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第34章

creatures that once were men-第34章

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silence; rolling his eyes frightfully at the young peasant; 

who; ducking his head down at his knees; whispered his prayer 

to him in gasps。  He shoved him away at last; jumped up to his 

feet; and thrusting his hands into his pockets; flung the 

rainbow notes at Gavrilo。





171  CHELKASH





〃There; cur!  Swallow them!〃 he roared; shaking with excitement; 

with intense pity and hatred of this greedy slave。  And as he 

flung him the money; he felt himself a hero。  There was a 

reckless gleam in his eyes; an heroic air about his whole person。



〃I'd meant to give you more; of myself。  I felt sorry for you 

yesterday。  I thought of the village。  I thought:  come; I'll 

help the lad。  I was waiting to see what you'd do; whether 

you'd beg or not。  While you!Ah; you rag! you beggar!  To 

be able to torment oneself sofor money!  You fool。  Greedy 

devils!  They're beside themselvessell themselves for five 

kopecks! eh?〃



〃Dear friend!  Christ have mercy on you!  Why; what have I 

now! thousands! ! I'm a rich man!〃 Gavrilo shrilled in ecstasy; 

all trembling; as he stowed away the notes in his bosom。 〃Ah; 

you good man!  Never will I forget you!  Never!  And my wife 

and my childrenI'll bid them pray for you!〃



Chelkash listened to his shrieks and wails of ecstasy; looked 

at his radiant face that was contorted by greedy joy; and 

felt that he; thief and rake as he was; cast out from 

everything in life; would never be so covetous; so base; would

never so forget himself。  Never would he be like that! And 

this thought and feeling; filling him with a sense of his own 

independence and reckless daring; kept him beside Gavrilo on 

the desolate sea shore。





172 CHELKASH





〃You've made me happy!〃 shrieked Gavrilo; and snatching 

Chelkash's hand; he pressed it to his face。



Chelkash did not speak; he grinned like a wolf。  Gavrilo still 

went on pouring out his heart:



〃Do you know what I was thinking about?  As we rowed here

I sawthe moneythinks II'll give it himyouwith the 

oarone blow! the money's mine; and into the sea with him

you; that iseh!  Who'll miss him? said I。  And if they do 

find him; they won't be inquisitive howand who it was killed 

him。  He's not a man; thinks I; that there'd be much fuss about!

He's of no use in the world!  Who'd stand up for him? No; 

indeedeh?〃



〃Give the money here!〃 growled Chelkash; clutching Gavrilo by 

the throat。



Gavrilo struggled away once; twice。  Chelkash's other arm 

twisted like a snake about himthere was the sound of a shirt 

tearingand Gavrilo lay on the sand; with his eyes staring 

wildly; his fingers clutching at the air and his legs waving。 

Chelkash; erect; frigid; rapaciouslooking; grinned 

maliciously; laughed a broken; biting laugh; and his mustaches 

twitched nervously in his sharp; angular face。



Never in all his life had he been so cruelly wounded; and never 

had he felt so vindictive。



〃Well; are you happy now?〃 he asked Gavrilo through his 

laughter; and turning his back on him he walked away in the 

direction of the town。  But he had hardly taken two steps when 

Gavrilo; crouched like a cat on one knee; and with a wide sweep 

of his arm; flung a round stone at him; viciously; shouting:





173  CHELKASH





〃Oone!〃



Chelkash uttered a cry; clapped his hands to the nape of his 

neck; staggered forward; turned round to Gavrilo; and fell on 

his face on the sand。  Gavrilo's heart failed him as he watched 

him。  He saw him stir one leg; try to lift his head; and then 

stretch out; quivering like a bowstring。  Then Gavrilo rushed 

fleeing away into the distance; where a shaggy black cloud hung 

over the foggy steppe; and it was dark。  The waves whispered;

racing up the sand; melting into it and racing back。  The foam 

hissed and the spray floated in the air。



It began to rain; at first slightly; but soon a steady; heavy

downpour was falling in streams from the sky; weaving a regular 

network of fine threads of water that at once hid the steppe 

and the sea。  Gavrilo vanished behind it。  For a long while 

nothing was to be seen but the rain and the long figure of the 

man stretched on the sand by the sea。  But suddenly Gavrilo ran 

back out of the rain。  Like a bird he flew up to Chelkash;

dropped down beside him; and began to turn him over on the 

ground。  His hand dipped into a warm; red stickiness。  He 

shuddered and staggered back with a face pale and distraught。



〃Brother; get up!〃 he whispered through the patter of the lain 

into Chelkash's ear。



Revived by the water on his face; Chelkash came to himself; 

and pushed Gavrilo away; saying hoarsely:



〃Getaway!〃



〃Brother!  Forgive meit was the devil tempted me;〃 Gavrilo 

whispered; faltering; as he kissed Chelkash's band。





174 CHELKASH





〃Go along。  Get away!〃 he croaked。



〃Take the sin from off my soul!  Brother!  Forgive me!〃



〃Forgo away; do!  Go to the devil!〃  Chelkash screamed 

suddenly; and he sat up on the sand。  His face was pale and 

angry; his eyes were glazed; and kept closing; as though he 

were very sleepy。  〃What moredo you want?  You've doneyour

joband go away!  Be off!〃 And he tried to kick Gavrilo away; 

as he knelt; overwhelmed; beside him; but he could not; and

would have rolled over again if Gavrilo had not held him up; 

putting his arms round his shoulders。  Chelkash's face was 

now on a level with Gavrilo's。  Both were pale; piteous; and 

terrible…looking。



〃Tfoo!〃 Chelkash spat into the wide; open eyes of his companion。



Meekly Gavrilo wiped his face with his sleeve; and murmured:



〃Do as you will。  I won't say a word。  For Christ's sake; 

forgive me!〃



〃Snivelling idiot!  Even stealing's more than you can do!〃 

Chelkash cried scornfully; tearing a piece of his shirt under 

his jacket; and without a word; clenching his teeth now and 

then; he began binding up his head。 〃Did you take the notes?〃 

he filtered through his teeth。



〃I didn't touch them; brother!  I didn't want them! there's 

ill…luck from them!〃



Chelkash thrust his hand into his jacket pocket; drew out a 

bundle of notes; put one rainbow…colored note back in his 

pocket; and handed all the rest to Gavrilo。





175  CHELKASH





〃Take them and go!〃



〃I won't take them; brother。  I can't!  Forgive me!〃



〃T…take them; I say!〃 bellowed Chelkash; glaring horribly。



〃Forgive me!  Then I'll take them;〃 said Gavrilo; timidly; 

and he fell at Chelkash's feet on the damp sand; that was 

being liberally drenched by the rain。



〃You lie; you'll take them; sniveller!〃 Chelkash said with 

conviction; and with an effort; pulling Gavrilo's head up by 

the hair; he thrust the notes in his face。



〃Take them! take them!  You didn't do your job for nothing; 

I suppose。  Take it; don't be frightened!  Don't be ashamed 

of having nearly killed a man!  For people like me; no one 

will make much inquiry。  They'll say thank you; indeed; when 

they know of it。  There; take it!  No one will ever know what 

you've done; and it deserves a reward。  Come; now!〃



Gavrilo saw that Chelkash was laughing; and he felt relieved。 

He crushed the notes up tight in his hand。



〃Brother!  You forgive me?  Won't you?  Eh?〃 he asked tearfully。



〃Brother of mine!〃 Chelkash mimicked him as he got; reeling; 

on to his legs。  〃What for?  There's nothing to forgive。  

To…day you do for me; to…morrow I'll do for you。〃



〃Oh; brother; brother!〃 Gavrilo sighed mournfully; shaking 

his head。



Chelkash stood facing him; he smiled strangely; and the rag 

on his head; growing gradually redder; began to look like a 

Turkish fez。





176 CHELKASH





The rain streamed in bucketsful。  The sea moaned with a hollow 

sound; and the waves beat on the shore; lashing furiously and 

wrathfully against it。



The two men were silent。

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