming here!〃 shouted the Captain。



〃The police!〃 someone whispered in great alarm。



〃In a droshky!  Fool!〃 said Martyanoff; quietly。



Kuvalda got up and went to the entrance。



〃Is this a lodging…house?〃 asked someone; in a trembling voice。



〃Yes。  Belonging to Aristid Kuvalda 。 。 。〃 said the Captain; 

roughly。



〃Oh!  Did a reporter; one Titoff; live here?〃



〃Aha!  Have you brought him?〃



〃Yes。 。 。 。〃



〃Drunk?〃



〃Ill。〃





86  CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN





〃That means he is very drunk。  Ay; teacher! Now; then; get up!〃



〃Wait; I will help you 。 。 。 He is very ill 。 。 。 he has been 

with me for the last two days 。 。 。 Take him under the arms 

。 。 。 The doctor has seen him。  He is very bad。〃



Tyapa got up and walked to the entrance; but Abyedok laughed; 

and took another drink。



〃Strike a light; there!〃 shouted the Captain。



Meteor went into the house and lighted the lamp。  Then a thin 

line of light streamed out over the courtyard; and the Captain 

and another man managed to get the teacher into the dosshouse。 

His head was hanging on his breast; his feet trailed on the 

ground; and his arms hung limply as if broken。  With Tyapa's 

help they placed him on a wide board。  He was shivering all 

over。



〃We worked on the same paper 。 。 。 he is very unlucky 。 。 。 

I said; 'Stay in my house; you are not in the way;' 。 。 。 but 

he begged me to send him 'home。'  He was so excited about it 

that I brought him here; thinking it might do him good 。 。 。 

Home!  This is it; isn't it?〃



〃Do you suppose he has a home anywhere else?〃 asked Kuvalda; 

roughly; looking at his friend。  〃Tyapa; fetch me some cold 

water。〃



〃I fancy I am of no more use;〃 remarked the man in some 

confusion。  The Captain looked at him critically。  His clothes 

were rather shiny; and tightly buttoned up to his chin。  His 

trousers were frayed; his hat almost yellow with age and 

crumpled like his lean and hungry face。





87  CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN





〃No; you are not necessary!  We have plenty like you here;〃 

said the Captain; turning away。



〃Then; good…bye!〃  The man went to the door; and said quietly 

from there; 〃If anything happens 。 。 。 let me know in the 

publishing office 。 。 。 My name is Rijoff。  I might write a 

short obituary 。 。 。 You see he was an active member of the 

Press。〃



〃H'm; an obituary; you say?  Twenty lines forty kopecks?  I 

will do more than that。  When he dies I will cut off one of 

his legs and send it to you。  That will be much more profitable 

than an obituary。  It will last you for three days 。 。 。  His 

legs are fat。  You devoured him when he was alive。  You may as 

well continue to do so after he is dead。 。 。 。〃



The man sniffed strangely and disappeared。  The Captain sat 

down on the wooden board beside the teacher; felt his forehead 

and breast with his hands and called 〃Philip!〃



The sound re…echoed from the dirty walls of the dosshouse and 

died away。



〃This is absurd; brother;〃 said the Captain; quietly arranging 

the teacher's untidy hair with his hand。  Then the Captain 

listened to his breathing; which was rapid and uneven; and 

looked at his sunken gray face。  He sighed and looked upon him;

knitting his eyebrows。  The lamp was a bad one 。 。 。 The light 

was fitful; and dark shadows flickered on the dosshouse walls。 

The Captain watched them; scratching his beard。



Tyapa returned; bringing a vedro of water; and placing it beside 

the teacher's head; he took his arm as if to raise him up。





88  CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN





〃The water is not necessary;〃 and the Captain shook his head。



〃But we must try to revive him;〃 said the old rag…collector。



〃Nothing is needed;〃 said the Captain; decidedly。



They sat silently looking at the teacher。



〃Let us go and drink; old devil!〃



〃But he?〃



〃Can you do him any good?〃



Tyapa turned his back on the teacher; and both went out into 

the courtyard to their companions。



〃What is it?〃 asked Abyedok; turning his sharp nose to the 

old man。



The snoring of those who were asleep; and the tinkling sound 

of pouring vodki was heard 。 。 。 The Deacon was murmuring 

something。  The clouds swam low; so low that it seemed as if 

they would touch the roof of the house and would knock it over 

on the group of men。



〃Ah! One feels sad when someone near at hand is dying;〃 

faltered the Captain; with his head down。  No one answered him。



〃He was the best among you 。 。 。 the cleverest; the most 

respectable。   I mourn for him。〃



〃R…e…s…t with the Saints 。 。 。 Sing; you crooked hunchback!〃 

roared the Deacon; digging his friend in the ribs。



〃Be quiet!〃 shouted Abyedok; jumping vengefully to his feet。



〃I will give him one on the head;〃 proposed Martyanoff; raising 

his head from the ground。





89  CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN





〃You are not asleep?〃  Aristid Fomich asked him very softly。 

〃Have you heard about our teacher?〃



Martyanoff lazily got up from the ground; looked at the line 

of light coming out of the dosshouse; shook his head and 

silently sat down beside the Captain。



〃Nothing particular 。 。 。 The man is dying remarked the Captain; 

shortly。



〃Have they been beating him?〃 asked Abyedok; with great interest。 

The Captain gave no answer。  He was drinking vodki at the moment。 

〃They must have known we had something in which to commemorate 

him after his death!〃 continued Abyedok; lighting a cigarette。

Someone laughed; someone sighed。 Generally speaking; the 

conversation of Abyedok and the Captain did not interest them; 

and they hated having to think at all。  They had always felt the 

teacher to be an uncommon man; but now many of them were drunk 

and the others sad and silent。  Only the Deacon suddenly drew 


himself up straight and h

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