creatures that once were men-第31章

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

are　folks　like　you　and　me　afloat。　





156　CHELKASH





　To　catch　smugglers；　they　do　it。They　won't　get　us；　they've　

sailed　too　far　off。　　Don't　be　frightened；　lad；　they　won't　catch　

us。　　Now　we〃　Chelkash　looked　triumphantly　round。　　〃It's　over；　

we've　rowed　out　of　reach！　　Fooo！　　Come；　you're　in　luck。〃



Gavrilo　sat　mute；　he　rowed；　and　breathing　hard；　looked　askance　

where　that　fiery　sword　still　rose　and　sank。　　He　was　utterly　

unable　to　believe　Chelkash　that　it　was　only　a　lantern　and　a　

reflector。　　The　cold；　blue　brilliance；　that　cut　through　the　

darkness　and　made　the　sea　gleam　with　silver　light；　had　

something　about　it　inexplicable；　portentous；　and　Gavrilo　now　

sank　into　a　sort　of　hypnotized；　miserable　terror。　　Some　vague　

presentiment　weighed　aching　on　his　breast。　　He　rowed　

automatically；　with　pale　face；　huddled　up　as　though　expecting　

a　blow　from　above；　and　there　was　no　thought；　no　desire　in　him　

now；　he　was　empty　and　soulless。　　The　emotions　of　that　night　

had　swallowed　up　at　last　all　that　was　human　in　him。



But　Chelkash　was　triumphant　again；　complete　success！　　all　

anxiety　at　an　end！　　His　nerves；　accustomed　to　strain；　relaxed；　

returned　to　the　normal。　　His　mustaches　twitched　voluptuously；　

and　there　was　an　eager　light　in　his　eyes。　　He　felt　splendid；　

whistled　through　his　teeth；　drew　in　deep　breaths　of　the　damp　

sea　air；　looked　about　him　in　the　darkness；　and　laughed　good…

naturedly　when　his　eyes　rested　on　Gavrilo。



The　wind　blew　up　and　waked　the　sea　into　a　sudden　play　of　fine　

ripples。　　The　clouds　had　become；　as　it　were；　finer　and　more　

transparent；　but　the　sky　was　still　covered　with　them。　　





157　　CHELKASH





The　wind；　though　still　light；　blew　freely　over　the　sea；　yet　

the　clouds　were　motionless　and　seemed　plunged　in　some　gray；　

dreary　dream。



〃Come；　mate；　pull　yourself　together！　it's　high　time！　　Why；　

what　a　fellow　you　are；　as　though　all　the　breath　had　been　

knocked　out　of　your　skin；　and　only　a　bag　of　bones　was　left！　

My　dear　fellow！　　It's　all　over　now！　　Hey！〃



It　was　pleasant　to　Gavrilo　to　hear　a　human　voice；　even　though　

Chelkash　it　was　that　spoke。



〃I　hear；〃　he　said　softly。



〃Come；　then；　milksop。　　Come；　you　sit　at　the　rudder　and　I'll　

take　the　oars；　you　must　be　tired！〃



Mechanically　Gavrilo　changed　places。　　When　Chelkash；　as　he　

changed　places　with　him；　glanced　into　his　face；　and　noticed　

that　he　was　staggering　on　his　shaking　legs；　he　felt　still　

sorrier　for　the　lad。　　He　clapped　him　on　the　shoulder。



〃Come；　come；　don't　be　scared！　　You've　earned　a　good　sum　for　

it。　　I'll　pay　you　richly；　mate。　　Would　you　like　twenty…five　

roubles；　eh？〃



〃Idon't　want　anything。　　Only　to　be　on　shore。〃



Chelkash　waved　his　hand；　spat；　and　fell　to　rowing；　flinging　

the　oars　far　back　with　his　long　arms。



The　sea　had　waked　up。　　It　frolicked　in　little　waves；　bringing　

them　forth；　decking　them　with　a　fringe　of　foam；　flinging　them　

on　one　another；　and　breaking　them　up　into　tiny　eddies。　　The　

foam；　melting；　hissed　and　sighed；　and　everything　was　filled　

with　the　musical　plash　and　cadence。　　The　darkness　seemed　more　

alive。





158　CHELKASH





〃Come；　tell　me；〃　began　Chelkash；　〃you'll　go　home　to　the　village；　

and　you'll　marry　and　begin　digging　the　earth　and　sowing　corn；　

your　wife　will　bear　you　children；　food　won't　be　too　plentiful；　

and　so　you'll　grind　away　all　your　life。　　Well？　　Is　there　such　

sweetness　in　that？〃



〃Sweetness！〃　　Gavrilo　answered；　timid　and　trembling；　〃what；　

indeed？〃



The　wind　tore　a　rent　in　the　clouds　and　through　the　gap　peeped　

blue　bits　of　sky；　with　one　or　two　stars。　　Reflected　in　the　

frolicking　sea；　these　stars　danced　on　the　waves；　vanishing　and　

shining　out　again。



〃More　to　the　right！〃　said　Chelkash。　　〃Soon　we　shall　be　there。　　

Well；　well！　　It's　over。　　A　haul　that's　worth　it！　　See　here。　　

One　night；　and　I've　made　five　hundred　roubles！　　Eh？　　What　do　

you　say　to　that？〃



〃Five　hundred？〃　Gavrilo；　drawled；　incredulously；　but　he　was　

seared　at　once；　and　quickly　asked；　prodding　the　bundle　in　the　

boat　with　his　foot。　　〃Why；　what　sort　of　thing　may　this　be？〃



〃That's　silk。　　A　costly　thing。　　All　that；　if　one　sold　it　for　

its　value；　would　fetch　a　thousand。　　But　I　sell　cheap。　　Is　that　

smart　business？〃



〃I　saay？〃　Gavrilo　drawled　dubiously。　　〃If　only　I'd　all　that！〃　

be　sighed；　recalling　all　at　once　the　village；　his　poor　little　

bit　of　land；　his　poverty；　his　mother；　and　all　that　was　so　far　

away　and　so　near　his　heart；　for　the　sake　of　which　he　bad　gone　

to　seek　work；　for　the　sake　of　which　he　had　suffered　such　

agonies　that　night。　　A　flood　of　memories　came　back　to　him　of　

his　village；　running　down　the　steep　slope　to　the　river　and　

losing　itself　in　a　whole　forest　of　birch　trees；　willows；　and　

mountain…ashes。　　These　memories　breathed　something　warm　into

him　and　cheered　him　up。　　〃Ah；　it　would　be　grand！〃　he　sighed　

mournfully。





159　　CHELKASH





〃To　be　sure！　　I　expect　you'd　bolt　home　by　the　railway！　　And　

wouldn't　the　girls　make　love　to　you　at　home；　aye；　aye！　　You　

could　choose　which　you　liked！　　You'd　build　yourself　a　house。　

No；　the　money；　maybe；　would　hardly　be　enough　for　a　house。〃



〃That's　trueit　wouldn't　do　for　a　house。　　Wood's　dear　down　

our　way。〃



〃Well；　never　mind。　　You'd　mend　up　the　old　one。　　How　about　a　

horse？　　Have　you　got　one？〃



〃A　horse？　Yes；　I　have；　but　a　wretched　old　thing　it　is。〃



〃Well；　then；　you'd　have　a　horse。　　A　first…rate　horse！　A　cow

sheepfowls　of　all　sorts。　　Eh？〃



〃Don't　talk　of　it！　　If　I　only　could！　　Oh；　Lord！　　What　a　life　

I　should　have！〃



〃Aye；　mate；　your　life　would　be　first…rate。　　I　know　something　

about　such　things。　　I　had　a　home　of　my　own　once。　　My　father　

was　one　of　the　richest　in　the　village。〃



Chelkash　rowed　slowly。　　The　boat　danced　on　the　waves　that　

sportively　splashed　over　its　edge；　it　scarcely　moved　forward　

on　the　dark　sea；　which　frolicked　more　and　more　gayly。　　The　

two　men　were　dreaming；　rocked　on　the　water；　and　pensively　

looking　around　them。　　Chelkash　had　turned　Gavrilo's　thoughts　

to　his　village　with　the　aim　of　encouraging　and　reassuring　him。　





160　CHELKASH





At　first　he　had　talked　grinning　sceptically　to　himself　under

his　mustaches；　but　afterward；　as　he　replied　to　his　companion　

and　reminded　him　of　the　joys　of　a　peasant's　life；　which　he　had　

so　long　ago　wearied　of；　had　forgotten；　and　only　now　recalled；　

he　was　gradually　carried　away；　and；　instead　of　questioning　the　

peasant　youth　about　his　village　and　its　doings；　unconsciously　

he　dropped　into　describing　it　himself：



〃The　great　thing　in　the　peasant's　life；　mate；　is　its　freedom！　

You're　your　own　master。　　You've　your　own　homeworth　a　

farthing；　maybebut　it's　yours！　　You've　your　own　landonly　

a　handful　the　whole　of　itbut　it's　yours！　　Hens　of　your　own；　

eggs；　apples　of　your　own！　　You're　king　on　your　own　land！　　And　

then　the　regularity。　　You　get　up　in　the　morning；　you've　work　

to　do；　in　the　spring　one　sort；　in　the　summer　another；　in　the

autumn；　in　the　winterdifferent　again。　　Wherever　you　go；　

you've　home　to　come　back　to！　　It's　snug！　　There's　peace！　　

You're　a　king！　　Aren't　you　really？〃　Chelkash　concluded　

enthusiastically　his　long　reckoning　of　the　peasant's　

advantages　and　privileges；　forgetting；　somehow；　his　duties。



Gavrilo　looked　at　him　with　curiosity；　and　he；　too；　warmed　to　

the　subject。　　During　this　conversation　he　had　succeeded　in　

forgetting　with　whom　he　had　to　deal；　and　he　saw　in　his　

companion　a　peasant　like　himselfcemented　to　the　soil　for　

ever　by　the　sweat　of　generations；　and　bound　to　it　by　the　

recollections　of　childhoodwho　had　wilfully　broken　loose　

from　it　and　from　its　cares；　and　was　bearing　the　inevitable　

punishment　for　this　abandonment。



〃That's　true；　brother！　　Ah；　how　true　it　is！　　Look　at　you；　now；　

what　you've　become　away　from　the　land！　　A