resurrection(复活)-第56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！


he　remembered　so　well；　were　rotten　and　broken；　only　the　banister
remained。　Some　of　the　windows　were　boarded　up；　and　the　building
in　which　the　foreman　lived；　the　kitchen；　the　stablesall　were
grey　and　decaying。　Only　the　garden　had　not　decayed；　but　had
grown；　and　was　in　full　bloom；　from　over　the　fence　the　cherry；
apple；　and　plum　trees　looked　like　white　clouds。　The　lilac　bushes
that　formed　the　hedge　were　in　full　bloom；　as　they　had　been　when；
14　years　ago；　Nekhludoff　had　played　gorelki　with　the　15…year…old
Katusha；　and　had　fallen　and　got　his　hand　stung　by　the　nettles
behind　one　of　those　lilac　bushes。　The　larch　that　his　aunt　Sophia
had　planted　near　the　house；　which　then　was　only　a　short　stick；
had　grown　into　a　tree；　the　trunk　of　which　would　have　made　a　beam；
and　its　branches　were　covered　with　soft　yellow　green　needles　as
with　down。　The　river；　now　within　its　banks；　rushed　noisily　over
the　mill　dam。　The　meadow　the　other　side　of　the　river　was　dotted
over　by　the　peasants'　mixed　herds。　The　foreman；　a　student；　who
had　left　the　seminary　without　finishing　the　course；　met
Nekhludoff　in　the　yard；　with　a　smile　on　his　face；　and；　still
smiling；　asked　him　to　come　into　the　office；　and；　as　if　promising
something　exceptionally　good　by　this　smile；　he　went　behind　a
partition。　For　a　moment　some　whispering　was　heard　behind　the
partition。　The　isvostchik　who　had　driven　Nekhludoff　from　the
station；　drove　away　after　receiving　a　tip；　and　all　was　silent。
Then　a　barefooted　girl　passed　the　window；　she　had　on　an
embroidered　peasant　blouse；　and　long　earrings　in　her　ears；　then　a
man　walked　past；　clattering　with　his　nailed　boots　on　the　trodden
path。

Nekhludoff　sat　down　by　the　little　casement；　and　looked　out　into
the　garden　and　listened。　A　soft；　fresh　spring　breeze；　smelling　of
newly…dug　earth；　streamed　in　through　the　window；　playing　with　the
hair　on　his　damp　forehead　and　the　papers　that　lay　on　the
window…sill；　which　was　all　cut　about　with　a　knife。

〃Tra…pa…trop；　tra…pa…trop；〃　comes　a　sound　from　the　river；　as　the
women　who　were　washing　clothes　there　slapped　them　in　regular
measure　with　their　wooden　bats；　and　the　sound　spread　over　the
glittering　surface　of　the　mill　pond　while　the　rhythmical　sound　of
the　falling　water　came　from　the　mill；　and　a　frightened　fly
suddenly　flew　loudly　buzzing　past　his　ear。

And　all　at　once　Nekhludoff　remembered　how；　long　ago；　when　he　was
young　and　innocent；　he　had　heard　the　women's　wooden　bats　slapping
the　wet　clothes　above　the　rhythmical　sound　from　the　mill；　and　in
the　same　way　the　spring　breeze　had　blown　about　the　hair　on　his
wet　forehead　and　the　papers　on　the　window…sill；　which　was　all　cut
about　with　a　knife；　and　just　in　the　same　way　a　fly　had　buzzed
loudly　past　his　car。

It　was　not　exactly　that　he　remembered　himself　as　a　lad　of　15；　but
he　seemed　to　feel　himself　the　same　as　he　was　then；　with　the　same
freshness　and　purity；　and　full　of　the　same　grand　possibilities
for　the　future；　and　at　the　same　time；　as　it　happens　in　a　dream；
he　knew　that　all　this　could　be　no　more；　and　he　felt　terribly　sad。
〃At　what　time　would　you　like　something　to　eat？〃　asked　the
foreman；　with　a　smile。

〃When　you　like；　I　am　not　hungry。　I　shall　go　for　a　walk　through
the　village。〃

〃Would　you　not　like　to　come　into　the　house？　Everything　is　in
order　there。　Have　the　goodness　to　look　in。　If　the　outside…〃

〃Not　now；　later　on。　Tell　me；　please；　have　you　got　a　woman　here
called　Matrona　Kharina？〃　（This　was　Katusha's　aunt；　the　village
midwife。）

〃Oh；　yes；　in　the　village　she　keeps　a　secret　pot…house。　I　know　she
does；　and　I　accuse　her　of　it　and　scold　her；　but　as　to　taking　her
up；　it　would　be　a　pity。　An　old　woman；　you　know；　she　has
grandchildren；〃　said　the　foreman；　continuing　to　smile　in　the　same
manner；　partly　wishing　to　be　pleasant　to　the　master；　and　partly
because　he　was　convinced　that　Nekhludoff　understood　all　these
matters　just　as　well　as　he　did　himself。

〃Where　does　she　live？　I　shall　go　across　and　see　her。〃

〃At　the　end　of　the　village；　the　further　side；　the　third　from　the
end。　To　the　left　there　is　a　brick　cottage；　and　her　hut　is　beyond
that。　But　I'd　better　see　you　there；〃　the　foreman　said　with　a
graceful　smile。

〃No；　thanks；　I　shall　find　it；　and　you　be　so　good　as　to　call　a
meeting　of　the　peasants；　and　tell　them　that　I　want　to　speak　to
them　about　the　land；〃　said　Nekhludoff；　with　the　intention　of
coming　to　the　same　agreement　with　the　peasants　here　as　he　had
done　in　Kousminski；　and；　if　possible；　that　same　evening。


CHAPTER　IV。

THE　PEASANTS'　LOT。

When　Nekhludoff　came　out　of　the　gate　he　met　the　girl　with　the
long　earrings　on　the　well…trodden　path　that　lay　across　the
pasture　ground；　overgrown　with　dock　and　plantain　leaves。　She　had
a　long；　brightly…coloured　apron　on；　and　was　quickly　swinging　her
left　arm　in　front　of　herself　as　she　stepped　briskly　with　her　fat；
bare　feet。　With　her　right　arm　she　was　pressing　a　fowl　to　her
stomach。　The　fowl；　with　red　comb　shaking；　seemed　perfectly　calm；
he　only　rolled　up　his　eyes　and　stretched　out　and　drew　in　one
black　leg；　clawing　the　girl's　apron。　When　the　girl　came　nearer　to
〃the　master；〃　she　began　moving　more　slowly；　and　her　run　changed
into　a　walk。　When　she　came　up　to　him　she　stopped；　and；　after　a
backward　jerk　with　her　head；　bowed　to　him；　and　only　when　he　had
passed　did　she　recommence　to　run　homeward　with　the　cock。　As　he
went　down　towards　the　well；　he　met　an　old　woman；　who　had　a　coarse
dirty　blouse　on；　carrying　two　pails　full　of　water；　that　hung　on　a
yoke　across　her　bent　back。　The　old　woman　carefully　put　down　the
pails　and　bowed；　with　the　same　backward　jerk　of　her　head。

After　passing　the　well　Nekhludoff　entered　the　village。　It　was　a
bright；　hot　day；　and　oppressive；　though　only　ten　o'clock。　At
intervals　the　sun　was　hidden　by　the　gathering　clouds。　An
unpleasant；　sharp　smell　of　manure　filled　the　air　in　the　street。
It　came　from　carts　going　up　the　hillside；　but　chiefly　from　the
disturbed　manure　heaps　in　the　yards　of　the　huts；　by　the　open
gates　of　which　Nekhludoff　had　to　pass。　The　peasants；　barefooted；
their　shirts　and　trousers　soiled　with　manure；　turned　to　look　at
the　tall；　stout　gentleman　with　the　glossy　silk　ribbon　on　his　grey
hat　who　was　walking　up　the　village　street；　touching　the　ground
every　other　step　with　a　shiny；　bright…knobbed　walking…stick。　The
peasants　returning　from　the　fields　at　a　trot　and　jotting　in　their
empty　carts；　took　off　their　hats；　and；　in　their　surprise；
followed　with　their　eyes　the　extraordinary　man　who　was　walking　up
their　street。　The　women　came　out　of　the　gates　or　stood　in　the
porches　of　their　huts；　pointing　him　out　to　each　other　and　gazing
at　him　as　he　passed。

When　Nekhludoff　was　passing　the　fourth　gate；　he　was　stopped　by　a
cart　that　was　coming　out；　its　wheels　creaking；　loaded　high　with
manure；　which　was　pressed　down；　and　was　covered　with　a　mat　to　sit
on。　A　six…year…old　boy；　excited　by　the　prospect　of　a　drive；
followed　the　cart。　A　young　peasant；　with　shoes　plaited　out　of
bark　on　his　feet；　led　the　horse　out　of　the　yard。　A　long…legged
colt　jumped　out　of　the　gate；　but；　seeing　Nekhludoff；　pressed
close　to　the　cart；　and　scraping　its　legs　against　the　wheels；
jumped　forward；　past　its　excited；　gently…neighing　mother；　as　she
was　dragging　the　heavy　load　through　the　gateway。　The　next　horse
was　led　out　by　a　barefooted　old　man；　with　protruding
shoulder…blades；　in　a　dirty　shirt　and　striped　trousers。

When　the　horses　got　out　on　to　the　hard　road；　strewn　over　with
bits　of　dry；　grey　manure；　the　old　man　returned　to　the　gate；　and
bowed　to　Nekhludoff。

〃You　are　our　ladies'　nephew；　aren't　you？

〃Yes；　I　am　their　nephew。〃

〃You've　kindly　come　to　look　us　up；　eh？〃　said　the　garrulous　old
man。

〃Yes；　I　have。　Well；　how　are　you　getting　on？

〃How　do　we　get　on？　We　get　on　very　badly；〃　the　old　man　drawled；　as
if　it　gave　him　pleasure。

〃Why　so　badly？〃　Nekhludoff　asked；　stepping　inside　the　gate。

〃What　is　our　life　but　the　very　worst　life？〃　said　the　old　man；
following　Nekhludoff　into　that　part　of　the　yard　which　was　roofed
over。

Nekhludoff　stopped　under　the　roof。

〃I　have　got　12　of　them　there；〃　continued　the　old　man；　pointing　to
two　women　on　the　remainder　of　the　manure　heap；　who　stood
perspiring　with　fo