the witch and other stories-第14章

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〃Yes；〃　the　tramp　answered　mildly。

〃H'm。　。　。　then　you've　been　christened？〃

〃Why；　to　be　sure！　I'm　not　a　Turk。　I　go　to　church　and　to　the
sacrament；　and　do　not　eat　meat　when　it　is　forbidden。　And　I
observe　my　religious　duties　punctually。　。　。　。〃

〃Well；　what　are　you　called；　then？〃

〃Call　me　what　you　like；　good　man。〃

Ptaha　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　slapped　himself　on　the　haunches
in　extreme　perplexity。　The　other　constable；　Nikandr　Sapozhnikov；
maintained　a　staid　silence。　He　was　not　so　naive　as　Ptaha；　and
apparently　knew　very　well　the　reasons　which　might　induce　an
orthodox　Christian　to　conceal　his　name　from　other　people。　His
expressive　face　was　cold　and　stern。　He　walked　apart　and　did　not
condescend　to　idle　chatter　with　his　companions；　but；　as　it　were；
tried　to　show　everyone；　even　the　fog；　his　sedateness　and
discretion。

〃God　knows　what　to　make　of　you；〃　Ptaha　persisted　in　addressing
the　tramp。　〃Peasant　you　are　not；　and　gentleman　you　are　not；　but
some　sort　of　a　thing　between。　。　。　。　The　other　day　I　was　washing　a
sieve　in　the　pond　and　caught　a　reptile　　see；　as　long　as　a
finger；　with　gills　and　a　tail。　The　first　minute　I　thought　it　was
a　fish；　then　I　looked　　and；　blow　it！　if　it　hadn't　paws。　It　was
not　a　fish；　it　was　a　viper；　and　the　deuce　only　knows　what　it　was。
。　。　。　So　that's　like　you。　。　。　。　What's　your　calling？〃

〃I　am　a　peasant　and　of　peasant　family；〃　sighed　the　tramp。　〃My
mamma　was　a　house　serf。　I　don't　look　like　a　peasant；　that's　true；
for　such　has　been　my　lot；　good　man。　My　mamma　was　a　nurse　with　the
gentry；　and　had　every　comfort；　and　as　I　was　of　her　flesh　and
blood；　I　lived　with　her　in　the　master's　house。　She　petted　and
spoiled　me；　and　did　her　best　to　take　me　out　of　my　humble　class
and　make　a　gentleman　of　me。　I　slept　in　a　bed；　every　day　I　ate　a
real　dinner；　I　wore　breeches　and　shoes　like　a　gentleman's　child。
What　my　mamma　ate　I　was　fed　on；　too；　they　gave　her　stuffs　as　a
present；　and　she　dressed　me　up　in　them。　。　。　。　We　lived　well！　I
ate　so　many　sweets　and　cakes　in　my　childish　years　that　if　they
could　be　sold　now　it　would　be　enough　to　　buy　a　goo　d　horse。　Mamma
taught　me　to　read　and　write；　she　instilled　the　fear　of　God　in　me
from　my　earliest　years；　and　she　so　trained　me　that　now　I　can't
bring　myself　to　utter　an　unrefined　peasant　word。　And　I　don't
drink　vodka；　my　lad；　and　am　neat　in　my　dress；　and　know　how　to
behave　with　decorum　in　good　society。　If　she　is　still　living；　God
give　her　health；　and　if　she　is　dead；　then；　O　Lord；　give　her　soul
peace　in　Thy　Kingdom；　wherein　the　just　are　at　rest。〃

The　tramp　bared　his　head　with　the　scanty　hair　standing　up　like　a
brush　on　it；　turned　his　eyes　upward　and　crossed　himself　twice。

〃Grant　her；　O　Lord；　a　verdant　and　peaceful　resting…place；〃　he
said　in　a　drawling　voice；　more　like　an　old　woman's　than　a　man's。
〃Teach　Thy　servant　Xenia　Thy　justifications；　O　Lord！　If　it　had
not　been　for　my　beloved　mamma　I　should　have　been　a　peasant　with
no　sort　of　understanding！　Now；　young　man；　ask　me　about　anything
and　I　understand　it　all：　the　holy　Scriptures　and　profane
writings；　and　every　prayer　and　catechism。　I　live　according　to　the
Scriptures。　。　。　。　I　don't　injure　anyone；　I　keep　my　flesh　in
purity　and　continence；　I　observe　the　fasts；　I　eat　at　fitting
times。　Another　man　will　take　no　pleasure　in　anything　but　vodka
and　lewd　talk；　but　when　I　have　time　I　sit　in　a　corner　and　read　a
book。　I　read　and　I　weep　and　weep。〃

〃What　do　you　weep　for？〃

〃They　write　so　patheticallyl　For　some　books　one　gives　but　a
five…kopeck　piece；　and　yet　one　weeps　and　sighs　exceedingly　over
it。〃

〃Is　your　father　dead？〃　asked　Ptaha。

〃I　don't　know；　good　man。　I　don't　know　my　parent；　it　is　no　use
concealing　it。　I　judge　that　I　was　mamma's　illegitimate　son。　My
mamma　lived　all　her　life　with　the　gentry；　and　did　not　want　to
marry　a　simple　peasant。　。　。　。〃

〃And　so　she　fell　into　the　master's　hands；〃　laughed　Ptaha。

〃She　did　transgress；　that's　true。　She　was　pious；　God…fearing；　but
she　did　not　keep　her　maiden　purity。　It　is　a　sin；　of　course；　a
great　sin；　there's　no　doubt　about　it；　but　to　make　up　for　it　there
is；　maybe；　noble　blood　in　me。　Maybe　I　am　only　a　peasant　by　class；
but　in　nature　a　noble　gentleman。〃

The　〃noble　gentleman〃　uttered　all　this　in　a　soft；　sugary　tenor；
wrinkling　up　his　narrow　forehead　and　emitting　creaking　sounds
from　his　red；　frozen　little　nose。　Ptaha　listened　and　looked
askance　at　him　in　wonder；　continually　shrugging　his　shoulders。

After　going　nearly　five　miles　the　constables　and　the　tramp　sat
down　on　a　mound　to　rest。

〃Even　a　dog　knows　his　name；〃　Ptaha　muttered。　〃My　name　is
Andryushka；　his　is　Nikandr；　every　man　has　his　holy　name；　and　it
can't　be　forgotten。　Nohow。〃

〃Who　has　any　need　to　know　my　name？〃　sighed　the　tramp；　leaning　his
cheek　on　his　fist。　〃And　what　advantage　would　it　be　to　me　if　they
did　know　it？　If　I　were　allowed　to　go　where　I　would　　but　it
would　only　make　things　worse。　I　know　the　law；　Christian　brothers。
Now　I　am　a　tramp　who　doesn't　remember　his　name；　and　it's　the　very
most　if　they　send　me　to　Eastern　Siberia　and　give　me　thirty　or
forty　lashes；　but　if　I　were　to　tell　them　my　real　name　and
description　they　would　send　me　back　to　hard　labour；　I　know！〃

〃Why；　have　you　been　a　convict？〃

〃I　have；　dear　friend。　For　four　years　I　went　about　with　my　head
shaved　and　fetters　on　my　legs。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃For　murder；　my　good　man！　When　I　was　still　a　boy　of　eighteen　or
so；　my　mamma　accidentally　poured　arsenic　instead　of　soda　and　acid
into　my　master's　glass。　There　were　boxes　of　all　sorts　in　the
storeroom；　numbers　of　them；　it　was　easy　to　make　a　mistake　over
them。〃

The　tramp　sighed；　shook　his　head；　and　said：

〃She　was　a　pious　woman；　but；　who　knows？　another　man's　soul　is　a
slumbering　forest！　It　may　have　been　an　accident；　or　maybe　she
could　not　endure　the　affront　of　seeing　the　master　prefer　another
servant。　。　。　。　Perhaps　she　put　it　in　on　purpose；　God　knows！　I　was
young　then；　and　did　not　understand　it　all　。　。　。　now　I　remember
that　our　master　had　taken　another　mistress　and　mamma　was　greatly
disturbed。　Our　trial　lasted　nearly　two　years。　。　。　。　Mamma　was
condemned　to　penal　servitude　for　twenty　years；　and　I；　on　account
of　my　youth；　only　to　seven。〃

〃And　why　were　you　sentenced？〃

〃As　an　accomplice。　I　handed　the　glass　to　the　master。　That　was
always　the　custom。　Mamma　prepared　the　soda　and　I　handed　it　to
him。　Only　I　tell　you　all　this　as　a　Christian；　brothers；　as　I
would　say　it　before　God。　Don't　you　tell　anybody。　。　。　。〃

〃Oh；　nobody's　going　to　ask　us；〃　said　Ptaha。　〃So　you've　run　away
from　prison；　have　you？〃

〃I　have；　dear　friend。　Fourteen　of　us　ran　away。　Some　folks；　God
bless　them！　ran　away　and　took　me　with　them。　Now　you　tell　me；　on
your　conscience；　good　man；　what　reason　have　I　to　disclose　my
name？　They　will　send　me　back　to　penal　servitude；　you　know！　And　I
am　not　fit　for　penal　servitude！　I　am　a　refined　man　in　delicate
health。　I　like　to　sleep　and　eat　in　cleanliness。　When　I　pray　to
God　I　like　to　light　a　little　lamp　or　a　candle；　and　not　to　have　a
noise　around　me。　When　I　bow　down　to　the　ground　I　like　the　floor
not　to　be　dirty　or　spat　upon。　And　I　bow　down　forty　times　every
morning　and　evening；　praying　for　mamma。〃

The　tramp　took　off　his　cap　and　crossed　himself。

〃And　let　them　send　me　to　Eastern　Siberia；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　not
afraid　of　that。〃

〃Surely　that's　no　better？〃

〃It　is　quite　a　different　thing。　In　penal　servitude　you　are　like　a
crab　in　a　basket：　crowding；　crushing；　jostling；　there's　no　room
to　breathe；　it's　downright　hell　　such　hell；　may　the　Queen　of
Heaven　keep　us　from　it！　You　are　a　robber　and　treated　like　a
robber　　worse　than　any　dog。　You　can't　sleep；　you　can't　eat　or
even　say　your　prayers。　But　it's　not　like　that　in　a　settlement。　In
a　settlement　I　shall　be　a　member　of　a　commune　like　other　people。
The　authorities　are　bound　by　law　to　give　me　my　share　。　。　。　ye…es！
They　say　the　land　costs　nothing；　no　more　than　snow；　you　can　take
what　you　like！　They　will　give　me　corn　land　and　building　land　and
garden。　。　。　。　I　shall　plough　my　fields　like　other　people；　sow
seed。　I　shall　have　cattle　and　stock　of　all　sorts；　bees；　sheep；
and　dogs。　。　。　。　A　Siberian　cat；　that　rats　and　mice　may　not　devour
my　goods。　。　。　。　I　wil