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第30章

creatures that once were men-第30章

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felt that he longed to see his master come back quickly。  And 

how was it that he lingered there so long?  The time passed 

slowly; more slowly than those clouds crawled over the sky。  

And the stillness grew more malignant as time went on。  From 

the wall of the quay came the sound of splashing; rustling; 

and something like whispering。  It seemed to Gavrilo that he 

would die that moment。



〃Hi!  Asleep?  Hold it!  Carefully!〃 sounded the hollow voice 

of Chelkash。



From the wall something cubical and heavy was let down。  

Gavrilo took it into the boat。  Something else like it 

followed。  Then across the wall stretched Chelkash's long 

figure; the oars appeared from somewhere; Gavrilo's bag 

dropped at his feet; and Chelkash; breathing heavily; settled 

himself in the stern。



Gavrilo gazed at him with a glad and timid smile。



〃Tired?〃



〃Bound to be that; calf!  Come now; row your best!  Put your 

back into it!  You've earned good wages; mate。  Half the job's 

done。   Now we've only to slip under the devils' noses; and 

then you can take your money and go off to your Mashka。  

You've got a Mashka; I suppose; eh; kiddy?〃



〃Nno!〃 Gavrilo strained himself to the utmost; working his 

chest like a pair of bellows; and his arms like steel springs。 

The water gurgled under the boat; and the blue streak behind 

the stern was broader now。  Gavrilo was soaked through with 

sweat at once; but he still rowed on with all his might。  





152 CHELKASH





After living through such terror twice that night; he dreaded 

now having to go through it a third time; and longed for one 

thing onlyto make an end quickly of this accursed task; to 

get on to land; and to run away from this man; before he 

really did kill him; or get him into prison。  He resolved not 

to speak to him about anything; not to contradict him; to do 

all he told him; and; if he should succeed in getting 

successfully quit of him; to pay for a thanksgiving service 

to be said to…morrow to Nikolai the Wonder…worker。  A passionate 

prayer was ready to burst out from his bosom。  But he restrained 

himself; puffed like a steamer; and was silent; glancing from 

under his brows at Chelkash。



The latter; with his lean; long figure bent forward like a bird 

about to take flight; stared into the darkness ahead of the 

boat with his hawk eyes; and turning his rapacious; hooked nose 

from side to side; gripped with one hand the rudder handle; 

while with the other he twirled his mustache; that was 

continually quivering with smiles。  Chelkash was pleased with 

his success; with himself; and with this youth; who had been so

frightened of him and had been turned into his slave。  He had a 

vision of unstinted dissipation to…morrow; while now he enjoyed 

the sense of his strength; which had enslaved this young; fresh 

lad。  He watched how he was toiling; and felt sorry for him; 

wanted to encourage him。



'Eh!〃 he said softly; with a grin。  〃Were you awfully scared? 

eh?〃



〃Oh; no!〃 sighed Gavrilo; and he cleared his throat。





153  CHELKASH





〃But now you needn't work so at the oars。  Ease off!  There's 

only one place now to pass。  Rest a bit。〃



Gavrilo obediently paused; rubbed the sweat off his face with 

the sleeve of his shirt; and dropped the oars again into the 

water。



〃Now; row more slowly; so that the water shouldn't bubble。 

We've only the gates to pass。  Softly; softly。  For they're 

serious people here; mate。  They might take a pop at one in a 

minute。  They'd give you such a bump on your forehead; you 

wouldn't have time to call out。〃



The boat now crept along over the water almost without a sound。  

Only from the oars dripped blue drops of water; and when they 

trickled into the sea; a blue patch of light was kindled for a 

minute where they fell。  The night had become still warmer and 

more silent。  The sky was no longer like a sea in turmoil; the 

clouds were spread out and covered it with a smooth; heavy 

canopy that hung low over the water and did not stir。  And the 

sea was still more calm and black; and stronger than ever was 

the warm salt smell from it。



〃Ah; if only it would rain!〃 whispered Chelkash。  〃We could get 

through then; behind a curtain as it were。〃



On the right and the left of the boat; like houses rising out 

of the black water; stood barges; black; motionless; and 

gloomy。  On one of them moved a light; some one was walking up 

and down with a lantern。  The sea stroked their sides with a 

hollow sound of supplication; and they responded with an echo; 

cold and resonant; as though unwilling to yield anything。





154 CHELKASH





〃The coastguards!〃 Chelkash whispered hardly above a breath。



From the moment when he had bidden him row more slowly; Gavrilo 

had again been overcome by that intense agony of expectation。 

He craned forward into the darkness; and he felt as though he 

were growing bigger; his bones and sinews were strained with 

a dull ache; his head; filled with a single idea; ached; the 

skin on his back twitched; and his legs seemed pricked with

sharp; chill little pins and needles。  His eyes ached from the 

strain of gazing into the darkness; whence he expected every 

instant something would spring up and shout to them:  〃Stop; 

thieves!〃



Now when Chelkash whispered:  〃The coastguards!〃  Gavrilo 

shuddered; and one intense; burning idea passed through him; 

and thrilled his overstrained nerves; he longed to cry out; to 

call men to his aid。  He opened his mouth; and half rose from 

his seat; squared his chest; drew in a full draught of breath

and opened his mouthbut suddenly; struck down by a terror 

that smote him like a whip; he shut his eyes and rolled forward 

off his seat。



Far away on the horizon; ahead of the boat; there rose up out 

of the black water of the sea a huge fiery blue sword; it rose 

up; cleaving the darkness of night; its blade glided through 

the clouds in the sky; and lay; a broad blue streak on the 

bosom of the sea。  It lay there; and in the streak of its light 

there sprang up out of the darkness ships unseen till then; 

black and mute; shrouded in the thick night mist。  





155  CHELKASH





It seemed as though they had lain long at the bottom of the 

sea; dragged down by the mighty hands of the tempest; and now 

behold they had been drawn up by the power and at the will of 

this blue fiery sword; born of the seahad been drawn up to 

gaze upon the sky and all that was above the water。  Their 

rigging wrapped about the masts and looked like clinging 

seaweeds; that had risen from the depths with these black 

giants caught in their snares。  And it rose upward again from 

the sea; this strange blue sword;rose; cleft the night again; 

and again fell down in another direction。  And again; where it 

lay; there rose up out of the dark the outlines of vessels; 

unseen before。



Chelkash's boat stopped and rocked on the water; as though in 

uncertainty。  Gavrilo lay at the bottom; his face hidden in 

his hands; until Chelkash poked him with an oar and whispered 

furiously; but softly:



〃Fool; it's the customs cruiser。  That's the electric light! 

Get up; blockhead!  Why; they'll turn the light on us in a 

minute!  You'll be the ruin of yourself and me!  Come!〃



And at last; when a blow from the sharp end of the oar struck 

Gavrilo's head more violently; he jumped up; still afraid to 

open his eyes; sat down on the seat; and; fumbling for the 

oars; rowed the boat on。



〃Quietly!  I'll kill you!  Didn't I tell you?  There; quietly!  

Ah; you fool; damn you!  What are you frightened of?  Eh; pig 

face?  A lantern and a reflector; that's all it is。  Softly 

with the oars! Mawkish devil!  They turn the reflector this 

way and that way; and light up the sea; so as to see if there 

are folks like you and me afloat。 





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