03-a lost opportunity-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



sent　to　Siberia。



And　so　the　quarrelling　went　on。



The　poor　old　grandfather；　sick　with　asthma　and　lying　on　the　brick

oven　all　the　time；　tried　from　the　first　to　dissuade　them　from

quarrelling；　and　begged　of　them　to　live　in　peace；　but　they　would

not　listen　to　his　good　advice。　　He　said　to　them：　〃You　children

are　making　a　great　fuss　and　much　trouble　about　nothing。　　I　beg　of

you　to　stop　and　think　of　what　a　little　thing　has　caused　all　this

trouble。　　It　has　arisen　from　only　one　egg。　　If　our　neighbors'

children　picked　it　up；　it　is　all　right。　　God　bless　them！　　One　egg

is　of　but　little　value；　and　without　it　God　will　supply　sufficient

for　all　our　needs。〃



Ivan's　daughter…in…law　here　interposed　and　said；　〃But　they　called

us　vile　names。〃



The　old　grandfather　again　spoke；　saying：　〃Well；　even　if　they　did

call　you　bad　names；　it　would　have　been　better　to　return　good　for

evil；　and　by　your　example　show　them　how　to　speak　better。　　Such

conduct　on　your　part　would　have　been　best　for　all　concerned。〃　　He

continued：　〃Well；　you　had　a　fight；　you　wicked　people。　　Such

things　sometimes　happen；　but　it　would　be　better　if　you　went

afterward　and　asked　forgiveness　and　buried　your　grievances　out　of

sight。　　Scatter　them　to　the　four　winds　of　heaven；　for　if　you　do

not　do　so　it　will　be　the　worse　for　you　in　the　end。〃



The　younger　members　of　the　family；　still　obstinate；　refused　to

profit　by　the　old　man's　advice；　and　declared　he　was　not　right；

and　that　he　only　liked　to　grumble　in　his　old…fashioned　way。



Ivan　refused　to　go　to　his　neighbor；　as　the　grandfather　wished；

saying：　〃I　did　not　tear　out　Gavryl's　beard。　　He　did　it　himself；

and　his　son　tore　my　shirt　and　trousers　into　shreds。〃



Ivan　entered　suit　against　Gavryl。　　He　first　went　to　the　village

justice；　and　not　getting　satisfaction　from　him　he　carried　his

case　to　the　village　court。



While　the　neighbors　were　wrangling　over　the　affair；　each　suing

the　other；　it　happened　that　a　perch…bolt　from　Gavryl's　wagon　was

lost；　and　the　women　of　Gavryl's　household　accused　Ivan's　son　of

stealing　it。



They　said：　〃We　saw　him　in　the　night…time　pass　by　our　window；　on

his　way　to　where　the　wagon　was　standing。〃　　〃And　my　kumushka

＇sponsor＇；〃　said　one　of　them；　〃told　me　that　Ivan's　son　had

offered　it　for　sale　at　the　kabak　＇tavern＇。〃



This　accusation　caused　them　again　to　go　into　court　for　a

settlement　of　their　grievances。



While　the　heads　of　the　families　were　trying　to　have　their

troubles　settled　in　court；　their　home　quarrels　were　constant；　and

frequently　resulted　in　hand…to…hand　encounters。　　Even　the　little

children　followed　the　example　of　their　elders　and　quarrelled

incessantly。



The　women；　when　they　met　on　the　riverbank　to　do　the　family

washing；　instead　of　attending　to　their　work　passed　the　time　in

abusing　each　other；　and　not　infrequently　they　came　to　blows。



At　first　the　male　members　of　the　families　were　content　with

accusing　each　other　of　various　crimes；　such　as　stealing　and　like

meannesses。　　But　the　trouble　in　this　mild　form　did　not　last　long。



They　soon　resorted　to　other　measures。　　They　began　to　appropriate

one　another's　things　without　asking　permission；　while　various

articles　disappeared　from　both　houses　and　could　not　be　found。　

This　was　done　out　of　revenge。



This　example　being　set　by　the　men；　the　women　and　children　also

followed；　and　life　soon　became　a　burden　to　all　who　took　part　in

the　strife。



Ivan　Scherbakoff　and　〃Gavryl　the　Lame〃　at　last　laid　their　trouble

before　the　mir　（village　meeting）；　in　addition　to　having　been　in

court　and　calling　on　the　justice　of　the　peace。　　Both　of　the

latter　had　grown　tired　of　them　and　their　incessant　wrangling。　

One　time　Gavryl　would　succeed　in　having　Ivan　fined；　and　if　he　was

not　able　to　pay　it　he　would　be　locked　up　in　the　cold　dreary

prison　for　days。　　Then　it　would　be　Ivan's　turn　to　get　Gavryl

punished　in　like　manner；　and　the　greater　the　injury　the　one　could

do　the　other　the　more　delight　he　took　in　it。



The　success　of　either　in　having　the　other　punished　only　served　to

increase　their　rage　against　each　other；　until　they　were　like　mad

dogs　in　their　warfare。



If　anything　went　wrong　with　one　of　them　he　immediately　accused

his　adversary　of　conspiring　to　ruin　him；　and　sought　revenge

without　stopping　to　inquire　into　the　rights　of　the　case。



When　the　peasants　went　into　court；　and　had　each　other　fined　and

imprisoned；　it　did　not　soften　their　hearts　in　the　least。　　They

would　only　taunt　one　another　on　such　occasions；　saying：　〃Never

mind；　I　will　repay　you　for　all　this。〃



This　state　of　affairs　lasted　for　six　years。



Ivan's　father；　the　sick　old　man；　constantly　repeated　his　good

advice。　　He　would　try　to　arouse　their　conscience　by　saying：　〃What

are　you　doing；　my　children？　　Can　you　not　throw　off　all　these

troubles；　pay　more　attention　to　your　business；　and　suppress　your

anger　against　your　neighbors？　　There　is　no　use　in　your　continuing

to　live　in　this　way；　for　the　more　enraged　you　become　against　each

other　the　worse　it　is　for　you。〃



Again　was　the　wise　advice　of　the　old　man　rejected。



At　the　beginning　of　the　seventh　year　of　the　existence　of　the　feud

it　happened　that　a　daughter…in…law　of　Ivan's　was　present　at　a

marriage。　　At　the　wedding　feast　she　openly　accused　Gavryl　of

stealing　a　horse。　　Gavryl　was　intoxicated　at　the　time　and　was　in

no　mood　to　stand　the　insult；　so　in　retaliation　he　struck　the

woman　a　terrific　blow；　which　confined　her　to　her　bed　for　more

than　a　week。　　The　woman　being　in　delicate　health；　the　worst

results　were　feared。



Ivan；　glad　of　a　fresh　opportunity　to　harass　his　neighbor；　lodged

a　formal　complaint　before　the　district…attorney；　hoping　to　rid

himself　forever　of　Gavryl　by　having　him　sent　to　Siberia。



On　examining　the　complaint　the　district…attorney　would　not

consider　it；　as　by　that　time　the　injured　woman　was　walking　about

and　as　well　as　ever。



Thus　again　Ivan　was　disappointed　in　obtaining　his　revenge；　and；

not　being　satisfied　with　the　district…attorney's　decision；　had

the　case　transferred　to　the　court；　where　he　used　all　possible

means　to　push　his　suit。　　To　secure　the　favor　of　the　starshina

（village　mayor）　he　made　him　a　present　of　half　a　gallon　of　sweet

vodki；　and　to　the　mayor's　pisar　（secretary）　also　he　gave

presents。　　By　this　means　he　succeeded　in　securing　a　verdict

against　Gavryl。　　The　sentence　was　that　Gavryl　was　to　receive

twenty　lashes　on　his　bare　back；　and　the　punishment　was　to　be

administered　in　the　yard　which　surrounded　the　court…house。



When　Ivan　heard　the　sentence　read　he　looked　triumphantly　at

Gavryl　to　see　what　effect　it　would　produce　on　him。　　Gavryl　turned

very　white　on　hearing　that　he　was　to　be　treated　with　such

indignity；　and　turning　his　back　on　the　assembly　left　the　room

without　uttering　a　word。



Ivan　followed　him　out；　and　as　he　reached　his　horse　he　heard

Gavryl　saying：　〃Very　well；　my　spine　will　burn　from　the　lashes；

but　something　will　burn　with　greater　fierceness　in　Ivan's

household　before　long。〃



Ivan；　on　hearing　these　words；　instantly　returned　to　the　court；

and　going　up　to　the　judges　said：　〃Oh！　just　judges；　he　threatens

to　burn　my　house　and　all　it　contains。〃



A　messenger　was　immediately　sent　in　search　of　Gavryl；　who　was

soon　found　and　again　brought　into　the　presence　of　the　judges。



〃Is　it　true；〃　they　asked；　〃that　you　said　you　would　burn　Ivan's

house　and　all　it　contained？〃



Gavryl　replied：　〃I　did　not　say　anything　of　the　kind。　　You　may

give　me　as　many　lashes　as　you　pleasethat　is；　if　you　have　the

power　to　do　so。　　It　seems　to　me　that　I　alone　have　to　suffer　for

the　truth；　while　he；〃　pointing　to　Ivan；　〃is　allowed　to　do　and　say

what　he　pleases。〃　　Gavryl　wished　to　say　something　more；　but　his

lips　trembled；　and　the　words　refused　to　come；　so　in　silence　he

turned　his　face　toward　the　wall。



The　sight　of　so　much　suffering　moved　even　the　judges　to　pity；

and；　becoming　alarmed　at　Gavryl's　continued　silence；　they　sai