creatures that once were men-第3章

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smoke；　and　the　ceiling；　which　was　built　of　timber；　was　almost　

black。　　In　the　middle　stood　a　large　stove；　the　furnace　of　which　

served　as　its　foundation；　and　around　this　stove　and　along　the　

walls　were　also　long；　wide　boards；　which　served　as　beds　for　

the　lodgers。　　The　walls　smelt　of　smoke；　the　earthen　floor　of　

dampness；　and　the　long；　wide　board　of　rotting　rags。



The　place　of　the　proprietor　was　on　the　top　of　the　stove；　

while　the　boards　surrounding　it　were　intended　for　those　who　

were　on　good　terms　with　the　owner；　and　who　were　honored　by　

his　friendship。　　During　the　day　the　captain　passed　most　of　his　

time　sitting　on　a　kind　of　bench；　made　by　himself　by　placing　

bricks　against　the　wall　of　the　court…yard；　or　else　in　the　

eating…house　of　Egor　Yavilovitch；　which　was　opposite　the　

house；　where　he　took　all　his　meals　and　where　he　also　drank　

vodki。



Before　renting　this　house；　Aristid　Kuvalda　had　kept　a　registry　

office　for　servants　in　the　town。　　If　we　look　further　back　into　

his　former　life；　we　shall　find　that　he　once　owned　printing　

works；　and　previous　to　this；　in　his　own　words；　he　〃just　lived！　

And　lived　well　too；　Devil　take　it；　and　like　one　who　knew　how！〃



He　was　a　tall；　broad…shouldered　man　of　fifty；　with　a

raw…looking　face；　swollen　with　drunkenness；　and　with　a

dirty　yellowish　beard。　





16　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





His　eyes　were　large　and　gray；　with　an　insolent　expression　of　

happiness。　　He　spoke　in　a　bass　voice　and　with　a　sort　of　

grumbling　sound　in　his　throat；　and　he　almost　always　held　

between　his　teeth　a　German　china　pipe　with　a　long　bowl。　When　

he　was　angry　the　nostrils　of　his　big；　crooked　red　nose　swelled；

and　his　lips　trembled；　exposing　to　view　two　rows　of　large　and　

wolf…like　yellow　teeth。　　He　had　long　arms；　was　lame；　and　always　

dressed　in　an　old　officer's　uniform；　with　a　dirty；　greasy　cap　

with　a　red　band；　a　hat　without　a　brim；　and　ragged　felt　boots　

which　reached　almost　to　his　knees。　　In　the　morning；　as　a　rule；　

he　had　a　heavy　drunken　headache；　and　in　the　evening　he　caroused。

However　much　he　drank；　he　was　never　drunk；　and　so　was　always　

merry。



In　the　evenings　he　received　lodgers；　sitting　on　his　brick…made　

bench　with　his　pipe　in　his　mouth。



〃Whom　have　we　here？〃　he　would　ask　the　ragged　and　tattered　object　

approaching　him；　who　had　probably　been　chucked　out　of　the　town　

for　drunkenness；　or　perhaps　for　some　other　reason　not　quite　so　

simple。　　And　after　the　man　had　answered　him；　he　would　say；　〃Let　

me　see　legal　papers　in　confirmation　of　your　lies。〃　　And　if　there　

were　such　papers　they　were　shown。　The　captain　would　then　put　

them　in　his　bosom；　seldom　taking　any　interest　in　them；　and　would　

say：　　〃Everything　is　in　order。　　Two　kopecks　for　the　night；　ten　

kopecks　for　the　week；　and　thirty　kopecks　for　the　month。　　Go　and　

get　a　place　for　yourself；　and　see　that　it　is　not　other　people's；　

or　else　they　will　blow　you　up。　　The　people　that　live　here　are　

particular。〃





17　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN　　





〃Don't　you　sell　tea；　bread；　or　anything　to　eat？〃



〃I　trade　only　in　walls　and　roofs；　for　which　I　pay　to　the　

swindling　proprietor　of　this　holeJudas　Petunikoff；　merchant　

of　the　second　guildfive　roubles　a　month；〃　explained　Kuvalda　

in　a　business…like　tone。　　〃Only　those　come　to　me　who　are　not　

accustomed　to　comfort　and　luxuries。　。　。but　if　you　are　

accustomed　to　eat　every　day；　then　there　is　the　eating…house　

opposite。　　But　it　would　be　better　for　you　if　you　left　off　that　

habit。　You　see　you　are　not　a　gentleman。　What　do　you　eat？　You　

eat　yourself！〃



For　such　speeches；　delivered　in　a　strictly　business…like　manner；

and　always　with　smiling　eyes；　and　also　for　the　attention　he　paid　

to　his　lodgers；　the　captain　was　very　popular　among　the　poor　of　

the　town。　　It　very　often　happened　that　a　former　client　of　his　

would　appear；　not　in　rags；　but　in　something　more　respectable　and　

with　a　slightly　happier　face。



〃Good…day；　your　honor；　and　how　do　you　do？〃



〃Alive；　in　good　health！　Go　on。〃



〃Don't　you　know　me？〃



〃I　did　not　know　you。〃



〃Do　you　remember　that　I　lived　with　you　last　winter　for　nearly　a　

month　。　。　。　when　the　fight　with　the　police　took　place；　and　

three　were　taken　away？〃　



〃My　brother；　that　is　so。　The　police　do　come　even　under　my　

hospitable　roof！〃



〃My　God！　You　gave　a　piece　of　your　mind　to　the　police　inspector　

of　this　district！〃



〃Wouldn't　you　accept　some　small　hospitality　from　me？　When　I　

lived　with　you；　you　were。　。　。　。〃　





18　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





〃Gratitude　must　be　encouraged　because　it　is　seldom　met　with。　

You　seem　to　be　a　good　man；　and；　though　I　don't　remember　you；　

still　I　will　go　with　you　into　the　public…house　and　drink　to　

your　success　and　future　prospects　with　the　greatest　pleasure。〃



〃You　seem　always　the　same　。　。　。　Are　you　always　joking？〃



〃What　else　can　one　do；　living　among　you　unfortunate　men？〃



They　went。　　Sometimes　the　Captain's　former　customer；　uplifted　

and　unsettled　by　the　entertainment；　returned　to　the　dosshouse；　

and　on　the　following　morning　they　would　again　begin　treating　

each　other　till　the　Captain's　companion　would　wake　up　to　

realize　that　he　had　spent　all　his　money　in　drink。



〃Your　honor；　do　you　see　that　I　have　again　fallen　into　your　

hands？　What　shall　we　do　now？〃



〃The　position；　no　doubt；　is　not　a　very　good　one；　but　still　

you　need　not　trouble　about　it；〃　reasoned　the　Captain。　　〃You　

must；　my　friend；　treat　everything　indifferently；　without　

spoiling　yourself　by　philosophy；　and　without　asking　yourself　

any　question。　　To　philosophize　is　always　foolish；　to　

philosophize　with　a　drunken　headache；　ineffably　so。　　Drunken　

headaches　require　vodki；　and　not　the　remorse　of　conscience　

or　gnashing　of　teeth　。　。　。　save　your　teeth；　or　else　you　will　

not　be　able　to　protect　yourself。　　Here　are　twenty　kopecks。　　Go　

and　buy　a　bottle　of　vodki　for　five　kopecks；　hot　tripe　or　lungs；　

one　pound　of　bread　and　two　cucumbers。　　When　we　have　lived　off　

our　drunken　headache　we　will　think　of　the　condition　of　

affairs。　。　。　。〃





19　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN　　





As　a　rule　the　consideration　of　the　〃condition　of　affairs〃　

lasted　some　two　or　three　days；　and　only　when　the　Captain　had　

not　a　farthing　left　of　the　three　roubles　or　five　roubles　given　

him　by　his　grateful　customer　did　he　say：　　〃You　came！　Do　you　

see？　　Now　that　we　have　drunk　everything　with　you；　you　fool；　

try　again　to　regain　the　path　of　virtue　and　soberness。　　It　has　

been　truly　said　that　if　you　do　not　sin；　you　will　not　repent；　

and；　if　you　do　not　repent；　you　shall　not　be　saved。　　We　have　done

the　first；　and　to　repent　is　useless。　Let　us　make　direct　for　

salvation。　　Go　to　the　river　and　work；　and　if　you　think　you　

cannot　control　yourself；　tell　the　contractor；　your　employer；　

to　keep　your　money；　or　else　give　it　to　me。　　When　you　get　

sufficient　capital；　I　will　get　you　a　pair　of　trousers　and　

other　things　necessary　to　make　you　seem　a　respectable　and　

hard…working　man；　persecuted　by　fate。　　With　decent…looking　

trousers　you　can　go　far。　　Now　then；　be　off！〃



Then　the　client　would　go　to　the　river　to　work　as　a　porter；　

smiling　the　while　over　the　Captain's　long　and　wise　speeches。　

He　did　not　distinctly　understand　them；　but　only　saw　in　front　

of　him　two　merry　eyes；　felt　their　encouraging　influence；　and　

knew　that　in　the　loquacious　Captain　he　had　an　arm　that　would　

assist　him　in　time　of　need。



And　really　it　happened　very　often　that；　for　a　month　or　so；　

some　ticket…of…leave　client；　under　the　strict　surveillance　of　

the　Captain；　had　the　opportunity　of　raising　himself　to　a　

condition　better　than　that　to　which；　thanks　to　the　Captain's　

cooperation；　he　had　fallen。





20　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





〃Now；　then；　my　friend！〃　said　the　Captain；　glancing　critically　

at　the　restored　client；　〃we　have　a　coat　and　jacket。　　When　I　had　

respectable　trousers　I　lived　in　town　like　a　re