03-a lost opportunity-第3章

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

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

〃He　may　do　both　his　neighbor　and　himself　some　frightful　injury。〃



〃See　here；　my　brothers；〃　said　one　feeble　old　judge；　looking　at

Ivan　and　Gavryl　as　he　spoke；　〃I　think　you　had　better　try　to

arrange　this　matter　peaceably。　　You；　brother　Gavryl；　did　wrong　to

strike　a　woman　who　was　in　delicate　health。　　It　was　a　lucky　thing

for　you　that　God　had　mercy　on　you　and　that　the　woman　did　not　die；

for　if　she　had　I　know　not　what　dire　misfortune　might　have

overtaken　you！　　It　will　not　do　either　of　you　any　good　to　go　on

living　as　you　are　at　present。　　Go；　Gavryl；　and　make　friends　with

Ivan；　I　am　sure　he　will　forgive　you；　and　we　will　set　aside　the

verdict　just　given。〃



The　secretary　on　hearing　this　said：　〃It　is　impossible　to　do　this

on　the　present　case。　　According　to　Article　117　this　matter　has

gone　too　far　to　be　settled　peaceably　now；　as　the　verdict　has　been

rendered　and　must　be　enforced。〃



But　the　judges　would　not　listen　to　the　secretary；　saying　to　him：

〃You　talk　altogether　too　much。　　You　must　remember　that　the　first

thing　is　to　fulfill　God's　command　to　'Love　thy　neighbor　as

thyself；'　and　all　will　be　well　with　you。〃



Thus　with　kind　words　the　judges　tried　to　reconcile　the　two

peasants。　　Their　words　fell　on　stony　ground；　however；　for　Gavryl

would　not　listen　to　them。



〃I　am　fifty　years　old；〃　said　Gavryl；　〃and　have　a　son　married；　and

never　from　my　birth　has　the　lash　been　applied　to　my　back；　but　now

this　bear　Ivan　has　secured　a　verdict　against　me　which　condemns　me

to　receive　twenty　lashes；　and　I　am　forced　to　bow　to　this　decision

and　suffer　the　shame　of　a　public　beating。　　Well；　he　will　have

cause　to　remember　this。〃



At　this　Gavryl's　voice　trembled　and　he　stopped　speaking；　and

turning　his　back　on　the　judges　took　his　departure。



It　was　about　ten　versts'　distance　from　the　court　to　the　homes　of

the　neighbors；　and　this　Ivan　travelled　late。　　The　women　had

already　gone　out　for　the　cattle。　　He　unharnessed　his　horse　and

put　everything　in　its　place；　and　then　went　into　the　izba　（room）；

but　found　no　one　there。



The　men　had　not　yet　returned　from　their　work　in　the　field　and　the

women　had　gone　to　look　for　the　cattle；　so　that　all　about　the

place　was　quiet。　　Going　into　the　room；　Ivan　seated　himself　on　a

wooden　bench　and　soon　became　lost　in　thought。　　He　remembered　how；

when　Gavryl　first　heard　the　sentence　which　had　been　passed　upon

him；　he　grew　very　pale；　and　turned　his　face　to　the　wall；　all　the

while　remaining　silent。



Ivan's　heart　ached　when　he　thought　of　the　disgrace　which　he　had

been　the　means　of　bring…　ing　upon　Gavryl；　and　he　wondered　how　he

would　feel　if　the　same　sentence　had　been　passed　upon　him。　　His

thoughts　were　interrupted　by　the　coughing　of　his　father；　who　was

lying　on　the　oven。



The　old　man；　on　seeing　Ivan；　came　down　off　the　oven；　and　slowly

approaching　his　son　seated　himself　on　the　bench　beside　him；

looking　at　him　as　though　ashamed。　　He　continued　to　cough　as　he

leaned　on　the　table　and　said；　〃Well；　did　they　sentence　him？〃



〃Yes；　they　sentenced　him　to　receive　twenty　lashes；〃　replied　Ivan。



On　hearing　this　the　old　man　sorrowfully　shook　his　head；　and　said：

〃This　is　very　bad；　Ivan；　and　what　is　the　meaning　of　it　all？　　It

is　indeed　very　bad；　but　not　so　bad　for　Gavryl　as　for　yourself。　

Well；　suppose　his　sentence　IS　carried　out；　and　he　gets　the　twenty

lashes；　what　will　it　benefit　you？〃



〃He　will　not　again　strike　a　woman；〃　Ivan　replied。



〃What　is　it　he　will　not　do？　　He　does　not　do　anything　worse　than

what　you　are　constantly　doing！〃



This　conversation　enraged　Ivan；　and　he　shouted：　〃Well；　what　did

he　do？　　He　beat　a　woman　nearly　to　death；　and　even　now　he

threatens　to　burn　my　house！　　Must　I　bow　to　him　for　all　this？〃



The　old　man　sighed　deeply　as　he　said：　〃You；　Ivan；　are　strong　and

free　to　go　wherever　you　please；　while　I　have　been　lying　for　years

on　the　oven。　　You　think　that　you　know　everything　and　that　I　do

not　know　anything。　　No！　you　are　still　a　child；　and　as　such　you

cannot　see　that　a　kind　of　madness　controls　your　actions　and

blinds　your　sight。　　The　sins　of　others　are　ever　before　you；　while

you　resolutely　keep　your　own　behind　your　back。　　I　know　that　what

Gavryl　did　was　wrong；　but　if　he　alone　should　do　wrong　there　would

be　no　evil　in　the　world。　　Do　you　think　that　all　the　evil　in　the

world　is　the　work　of　one　man　alone？　　No！　it　requires　two　persons

to　work　much　evil　in　the　world。　　You　see　only　the　bad　in　Gavryl's

character；　but　you　are　blind　to　the　evil　that　is　in　your　own

nature。　　If　he　alone　were　bad　and　you　good；　then　there　would　be

no　wrong。〃



The　old　man；　after　a　pause；　continued：　〃Who　tore　Gavryl's　beard？　

Who　destroyed　his　heaps　of　rye？　　Who　dragged　him　into　court？and

yet　you　try　to　put　all　the　blame　on　his　shoulders。　You　are

behaving　very　badly　yourself；　and　for　that　reason　you　are　wrong。　

I　did　not　act　in　such　a　manner；　and　certainly　I　never　taught　you

to　do　so。　　I　lived　in　peace　with　Gavryl's　father　all　the　time　we

were　neighbors。　　We　were　always　the　best　of　friends。　　If　he　was

without　flour　his　wife　would　come　to　me　and　say；　'Diadia　Frol

＇Grandfather＇；　we　need　flour。'　I　would　then　say：　'My　good　woman；

go　to　the　warehouse　and　take　as　much　as　you　want。'　　If　he　had　no

one　to　care　for　his　horses　I　would　say；　'Go；　Ivanushka

＇diminutive　of　Ivan＇；　and　help　him　to　care　for　them。'　　If　I

required　anything　I　would　go　to　him　and　say；　'Grandfather　Gordey；

I　need　this　or　that；'　and　he　would　always　reply；　'Take　just

whatever　you　want。'　　By　this　means　we　passed　an　easy　and　peaceful

life。　But　what　is　your　life　compared　with　it？　　As　the　soldiers

fought　at　Plevna；　so　are　you　and　Gavryl　fighting　all　the　time；

only　that　your　battles　are　far　more　disgraceful　than　that　fought

at　Plevna。〃



The　old　man　went　on：　〃And　you　call　this　living！　and　what　a　sin　it

all　is！　　You　are　a　peasant；　and　the　head　of　the　house；　therefore；

the　responsibility　of　the　trouble　rests　with　you。　　What　an

example　you　set　your　wife　and　children　by　constantly　quarrelling

with　your　neighbor！　　Only　a　short　time　since　your　little　boy；

Taraska；　was　cursing　his　aunt　Arina；　and　his　mother　only　laughed

at　it；　saying；　'What　a　bright　child　he　is！'　　Is　that　right？　　You

are　to　blame　for　all　this。　　You　should　think　of　the　salvation　of

your　soul。　　Is　that　the　way　to　do　it？　　You　say　one　unkind　word　to

me　and　I　will　reply　with　two。　　You　will　give　me　one　slap　in　the

face；　and　I　will　retaliate　with　two　slaps。　　No；　my　son；　Christ

did　not　teach　us　foolish　people　to　act　in　such　a　way。　　If　any　one

should　say　an　unkind　word　to　you　it　is　better　not　to　answer　at

all；　but　if　you　do　reply　do　it　kindly；　and　his　conscience　will

accuse　him；　and　he　will　regret　his　unkindness　to　you。　　This　is

the　way　Christ　taught　us　to　live。　　He　tells　us　that　if　a　person

smite　us　on　the　one　cheek　we　should　offer　unto　him　the　other。　

That　is　Christ's　command　to　us；　and　we　should　follow　it。　　You

should　therefore　subdue　your　pride。　　Am　I　not　right？〃



Ivan　remained　silent；　but　his　father's　words　had　sunk　deep　into

his　heart。



The　old　man　coughed　and　continued：　〃Do　you　think　Christ　thought

us　wicked？　　Did　he　not　die　that　we　might　be　saved？　　Now　you　think

only　of　this　earthly　life。　　Are　you　better　or　worse　for　thinking

alone　of　it？　　Are　you　better　or　worse　for　having　begun　that

Plevna　battle？　　Think　of　your　expense　at　court　and　the　time　lost

in　going　back　and　forth；　and　what　have　you　gained？　　Your　sons

have　reached　manhood；　and　are　able　now　to　work　for　you。　You　are

therefore　at　liberty　to　enjoy　life　and　be　happy。　　With　the

assistance　of　your　children　you　could　reach　a　high　state　of

prosperity。　　But　now　your　property　instead　of　increasing　is

gradually　growing　less；　and　why？　　It　is　the　result　of　your　pride。　

When　it　becomes　necessary　for　you　and　your　boys　to　go　to　the

field　to　work；　your　enemy　instead