the moscow census-第26章

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over　her　dress。　　In　the　darkness　I　could　make　out　only　her　brown
dress；　and　the　kerchiefs　on　her　head　and　neck。　　She　was　short　in
stature；　as　is　often　the　case　with　the　prematurely　born；　with　small
feet；　and　a　comparatively　broad　and　awkward　figure。

〃We're　waiting　for　you；　you　carrion。　　Get　along；　what　do　you　mean　by
it？　　I'll　give　it　to　you！〃　shouted　the　policeman。　　He　was　evidently
tired；　and　he　had　had　too　much　of　her。　　She　advanced　a　few　paces；　and
again　halted。

The　little　old　porter；　a　good…natured　fellow　（I　know　him）；　tugged　at
her　hand。　　〃Here；　I'll　teach　you　to　stop！　　On　with　you！〃　he　repeated；
as　though　in　anger。　　She　staggered；　and　began　to　talk　in　a　discordant
voice。　　At　every　sound　there　was　a　false　note；　both　hoarse　and
whining。

〃Come　now；　you're　shoving　again。　　I'll　get　there　some　time！〃

She　stopped　and　then　went　on。　　I　followed　them。

〃You'll　freeze；〃　said　the　porters

〃The　likes　of　us　don't　freeze：　　I'm　hot。〃

She　tried　to　jest；　but　her　words　sounded　like　scolding。　　She　halted
again　under　the　lantern　which　stands　not　far　from　our　house；　and
leaned　against；　almost　hung　over；　the　fence；　and　began　to　fumble　for
something　among　her　skirts；　with　benumbed　and　awkward　hands。　　Again
they　shouted　at　her；　but　she　muttered　something　and　did　something。
In　one　hand　she　held　a　cigarette　bent　into　a　bow；　in　the　other　a
match。　　I　paused　behind　her；　I　was　ashamed　to　pass　her；　and　I　was
ashamed　to　stand　and　look　on。　　But　I　made　up　my　mind；　and　stepped
forward。　　Her　shoulder　was　lying　against　the　fence；　and　against　the
fence　it　was　that　she　vainly　struck　the　match　and　flung　it　away。　　I
looked　in　her　face。　　She　was　really　a　person　prematurely　born；　but；
as　it　seemed　to　me；　already　an　old　woman。　　I　credited　her　with　thirty
years。　　A　dirty　hue　of　face；　small；　dull；　tipsy　eyes；　a　button…like
nose；　curved　moist　lips　with　drooping　corners；　and　a　short　wisp　of
harsh　hair　escaping　from　beneath　her　kerchief；　a　long　flat　figure；
stumpy　hands　and　feet。　　I　paused　opposite　her。　　She　stared　at　me；　and
burst　into　a　laugh；　as　though　she　knew　all　that　was　going　on　in　my
mind。

I　felt　that　it　was　necessary　to　say　something　to　her。　　I　wanted　to
show　her　that　I　pitied　her。

〃Are　your　parents　alive？〃　I　inquired。

She　laughed　hoarsely；　with　an　expression　which　said；　〃he's　making　up
queer　things　to　ask。〃

〃My　mother　is；〃　said　she。　　〃But　what　do　you　want？〃

〃And　how　old　are　you？〃

〃Sixteen；〃　said　she；　answering　promptly　to　a　question　which　was
evidently　customary。

〃Come；　march；　you'll　freeze；　you'll　perish　entirely；〃　shouted　the
policeman；　and　she　swayed　away　from　the　fence；　and；　staggering　along；
she　went　down　Khamovnitchesky　Lane　to　the　police…station；　and　I
turned　to　the　wicket；　and　entered　the　house；　and　inquired　whether　my
daughters　had　returned。　　I　was　told　that　they　had　been　to　an　evening
party；　had　had　a　very　merry　time；　had　come　home；　and　were　in　bed。

Next　morning　I　wanted　to　go　to　the　station…house　to　learn　what　had
been　done　with　this　unfortunate　woman；　and　I　was　preparing　to　go　out
very　early；　when　there　came　to　see　me　one　of　those　unlucky　noblemen；
who；　through　weakness；　have　dropped　from　the　gentlemanly　life　to
which　they　are　accustomed；　and　who　alternately　rise　and　fall。　　I　had
been　acquainted　with　this　man　for　three　years。　　In　the　course　of
those　three　years；　this　man　had　several　times　made　way　with　every
thing　that　he　had；　and　even　with　all　his　clothes；　the　same　thing　had
just　happened　again；　and　he　was　passing　the　nights　temporarily　in　the
Rzhanoff　house；　in　the　night…lodging　section；　and　he　had　come　to　me
for　the　day。　　He　met　me　as　I　was　going　out；　at　the　entrance；　and
without　listening　to　me　he　began　to　tell　me　what　had　taken　place　in
the　Rzhanoff　house　the　night　before。　　He　began　his　narrative；　and　did
not　half　finish　it；　all　at　once　（he　is　an　old　man　who　has　seen　men
under　all　sorts　of　aspects）　he　burst　out　sobbing；　and　flooded　has
countenance　with　tears；　and　when　he　had　become　silent；　turned　has
face　to　the　wall。　　This　is　what　he　told　me。　　Every　thing　that　he
related　to　me　was　absolutely　true。　　I　authenticated　his　story　on　the
spot；　and　learned　fresh　particulars　which　I　will　relate　separately。

In　that　night…lodging　house；　on　the　lower　floor；　in　No。　32；　in　which
my　friend　had　spent　the　night；　among　the　various；　ever…changing
lodgers；　men　and　women；　who　came　together　there　for　five　kopeks；
there　was　a　laundress；　a　woman　thirty　years　of　age；　light…haired；
peaceable　and　pretty；　but　sickly。　　The　mistress　of　the　quarters　had　a
boatman　lover。　　In　the　summer　her　lover　kept　a　boat；　and　in　the
winter　they　lived　by　letting　accommodations　to　night…lodgers：　　three
kopeks　without　a　pillow；　five　kopeks　with　a　pillow。

The　laundress　had　lived　there　for　several　months；　and　was　a　quiet
woman；　but　latterly　they　had　not　liked　her；　because　she　coughed　and
prevented　the　women　from　sleeping。　　An　old　half…crazy　woman　eighty
years　old；　in　particular；　also　a　regular　lodger　in　these　quarters；
hated　the　laundress；　and　imbittered　the　latter's　life　because　she
prevented　her　sleeping；　and　cleared　her　throat　all　night　like　a
sheep。　　The　laundress　held　her　peace；　she　was　in　debt　for　her
lodgings；　and　was　conscious　of　her　guilt；　and　therefore　she　was　bound
to　be　quiet。　　She　began　to　go　more　and　more　rarely　to　her　work；　as
her　strength　failed　her；　and　therefore　she　could　not　pay　her
landlady；　and　for　the　last　week　she　had　not　been　out　to　work　at　all；
and　had　only　poisoned　the　existence　of　every　one；　especially　of　the
old　woman；　who　also　did　not　go　out；　with　her　cough。　　Four　days　before
this；　the　landlady　had　given　the　laundress　notice　to　leave　the
quarters：　　the　latter　was　already　sixty　kopeks　in　debt；　and　she
neither　paid　them；　nor　did　the　landlady　foresee　any　possibility　of
getting　them；　and　all　the　bunks　were　occupied；　and　the　women　all
complained　of　the　laundress's　cough。

When　the　landlady　gave　the　laundress　notice；　and　told　her　that　she
must　leave　the　lodgings　if　she　did　not　pay　up；　the　old　woman　rejoiced
and　thrust　the　laundress　out　of　doors。　　The　laundress　departed；　but
returned　in　an　hour；　and　the　landlady　had　not　the　heart　to　put　her
out　again。　　And　the　second　and　the　third　day；　she　did　not　turn　her
out。　　〃Where　am　I　to　go？〃　said　the　laundress。　　But　on　the　third　day；
the　landlady's　lover；　a　Moscow　man；　who　knew　the　regulations　and　how
to　manage；　sent　for　the　police。　　A　policeman　with　sword　and　pistol　on
a　red　cord　came　to　the　lodgings；　and　with　courteous　words　he　led　the
laundress　into　the　street。

It　was　a　clear；　sunny；　but　freezing　March　day。　　The　gutters　were
flowing；　the　house…porters　were　picking　at　the　ice。　　The　cabman's
sleigh　jolted　over　the　icy　snow；　and　screeched　over　the　stones。　　The
laundress　walked　up　the　street　on　the　sunny　side；　went　to　the　church；
and　seated　herself　at　the　entrance；　still　on　the　sunny　side。　　But
when　the　sun　began　to　sink　behind　the　houses；　the　puddles　began　to　be
skimmed　over　with　a　glass　of　frost；　and　the　laundress　grew　cold　and
wretched。　　She　rose；　and　dragged　herself　。　。　。　whither？　　Home；　to　the
only　home　where　she　had　lived　so　long。　　While　she　was　on　her　way；
resting　at　times；　dusk　descended。　　She　approached　the　gates；　turned
in；　slipped；　groaned　and　fell。

One　man　came　up；　and　then　another。　　〃She　must　be　drunk。〃　　Another　man
came　up；　and　stumbled　over　the　laundress；　and　said　to　the　potter：
〃What　drunken　woman　is　this　wallowing　at　your　gate？　　I　came　near
breaking　my　head　over　her；　take　her　away；　won't　you？〃

The　porter　came。　　The　laundress　was　dead。　　This　is　what　my　friend
told　me。　　It　may　be　thought　that　I　have　wilfully　mixed　up　facts；I
encounter　a　prostitute　of　fifteen；　and　the　story　of　this　laundress。
But　let　no　one　imagine　this；　it　is　exactly　what　happened　in　the
course　of　one　night　（only　I　do　not　remember　which）　in　March；　1884。
And　so；　after　hearing　my　friend's　tale；　I　went　to　the　station…house；
with　the　intention　of　proceeding　thence　to　the　Rzhanoff　house　to
inquire　more　minutely　into　the　history　of　the　laundress。　　The　weather
was　very　beautiful　and　sunny；　and　again；　through　the　stars　of　the
night…frost；　water　was　to　be　seen　trickling　in　the　shade；　and　in　the
glare