boyhood-第3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！


derclap　which　made　us　tremble　and　hold　our　breaths。　〃The　wrath　of　God〃what　poetry　there　is　in　that　simple　popular　conception！

The　pace　of　the　vehicle　was　continually　increasing；　and　from　Philip's　and　Vassili's　backs　（the　former　was　tugging　furiously　at　the　reins）　I　could　see　that　they　too　were　alarmed。

Bowling　rapidly　down　an　incline；　the　britchka　cannoned　violently　against　a　wooden　bridge　at　the　bottom。　I　dared　not　stir　and　expected　destruction　every　moment。

Crack！　A　trace　had　given　way；　and；　in　spite　of　the　ceaseless；　deafening　thunderclaps；　we　had　to　pull　up　on　the　bridge。

Leaning　my　head　despairingly　against　the　side　of　the　britchka；　I　followed　with　a　beating　heart　the　movements　of　Philip's　great　black　fingers　as　he　tied　up　the　broken　trace　and；　with　hands　and　the　butt…end　of　the　whip；　pushed　the　harness　vigorously　back　into　its　place。

My　sense　of　terror　was　increasing　with　the　violence　of　the　thunder。　Indeed；　at　the　moment　of　supreme　silence　which　generally　precedes　the　greatest　intensity　of　a　storm；　it　mounted　to　such　a　height　that　I　felt　as　though　another　quarter　of　an　hour　of　this　emotion　would　kill　me。

Just　then　there　appeared　from　beneath　the　bridge　a　human　being　who；　clad　in　a　torn；　filthy　smock；　and　supported　on　a　pair　of　thin　shanks　bare　of　muscles；　thrust　an　idiotic　face；　a　tremulous；　bare；　shaven　head；　and　a　pair　of　red；　shining　stumps　in　place　of　hands　into　the　britchka。

〃M…my　lord！　A　copeck　forfor　God's　sake！〃　groaned　a　feeble　voice　as　at　each　word　the　wretched　being　made　the　sign　of　the　cross　and　bowed　himself　to　the　ground。

I　cannot　describe　the　chill　feeling　of　horror　which　penetrated　my　heart　at　that　moment。　A　shudder　crept　through　all　my　hair；　and　my　eyes　stared　in　vacant　terror　at　the　outcast。

Vassili；　who　was　charged　with　the　apportioning　of　alms　during　the　journey；　was　busy　helping　Philip；　and　only　when　everything　had　been　put　straight　and　Philip　had　resumed　the　reins　again　had　he　time　to　look　for　his　purse。　Hardly　had　the　britchka　begun　to　move　when　a　blinding　flash　filled　the　welkin　with　a　blaze　of　light　which　brought　the　horses　to　their　haunches。　Then；　the　flash　was　followed　by　such　an　ear…splitting　roar　that　the　very　vault　of　heaven　seemed　to　be　descending　upon　our　heads。　The　wind　blew　harder　than　ever；　and　Vassili's　cloak；　the　manes　and　tails　of　the　horses；　and　the　carriage…apron　were　all　slanted　in　one　direction　as　they　waved　furiously　in　the　violent　blast。

Presently；　upon　the　britchka's　top　there　fell　some　large　drops　of　rain〃one；　two；　three：〃　then　suddenly；　and　as　though　a　roll　of　drums　were　being　beaten　over　our　heads；　the　whole　countryside　resounded　with　the　clatter　of　the　deluge。

From　Vassili's　movements；　I　could　see　that　he　had　now　got　his　purse　open；　and　that　the　poor　outcast　was　still　bowing　and　making　the　sign　of　the　cross　as　he　ran　beside　the　wheels　of　the　vehicle；　at　the　imminent　risk　of　being　run　over；　and　reiterated　from　time　to　time　his　plea；　〃For…for　God's　sake！〃　At　last　a　copeck　rolled　upon　the　ground；　and　the　miserable　creaturehis　mutilated　arms；　with　their　sleeves　wet　through　and　through；　held　out　before　him　stopped　perplexed　in　the　roadway　and　vanished　from　my　sight。

The　heavy　rain；　driven　before　the　tempestuous　wind；　poured　down　in　pailfuls　and；　dripping　from　Vassili's　thick　cloak；　formed　a　series　of　pools　on　the　apron。　The　dust　became　changed　to　a　paste　which　clung　to　the　wheels；　and　the　ruts　became　transformed　into　muddy　rivulets。

At　last；　however；　the　lightning　grew　paler　and　more　diffuse；　and　the　thunderclaps　lost　some　of　their　terror　amid　the　monotonous　rattling　of　the　downpour。　Then　the　rain　also　abated；　and　the　clouds　began　to　disperse。　In　the　region　of　the　sun；　a　lightness　appeared；　and　between　the　white…grey　clouds　could　be　caught　glimpses　of　an　azure　sky。

Finally；　a　dazzling　ray　shot　across　the　pools　on　the　road；　shot　through　the　threads　of　rainnow　falling　thin　and　straight；　as　from　a　sieve；　and　fell　upon　the　fresh　leaves　and　blades　of　grass。　The　great　cloud　was　still　louring　black　and　threatening　on　the　far　horizon；　but　I　no　longer　felt　afraid　of　itI　felt　only　an　inexpressibly　pleasant　hopefulness　in　proportion；　as　trust　in　life　replaced　the　late　burden　of　fear。　Indeed；　my　heart　was　smiling　like　that　of　refreshed；　revivified　Nature　herself。

Vassili　took　off　his　cloak　and　wrung　the　water　from　it。　Woloda　flung　back　the　apron；　and　I　stood　up　in　the　britchka　to　drink　in　the　new；　fresh；　balm…laden　air。　In　front　of　us　was　the　carriage；　rolling　along　and　looking　as　wet　and　resplendent　in　the　sunlight　as　though　it　had　just　been　polished。　On　one　side　of　the　road　boundless　oatfields；　intersected　in　places　by　small　ravines　which　now　showed　bright　with　their　moist　earth　and　greenery；　stretched　to　the　far　horizon　like　a　checkered　carpet；　while　on　the　other　side　of　us　an　aspen　wood；　intermingled　with　hazel　bushes；　and　parquetted　with　wild　thyme　in　joyous　profusion；　no　longer　rustled　and　trembled；　but　slowly　dropped　rich；　sparkling　diamonds　from　its　newly…bathed　branches　on　to　the　withered　leaves　of　last　year。

From　above　us；　from　every　side；　came　the　happy　songs　of　little　birds　calling　to　one　another　among　the　dripping　brushwood；　while　clear　from　the　inmost　depths　of　the　wood　sounded　the　voice　of　the　cuckoo。　So　delicious　was　the　wondrous　scent　of　the　wood；　the　scent　which　follows　a　thunderstorm　in　spring；　the　scent　of　birch…trees；　violets；　mushrooms；　and　thyme；　that　I　could　no　longer　remain　in　the　britchka。　Jumping　out；　I　ran　to　some　bushes；　and；　regardless　of　the　showers　of　drops　discharged　upon　me；　tore　off　a　few　sprigs　of　thyme；　and　buried　my　face　in　them　to　smell　their　glorious　scent。

Then；　despite　the　mud　which　had　got　into　my　boots；　as　also　the　fact　that　my　stockings　were　soaked；　I　went　skipping　through　the　puddles　to　the　window　of　the　carriage。

〃Lubotshka！　Katenka！〃　I　shouted　as　I　handed　them　some　of　the　thyme；　〃Just　look　how　delicious　this　is！〃

The　girls　smelt　it　and　cried；　〃A…ah！〃　but　Mimi　shrieked　to　me　to　go　away；　for　fear　I　should　be　run　over　by　the　wheels。

〃Oh；　but　smell　how　delicious　it　is！〃　I　persisted。



III。　A　NEW　POINT　OF　VIEW

Katenka　was　with　me　in　the　britchka；　her　lovely　head　inclined　as　she　gazed　pensively　at　the　roadway。　I　looked　at　her　in　silence　and　wondered　what　had　brought　the　unchildlike　expression　of　sadness　to　her　face　which　I　now　observed　for　the　first　time　there。

〃We　shall　soon　be　in　Moscow；〃　I　said　at　last。　〃How　large　do　you　suppose　it　is？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　she　replied。

〃Well；　but　how　large　do　you　IMAGINE？　As　large　as　Serpukhov？〃

〃What　do　you　say？〃

〃Nothing。〃

Yet　the　instinctive　feeling　which　enables　one　person　to　guess　the　thoughts　of　another　and　serves　as　a　guiding　thread　in　conversation　soon　made　Katenka　feel　that　her　indifference　was　disagreeable　to　me；　wherefore　she　raised　her　head　presently；　and；　turning　round；　said：

〃Did　your　Papa　tell　you　that　we　girls　too　were　going　to　live　at　your　Grandmamma's？〃

〃Yes；　he　said　that　we　should　ALL　live　there；〃

〃ALL　live　there？〃

〃Yes；　of　course。　We　shall　have　one　half　of　the　upper　floor；　and　you　the　other　half；　and　Papa　the　wing；　but　we　shall　all　of　us　dine　together　with　Grandmamma　downstairs。〃

〃But　Mamma　says　that　your　Grandmamma　is　so　very　grave　and　so　easily　made　angry？〃

〃No；　she　only　SEEMS　like　that　at　first。　She　is　grave；　but　not　bad…tempered。　On　the　contrary；　she　is　both　kind　and　cheerful。　If　you　could　only　have　seen　the　ball　at　her　house！〃

〃All　the　same；　I　am　afraid　of　her。　Besides；　who　knows　whether　we〃

Katenka　stopped　short；　and　once　again　became　thoughtful。

〃What？〃　I　asked　with　some　anxiety。

〃Nothing；　I　only　said　that〃

〃No。　You　said；　'Who　knows　whether　we'〃

〃And　YOU　said；　didn't　you；　that　once　there　was　ever　such　a　ball　at　Grandmamma's？〃

〃Yes。　It　is　a　pity　you　were　not　there。　There　were　heaps　of　guestsabout　a　thousand　people；　and　all　of　them　princes　or　generals；　and　there　was　music；　and　I　danced　But；　Katenka〃　I　broke　off；　〃you　are　not　listening　to　me？〃

〃Oh　yes；　I　am　listening。　You　said　that　you　danced？〃

〃Why　are　you　so　serious？〃

〃Well；　one　cannot　ALWAYS　be　gay。〃

〃But　you　have　changed　tremendously　since　Woloda　and　I　first　went　to　Moscow。　Tell　me　the　truth；　now：　why　are　you　s