resurrection(复活)-第61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！


barn；　appeared　the　light　of　the　rising　moon；　and　sheet　lightning
began　to　light　up　the　dilapidated　house；　and　the　blooming；
over…grown　garden　more　and　more　frequently。　It　began　to　thunder
in　the　distance；　and　a　black　cloud　spread　over　one…third　of　the
sky。　The　nightingales　and　the　other　birds　were　silent。　Above　the
murmur　of　the　water　from　the　mill　came　the　cackling　of　geese；　and
then　in　the　village　and　in　the　foreman's　yard　the　first　cocks
began　to　crow　earlier　than　usual；　as　they　do　on　warm；　thundery
nights。　There　is　a　saying　that　if　the　cocks　crow　early　the　night
will　be　a　merry　one。　For　Nekhludoff　the　night　was　more　than
merry；　it　was　a　happy；　joyful　night。　Imagination　renewed　the
impressions　of　that　happy　summer　which　he　had　spent　here　as　an
innocent　lad；　and　he　felt　himself　as　he　had　been　not　only　at　that
but　at　all　the　best　moments　of　his　life。　He　not　only　remembered
but　felt　as　he　had　felt　when；　at　the　age　of　14；　he　prayed　that
God　would　show　him　the　truth；　or　when　as　a　child　he　had　wept　on
his　mother's　lap；　when　parting　from　her；　and　promising　to　be
always　good；　and　never　give　her　pain；　he　felt　as　he　did　when　he
and　Nikolenka　Irtenieff　resolved　always　to　support　each　other　in
living　a　good　life　and　to　try　to　make　everybody　happy。

He　remembered　how　he　had　been　tempted　in　Kousminski；　so　that　he
had　begun　to　regret　the　house　and　the　forest　and　the　farm　and　the
land；　and　he　asked　himself　if　he　regretted　them　now；　and　it　even
seemed　strange　to　think　that　he　could　regret　them。　He　remembered
all　he　had　seen　to…day；　the　woman　with　the　children；　and　without
her　husband；　who　was　in　prison　for　having　cut　down　trees　in　his
（Nekhludoff's）　forest；　and　the　terrible　Matrona；　who　considered；
or　at　least　talked　as　if　she　considered；　that　women　of　her
position　must　give　themselves　to　the　gentlefolk；　he　remembered
her　relation　to　the　babies；　the　way　in　which　they　were　taken　to
the　Foundlings'　Hospital；　and　the　unfortunate；　smiling；　wizened
baby　with　the　patchwork　cap；　dying　of　starvation。　And　then　he
suddenly　remembered　the　prison；　the　shaved　heads；　the　cells；　the
disgusting　smells；　the　chains；　and；　by　the　side　of　it　all；　the
madly　lavish　city　lift　of　the　rich；　himself　included。

The　bright　moon；　now　almost　full；　rose　above　the　barn。　Dark
shadows　fell　across　the　yard；　and　the　iron　roof　of　the　ruined
house　shone　bright。　As　if　unwilling　to　waste　this　light；　the
nightingales　again　began　their　trills。

Nekhludoff　called　to　mind　how　he　had　begun　to　consider　his　life
in　the　garden　of　Kousminski　when　deciding　what　he　was　going　to
do；　and　remembered　how　confused　he　had　become；　how　he　could　not
arrive　at　any　decision；　how　many　difficulties　each　question　had
presented。　He　asked　himself　these　questions　now；　and　was
surprised　how　simple　it　all　was。　It　was　simple　because　he　was　not
thinking　now　of　what　would　be　the　results　for　himself；　but　only
thought　of　what　he　had　to　do。　And；　strange　to　say；　what　he　had　to
do　for　himself　he　could　not　decide；　but　what　he　had　to　do　for
others　he　knew　without　any　doubt。　He　had　no　doubt　that　he　must
not　leave　Katusha；　but　go　on　helping　her。　He　had　no　doubt　that　he
must　study；　investigate；　clear　up；　understand　all　this　business
concerning　judgment　and　punishment；　which　he　felt　he　saw
differently　to　other　people。　What　would　result　from　it　all　he　did
not　know；　but　he　knew　for　certain　that　he　must　do　it。　And　this
firm　assurance　gave　him　joy。

The　black　cloud　had　spread　all　over　the　sky；　the　lightning
flashed　vividly　across　the　yard　and　the　old　house　with　its
tumble…down　porches；　the　thunder　growled　overhead。　All　the　birds
were　silent；　but　the　leaves　rustled　and　the　wind　reached　the　step
where　Nekhludoff　stood　and　played　with　his　hair。　One　drop　came
down；　then　another；　then　they　came　drumming　on　the　dock　leaves
and　on　the　iron　of　the　roof；　and　all　the　air　was　filled　by　a
bright　flash；　and　before　Nekhludoff　could　count　three　a　fearful
crash　sounded　over　head　and　spread　pealing　all　over　the　sky。

Nekhludoff　went　in。

〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　thought。　〃The　work　that　our　life　accomplishes；　the
whole　of　this　work；　the　meaning　of　it　is　not；　nor　can　be；
intelligible　to　me。　What　were　my　aunts　for？　Why　did　Nikolenka
Irtenieff　die？　Why　am　I　living？　What　was　Katusha　for？　And　my
madness？　Why　that　war？　Why　my　subsequent　lawless　life？　To
understand　it；　to　understand　the　whole　of　the　Master's　will　is
not　in　my　power。　But　to　do　His　will；　that　is　written　down　in　my
conscience；　is　in　my　power；　that　I　know　for　certain。　And　when　I
am　fulfilling　it　I　have　sureness　and　peace。〃

The　rain　came　down　in　torrents　and　rushed　from　the　roof　into　a
tub　beneath；　the　lightning　lit　up　the　house　and　yard　less
frequently。　Nekhludoff　went　into　his　room；　undressed；　and　lay
down；　not　without　fear　of　the　bugs；　whose　presence　the　dirty；
torn　wall…papers　made　him　suspect。

〃Yes；　to　feel　one's　self　not　the　master　but　a　servant；〃　he
thought；　and　rejoiced　at　the　thought。　His　fears　were　not　vain。
Hardly　had　he　put　out　his　candle　when　the　vermin　attacked　and
stung　him。　〃To　give　up　the　land　and　go　to　Siberia。　Fleas；　bugs；
dirt！　Ah；　well；　if　it　must　be　borne；　I　shall　bear　it。〃　But；　in
spite　of　the　best　of　intentions；　he　could　not　bear　it；　and　sat
down　by　the　open　window　and　gazed　with　admiration　at　the
retreating　clouds　and　the　reappearing　moon。


CHAPTER　IX。

THE　LAND　SETTLEMENT。

It　was　morning　before　Nekhludoff　could　fall　asleep；　and　therefore
he　woke　up　late。　At　noon　seven　men；　chosen　from　among　the
peasants　at　the　foreman's　invitation；　came　into　the　orchard；
where　the　foreman　had　arranged　a　table　and　benches　by　digging
posts　into　the　ground；　and　fixing　boards　on　the　top；　under　the
apple　trees。　It　took　some　time　before　the　peasants　could　be
persuaded　to　put　on　their　caps　and　to　sit　down　on　the　benches。
Especially　firm　was　the　ex…soldier；　who　to…day　had　bark　shoes　on。
He　stood　erect；　holding　his　cap　as　they　do　at　funerals；　according
to　military　regulation。　When　one　of　them；　a　respectable…looking；
broad…shouldered　old　man；　with　a　curly；　grizzly　beard　like　that
of　Michael　Angelo's　〃Moses；〃　and　grey　hair　that　curled　round　the
brown；　bald　forehead；　put　on　his　big　cap；　and；　wrapping　his　coat
round　him；　got　in　behind　the　table　and　sat　down；　the　rest
followed　his　example。　When　all　had　taken　their　places　Nekhludoff
sat　down　opposite　them；　and　leaning　on　the　table　over　the　paper
on　which　he　had　drawn　up　his　project；　he　began　explaining　it。

Whether　it　was　that　there　were　fewer　present；　or　that　he　was
occupied　with　the　business　in　hand　and　not　with　himself；　anyhow；
this　time　Nekhludoff　felt　no　confusion。　He　involuntarily
addressed　the　broad…shouldered　old　man　with　white　ringlets　in　his
grizzly　beard；　expecting　approbation　or　objections　from　him。　But
Nekhludoff's　conjecture　was　wrong。　The　respectable…looking　old
patriarch；　though　he　nodded　his　handsome　head　approvingly　or
shook　it；　and　frowned　when　the　others　raised　an　objection；
evidently　understood　with　great　difficulty；　and　only　when　the
others　repeated　what　Nekhludoff　had　said　in　their　own　words。　A
little；　almost　beardless　old　fellow；　blind　in　one　eye；　who　sat　by
the　side　of　the　patriarch；　and　had　a　patched　nankeen　coat　and　old
boots　on；　and；　as　Nekhludoff　found　out　later；　was　an
oven…builder；　understood　much　better。　This　man　moved　his　brows
quickly；　attending　to　Nekhludoff's　words　with　an　effort；　and　at
once　repeated　them　in　his　own　way。　An　old；　thick…set　man　with　a
white　beard　and　intelligent　eyes　understood　as　quickly；　and　took
every　opportunity　to　put　in　an　ironical　joke；　clearly　wishing　to
show　off。　The　ex…soldier　seemed　also　to　understand　matters；　but
got　mixed；　being　used　to　senseless　soldiers'　talk。　A　tall　man
with　a　small　beard；　a　long　nose；　and　a　bass　voice；　who　wore
clean；　home…made　clothes　and　new　bark…plaited　shoes；　seemed　to　be
the　one　most　seriously　interested。　This　man　spoke　only　when　there
was　need　of　it。　The　two　other　old　men；　the　same　toothless　one　who
had　shouted　a　distinct　refusal　at　the　meeting　the　day　before　to
every　proposal　of　Nekhludoff's；　and　a　tall；　white　lame　old　man
with　a　kind　face；　his　thin　legs　tightly　wrapped　round　with　strips
of　linen；　said　little；　though　they　lis