creatures that once were men-第7章
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And you say that they will die out; men shall die; but God wants
the people; God the Creator of the earth! The Amalekites did
not die out。 They are either German or French 。 。 。 But you;
eh; you! Now then; tell me why we are abandoned by God? Have
we no punishments nor prophets from the Lord? Who then will
teach us?〃 Tyapa spoke strongly and plainly; and there was
faith in his words。
35 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
He had been speaking a long time; and the teacher; who was
generally drunk and in a speechless condition; could not stand
it any longer。 He looked at the dry; wrinkled old man; felt
the great force of these words; and suddenly began to pity
himself。 He wished to say something so strong and convincing
to the old man that Tyapa would be disposed in his favor; he
did not wish to speak in such a serious; earnest way; but in
a soft and fatherly tone。 And the teacher felt as if something
were rising from his breast into his throat 。 。 。 But he could
not find any powerful words。
〃What kind of a man are you? 。 。 。 Your soul seems to be torn
awayand you still continue speaking 。 。 。 as if you knew
something 。 。 。 It would be better if you were silent。〃
〃Ah; Tyapa; what you say is true;〃 replied the teacher sadly。
〃The people 。 。 。 you are right 。 。 。 they are numberless 。 。 。
but I am a stranger to them 。 。 。 and they are strangers to me
。 。 。 Do you see where the tragedy of my life is hidden? 。 。 。
But let me alone! I shall suffer 。 。 。 and there are no
prophets also 。 。 。 No。 You are right; I speak a great deal
。 。 。 But it is no good to anyone。 I shall be always silent
。 。 。 Only don't speak with me like this 。 。 。 Ah; old man;
you do not know 。 。 。 You do not know 。 。 。 And you cannot
understand。〃
And in the end the teacher cried。 He cried so easily and so
freely; with such torrents of flowing tears; that he soon
found relief。
36 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃You ought to go into a village 。 。 。 become a clerk or a
teacher 。 。 。 You would be well fed there。 What are you crying
for?〃 asked Tyapa sadly。
But the teacher was crying as if the tears quieted and comforted
him。
From this day they became friends; and the 〃creatures that once
were men;〃 seeing them together; said: 〃The teacher is friendly
with Tyapa 。 。 。 He wishes his money。 Kuvalda must have put
this into his head 。 。 。 To look about to see where the old
man's fortune is。 。 。 。〃
Probably they did not believe what they said。 There was one
strange thing about these men; namely; that they painted
themselves to others worse than they actually were。 A man who
has good in him does not mind sometimes showing his worse nature。
* * * * * * * * * *
When all these people were gathered round the teacher; then the
reading of the newspaper would begin。
〃Well; what does the newspaper discuss to…day? Is there any feuilleton?〃
〃No;〃 the teacher informs him。
〃Your publisher seems greedy 。 。 。 but is there any leader?〃
〃There is one to…day 。 。 。 It appears to be by Gulyaeff。〃
〃Aha! Come; out with it I He writes cleverly; the rascal。〃
〃'The taxation of immovable property;'〃 reads the teacher; 〃It
was introduced some fifteen years ago; and up to the present it
has served as the basis for collecting these taxes in aid of the
city revenue。 。 。 。'〃
37 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃That is simple;〃 comments Captain Kuvalda。 〃It continues to
serve。 That is ridiculous。 To the merchant who is moving
about in the city; it is profitable that it should continue
to serve。 Therefore it does continue。〃
〃The article; in fact; is written on the subject;〃 says the
teacher。
〃Is it? That is strange; it is more a subject for a
feuilleton。〃
〃Such a subject must be treated with plenty of pepper。 。 。 。〃
Then a short discussion begins。 The people listen attentively;
as only one bottle of vodki has been drunk。
After the leader; they read the local events; then the court
proceedings; and; if in the police court it reports that the
defendant or plaintiff is a merchant; then Aristid Kuvalda
sincerely rejoices。 If someone has robbed the merchant; 〃That
is good;〃 says he。 〃Only it is a pity they robbed him of so
little。〃 If his horses have broken down; 〃It is sad that he
is still alive。〃 If the merchant has lost his suit in court;
〃It is a pity that the costs were not double the amount。〃
〃That would have been illegal;〃 remarks the teacher。
〃Illegal! But is the merchant himself legal?〃 inquires Kuvalda
bitterly。 〃What is the merchant? Let us investigate this rough
and uncouth phenomenon。 First of all; every merchant is a
mujik。 He comes from a village; and in course of time becomes
a merchant。 In order to be a merchant; one must have money。
38 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
Where can the mujik get the money from? It is well known that
he does not get it by honest hard work; and that means that the
mujik; somehow or other; has been swindling。 That is to say;
a merchant is simply a dishonest mujik。〃
〃Splendid!〃 cry the people; approving the orator's deduction;
and Tyapa bellows all the time; scratching his breast。 He
always bellows like this as he drinks his first glass of vodki;
when he has a drunken headache。 The Captain beams with joy。
They next read the correspondence。 This is; for the Captain;
〃an abundance of drinks;〃 as he himself calls it。 He always
notices how the merchants make this life abominable; and how
cleverly they spoil everything。 His speeches thunder at and
annihilate merchants。 His audience listens to him with the
greatest pleasure; because he swears atrociously。 〃If I wrote
for the papers;〃 he shouts; 〃I would show up the merchant in
his true colors 。 。 。 I would show that he is a beast; playing
for a time the role of a man。 I understand him! He is a rough
boor; does not know the meaning of the words 'good taste;' has
no notion of patriotism; and his knowledge is not worth five
kopecks。〃
Abyedok; knowing the Captain's weak point; and fond of making
other people angry; cunningly adds:
〃Yes; since the nobility began to make acquaintance with hunger;
men have disappeared from the world。 。 。 。〃
〃You are right; you son of a spider and a toad。 Yes; from the
time that the noblemen fell; there have been no men。 There are
only merchants; and I hate them。〃
39 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃That is easy to understand; brother; because you too; have
been brought down by them。 。 。 。〃
〃I? I was ruined by love of life 。 。 。 Fool that I was; I loved
life; but the merchant spoils it; and I cannot bear it; simply
for this reason; and not because I am a nobleman。 But if you
want to know the truth; I was once a man; though I was not noble。
I care now for nothing and nobody 。 。 。 and all my life has been
tamea sweetheart who has jilted metherefore I despise life;
and am indifferent to it。〃
〃You lie!〃 says Abyedok。
〃I lie?〃 roars Aristid Kuvalda; almost crimson with anger。
〃Why shout?〃 comes in the cold sad voice of Martyanoff。
〃Why judge others? Merchants; noblemen。 。 。what have we to
do with them?〃
〃Seeing what we are〃 。 。 。 puts in Deacon Taras。
〃Be quiet; Abyedok;〃 says the teacher good…naturedly。
〃Why do you provoke him?〃 He does not love either discussion
or noise; and when they quarrel all around him his lips form
into a sickly grimace; and he endeavors quietly and reasonably
to reconcile each with the other; and if he does not succeed
in this he leaves the company。 Knowing this; the Captain; if
he is not very drunk; controls himself; not wishing to lose;
in the person of the teacher; one of the b