creatures that once were men-第38章

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of　Shakro；　until　he　could　not　conceal　his　contempt　for　me。　

Our　position　was　anything　but　pleasant。　　I　was　seldom　lucky　

enough　to　earn　more　than　a　rouble　or　a　rouble　and　a…half　a　

week；　and　I　need　not　say　that　was　not　nearly　sufficient　to　

feed　us　both。　





192　MY　FELLOW…TRAVELLER





The　few　bits　of　money　that　Shakro　gained　by　begging　made　but　

little　difference　in　the　state　of　our　affairs；　for　his　belly　

was　a　bottomless　pit；　which　swallowed　everything　that　fell　

in　its　way；　grapes；　melons；　salt　fish；　bread；　or　dried　fruit；　

and　as　time　went　on　he　seemed　to　need　ever　more　and　more　food。



Shakro　began　to　urge　me　to　hasten　our　departure　from　the　

Crimea；　not　unreasonably　pointing　out　that　autumn　would　soon　

be　here　and　we　had　a　long　way　still　to　go。　　I　agreed　with　this　

view；　and；　besides；　I　had　by　then　seen　all　that　part　of　the　

Crimea。　　So　we　pushed　on　again　toward　Feodosia；　hoping　to　earn　

something　there。　　Once　more　our　diet　was　reduced　to　fruit；　and

to　hopes　for　the　future。



Poor　future！　　Such　a　load　of　hopes　is　cast　on　it　by　men；　that　

it　loses　almost　all　its　charms　by　the　time　it　becomes　the　

present！



When　within　some　twenty　versts　of　Aloushta　we　stopped；　as　

usual；　for　our　night's　rest。　　I　had　persuaded　Shakro　to　keep　

to　the　sea　coast；　it　was　a　longer　way　round；　but　I　longed　to　

breathe　the　fresh　sea　breezes。　　We　made　a　fire；　and　lay　down　

beside　it。　　The　night　was　a　glorious　one。　　The　dark　green　sea　

splashed　against　the　rocks　below；　above　us　spread　the　majestic　

calm　of　the　blue　heavens；　and　around　us　sweet…scented　trees　

and　bushes　rustled　softly。　　The　moon　was　rising；　and　the

delicate　tracery　of　the　shadows；　thrown　by　the　tall；　green　

plane　trees；　crept　over　the　stones。　　Somewhere　near　a　bird　

sang；　its　note　was　clear　and　bold。　　Its　silvery　trill　seemed　

to　melt　into　the　air　that　was　full　of　the　soft；　caressing　

splash　of　the　waves。　　The　silence　that　followed　was　broken　by　

the　nervous　chirp　of　a　cricket





193　　MY　FELLOW…TRAVELLER





The　fire　burned　bright；　and　its　flames　looked　like　a　large

bunch　of　red　and　yellow　flowers。　　Flickering　shadows　danced　

gaily　around　us；　as　if　exulting　in　their　power　of　movement；　

in　contrast　with　the　creeping　advance　of　the　moon　shadows。　

From　time　to　time　strange　sounds　floated　through　the　air。　

The　broad　expanse　of　sea　horizon　seemed　lost　in　immensity。　In　

the　sky　overhead　not　a　cloud　was　visible。　　I　felt　as　if　I　were　

lying　on　the　earth's　extreme　edge；　gazing　into　infinite　space；

that　riddle　that　haunts　the　soul。　　The　majestic　beauty　of　the　

night　intoxicated　me；　while　my　whole　being　seemed　absorbed　in　

the　harmony　of　its　colors；　its　sounds；　and　its　scents。



A　feeling　of　awe　filled　my　soul；　a　feeling　as　if　something　

great　were　very　near　to　me。　　My　heart　throbbed　with　the　joy　

of　life。



Suddenly；　Shakro　burst　into　loud　laughter；　〃Ha！　ha！　ha！　　How　

stupid　your　face　does　look！　　You've　a　regular　sheep's　head！　

Ha！　ha！　ha！〃



I　started　as　though　it　were　a　sudden　clap　of　thunder。　　But　it　

was　worse。　　It　was　laughable；　yes；　but　oh；　how　mortifying　it　

was！



He；　Shakro；　laughed　till　the　tears　came。　　I　was　ready　to　cry；　

too；　but　from　quite　a　different　reason。　　A　lump　rose　in　my　

throat；　and　I　could　not　speak。　　I　gazed　at　him　with　wild　eyes；　

and　this　only　increased　his　mirth。　　He　rolled　on　the　ground；　

holding　his　sides。　　As　for　me；　I　could　not　get　over　the　insult

for　a　bitter　insult　it　was。　　Thosefew；　I　hopewho　will　

understand　it；　from　having　had　a　similar　experience　in　their　

lives；　will　recall　all　the　bitterness　it　left　in　their　souls。





194　　MY　FELLOW…TRAVELLER





〃Leave　off！〃　I　shouted；　furiously。



He　was　startled　and　frightened；　but　he　could　not　at　once　

restrain　his　laughter。　　His　eyes　rolled；　and　his　cheeks　swelled　

as　if　about　to　burst。　　All　at　once　he　went　off　into　a　guffaw　

again。　　Then　I　rose　and　left　him。



For　some　time　I　wandered　about；　heedless　and　almost　unconscious　

of　all　that　surrounded　me；　my　whole　soul　consumed　with　the　

bitter　pang　of　loneliness　and　of　humiliation。　　Mentally；　I　had　

been　embracing　all　nature。　　Silently；　with　the　passionate　love　

any　man　must　feel　if　he　has　a　little　of　the　poet　in　him；　I　was　

loving　and　adoring　her。　　And　now　it　was　nature　that；　under　the

form　of　Shakro；　was　mocking　me　for　my　passion。　　I　might　have　

gone　still　further　in　my　accusations　against　nature；　against　

Shakro；　and　against　the　whole　of　life；　had　I　not　been　stopped　

by　approaching　footsteps。



〃Do　not　be　angry；〃　said　Shakro　in　a　contrite　voice；　touching　my　

shoulder　lightly。　　〃Were　you　praying？'　　I　didn't　know　it；　for　

I　never　pray　myself。〃



He　spoke　timidly；　like　a　naughty　child。　　In　spite　of　my　

excitement；　I　could　not　help　noticing　his　pitiful　face　

ludicrously　distorted　by　embarrassment　and　alarm。



〃I　will　never　interfere　with　you　again。　　Truly！　　Never！〃　He　

shook　his　head　emphatically。　　〃I　know　you　are　a　quiet　fellow。　

You　work　hard；　and　do　not　force　me　to　do　the　same。　　I　used　to　

wonder　why；　but；　of　course；　it's　because　you　are　foolish　as　

a　sheep！〃



That　was　his　way　of　consoling　me！　　That　was　his　idea　of　asking　

for　forgiveness！　　After　such　consolation；　and　such　excuses；　

what　was　there　left　for　me　to　do　but　forgive；　not　only　for　the　

past；　but　for　the　future！





195　　MY　FELLOW…TRAVELLER





Half　an　hour　later　he　was　sound　asleep；　while　I　sat　beside　him；　

watching　him。　　During　sleep；　every　one；　be　he　ever　so　strong；　

looks　helpless　and　weak；　but　Shakro　looked　a　pitiful　creature。　

His　thick；　half…parted　lips；　and　his　arched　eyebrows；　gave　to　

his　face　a　childish　look　of　timidity　and　of　wonder。　　His　

breathing　was　quiet　and　regular；　though　at　times　he　moved　

restlessly；　and　muttered　rapidly　in　the　Georgian　language；　the　

words　seemed　those　of　entreaty。　　All　around　us　reigned　that

intense　calm　which　always　makes　one　somehow　expectant；　and　

which；　were　it　to　last　long；　might　drive　one　mad　by　its　

absolute　stillness　and　the　absence　of　soundthe　vivid　shadow　

of　motion；　for　sound　and　motion　seem　ever　allied。



The　soft　splash　of　the　waves　did　not　reach　us。　　We　were　resting　

in　a　hollow　gorge　that　was　overgrown　with　bushes；　and　looked　

like　the　shaggy　mouth　of　some　petrified　monster。　　I　still　

watched　Shakro；　and　thought：　　〃This　is　my　fellow　traveler。　

I　might　leave　him　here；　but　I　could　never　get　away　from　him；　

or　the　like　of　him；　their　name　is　legion。　　This　is　my　life　

companion。　　He　will　leave　me　only　at　death's　door。〃











CHAPTER　V。











At　Feodosia　we　were　sorely　disappointed。　　All　work　there　was　

already　apportioned　among　Turks；　Greeks；　Georgians；　tramps；　

and　Russian　peasants　from　Poltava　and　Smolensk；　who　had　all　

arrived　before　us。　　Already；　more　than　four　hundred　men　had；　

like　ourselves；　come　in　the　hopes　of　finding　employment；　and

were　also；　like　ourselves；　destined　to　remain　silent　spectators　

of　the　busy　work　going　on　in　the　port。　





196　MY　FELLOW…TRAVELLER





In　the　town；　and　outside　also；　we　met　groups　of　famished　

peasants；　gray　and　careworn；　wandering　miserably　about。　　Of　

tramps　there　were　also　plenty；　roving　around　like　hungry　wolves。



At　first　these　tramps　took　us　for　famished　peasants；　and　tried　

to　make　what　they　could　out　of　us。　　They　tore　from　Shakro's　

back　the　overcoat　which　I　had　bought　him；　and　they　snatched　my　

knapsack　from　my　shoulders。　　After　several　discussions；　they　

recognized　our　intellectual　and　social　kinship　with　them；　and　

they　returned　all　our　belongings。　Tramps　are　men　of　honor；　

though　they　may　be　great　rogues。



Seeing　that　there　was　no　work　for　us；　and　that　the　construction　

of　the　harbor　was　going　on　very　well　without　our　help；　we　moved　

on　resentfully　toward　Kertch。



My　friend　kept　his　word；　and　never　again　molested　me；　but　he　

was　terribly　famished；　his　countenance　was　as　black　as　thunder。　

He　grou