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第46章

creatures that once were men-第46章

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movements of the water; clutches convulsively the steering 

pole to save himself from falling。



〃Well; well;〃 says Sergei; laughing。  〃So you're beginning to 

dance!  Your father will start yelling again。  Or he'll 

perhaps come and give you one or two in the ribs; then you'll 

dance to another tune!  Port side now!  Ouch!〃



And with his muscles strung like steel springs; Sergei gives 

a powerful push to his pole; forcing it deep down into the 

water。  Energetic; tall; mocking and rather malicious; he 

stands bare…footed; rigid; as if a part of the planks; looking 

straight ahead; ready at any moment to change the direction of 

the raft。



〃Just look there at your father kissing Marka!  Aren't they a 

pair of devils?  No shame; and no conscience。  Why don't you 

get away from them; Mitiaaway from these Pagan pigs?  Why?  

Do you hear?〃



〃I hear;〃 answered Mitia in a stifled voice; without looking 

toward the spot which Sergei pointed to through the darkness; 

where the form of Mitia's father could be seen。



〃I hear;〃 mocked Sergei; laughing ironically。



〃You poor half…baked creature!  A pleasant state of things 

indeed!〃  he continued; encouraged by the apathy of Mitia。 

〃And what a devil that old man is!  He finds a wife for his 

son; he takes the son's wife away from him; and all's well!

The old brute!〃





233  ON A RAFT





Mitia is silent; and looks astern up the river; where another 

wall of mist is formed。  Now the clouds close in all round; 

and the raft hardly appears to move; but to be standing still 

in the thick; dark water; crushed down by the heavy gray…black 

vaporous masses; which drift across the heavens; and bar the 

way。



The whole river seems like a fathomless; hidden whirlpool; 

surrounded by immense mountains; rising toward heaven; and 

capped with shrouding mists。



The stillness suffocates; and the water seems spellbound with 

expectation; as it beats softly against the raft。  A great 

sadness; and a timid questioning is heard in that faint sound

the only voice of the nightaccentuating still more the 

silence。  〃We want a little wind now;〃 says Sergei。  〃No it's 

not exactly wind we want that would bring rain;〃 he replies to 

himself; as he begins to fill his pipe。  A match strikes; and 

the bubbling sound of a pipe being lighted is heard。 A red

gleam appears; throwing a glow over the big face of Sergei; 

and then; as the light dies down he is lost in the darkness。



〃Mitia!〃 he cries。  His voice is now less brutal and more 

mocking。



〃What is it?〃 replies Mitia; without moving his gaze from the 

distance; where be seems with his big sad eyes to be searching 

for something。



〃How did it happen; mate?  How did it happen?〃



〃What?〃 answers Mitia; displeased。



〃How did you come to marry?  What a queer set out!  How was 

it?  You brought your wife home!and then?  Ha! ha! ha!〃





234  ON A RAFT





〃What are you cackling about?  Look out there!〃 came 

threateningly across the river。



〃Damned beast!〃 ejaculates with delight Sergei; and returns 

to the theme that interests him。  〃Come; Mitia; tell me; tell 

me at oncewhy not?〃



〃Leave me alone; Sergei;〃 Mitia murmurs entreatingly; 〃I told 

you once。〃



But knowing by experience that Sergei will not leave him in 

peace; he begins hurriedly: 〃Well; I brought her homeand I 

told her: 'I can't be your husband; Marka; you are a strong 

girl; and I am a feeble; sick man。  I didn't wish at all to 

marry you; but my father would force me to marry。'  He was 

always saying to me; 'Get married!  Get married!' I don't 

like women; I said: and you especially; you are too bold。 

Yesand I can't have anything to dowith it。  Do you 

understand? For me; it disgusts me; and it is a sin。  And

childrenone is answerable to God for one's children。〃



〃Disgusts;〃 yells Sergei and laughs。 〃Well! and what did Marka 

reply?  What?〃



〃She said; 'What shall I do now?' and then she began to cry。 

'What have you got against me?  Am I so dreadfully ugly?' She 

is shameless; Sergei; and wicked! 'With all this health and 

strength of mine; must I go to my father…in…law?' And I 

answered: 'If you likego where you wish; but I can't act 

against my soul。  If I had love for you; well and good; but 

being as it is; how is it possible?  Father Ivan says it's 

the deadliest sin。  We are not beasts; are we?'  She went on 

crying: 'You have ruined my chances in life!'  And I pitied her

very much。 'It's nothing;' I said; 'things will come all right。 

Or;' I continued; 'you can go into a convent。'  And she began 

to insult me。 'You are a stupid fool; Mitia! a coward!'〃





235  ON A RAFT





〃Well; I'm blest!〃 exclaims Sergei; in a delighted whisper。 

〃So you told her straight to go into a convent?〃



〃Yes; I told her to go;〃 answers Mitia simply。



〃And she told you you were a fool?〃 queried Sergei; raising 

his voice。



〃Yes; she insulted me。〃



〃And she was right; my friend; yes; indeed; she was right! 

You deserve a proper hammering。〃  And Sergei; changing 

suddenly his tone; continued with severity and authority: 

〃Have you any right to go against the law?  But you did go 

against it!  Things are arranged in a certain way; and it's 

no use going against them!  You mustn't even discuss them。  

But what did you do?  You got some maggot into your head。 A 

convent; indeed!  Silly fool!  What did the girl want?  Did 

she want your convent?  What a set of muddle…headed fools

there seems to be now!  Just think what's happened!  You; 

you're neither fish nor fowl; nor good red…herring。  And the 

girl's done for!  She's living with an old man!  And you drove 

the old man into sin!  How many laws have you broken?  You 

clever head!〃



〃Law; Sergei; is in the soul。  There is one law for everyone。 

Don't do things that are against your soul; and you will do 

no evil on the earth;〃 answered Mitia; in a slow; conciliatory 

tone; and nodding his head。





236  ON A RAFT





〃But you did do evil;〃 answered Sergei; energetically。  〃In 

the soul!  A fine idea!  There are many things in the soul。 

Certain things must be forbidden。  The soul; the soul!  You 

must first understand it; my friend; and then〃



〃No; it's not so; Sergei;〃 replied Mitia with warmth; and he 

seemed to be inspired。  〃The soul; my friend; is always as 

clear as dew。  It's true; its voice lies deep down within us; 

and is difficult to hear; but if we listen; we can never be 

mistaken。  If we act according to what is in our soul; we 

shall always act according to the will of God。  God is in the 

soul; and; therefore; the law must be in it。  The soul was 

created by God; and breathed by God into man。  We have only 

to learn to look into itand we must look into it without 

sparing our own feelings。〃



〃You sleepy devils!  Look ahead there!〃  The voice thundered 

from the forward part of the raft; and swept back down the 

river。  In the strength of the sound one could recognize that 

the owner of the voice was healthy; energetic; and pleased 

with himself。  A man with large and conscious vitality。  He 

shouted; not because he had to give a necessary order to the 

steersmen; but because his soul was full of life and strength; 

and this life and strength wanted to find free expression; so

it rushed forth in that thunderous and forceful sound。



〃Listen to the old blackguard shouting;〃 continued Sergei with 

delight; looking ahead with a piercing glance; and smiling。 

〃Look at them billing and cooing like a pair of doves!  Don't 

you ever envy them; Mitia?〃





237  ON A RAFT





Mitia watched with indifference the working of the two forward 

oars; held by two figures who moved backward and forward; 

forming sometimes as they touched each other one compact and 

dark mass。



〃So you say you don't envy them?〃 repeated Sergei。



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