the witch and other stories-第23章

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service！〃

Pavel　Ivanitch's　eyes　looked　angry；　he　frowned　contemptuously　and
said；　gasping：

〃Those　are　the　people　who　ought　to　be　plucked　in　the　newspapers
till　the　feathers　fly　in　all　directions。〃

The　two　sick　soldiers　and　the　sailor　were　awake　and　already
playing　cards。　The　sailor　was　half　reclining　in　his　hammock；　the
soldiers　were　sitting　near　him　on　the　floor　in　the　most
uncomfortable　attitudes。　One　of　the　soldiers　had　his　right　arm　in
a　sling；　and　the　hand　was　swathed　up　in　a　regular　bundle　so　that
he　held　his　cards　under　his　right　arm　or　in　the　crook　of　his
elbow　while　he　played　with　the　left。　The　ship　was　rolling
heavily。　They　could　not　stand　up；　nor　drink　tea；　nor　take　their
medicines。

〃Were　you　an　officer's　servant？〃　Pavel　Ivanitch　asked　Gusev。

〃Yes；　an　officer's　servant。〃

〃My　God；　my　God！〃　said　Pavel　Ivanitch；　and　he　shook　his　head
mournfully。　〃To　tear　a　man　out　of　his　home；　drag　him　twelve
thousand　miles　away；　then　to　drive　him　into　consumption　and。　。　。
and　what　is　it　all　for；　one　wonders？　To　turn　him　into　a　servant
for　some　Captain　Kopeikin　or　midshipman　Dirka！　How　logical！〃

〃It's　not　hard　work；　Pavel　Ivanitch。　You　get　up　in　the　morning
and　clean　the　boots；　get　the　samovar；　sweep　the　rooms；　and　then
you　have　nothing　more　to　do。　The　lieutenant　is　all　the　day
drawing　plans；　and　if　you　like　you　can　say　your　prayers；　if　you
like　you　can　read　a　book　or　go　out　into　the　street。　God　grant
everyone　such　a　life。〃

〃Yes；　very　nice；　the　lieutenant　draws　plans　all　the　day　and　you
sit　in　the　kitchen　and　pine　for　home。　。　。　。　Plans　indeed！　。　。　。
It　is　not　plans　that　matter；　but　a　human　life。　Life　is　not　given
twice；　it　must　be　treated　mercifully。〃

〃Of　course；　Pavel　Ivanitch；　a　bad　man　gets　no　mercy　anywhere；
neither　at　home　nor　in　the　army；　but　if　you　live　as　you　ought　and
obey　orders；　who　has　any　need　to　insult　you？　The　officers　are
educated　gentlemen；　they　understand。　。　。　。　In　five　years　I　was
never　once　in　prison；　and　I　was　never　struck　a　blow；　so　help　me
God；　but　once。〃

〃What　for？〃

〃For　fighting。　I　have　a　heavy　hand；　Pavel　Ivanitch。　Four　Chinamen
came　into　our　yard；　they　were　bringing　firewood　or　something；　I
don't　remember。　Well；　I　was　bored　and　I　knocked　them　about　a　bit；
one's　nose　began　bleeding；　damn　the　fellow。　。　。　。　The　lieutenant
saw　it　through　the　little　window；　he　was　angry　and　gave　me　a　box
on　the　ear。〃

〃Foolish；　pitiful　man　。　。　。〃　whispered　Pavel　Ivanitch。　〃You　don't
understand　anything。〃

He　was　utterly　exhausted　by　the　tossing　of　the　ship　and　closed
his　eyes；　his　head　alternately　fell　back　and　dropped　forward　on
his　breast。　Several　times　he　tried　to　lie　down　but　nothing　came
of　it；　his　difficulty　in　breathing　prevented　it。

〃And　what　did　you　hit　the　four　Chinamen　for？〃　he　asked　a　little
while　afterwards。

〃Oh；　nothing。　They　came　into　the　yard　and　I　hit　them。〃

And　a　stillness　followed。　。　。　。　The　card…players　had　been　playing
for　two　hours　with　enthusiasm　and　loud　abuse　of　one　another；　but
the　motion　of　the　ship　overcame　them；　too；　they　threw　aside　the
cards　and　lay　down。　Again　Gusev　saw　the　big　pond；　the　brick
building；　the　village。　。　。　。　Again　the　sledge　was　coming　along；
again　Vanka　was　laughing　and　Akulka；　silly　little　thing；　threw
open　her　fur　coat　and　stuck　her　feet　out；　as　much　as　to　say：
〃Look；　good　people；　my　snowboots　are　not　like　Vanka's；　they　are
new　ones。〃

〃Five　years　old；　and　she　has　no　sense　yet；〃　Gusev　muttered　in
delirium。　〃Instead　of　kicking　your　legs　you　had　better　come　and
get　your　soldier　uncle　a　drink。　I　will　give　you　something　nice。〃

Then　Andron　with　a　flintlock　gun　on　his　sh　oulder　was　carrying　a
hare　he　had　killed；　and　he　was　followed　by　the　decrepit　old　Jew
Isaitchik；　who　offers　to　barter　the　hare　for　a　piece　of　soap；
then　the　black　calf　in　the　shed；　then　Domna　sewing　at　a　shirt　and
crying　about　something；　and　then　again　the　bull's　head　without
eyes；　black　smoke。　。　。　。

Overhead　someone　gave　a　loud　shout；　several　sailors　ran　by；　they
seemed　to　be　dragging　something　bulky　over　the　deck；　something
fell　with　a　crash。　Again　they　ran　by。　。　。　。　Had　something　gone
wrong？　Gusev　raised　his　head；　listened；　and　saw　that　the　two
soldiers　and　the　sailor　were　playing　cards　again；　Pavel　Ivanitch
was　sitting　up　moving　his　lips。　It　was　stifling；　one　hadn't
strength　to　breathe；　one　was　thirsty；　the　water　was　warm；
disgusting。　The　ship　heaved　as　much　as　ever。

Suddenly　something　strange　happened　to　one　of　the　soldiers
playing　cards。　。　。　。　He　called　hearts　diamonds；　got　muddled　in
his　score；　and　dropped　his　cards；　then　with　a　frightened；　foolish
smile　looked　round　at　all　of　them。

〃I　shan't　be　a　minute；　mates；　I'll　。　。　。〃　he　said；　and　lay　down
on　the　floor。

Everybody　was　amazed。　They　called　to　him；　he　did　not　answer。

〃Stephan；　maybe　you　are　feeling　bad；　eh？〃　the　soldier　with　his
arm　in　a　sling　asked　him。　〃Perhaps　we　had　better　bring　the
priest；　eh？〃

〃Have　a　drink　of　water；　Stepan　。　。　。〃　said　the　sailor。　〃Here；
lad；　drink。〃

〃Why　are　you　knocking　the　jug　against　his　teeth？〃　said　Gusev
angrily。　〃　Don't　you　see；　turnip　head？'

〃What？〃

〃What？〃　Gusev　repeated；　mimicking　him。　〃There　is　no　breath　in
him；　he　is　dead！　That's　what！　What　nonsensical　people；　Lord　have
mercy　on　us。　。　。　！〃

III


The　ship　was　not　rocking　and　Pavel　Ivanitch　was　more　cheerful。　He
was　no　longer　ill…humoured。　His　face　had　a　boastful；　defiant；
mocking　expression。　He　looked　as　though　he　wanted　to　say：　〃Yes；
in　a　minute　I　will　tell　you　something　that　will　make　you　split
your　sides　with　laughing。〃　The　little　round　window　was　open　and　a
soft　breeze　was　blowing　on　Pavel　Ivanitch。　There　was　a　sound　of
voices；　of　the　plash　of　oars　in　the　water。　。　。　。　Just　under　the
little　window　someone　began　droning　in　a　high；　unpleasant　voice：
no　doubt　it　was　a　Chinaman　singing。

〃Here　we　are　in　the　harbour；〃　said　Pavel　Ivanitch；　smiling
ironically。　〃Only　another　month　and　we　shall　be　in　Russia。　Well；
worthy　gentlemen　and　warriors！　I　shall　arrive　at　Odessa　and　from
there　go　straight　to　Harkov。　In　Harkov　I　have　a　friend；　a
literary　man。　I　shall　go　to　him　and　say；　'Come；　old　man；　put
aside　your　horrid　subjects；　ladies'　amours　and　the　beauties　of
nature；　and　show　up　human　depravity。'　〃

For　a　minute　he　pondered；　then　said：

〃Gusev；　do　you　know　how　I　took　them　in？〃

〃Took　in　whom；　Pavel　Ivanitch？〃

〃Why；　these　fellows。　。　。　。　You　know　that　on　this　steamer　there　is
only　a　first…class　and　a　third…class；　and　they　only　allow
peasants　　that　is　the　rift…raft　　to　go　in　the　third。　If　you
have　got　on　a　reefer　jacket　and　have　the　faintest　resemblance　to
a　gentleman　or　a　bourgeois　you　must　go　first…class；　if　you
please。　You　must　fork　out　five　hundred　roubles　if　you　die　for　it。
Why；　I　ask；　have　you　made　such　a　rule？　Do　you　want　to　raise　the
prestige　of　educated　Russians　thereby？　Not　a　bit　of　it。　We　don't
let　you　go　third…class　simply　because　a　decent　person　can't　go
third…class；　it　is　very　horrible　and　disgusting。　Yes；　indeed。　I
am　very　grateful　for　such　solicitude　for　decent　people's　welfare。
But　in　any　case；　whether　it　is　nasty　there　or　nice；　five　hundred
roubles　I　haven't　got。　I　haven't　pilfered　government　money。　I
haven't　exploited　the　natives；　I　haven't　trafficked　in
contraband；　I　have　flogged　no　one　to　death；　so　judge　whether　I
have　the　right　to　travel　first…class　and　even　less　to　reckon
myself　of　the　educated　class？　But　you　won't　catch　them　with
logic。　。　。　。　One　has　to　resort　to　deception。　I　put　on　a　workman's
coat　and　high　boots；　I　assumed　a　drunken；　servile　mug　and　went　to
the　agents：　'Give　us　a　little　ticket；　your　honour；'　said　I。　。　。
。〃

〃Why；　what　class　do　you　belong　to？〃　asked　a　sailor。

〃Clerical。　My　father　was　an　honest　priest；　he　always　told　the
great　ones　of　the　world　the　truth　to　their　faces；　and　he　had　a
great　deal　to　put　up　with　in　consequence。〃

Pavel　Ivanitch　was　exhausted　with　talking　and　gasped　for　breath；
but　still　went　on：

〃Yes；　I　always　tell　people　the　truth　to　their　faces。　I　am　not
afraid　of　anyone　or　anything。　There　is　a　vast　difference　between
me　and　all　of　you　in　that　respect。　You　are　in　darkness；　you　are
blind；　crushed；　you　see　nothing　and　what　you　do　see　yo