boyhood-第9章

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me；　I　now　opened　the　book　at　the　place　where　the　lesson　was　to　begin；　and　started　to　learn　it。　It　was　long　and　difficult；　and；　moreover；　I　was　in　the　mood　when　one's　thoughts　refuse　to　be　arrested　by　anything　at　all。　Consequently　I　made　no　progress。　After　our　last　lesson　in　history　（which　always　seemed　to　me　a　peculiarly　arduous　and　wearisome　subject）　the　history　master　had　complained　to　St。　Jerome　of　me　because　only　two　good　marks　stood　to　my　credit　in　the　register　a　very　small　total。　St。　Jerome　had　then　told　me　that　if　I　failed　to　gain　less　than　THREE　marks　at　the　next　lesson　I　should　be　severely　punished。　The　next　lesson　was　now　imminent；　and　I　confess　that　I　felt　a　little　nervous。

So　absorbed；　however；　did　I　become　in　my　reading　that　the　sound　of　goloshes　being　taken　off　in　the　ante…room　came　upon　me　almost　as　a　shock。　I　had　just　time　to　look　up　when　there　appeared　in　the　doorway　the　servile　and　（to　me）　very　disgusting　face　and　form　of　the　master；　clad　in　a　blue　frockcoat　with　brass　buttons。

Slowly　he　set　down　his　hat　and　books　and　adjusted　the　folds　of　his　coat　（as　though　such　a　thing　were　necessary！）；　and　seated　himself　in　his　place。

〃Well；　gentlemen；〃　he　said；　rubbing　his　hands；　〃let　us　first　of　all　repeat　the　general　contents　of　the　last　lesson：　after　which　I　will　proceed　to　narrate　the　succeeding　events　of　the　middle　ages。〃

This　meant　〃Say　over　the　last　lesson。〃　While　Woloda　was　answering　the　master　with　the　entire　ease　and　confidence　which　come　of　knowing　a　subject　well；　I　went　aimlessly　out　on　to　the　landing；　and；　since　I　was　not　allowed　to　go　downstairs；　what　more　natural　than　that　I　should　involuntarily　turn　towards　the　alcove　on　the　landing？　Yet　before　I　had　time　to　establish　myself　in　my　usual　coign　of　vantage　behind　the　door　I　found　myself　pounced　upon　by　Mimialways　the　cause　of　my　misfortunes！

〃YOU　here？〃　she　said；　looking　severely；　first　at　myself；　and　then　at　the　maidservants'　door；　and　then　at　myself　again。

I　felt　thoroughly　guilty；　firstly；　because　I　was　not　in　the　schoolroom；　and　secondly；　because　I　was　in　a　forbidden　place。　So　I　remained　silent；　and；　dropping　my　head；　assumed　a　touching　expression　of　contrition。

〃Indeed；　this　is　TOO　bad！〃　Mimi　went　on；　〃What　are　you　doing　here？

Still　I　said　nothing。

〃Well；　it　shall　not　rest　where　it　is；〃　she　added；　tapping　the　banister　with　her　yellow　fingers。　〃I　shall　inform　the　Countess。〃

It　was　five　minutes　to　three　when　I　re…entered　the　schoolroom。　The　master；　as　though　oblivious　of　my　presence　or　absence；　was　explaining　the　new　lesson　to　Woloda。　When　he　had　finished　doing　this；　and　had　put　his　books　together　（while　Woloda　went　into　the　other　room　to　fetch　his　ticket）；　the　comforting　idea　occurred　to　me　that　perhaps　the　whole　thing　was　over　now；　and　that　the　master　had　forgotten　me。

But　suddenly　he　turned　in　my　direction　with　a　malicious　smile；　and　said　as　he　rubbed　his　hands　anew；　〃I　hope　you　have　learnt　your　lesson？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　replied。

〃Would　you　be　so　kind；　then；　as　to　tell　me　something　about　St。　Louis'　Crusade？〃　he　went　on；　balancing　himself　on　his　chair　and　looking　gravely　at　his　feet。　〃Firstly；　tell　me　something　about　the　reasons　which　induced　the　French　king　to　assume　the　cross　（here　he　raised　his　eyebrows　and　pointed　to　the　inkstand）；　then　explain　to　me　the　general　characteristics　of　the　Crusade　（here　he　made　a　sweeping　gesture　with　his　hand；　as　though　to　seize　hold　of　something　with　it）；　〃and　lastly；　expound　to　me　the　influence　of　this　Crusade　upon　the　European　states　in　general〃　（drawing　the　copy　books　to　the　left　side　of　the　table）　〃and　upon　the　French　state　in　particular〃　（drawing　one　of　them　to　the　right；　and　inclining　his　head　in　the　same　direction）。

I　swallowed　a　few　times；　coughed；　bent　forward；　and　was　silent。　Then；　taking　a　pen　from　the　table；　I　began　to　pick　it　to　pieces；　yet　still　said　nothing。

〃Allow　me　the　penI　shall　want　it；〃　said　the　master。　〃Well？〃

〃Louis　the…er…Saint　was…was…a　very　good　and　wise　king。〃

〃What？〃

〃King；　He　took　it　into　his　head　to　go　to　Jerusalem；　and　handed　over　the　reins　of　government　to　his　mother；〃

〃What　was　her　name？

〃B…b…b…lanka。〃

〃What？　Belanka？〃

I　laughed　in　a　rather　forced　manner。

〃Well；　is　that　all　you　know？〃　he　asked　again；　smiling。

I　had　nothing　to　lose　now；　so　I　began　chattering　the　first　thing　that　came　into　my　head。　The　master　remained　silent　as　he　gathered　together　the　remains　of　the　pen　which　I　had　left　strewn　about　the　table；　looked　gravely　past　my　ear　at　the　wall；　and　repeated　from　time　to　time；　〃Very　well；　very　well。〃　Though　I　was　conscious　that　I　knew　nothing　whatever　and　was　expressing　myself　all　wrong；　I　felt　much　hurt　at　the　fact　that　he　never　either　corrected　or　interrupted　me。

〃What　made　him　think　of　going　to　Jerusalem？〃　he　asked　at　last；　repeating　some　words　of　my　own。

〃Becausebecausethat　is　to　say〃

My　confusion　was　complete；　and　I　relapsed　into　silence；　I　felt　that；　even　if　this　disgusting　history　master　were　to　go　on　putting　questions　to　me；　and　gazing　inquiringly　into　my　face；　for　a　year；　I　should　never　be　able　to　enunciate　another　syllable。　After　staring　at　me　for　some　three　minutes；　he　suddenly　assumed　a　mournful　cast　of　countenance；　and　said　in　an　agitated　voice　to　Woloda　（who　was　just　re…entering　the　room）：

〃Allow　me　the　register。　I　will　write　my　remarks。〃

He　opened　the　book　thoughtfully；　and　in　his　fine　caligraphy　marked　FIVE　for　Woloda　for　diligence；　and　the　same　for　good　behaviour。　Then；　resting　his　pen　on　the　line　where　my　report　was　to　go；　he　looked　at　me　and　reflected。　Suddenly　his　hand　made　a　decisive　movement　and；　behold；　against　my　name　stood　a　clearly…　marked　ONE；　with　a　full　stop　after　it！　Another　movement　and　in　the　behaviour　column　there　stood　another　one　and　another　full　stop！　Quietly　closing　the　book；　the　master　then　rose；　and　moved　towards　the　door　as　though　unconscious　of　my　look　of　entreaty；　despair；　and　reproach。

〃Michael　Lavionitch！〃　I　said。

〃No！〃　he　replied；　as　though　knowing　beforehand　what　I　was　about　to　say。　〃It　is　impossible　for　you　to　learn　in　that　way。　I　am　not　going　to　earn　my　money　for　nothing。〃

He　put　on　his　goloshes　and　cloak；　and　then　slowly　tied　a　scarf　about　his　neck。　To　think　that　he　could　care　about　such　trifles　after　what　had　just　happened　to　me！　To　him　it　was　all　a　mere　stroke　of　the　pen；　but　to　me　it　meant　the　direst　misfortune。

〃Is　the　lesson　over？〃　asked　St。　Jerome；　entering。

〃Yes。〃

〃And　was　the　master　pleased　with　you？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃How　many　marks　did　he　give　you？〃

〃Five。〃

〃And　to　Nicholas？〃

I　was　silent。

〃I　think　four；〃　said　Woloda。　His　idea　was　to　save　me　for　at　least　today。　If　punishment　there　must　be；　it　need　not　be　awarded　while　we　had　guests。

〃Voyons；　Messieurs！〃　（St。　Jerome　was　forever　saying　〃Voyons！〃）　〃Faites　votre　toilette；　et　descendons。〃



XII。　THE　KEY

We　had　hardly　descended　and　greeted　our　guests　when　luncheon　was　announced。　Papa　was　in　the　highest　of　spirits　since　for　some　time　past　he　had　been　winning。　He　had　presented　Lubotshka　with　a　silver　tea　service；　and　suddenly　remembered；　after　luncheon；　that　he　had　forgotten　a　box　of　bonbons　which　she　was　to　have　too。

〃Why　send　a　servant　for　it？　YOU　had　better　go；　Koko；〃　he　said　to　me　jestingly。　〃The　keys　are　in　the　tray　on　the　table；　you　know。　Take　them；　and　with　the　largest　one　open　the　second　drawer　on　the　right。　There　you　will　find　the　box　of　bonbons。　Bring　it　here。〃

〃Shall　I　get　you　some　cigars　as　well？〃　said　I；　knowing　that　he　always　smoked　after　luncheon。

〃Yes；　do；　but　don't　touch　anything　else。〃

I　found　the　keys；　and　was　about　to　carry　out　my　orders；　when　I　was　seized　with　a　desire　to　know　what　the　smallest　of　the　keys　on　the　bunch　belonged　to。

On　the　table　I　saw；　among　many　other　things；　a　padlocked　portfolio；　and　at　once　felt　curious　to　see　if　that　was　what　the　key　fitted。　My　experiment　was　crowned　with　success。　The　portfolio　opened　and　disclosed　a　number　of　papers。　Curiosity　so　strongly　urged　me　also　to　ascertain　what　those　papers　contained　that　the　voice　of　conscience　was　stilled；　and　I　began　to　read　their　contents。　。　。　。

My　childish　feeling　of　unlimited　respect　for　my　elders；　especially　for　Papa；　was　so　strong　within　me　that　my　intellect　involunta