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第9章

creatures that once were men-第9章

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〃creatures that once were men〃 gathered in the eating…house of 

Vaviloff。  They were well known there; where some feared them 

as thieves and rogues; and some looked upon them contemptuously 

as hard drinkers; although they respected them; thinking that 

they were clever。



The eating…house of Vaviloff was the club of the main street; 

and the 〃creatures that once were men〃 were its most intellectual 

members。 





45  CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN





On Saturday evenings or Sunday mornings; when the eating…house 

was packed; the 〃creatures that once were men〃 were only too 

welcome guests。  They brought with them; besides the forgotten 

and poverty…stricken inhabitants of the street; their own spirit; 

in which there was something that brightened the lives of men 

exhausted and worn out in the struggle for existence; as great 

drunkards as the inhabitants of Kuvalda's shelter; and; like 

them; outcasts from the town。  Their ability to speak on all 

subjects; their freedom of opinion; skill in repartee; courage

in the presence of those of whom the whole street was in terror; 

together with their daring demeanor; could not but be pleasing 

to their companions。  Then; too; they were well versed in law; 

and could advise; write petitions; and help to swindle without 

incurring the risk of punishment。  For all this they were paid 

with vodki and flattering admiration of their talents。



The inhabitants of the street were divided into two parties 

according to their sympathies。  One was in favor of Kuvalda; 

who was thought 〃a good soldier; clever; and courageous〃; the 

other was convinced of the fact that the teacher was 〃superior〃 

to Kuvalda。  The latter's admirers were those who were known to 

be drunkards; thieves; and murderers; for whom the road from

beggary to prison was inevitable。  But those who respected the 

teacher were men who still had expectations; still hoped for 

better things; who were eternally occupied with nothing; and 

who were nearly always hungry。



The nature of the teacher's and Kuvalda's relations toward the 

street may be gathered from the following:





46  CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN





Once in the eating…house they were discussing the resolution 

passed by the Corporation regarding the main street; viz。; that 

the inhabitants were to fill up the pits and ditches in the 

street; and that neither manure nor the dead bodies of domestic 

animals should be used for the purpose; but only broken tiles; 

etc。; from the ruins of other houses。



〃Where am I going to get these same broken tiles and bricks? 

I could not get sufficient bricks together to build a 

hen…house;〃 plaintively said Mokei Anisimoff; a man who hawked 

kalaches (a sort of white bread) which were baked by his wife。



〃Where can you get broken bricks and lime rubbish?  Take bags 

with you; and go and remove them from the Corporation buildings。 

They are so old that they are of no use to anyone; and you will 

thus be doing two good deeds; firstly; by repairing the main 

street; and secondly; by adorning the city with a new Corporation

building。〃



〃If you want horses; get them from the Lord Mayor; and take his 

three daughters; who seem quite fit for harness。  Then destroy 

the house of Judas Petunikoff and pave the street with its 

timbers。  By the way; Mokei; I know out of what your wife baked 

to…day's kalaches; out of the frames of the third window and the 

two steps from the roof of Judas' house。〃



When those present had laughed and joked sufficiently over the 

Captain's proposal; the sober market gardener; Pavlyugus asked:



〃But seriously; what are we to do; your honor? 。 。 。 Eh? What 

do you think?〃





47  CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN





〃I? I shall neither move hand nor foot。  If they wish to clean 

the street; let them do it。〃



〃Some of the houses are almost coming down。 。 。 。〃



〃Let them fall; don't interfere; and when they fall ask help 

from the city。  If they don't give it you; then bring a suit 

in court against them!  Where does the water come from?  From 

the city!  Therefore let the city be responsible for the 

destruction of the houses。〃



〃They will say it is rain…water。〃



〃Does it destroy the houses in the city?  Eh?  They take taxes 

from you; but they do not permit you to speak!  They destroy 

your property and at the same time compel you to repair it!〃 

And half the radicals in the street; convinced by the words 

of Kuvalda; decided to wait till the rain…water came down in 

huge streams and swept away their houses。  The others; more 

sensible; found in the teacher a man who composed for them an 

excellent and convincing report for the Corporation。  In this 

report the refusal of the street's inhabitants to comply with 

the resolution of the Corporation was well explained that the 

Corporation actually entertained it。  It was decided that the 

rubbish left after some repairs had been done to the barracks 

should be used for mending and filling up the ditches in their 

street; and for the transport of this five horses were given 

by the fire brigade。  Still more; they even saw the necessity 

of laying a drain…pipe through the street。  This and many

other things vastly increased the popularity of the teacher。  

He wrote petitions for them and published various remarks in 

the newspapers。  





48  CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN





For instance; on one occasion Vaviloff's customers noticed that 

the herrings and other provisions of the eating…house were not

what they should be; and after a day or two they saw Vaviloff 

standing at the bar with the newspaper in his hand making a 

public apology。



〃It is true; I must acknowledge; that I bought old and not very 

good herrings; and the cabbage 。 。 。 also 。 。 。 was old。  It is 

only too well known that anyone can put many a five…kopeck piece 

in his pocket in this way。  And what is the result?  It has not 

been a success; I was greedy; I own; but the cleverer man has

exposed me; so we are quits。 。 。 。〃



This confession made a very good impression on the people; and 

it also gave Vaviloff the opportunity of still feeding them with 

herrings and cabbages which were not good; though they failed 

to notice it; so much were they impressed。



This incident was very significant; because it increased not only 

the teacher's popularity; but also the effect of press opinion。



It often happened; too; that the teacher read lectures on 

practical morality in the eating…house。



〃I saw you;〃 he said to the painter; Yashka Tyarin; 〃I saw you; 

Yakov; beating your wife。 。 。 。〃



Yashka was 〃touched with paint〃 after having two glasses of 

vodki; and was in a slightly uplifted condition。



The people looked at him; expecting him to make a row; and all 

were silent。



〃Did you see me?  And how did it please you?〃 asks Yashka。



The people control their laughter。





49  CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN





〃No; it did not please me;〃 replies the teacher。 His tone is 

so serious that the people are silent。



〃You see I was just trying it;〃 said Yashka; with bravado; 

fearing that the teacher would rebuke him。  〃The wife is 

satisfied。 。 。 She has not got up yet today。 。 。 。〃



The teacher; who was drawing absently with his fingers on the 

table; said; 〃Do you see; Yakov; why this did not please me? 

。 。 。 Let us go into the matter thoroughly; and understand what 

you are really doing; and what the result may be。  Your wife is 

pregnant。  You struck her last night on her sides and breast。 

That means that you beat not only her but the child too。  You 

may have killed him; and your wife might have died or else have 

become seriously ill。  To have the trouble of looking after a 

sick woman is not pleasant。  It is wearing; and would cost you 

dear; because illness requires medicine; and medicine money。  

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