the witch and other stories-第24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！


me　and　all　of　you　in　that　respect。　You　are　in　darkness；　you　are
blind；　crushed；　you　see　nothing　and　what　you　do　see　you　don't
understand。　。　。　。　You　are　told　the　wind　breaks　loose　from　its
chain；　that　you　are　beasts；　Petchenyegs；　and　you　believe　it；　they
punch　you　in　the　neck；　you　kiss　their　hands；　some　animal　in　a
sable…lined　coat　robs　you　and　then　tips　you　fifteen　kopecks　and
you：　'Let　me　kiss　your　hand；　sir。'　You　are　pariahs；　pitiful
people。　。　。　。　I　am　a　different　sort。　My　eyes　are　open；　I　see　it
all　as　clearly　as　a　hawk　or　an　eagle　when　it　floats　over　the
earth；　and　I　understand　it　all。　I　am　a　living　protest。　I　see
irresponsible　tyranny　　I　protest。　I　see　cant　and　hypocrisy　　I
protest。　I　see　swine　triumphant　　I　protest。　And　I　cannot　be
suppressed；　no　Spanish　Inquisition　can　make　me　hold　my　tongue。
No。　。　。　。　Cut　out　my　tongue　and　I　would　protest　in　dumb　show；
shut　me　up　in　a　cellar　　I　will　shout　from　it　to　be　heard　half　a
mile　away；　or　I　will　starve　myself　to　death　that　they　may　have
another　weight　on　their　black　consciences。　Kill　me　and　I　will
haunt　them　with　my　ghost。　All　my　acquaintances　say　to　me：　'You
are　a　most　insufferable　person；　Pavel　Ivanitch。'　I　am　proud　of
such　a　reputation。　I　have　served　three　years　in　the　far　East；　and
I　shall　be　remembered　there　for　a　hundred　years：　I　had　rows　with
everyone。　My　friends　write　to　me　from　Russia；　'Don't　come　back；'
but　here　I　am　going　back　to　spite　them　。　。　。　yes。　。　。　。　That　is
life　as　I　understand　it。　That　is　what　one　can　call　life。〃

Gusev　was　looking　at　the　little　window　and　was　not　listening。　A
boat　was　swaying　on　the　transparent；　soft；　turquoise　water　all
bathed　in　hot；　dazzling　sunshine。　In　it　there　were　naked　Chinamen
holding　up　cages　with　canaries　and　calling　out：

〃It　sings；　it　sings！〃

Another　boat　knocked　against　the　first；　the　steam　cutter　darted
by。　And　then　there　came　another　boat　with　a　fat　Chinaman　sitting
in　it；　eating　rice　with　little　sticks。

Languidly　the　water　heaved；　languidly　the　white　seagulls　floated
over　it。

〃I　should　like　to　give　that　fat　fellow　one　in　the　neck；〃　thought
Gusev；　gazing　at　the　stout　Chinaman；　with　a　yawn。

He　dozed　off；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　all　nature　was　dozing；
too。　Time　flew　swiftly　by；　imperceptibly　the　day　passed；
imperceptibly　the　darkness　came　on。　。　。　。　The　steamer　was　no
longer　standing　still；　but　moving　on　further。

IV

Two　days　passed；　Pavel　Ivanitch　lay　down　instead　of　sitting　up；
his　eyes　were　closed；　his　nose　seemed　to　have　grown　sharper。

〃Pavel　Ivanitch；〃　Gusev　called　to　him。　〃Hey；　Pavel　Ivanitch。〃

Pavel　Ivanitch　opened　his　eyes　and　moved　his　lips。

〃Are　you　feeling　bad？〃

〃No　。　。　。　it's　nothing　。　。　。〃　answered　Pavel　Ivanitch；　gasping。
〃Nothing；　on　the　contrary　　I　am　rather　better。　。　。　。　You　see　I
can　lie　down。　I　am　a　little　easier。　。　。　。〃

〃Well；　thank　God　for　that；　Pavel　Ivanitch。〃

〃When　I　compare　myself　with　you　I　am　sorry　for　you　。　。　。　poor
fellow。　My　lungs　are　all　right；　it　is　only　a　stomach　cough。　。　。　。
I　can　stand　hell；　let　alone　the　Red　Sea。　Besides　I　take　a
critical　attitude　to　my　illness　and　to　the　medicines　they　give　me
for　it。　While　you　。　。　。　you　are　in　darkness。　。　。　。　It's　hard　for
you；　very；　very　hard！〃

The　ship　was　not　rolling；　it　was　calm；　but　as　hot　and　stifling　as
a　bath…house；　it　was　not　only　hard　to　speak　but　even　hard　to
listen。　Gusev　hugged　his　knees；　laid　his　head　on　them　and　thought
of　his　home。　Good　heavens；　what　a　relief　it　was　to　think　of　snow
and　cold　in　that　stifling　heat！　You　drive　in　a　sledge；　all　at
once　the　horses　take　fright　at　something　and　bolt。　。　。　。
Regardless　of　the　road；　the　ditches；　the　ravines；　they　dash　like
mad　things；　right　through　the　village；　over　the　pond　by　the
pottery　works；　out　across　the　open　fields。　〃Hold　on；〃　the　pottery
hands　and　the　peasants　sho　ut；　meeting　them。　〃Hold　on。〃　But　why？
Let　the　keen；　cold　wind　beat　in　one's　face　and　bite　one's　hands；
let　the　lumps　of　snow；　kicked　up　by　the　horses'　hoofs；　fall　on
one's　cap；　on　one's　back；　down　one's　collar；　on　one's　chest；　let
the　runners　ring　on　the　snow；　and　the　traces　and　the　sledge　be
smashed；　deuce　take　them　one　and　all！　And　how　delightful　when　the
sledge　upsets　and　you　go　flying　full　tilt　into　a　drift；　face
downwards　in　the　snow；　and　then　you　get　up　white　all　over　with
icicles　on　your　moustaches；　no　cap；　no　gloves；　your　belt　undone。
。　。　。　People　laugh；　the　dogs　bark。　。　。　。

Pavel　Ivanitch　half　opened　one　eye；　looked　at　Gusev　with　it；　and
asked　softly：

〃Gusev；　did　your　commanding　officer　steal？〃

〃Who　can　tell；　Pavel　Ivanitch！　We　can't　say；　it　didn't　reach　us。〃

And　after　that　a　long　time　passed　in　silence。　Gusev　brooded；
muttered　something　in　delirium；　and　kept　drinking　water；　it　was
hard　for　him　to　talk　and　hard　to　listen；　and　he　was　afraid　of
being　talked　to。　An　hour　passed；　a　second；　a　third；　evening　came
on；　then　night；　but　he　did　not　notice　it。　He　still　sat　dreaming
of　the　frost。

There　was　a　sound　as　though　someone　came　into　the　hospital；　and
voices　were　audible；　but　a　few　minutes　passed　and　all　was　still
again。

〃The　Kingdom　of　Heaven　and　eternal　peace；〃　said　the　soldier　with
his　arm　in　a　sling。　〃He　was　an　uncomfortable　man。〃

〃What？〃　asked　Gusev。　〃Who？〃

〃He　is　dead；　they　have　just　carried　him　up。〃

〃Oh；　well；〃　muttered　Gusev；　yawning；　〃the　Kingdom　of　Heaven　be
his。〃

〃What　do　you　think？〃　the　soldier　with　his　arm　in　a　sling　asked
Gusev。　〃Will　he　be　in　the　Kingdom　of　Heaven　or　not？〃

〃Who　is　it　you　are　talking　about？〃

〃Pavel　Ivanitch。〃

〃He　will　be　。　。　。　he　suffered　so　long。　And　there　is　another
thing；　he　belonged　to　the　clergy；　and　the　priests　always　have　a
lot　of　relations。　Their　prayers　will　save　him。〃

The　soldier　with　the　sling　sat　down　on　a　hammock　near　Gusev　and
said　in　an　undertone：

〃And　you；　Gusev；　are　not　long　for　this　world。　You　will　never　get
to　Russia。〃

〃Did　the　doctor　or　his　assistant　say　so？〃　asked　Gusev。

〃It　isn't　that　they　said　so；　but　one　can　see　it。　。　。　。　One　can
see　directly　when　a　man's　going　to　die。　You　don't　eat；　you　don't
drink；　it's　dreadful　to　see　how　thin　you've　got。　It's
consumption；　in　fact。　I　say　it；　not　to　upset　you；　but　because
maybe　you　would　like　to　have　the　sacrament　and　extreme　unction。
And　if　you　have　any　money　you　had　better　give　it　to　the　senior
officer。〃

〃I　haven't　written　home　。　。　。〃　Gusev　sighed。　〃I　shall　die　and
they　won't　know。〃

〃They'll　hear　of　it；〃　the　sick　sailor　brought　out　in　a　bass
voice。　〃When　you　die　they　will　put　it　down　in　the　_Gazette；_　at
Odessa　they　will　send　in　a　report　to　the　commanding　officer　there
and　he　will　send　it　to　the　parish　or　somewhere。　。

Gusev　began　to　be　uneasy　after　such　a　conversation　and　to　feel　a
vague　yearning。　He　drank　water　　it　was　not　that；　he　dragged
himself　to　the　window　and　breathed　the　hot；　moist　air　　it　was
not　that；　he　tried　to　think　of　home；　of　the　frost　　it　was　not
that。　。　。　。　At　last　it　seemed　to　him　one　minute　longer　in　the
ward　and　he　would　certainly　expire。

〃It's　stifling；　mates　。　。　。〃　he　said。　〃I'll　go　on　deck。　Help　me
up；　for　Christ's　sake。〃

〃All　right；〃　assented　the　soldier　with　the　sling。　〃I'll　carry
you；　you　can't　walk；　hold　on　to　my　neck。〃

Gusev　put　his　arm　round　the　soldier's　neck；　the　latter　put　his
unhurt　arm　round　him　and　carried　him　up。　On　the　deck　sailors　and
time…expired　soldiers　were　lying　asleep　side　by　side；　there　were
so　many　of　them　it　was　difficult　to　pass。

〃Stand　down；〃　the　soldier　with　the　sling　said　softly。　〃Follow　me
quietly；　hold　on　to　my　shirt。　。　。　。〃

It　was　dark。　There　was　no　light　on　deck；　nor　on　the　masts；　nor
anywhere　on　the　sea　around。　At　the　furthest　end　of　the　ship　the
man　on　watch　was　standing　perfectly　still　like　a　statue；　and　it
looked　as　though　he　were　asleep。　It　seemed　as　though　the　steamer
were　abandoned　to　itself　and　were　going　at　its　own　will。

〃Now　they　will　throw　Pavel　Ivanitch　into　the　sea；〃　said　the
soldier　with　the　sling。　〃In　a　sack　and　then　into　the　water。〃

〃Yes；　that's　the　rule。〃

〃But　it's　better　to　lie　at　home　in　the　earth。　Anyway；　your　mother
comes　to　the　grave　and　weeps。〃

〃Of　course。〃

There　was　a　smell　of　hay　and　of　dung。　There　were　oxen　standing
with　drooping　heads