the witch and other stories-第25章

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〃Of　course。〃

There　was　a　smell　of　hay　and　of　dung。　There　were　oxen　standing
with　drooping　heads　by　the　ship's　rail。　One；　two；　three；　eight　of
them！　And　there　was　a　little　horse。　Gusev　put　out　his　hand　to
stroke　it；　but　it　shook　its　head；　showed　its　teeth；　and　tried　to
bite　his　sleeve。

〃Damned　brute　。　。　。〃　said　Gusev　angrily。

The　two　of　them；　he　and　the　soldier；　threaded　their　way　to　the
head　of　the　ship；　then　stood　at　the　rail　and　looked　up　and　down。
Overhead　deep　sky；　bright　stars；　peace　and　stillness；　exactly　as
at　home　in　the　village；　below　darkness　and　disorder。　The　tall
waves　were　resounding；　no　one　could　tell　why。　Whichever　wave　you
looked　at　each　one　was　trying　to　rise　higher　than　all　the　rest
and　to　chase　and　crush　the　next　one；　after　it　a　third　as　fierce
and　hideous　flew　noisily；　with　a　glint　of　light　on　its　white
crest。

The　sea　has　no　sense　and　no　pity。　If　the　steamer　had　been　smaller
and　not　made　of　thick　iron；　the　waves　would　have　crushed　it　to
pieces　without　the　slightest　compunction；　and　would　have　devoured
all　the　people　in　it　with　no　distinction　of　saints　or　sinners。
The　steamer　had　the　same　cruel　and　meaningless　expression。　This
monster　with　its　huge　beak　was　dashing　onwards；　cutting　millions
of　waves　in　its　path；　it　had　no　fear　of　the　darkness　nor　the
wind；　nor　of　space；　nor　of　solitude；　caring　for　nothing；　and　if
the　ocean　had　its　people；　this　monster　would　have　crushed　them；
too；　without　distinction　of　saints　or　sinners。

〃Where　are　we　now？〃　asked　Gusev。

〃I　don't　know。　We　must　be　in　the　ocean。〃

〃There　is　no　sight　of　land。　。　。〃

〃No　indeed！　They　say　we　shan't　see　it　for　seven　days。〃

The　two　soldiers　watched　the　white　foam　with　the　phosphorus　light
on　it　and　were　silent；　thinking。　Gusev　was　the　first　to　break　the
silence。

〃There　is　nothing　to　be　afraid　of；〃　he　said；　〃only　one　is　full　of
dread　as　though　one　were　sitting　in　a　dark　forest；　but　if；　for
instance；　they　let　a　boat　down　on　to　the　water　this　minute　and　an
officer　ordered　me　to　go　a　hundred　miles　over　the　sea　to　catch
fish；　I'd　go。　Or；　let's　say；　if　a　Christian　were　to　fall　into　the
water　this　minute；　I'd　go　in　after　him。　A　German　or　a　Chinaman　I
wouldn't　save；　but　I'd　go　in　after　a　Christian。〃

〃And　are　you　afraid　to　die？〃

〃Yes。　I　am　sorry　for　the　folks　at　home。　My　brother　at　home；　you
know；　isn't　steady；　he　drinks；　he　beats　his　wife　for　nothing；　he
does　not　honour　his　parents。　Everything　will　go　to　ruin　without
me；　and　father　and　my　old　mother　will　be　begging　their　bread；　I
shouldn't　wonder。　But　my　legs　won't　bear　me；　brother；　and　it's
hot　here。　Let's　go　to　sleep。〃

V

Gusev　went　back　to　the　ward　and　got　into　his　hammock。　He　was
again　tormented　by　a　vague　craving；　and　he　could　not　make　out
what　he　wanted。　There　was　an　oppression　on　his　chest；　a　throbbing
in　his　head；　his　mouth　was　so　dry　that　it　was　difficult　for　him
to　move　his　tongue。　He　dozed；　and　murmured　in　his　sleep；　and；
worn　out　with　nightmares；　his　cough；　and　the　stifling　heat；
towards　morning　he　fell　into　a　sound　sleep。　He　dreamed　that　they
were　just　taking　the　bread　out　of　the　oven　in　the　barracks　and　he
climbed　into　the　stove　and　had　a　steam　bath　in　it；　lashing
himself　with　a　bunch　of　birch　twigs。　He　slept　for　two　days；　and
at　midday　on　the　third　two　sailors　came　down　and　carried　him　out。

He　was　sewn　up　in　sailcloth　and　to　make　him　heavier　they　put　with
him　two　iron　weights。　Sewn　up　in　the　sailcloth　he　looked　like　a
carrot　or　a　radish：　broad　at　the　head　and　narrow　at　the　feet。　。　。
。　Before　sunset　they　brought　him　up　to　the　deck　and　put　him　on　a
plank；　one　end　of　the　plank　lay　on　the　side　of　the　ship；　the
other　on　a　box；　placed　on　a　stool。　Round　him　stood　the　soldiers
and　the　officers　with　their　caps　off。

〃Blessed　be　the　Name　of　the　Lord　。　。　。〃　the　priest　began。　〃As　it
was　in　the　beginning；　is　now；　and　ever　shall　be。〃

〃Amen；〃　chanted　three　sailors。

The　soldiers　and　the　officers　crossed　themselves　and　looked　away
at　the　waves。　It　was　strange　that　a　man　should　be　sewn　up　in
sailcloth　and　should　soon　be　flying　into　the　sea。　Was　it　possible
that　such　a　thing　might　happen　to　anyone？

The　priest　strewed　earth　upon　Gusev　and　bowed　down。　They　sang
〃Eternal　Memory。〃

The　man　on　watch　duty　tilted　up　the　end　of　the　plank；　Gusev　slid
off　and　flew　head　foremost；　turned　a　somersault　in　the　air　and
splashed　into　the　sea。　He　was　covered　with　foam　and　for　a　moment
looked　as　though　he　were　wrapped　in　lace；　but　the　minute　passed
and　he　disappeared　in　the　waves。

He　went　rapidly　towards　the　bottom。　Did　he　reach　it？　It　was　said
to　be　three　miles　to　the　bottom。　After　sinking　sixty　or　seventy
feet；　he　began　moving　more　and　more　slowly；　swaying　rhythmically；
as　though　he　were　hesitating　and；　carried　along　by　the　current；
moved　more　rapidly　sideways　than　downwards。

Then　he　was　met　by　a　shoal　of　the　fish　called　harbour　pilots。
Seeing　the　dark　body　the　fish　stopped　as　though　petrified；　and
suddenly　turned　round　and　disappeared。　In　less　than　a　minute　they
flew　back　swift　as　an　arrow　to　Gusev；　and　began　zig…zagging　round
him　in　the　water。

After　that　another　dark　body　appeared。　It　was　a　shark。　It　swam
under　Gusev　with　dignity　and　no　show　of　interest；　as　though　it
did　not　notice　him；　and　sank　down　upon　its　back；　then　it　turned
belly　upwards；　basking　in　the　warm；　transparent　water　and
languidly　opened　its　jaws　with　two　rows　of　teeth。　The　harbour
pilots　are　delighted；　they　stop　to　see　what　will　come　next。　After
playing　a　little　with　the　body　the　shark　nonchalantly　puts　its
jaws　under　it；　cautiously　touches　it　with　its　teeth；　and　the
sailcloth　is　rent　its　full　length　from　head　to　foot；　one　of　the
weights　falls　out　and　frightens　the　harbour　pilots；　and　striking
the　shark　on　the　ribs　goes　rapidly　to　the　bottom。

Overhead　at　this　time　the　clouds　are　massed　together　on　the　side
where　the　sun　is　setting；　one　cloud　like　a　triumphal　arch；
another　like　a　lion；　a　third　like　a　pair　of　scissors。　。　。　。　From
behind　the　clouds　a　broad；　green　shaft　of　light　pierces　through
and　stretches　to　the　middle　of　the　sky；　a　little　later　another；
violet…coloured；　lies　beside　it；　next　that；　one　of　gold；　then　one
rose…coloured。　。　。　。　The　sky　turns　a　soft　lilac。　Looking　at　this
gorgeous；　enchanted　sky；　at　first　the　ocean　scowls；　but　soon　it；
too；　takes　tender；　joyous；　passionate　colours　for　which　it　is
hard　to　find　a　name　in　human　speech。


THE　STUDENT

AT　first　the　weather　was　fine　and　still。　The　thrushes　were
calling；　and　in　the　swamps　close　by　something　alive　droned
pitifully　with　a　sound　like　blowing　into　an　empty　bottle。　A　snipe
flew　by；　and　the　shot　aimed　at　it　rang　out　with　a　gay；　resounding
note　in　the　spring　air。　But　when　it　began　to　get　dark　in　the
forest　a　cold；　penetrating　wind　blew　inappropriately　from　the
east；　and　everything　sank　into　silence。　Needles　of　ice　stretched
across　the　pools；　and　it　felt　cheerless；　remote；　and　lonely　in
the　forest。　There　was　a　whiff　of　winter。

Ivan　Velikopolsky；　the　son　of　a　sacristan；　and　a　student　of　the
clerical　academy；　returning　home　from　shooting；　walked　all　the
time　by　the　path　in　the　water…side　meadow。　His　fingers　were　numb
and　his　face　was　burning　with　the　wind。　It　seemed　to　him　that　the
cold　that　had　suddenly　come　on　had　destroyed　the　order　and
harmony　of　things；　that　nature　itself　felt　ill　at　ease；　and　that
was　why　the　evening　darkness　was　falling　more　rapidly　than　usual。
All　around　it　was　deserted　and　peculiarly　gloomy。　The　only　light
was　one　gleaming　in　the　widows'　gardens　near　the　river；　the
village；　over　three　miles　away；　and　everything　in　the　distance
all　round　was　plunged　in　the　cold　evening　mist。　The　student
remembered　that；　as　he　went　out　from　the　house；　his　mother　was
sitting　barefoot　on　the　floor　in　the　entry；　cleaning　the　samovar；
while　his　father　lay　on　the　stove　coughing；　as　it　was　Good　Friday
nothing　had　been　cooked；　and　the　student　was　terribly　hungry。　And
now；　shrinking　from　the　cold；　he　thought　that　just　such　a　wind
had　blown　in　the　days　of　Rurik　and　in　the　time　of　Ivan　the
Terrible　and　Peter；　and　in　their　time　there　had　been　just　the
same　desperate　poverty　and　hunger；　the　same　thatched　roofs　with
holes　in　t