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第35章

creatures that once were men-第35章

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wrathfully against it。



The two men were silent。



〃Come; good…bye!〃 Chelkash said; coldly and sarcastically。



He reeled; his legs shook; and he held his head queerly; as 

though he were afraid of losing it。



〃Forgive me; brother!〃 Gavrilo besought him once more。



〃All right!〃 Chelkash answered; coldly; setting off on his way。



He walked away; staggering; and still holding his head in his 

left hand; while he slowly tugged at his brown mustache with 

the right。



〃Gavrilo looked after him a long while; till the had 

disappeared in the rain; which still poured down in fine;

countless streams; and wrapped everything in an impenetrable 

steel…gray mist。



Then Gavrilo took off his soaked cap; made the sign of the 

cross; looked at the notes crushed up in his hand; heaved a 

deep sigh of relief; thrust them into his bosom; and with long; 

firm strides went along the shore; in the opposite direction 

from that Chelkash had taken。



The sea howled; flinging heavy; breaking billows on the sand 

of the shore; and dashing them into spray; the rain lashed the 

water and the earth; the wind blustered。  All the air was full 

of roaring; howling; moaning。  Neither distance nor sky could 

be seen through the rain。



Soon the rain and the spray had washed away the red patch on 

the spot where Chelkash had lain; washed away the traces of 

Chelkash and the peasant lad on the sandy beach。  And no trace 

was left on the seashore of the little drama that had been 

played out between two men。











MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER



(THE STORY OF A JOURNEY)





I met him in the harbor of Odessa。  For three successive days 

his square; strongly…built figure attracted my attention。  His 

faceof a Caucasian typewas framed in a handsome beard。  He 

haunted me。  I saw him standing for hours together on the stone 

quay; with the handle of his walking stick in his mouth; 

staring down vacantly; with his black almond…shaped eyes into 

the muddy waters of the harbor。  Ten times a day; he would pass 

me by with the gait of a careless lounger。  Whom could he be? 

I began to watch him。  As if anxious to excite my curiosity; 

he seemed to cross my path more and more often。  In the end; 

his fashionably…cut light check suit; his black hat; like that 

of an artist; his indolent lounge; and even his listless; bored 

glance grew quite familiar to me。  His presence was utterly 

unaccountable; here in the harbor; where the whistling of the

steamers and engines; the clanking of chains; the shouting of 

workmen; all the hurried maddening bustle of a port; dominated 

one's sensations; and deadened one's nerves and brain。  

Everyone else about the port was enmeshed in its immense 

complex machinery; which demanded incessant vigilance and 

endless toil。 





179  MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER





Everyone here was busy; loading and unloading either steamers 

or railway trucks。  Everyone was tired and careworn。 Everyone 

was hurrying to and fro; shouting or cursing; covered with 

dirt and sweat。  In the midst of the toil and bustle this 

singular person; with his air of deadly boredom; strolled 

about deliberately; heedless of everything。



At last; on the fourth day; I came across him during the 

dinner hour; and I made up my mind to find out at any cost 

who he might be。  I seated myself with my bread and water…melon 

not far from him; and began to eat; scrutinizing him and 

devising some suitable pretext for beginning a conversation 

with him。



There he stood; leaning against a pile of tea boxes; glancing 

aimlessly around; and drumming with his fingers on his walking 

stick; as if it were a flute。  It was difficult for me; a man 

dressed like a tramp; with a porter's knot over my shoulders; 

and grimy with coal dust; to open up a conversation with such 

a dandy。  But to my astonishment I noticed that he never took

his eyes off me; and that an unpleasant; greedy; animal light 

shone in those eyes。  I came to the conclusion that the object 

of my curiosity must be hungry; and after glancing rapidly 

round; I asked him in a low voice: 〃Are you hungry?〃



He started; and with a famished grin showed rows of strong 

sound teeth。  And he; too; looked suspiciously round。  We were 

quite unobserved。  Then I handed him half my melon and a chunk 

of wheaten bread。  He snatched it all from my hand; and 

disappeared; squatting behind a pile of goods。  His head peeped 

out from time to time; his hat was pushed back from his 

forehead; showing his dark moist brow。 





180 MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER





His face wore a broad smile; and for some unknown reason he kept

winking at me; never for a moment ceasing to chew。



Making him a sign to wait a moment; I went away to buy meat; 

brought it; gave it to him; and stood by the boxes; thus 

completely shielding my poor dandy from outsiders' eyes。  He 

was still eating ravenously; and constantly looking round as 

if afraid someone might snatch his food away; but after I 

returned; he began to eat more calmly; though still so fast 

and so greedily that it caused me pain to watch this famished 

man。  And I turned my back on him。



〃Thanks!  Many thanks indeed!〃  He patted my shoulder; 

snatched my hand; pressed it; and shook it heartily。



Five minutes later he was telling me who he was。  He was a 

Georgian prince; by name Shakro Ptadze; and was the only son 

of a rich landowner of Kutais in the Caucasus。  He had held 

a position as clerk at one of the railway stations in his own 

country; and during that time had lived with a friend。  But 

one fine day the friend disappeared; carrying off all the

prince's money and valuables。  Shakro determined to track and 

follow him; and having heard by chance that his late friend 

had taken a ticket to Batoum; he set off there。  But in Batoum 

he found that his friend had gone on to Odessa。  Then Prince 

Shakro borrowed a passport of another frienda hair…dresser

of the same age as himself; though the features and 

distinguishing marks noted therein did not in the least 

resemble his own。  





181  MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER





Arrived at Odessa; he informed the police of his loss; 

and they promised to investigate the matter。  He had been 

waiting for a fortnight; had consumed all his money; and for 

the last four days had not eaten a morsel。



I listened to his story; plentifully embellished as it was 

with oaths。  He gave me the impression of being sincere。 I 

looked at him; I believed him; and felt sorry for the lad。 

He was nothing morehe was nineteen; but from his naivety 

one might have taken him for younger。  Again and again; and 

with deep indignation; he returned to the thought of his 

close friendship for a man who had turned out to be a thief; 

and had stolen property of such value that Shakro's stern old 

father would certainly stab his son with a dagger if the 

property were not recovered。



I thought that if I didn't help this young fellow; the greedy 

town would suck him down。  I knew through what trifling 

circumstances the army of tramps is recruited; and there

seemed every possibility of Prince Shakro drifting into this 

respectable; but not respected class。  I felt a wish to help 

him。  My earnings were not sufficient to buy him a ticket to 

Batoum; so I visited some of the railway offices; and begged 

a free ticket for him。  I produced weighty arguments in favor 

of assisting the young fellow; with the result of getting 

refusals just as weighty。  I advised Shakro to apply to the

Head of the Police of the town; this made him uneasy; and he 

declined to go there。  Why not?  He explained that he had not 

paid for his rooms at an hotel where he had been staying; and 

that when requested to do so; he had struck some one。 





182 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN





This made him anxious to conceal his identity; for he supposed; 

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