02-after the dance-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！



〃I　looked　in　the　same　direction；　and　saw　be…
tween　the　files　something　horrid　approaching　me。　
The　thing　that　approached　was　a　man；　stripped
to　the　waist；　fastened　with　cords　to　the　guns　of　two
soldiers　who　were　leading　him。　　At　his　side　an
officer　in　overcoat　and　cap　was　walking；　whose
figure　had　a　familiar　look。　　The　victim　advanced
under　the　blows　that　rained　upon　him　from　both
sides；　his　whole　body　plunging；　his　feet　dragging
through　the　snow。　　Now　he　threw　himself　back…
ward；　and　the　subalterns　who　led　him　thrust　him
forward。　　Now　he　fell　forward；　and　they　pulled
him　up　short；　while　ever　at　his　side　marched　the
tall　officer；　with　firm　and　nervous　pace。　　It　was
Varinka's　father；　with　his　rosy　face　and　white
moustache。

〃At　each　stroke　the　man；　as　if　amazed；　turned
his　face；　grimacing　with　pain；　towards　the　side
whence　the　blow　came；　and　showing　his　white　teeth
repeated　the　same　words　over　and　over。　　But　I
could　only　hear　what　the　words　were　when　he　came
quite　near。　　He　did　not　speak　them；　he　sobbed
them　out；

〃'Brothers；　have　mercy　on　me！　Brothers；　have
mercy　on　me！'　But　the　brothers　had；　no　mercy；
and　when　the　procession　came　close　to　me；　I　saw
how　a　soldier　who　stood　opposite　me　took　a　firm
step　forward　and　lifting　his　stick　with　a　whirr；
brought　it　down　upon　the　man's　back。　　The　man
plunged　forward；　but　the　subalterns　pulled　him
back；　and　another　blow　came　down　from　the　other
side；　then　from　this　side　and　then　from　the　other。　
The　colonel　marched　beside　him；　and　looking　now
at　his　feet　and　now　at　the　man；　inhaled　the　air；
puffed　out　his　cheeks；　and　breathed　it　out　between
his　protruded　lips。　　When　they　passed　the　place
where　I　stood；　I　caught　a　glimpse　between　the　two
files　of　the　back　of　the　man　that　was　being　pun…
ished。　　It　was　something　so　many…coloured；　wet；
red；　unnatural；　that　I　could　hardly　believe　it　was　a
human　body。

〃'My　God！'　muttered　the　blacksmith。

The　procession　moved　farther　away。　　The
blows　continued　to　rain　upon　the　writhing；　falling
creature；　the　fifes　shrilled　and　the　drums　beat；　and
the　tall　imposing　figure　of　the　colonel　moved　along…
side　the　man；　just　as　before。　　Then；　suddenly；　the
colonel　stopped；　and　rapidly　approached　a　man　in
the　ranks。

〃'I'll　teach　you　to　hit　him　gently；'　I　heard　his
furious　voice　say。　　'Will　you　pat　him　like　that？
Will　you？'　and　I　saw　how　his　strong　hand　in　the
suede　glove　struck　the　weak；　bloodless；　terrified
soldier　for　not　bringing　down　his　stick　with　suffi…
cient　strength　on　the　red　neck　of　the　Tartar。

〃'Bring　new　sticks！'　he　cried；　and　looking
round；　he　saw　me。　　Assuming　an　air　of　not　know…
ing　me；　and　with　a　ferocious；　angry　frown；　he
hastily　turned　away。　　I　felt　so　utterly　ashamed
that　I　didn't　know　where　to　look。　　It　was　as　if　I
had　been　detected　in　a　disgraceful　act。　　I　dropped
my　eyes；　and　quickly　hurried　home。　　All　the　way
I　had　the　drums　beating　and　the　fifes　whistling　in
my　ears。　　And　I　heard　the　words；　'Brothers；　have
mercy　on　me！'　or　'Will　you　pat　him？　Will
you？'　My　heart　was　full　of　physical　disgust　that
was　almost　sickness。　　So　much　so　that　I　halted　sev…
eral　times　on　my　way；　for　I　had　the　feeling　that　I
was　going　to　be　really　sick　from　all　the　horrors
that　possessed　me　at　that　sight。　　I　do　not　remem…
ber　how　I　got　home　and　got　to　bed。　　But　the　mo…
ment　I　was　about　to　fall　asleep　I　heard　and　saw
again　all　that　had　happened；　and　I　sprang　up。

〃'Evidently　he　knows　something　I　do　not
know；'　I　thought　about　the　colonel。　　'If　I　knew
what　he　knows　I　should　certainly　graspunder…
standwhat　I　have　just　seen；　and　it　would　not
cause　me　such　suffering。'

〃But　however　much　I　thought　about　it；　I　could
not　understand　the　thing　that　the　colonel　knew。　
It　was　evening　before　I　could　get　to　sleep；　and　then
only　after　calling　on　a　friend　and　drinking　till　I；
was　quite　drunk。

〃Do　you　think　I　had　come　to　the　conclusion　that
the　deed　I　had　witnessed　was　wicked？　Oh；　no。　
Since　it　was　done　with　such　assurance；　and　was　rec…
ognised　by　every　one　as　indispensable；　they　doubt…
less　knew　something　which　I　did　not　know。　　So　I
thought；　and　tried　to　understand。　　But　no　matter；
I　could　never　understand　it；　then　or　afterwards。
And　not　being　able　to　grasp　it；　I　could　not　enter
the　service　as　I　had　intended。　　I　don't　mean　only
the　military　service：　　I　did　not　enter　the　Civil　Serv…
ice　either。　　And　so　I　have　been　of　no　use　whatever；
as　you　can　see。〃

〃Yes；　we　know　how　useless　you've　been；〃　said
one　of　us。　　〃Tell　us；　rather；　how　many　people
would　be　of　any　use　at　all　if　it　hadn't　been　for
you。〃

〃Oh；　that's　utter　nonsense；〃　said　Ivan　Vasilie…
vich；　with　genuine　annoyance。

〃Well；　and　what　about　the　love　affair？

〃My　love？　It　decreased　from　that　day。　
When；　as　often　happened；　she　looked　dreamy　and
meditative；　I　instantly　recollected　the　colonel　on
the　parade　ground；　and　I　felt　so　awkward　and
uncomfortable　that　I　began　to　see　her　less　fre…
quently。　　So　my　love　came　to　naught。　　Yes；　such
chances　arise；　and　they　alter　and　direct　a　man's
whole　　life；〃　he　said　in　summing　up。　　〃And　you
say　。　。　。〃