03-a lost opportunity-第5章

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really　was　no　one　there。



Still；　Ivan　was　not　satisfied；　and　decided　to　make　a　further

examination　of　the　premises。　　As　on　the　previous　occasion；　he

moved　so　very　cautiously　that　he　could　not　hear　even　the　sound　of

his　own　footsteps。　　He　had　taken　the　precaution　to　remove　his

shoes；　that　he　might　step　the　more　noiselessly。　　When　he　reached

the　corner　of　the　barn　it　again　seemed　to　him　that　he　saw

something　moving；　this　time　near　the　plow；　but　it　quickly

disappeared。　　By　this　time　Ivan's　heart　was　beating　very　fast；

and　he　was　standing　in　a　listening　attitude　when　a　sudden　flash

of　light　illumined　the　spot；　and　he　could　distinctly　see　the

figure　of　a　man　seated　on　his　haunches　with　his　back　turned

toward　him；　and　in　the　act　of　lighting　a　bunch　of　straw　which　he

held　in　his　hand！　　Ivan's　heart　began　to　beat　yet　faster；　and　he

became　terribly　excited；　walking　up　and　down　with　rapid　strides；

but　without　making　a　noise。



Ivan　said：　〃Well；　now；　he　cannot　get　away；　for　he　will　be　caught

in　the　very　act。〃



Ivan　had　taken　a　few　more　steps　when　suddenly　a　bright　light

flamed　up；　but　not　in　the　same　spot　in　which　he　had　seen　the

figure　of　the　man　sitting。　　Gavryl　had　lighted　the　straw；　and

running　to　the　barn　held　it　under　the　edge　of　the　roof；　which

began　to　burn　fiercely；　and　by　the　light　of　the　fire　he　could

distinctly　see　his　neighbor　standing。



As　an　eagle　springs　at　a　skylark；　so　sprang　Ivan　at　Gavryl；

saying：　〃I　will　tear　you　into　pieces！　　You　shall　not　get　away

from　me　this　time！〃



But　〃Gavryl　the　Lame；〃　hearing　footsteps；　wrenched　himself　free

from　Ivan's　grasp　and　ran　like　a　hare　past　the　buildings。



Ivan；　now　terribly　excited；　shouted；　〃You　shall　not　escape　me！〃

and　started　in　pursuit；　but　just　as　he　reached　him　and　was　about

to　grasp　the　collar　of　his　coat；　Gavryl　succeeded　in　jumping　to

one　side；　and　Ivan's　coat　became　entangled　in　something　and　he

was　thrown　violently　to　the　ground。　　Jumping　quickly　to　his　feet

he　shouted；　〃Karaool！　derji！〃（watch！　catch！）



While　Ivan　was　regaining　his　feet　Gavryl　succeeded　in　reaching

his　house；　but　Ivan　followed　so　quickly　that　he　caught　up　with

him　before　he　could　enter。　　Just　as　he　was　about　to　grasp　him　he

was　struck　on　the　head　with　some　hard　substance。　　He　had　been　hit

on　the　temple　as　with　a　stone。　　The　blow　was　struck　by　Gavryl；

who　had　picked　up　an　oaken　stave；　and　with　it　gave　Ivan　a

terrible　blow　on　the　head。



Ivan　was　stunned；　and　bright　sparks　danced　before　his　eyes；　while

he　swayed　from　side　to　side　like　a　drunken　man；　until　finally　all

became　dark　and　he　sank　to　the　ground　unconscious。



When　he　recovered　his　senses；　Gavryl　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；　but

all　around　him　was　as　light　as　day。　　Strange　sounds　proceeded

from　the　direction　of　his　house；　and　turning　his　face　that　way　he

saw　that　his　barns　were　on　fire。　　The　rear　parts　of　both　were

already　destroyed；　and　the　flames　were　leaping　toward　the　front。

Fire；　smoke；　and　bits　of　burning　straw　were　being　rapidly　whirled

by　the　high　wind　over　to　where　his　house　stood；　and　he　expected

every　moment　to　see　it　burst　into　flames。



〃What　is　this；　brother？〃　Ivan　cried　out；　as　he　beat　his　thighs

with　his　hands。　　〃I　should　have　stopped　to　snatch　the　bunch　of

burning　straw；　and；　throwing　it　on　the　ground；　should　have

extinguished　it　with　my　feet！〃



Ivan　tried　to　cry　out　and　arouse　his　people；　but　his　lips　refused

to　utter　a　word。　　He　next　tried　to　run；　but　he　could　not　move　his

feet；　and　his　legs　seemed　to　twist　themselves　around　each　other。　

After　several　attempts　he　succeeded　in　taking　one　or　two　steps；

when　he　again　began　to　stagger　and　gasp　for　breath。　It　was　some

moments　before　he　made　another　attempt　to　move；　but　after

considerable　exertion　he　finally　reached　the　barn；　the　rear　of

which　was　by　this　time　entirely　consumed；　and　the　corner　of　his

house　had　already　caught　fire。　　Dense　volumes　of　smoke　began　to

pour　out　of　the　room；　which　made　it　difficult　to　approach。



A　crowd　of　peasants　had　by　this　time　gathered；　but　they　found　it

impossible　to　save　their　homes；　so　they　carried　everything　which

they　could　to　a　place　of　safety。　　The　cattle　they　drove　into

neighboring　pastures　and　left　some　one　to　care　for　them。



The　wind　carried　the　sparks　from　Ivan's　house　to　Gavryl's；　and

it；　too；　took　fire　and　was　consumed。　　The　wind　continued　to

increase　with　great　fury；　and　the　flames　spread　to　both　sides　of

the　street；　until　in　a　very　short　time　more　than　half　the　village

was　burned。



The　members　of　Ivan's　household　had　great　difficulty　in　getting

out　of　the　burning　building；　but　the　neighbors　rescued　the　old

man　and　carried　him　to　a　place　of　safety；　while　the　women　escaped

in　only　their　night…clothes。　　Everything　was　burned；　including

the　cattle　and　all　the　farm　implements。　　The　women　lost　their

trunks；　which　were　filled　with　quantities　of　clothing；　the

accumulation　of　years。　　The　storehouse　and　all　the　provisions

perished　in　the　flames；　not　even　the　chickens　being　saved。



Gavryl；　however；　more　fortunate　than　Ivan；　saved　his　cattle　and　a

few　other　things。



The　village　was　burning　all　night。



Ivan　stood　near　his　home；　gazing　sadly　at　the　burning　building；

and　he　kept　constantly　repeating　to　himself：　〃I　should　have　taken

away　the　bunch　of　burning　straw；　and　have　stamped　out　the　fire

with　my　feet。〃



But　when　he　saw　his　home　fall　in　a　smouldering　heap；　in　spite　of

the　terrible　heat　he　sprang　into　the　midst　of　it　and　carried　out

a　charred　log。　　The　women　seeing　him；　and　fearing　that　he　would

lose　his　life；　called　to　him　to　come　back；　but　he　would　not　pay

any　attention　to　them　and　went　a　second　time　to　get　a　log。　　Still

weak　from　the　terrible　blow　which　Gavryl　had　given　him；　he　was

overcome　by　the　heat；　and　fell　into　the　midst　of　the　burning

mass。　　Fortunately；　his　eldest　son　saw　him　fall；　and　rushing　into

the　fire　succeeded　in　getting　hold　of　him　and　carrying　him　out　of

it。　　Ivan's　hair；　beard；　and　clothing　were　burned　entirely　off。

His　hands　were　also　frightfully　injured；　but　he　seemed

indifferent　to　pain。



〃Grief　drove　him　crazy；〃　the　people　said。



The　fire　was　growing　less；　but　Ivan　still　stood　where　he　could

see　it；　and　kept　repeating　to　himself；　〃I　should　have　taken；〃

etc。



The　morning　after　the　fire　the　starosta　（village　elder）　sent　his

son　to　Ivan　to　tell　him　that　the　old　man；　his　father；　was　dying；

and　wanted　to　see　him　to　bid　him　good…bye。



In　his　grief　Ivan　had　forgotten　all　about　his　father；　and　could

not　understand　what　was　being　said　to　him。　　In　a　dazed　way　he

asked：　〃What　father？　　Whom　does　he　want？〃



The　elder's　son　again　repeated　his　father's　message　to　Ivan。　

〃Your　aged　parent　is　at　our　house　dying；　and　he　wants　to　see　you

and　bid　you　good…bye。　　Won't　you　go　now；　uncle　Ivan？〃　the　boy

said。



Finally　Ivan　understood；　and　followed　the　elder's　son。



When　Ivan's　father　was　carried　from　the　oven；　he　was　slightly

injured　by　a　big　bunch　of　burning　straw　falling　on　him　just　as　he

reached　the　street。　　To　insure　his　safety　he　was　removed　to　the

elder's　house；　which　stood　a　considerable　distance　from　his　late

home；　and　where　it　was　not　likely　that　the　fire　would　reach　it。



When　Ivan　arrived　at　the　elder's　home　he　found　only　the　latter's

wife　and　children；　who　were　all　seated　on　the　brick　oven。　　The

old　man　was　lying　on　a　bench　holding　a　lighted　candle　in　his　hand

（a　Russian　custom　when　a　person　is　dying）。　　Hearing　a　noise；　he

turned　his　face　toward　the　door；　and　when　he　saw　it　was　his　son

he　tried　to　move。　　He　motioned　for　Ivan　to　come　nearer；　and　when

he　did　so　he　whispered　in　　a　　trembling　voice：　〃Well；　Ivanushka；

did　I　not　tell　you　before　what　would　be　the　result　of　this　sad

affair？　　Who　set　the　village　on　fire？〃



〃He；　he；　batiushka　＇little　father＇；　he　did　it。　　I　caught　him。　　He

placed　the　bunch　of　burning　straw　to　the　barn　in　my　presence。　

Instead　of　running　after　him；　I　shoul