the calash-第1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！









THE　CALASH



The　town　of　B　had　become　very　lively　since　a　cavalry　regiment　had

taken　up　its　quarters　in　it。　Up　to　that　date　it　had　been　mortally

wearisome　there。　When　you　happened　to　pass　through　the　town　and

glanced　at　its　little　mud　houses　with　their　incredibly　gloomy　aspect；

the　pen　refuses　to　express　what　you　felt。　You　suffered　a　terrible

uneasiness　as　if　you　had　just　lost　all　your　money　at　play；　or　had

committed　some　terrible　blunder　in　company。　The　plaster　covering　the

houses；　soaked　by　the　rain；　had　fallen　away　in　many　places　from　their

walls；　which　from　white　had　become　streaked　and　spotted；　whilst　old

reeds　served　to　thatch　them。



Following　a　custom　very　common　in　the　towns　of　South　Russia；　the　chief

of　police　has　long　since　had　all　the　trees　in　the　gardens　cut　down　to

improve　the　view。　One　never　meets　anything　in　the　town；　unless　it　is　a

cock　crossing　the　road；　full　of　dust　and　soft　as　a　pillow。　At　the

slightest　rain　this　dust　is　turned　into　mud；　and　then　all　the　streets

are　filled　with　pigs。　Displaying　to　all　their　grave　faces；　they　utter

such　grunts　that　travellers　only　think　of　pressing　their　horses　to　get

away　from　them　as　soon　as　possible。　Sometimes　some　country　gentleman

of　the　neighbourhood；　the　owner　of　a　dozen　serfs；　passes　in　a　vehicle

which　is　a　kind　of　compromise　between　a　carriage　and　a　cart；

surrounded　by　sacks　of　flour；　and　whipping　up　his　bay　mare　with　her

colt　trotting　by　her　side。　The　aspect　of　the　marketplace　is　mournful

enough。　The　tailor's　house　sticks　out　very　stupidly；　not　squarely　to

the　front　but　sideways。　Facing　it　is　a　brick　house　with　two　windows；

unfinished　for　fifteen　years　past；　and　further　on　a　large　wooden

market…stall　standing　by　itself　and　painted　mud…colour。　This　stall；

which　was　to　serve　as　a　model；　was　built　by　the　chief　of　police　in　the

time　of　his　youth；　before　he　got　into　the　habit　of　falling　asleep

directly　after　dinner；　and　of　drinking　a　kind　of　decoction　of　dried

goose…berries　every　evening。　All　around　the　rest　of　the　market…place

are　nothing　but　palings。　But　in　the　centre　are　some　little　sheds　where

a　packet　of　round　cakes；　a　stout　woman　in　a　red　dress；　a　bar　of　soap；

some　pounds　of　bitter　almonds；　some　lead；　some　cotton；　and　two　shopmen

playing　at　〃svaika；〃　a　game　resembling　quoits；　are　always　to　be　seen。



But　on　the　arrival　of　the　cavalry　regiment　everything　changed。　The

streets　became　more　lively　and　wore　quite　another　aspect。　Often　from

their　little　houses　the　inhabitants　would　see　a　tall　and　well…made

officer　with　a　plumed　hat　pass　by；　on　his　way　to　the　quarters　of　one

of　his　comrades　to　discuss　the　chances　of　promotion　or　the　qualities

of　a　new　tobacco；　or　perhaps　to　risk　at　play　his　carriage；　which　might

indeed　be　called　the　carriage　of　all　the　regiment；　since　it　belonged

in　turn　to　every　one　of　them。　To…day　it　was　the　major　who　drove　out　in

it；　to…morrow　it　was　seen　in　the　lieutenant's　coach…house；　and　a　week

later　the　major's　servant　was　again　greasing　its　wheels。　The　long

hedges　separating　the　houses　were　suddenly　covered　with　soldiers'　caps

exposed　to　the　sun；　grey　frieze　cloaks　hung　in　the　doorways；　and

moustaches　harsh　and　bristling　as　clothes　brushes　were　to　be　met　with

in　all　the　streets。　These　moustaches　showed　themselves　everywhere；　but

above　all　at　the　market；　over　the　shoulders　of　the　women　of　the　place

who　flocked　there　from　all　sides　to　make　their　purchases。　The　officers

lent　great　animation　to　society　at　B。



Society　consisted　up　till　then　of　the　judge　who　was　living　with　a

deacon's　wife；　and　of　the　chief　of　police；　a　very　sensible　man；　but

one　who　slept　all　day　long　from　dinner　till　evening；　and　from　evening

till　dinner…time。



This　general　liveliness　was　still　further　increased　when　the　town　of

B　became　the　residence　of　the　general　commanding　the　brigade　to

which　the　regiment　belonged。　Many　gentlemen　of　the　neighbourhood；

whose　very　existence　no　one　had　even　suspected；　began　to　come　into　the

town　with　the　intention　of　calling　on　the　officers；　or；　perhaps；　of

playing　bank；　a　game　concerning　which　they　had　up　till　then　only　a

very　confused　notion；　occupied　as　they　were　with　their　crops　and　the

commissions　of　their　wives　and　their　hare…hunting。　I　am　very　sorry

that　I　cannot　recollect　for　what　reason　the　general　made　up　his　mind

one　fine　day　to　give　a　grand　dinner。　The　preparations　were

overwhelming。　The　clatter　of　knives　in　the　kitchen　was　heard　as　far　as

the　town　gates。　The　whole　of　the　market　was　laid　under　contributions；

so　much　so　that　the　judge　and　the　deacon's　wife　found　themselves

obliged　that　day　to　be　satisfied　with　hasty　puddings　and　cakes　of

flour。　The　little　courtyard　of　the　house　occupied　by　the　general　was

crowded　with　vehicles。　The　company　only　consisted　of　men；　officers　and

gentlemen　of　the　neighbourhood。



Amongst　these　latter　was　above　all　conspicuous　Pythagoras

Pythagoravitch　Tchertokoutski；　one　of　the　leading　aristocrats　of　the

district　of　B；　the　most　fiery　orator　at　the　nobiliary　elections　and

the　owner　of　a　very　elegant　turn…out。　He　had　served　in　a　cavalry

regiment　and　had　even　passed　for　one　of　its　most　accomplished

officers；　having　constantly　shown　himself　at　all　the　balls　and　parties

wherever　his　regiment　was　quartered。　Information　respecting　him　may　be

asked　of　all　the　young　ladies　in　the　districts　of　Tamboff　and

Simbirsk。　He　would　very　probably　have　further　extended　his　reputation

in　other　districts　if　he　had　not　been　obliged　to　leave　the　service　in

consequence　of　one　of　those　affairs　which　are　spoken　of　as　〃a　very

unpleasant　business。〃　Had　he　given　or　received　a　blow？　I　cannot　say

with　certainty；　but　what　is　indisputable　is　that　he　was　asked　to　send

in　his　resignation。　However；　this　accident　had　no　unpleasant　effect

upon　the　esteem　in　which　he　had　been　held　up　till　then。



Tchertokoutski　always　wore　a　coat　of　a　military　cut；　spurs　and

moustache；　in　order　not　to　have　it　supposed　that　he　had　served　in　the

infantry；　a　branch　of　the　service　upon　which　he　lavished　the　most

contemptuous　expressions。　He　frequented　the　numerous　fairs　to　which

flock　the　whole　of　the　population　of　Southern　Russia；　consisting　of

nursemaids；　tall　girls；　and　burly　gentlemen　who　go　there　in　vehicles

of　such　strange　aspect　that　no　one　has　ever　seen　their　match　even　in　a

dream。　He　instinctively　guessed　the　spot　in　which　a　regiment　of

cavalry　was　to　be　found　and　never　failed　to　introduce　himself　to　the

officers。　On　perceiving　them　he　bounded　gracefully　from　his　light

phaeton　and　soon　made　acquaintance　with　them。　At　the　last　election　he

had　given　to　the　whole　of　the　nobility　a　grand　dinner　during　which　he

declared　that　if　he　were　elected　marshal　he　would　put　all　gentlemen　on

the　best　possible　footing。　He　usually　behaved　after　the　fashion　of　a

great　noble。　He　had　married　a　rather　pretty　lady　with　a　dowry　of　two

hundred　serfs　and　some　thousands　of　rubles。　This　money　was　at　once

employed　in　the　purchase　of　six　fine　horses；　some　gilt　bronze　locks；

and　a　tame　monkey。　He　further　engaged　a　French　cook。　The　two　hundred

peasants　of　the　lady；　as　well　as　two　hundred　more　belonging　to　the

gentleman；　were　mortgaged　to　the　bank。　In　a　word；　he　was　a　regular

nobleman。　Besides　himself；　several　other　gentlemen　were　amongst　the

general's　guests；　but　it　is　not　worth　while　speaking　of　them。　The

officers　of　the　regiment；　amongst　whom　were　the　colonel　and　the　fat

major；　formed　the　majority　of　those　present。　The　general　himself　was

rather　stout；　a　good　officer；　nevertheless；　according　to　his

subordinates。　He　had　a　rather　deep　bass　voice。



The　dinner　was　magnificent；　there　were　sturgeons；　sterlets；　bustards；

asparagus；　quail；　partridges；　mushrooms。　The　flavour　of　all　these

dishes　supplied　an　irrefutable　proof　of　the　sobriety　of　the　cook

during　the　twenty…four　hours　preceding　the　dinner。　Four　soldiers；　who

had　been　given　him　as　assistants；　had　not　ceased　working　all　night；

knife　in　hand；　at　the　composition　of