the forged coupon()-第26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！
before broke in upon him how the horse had struggled and struggled； and
then fallen down。 Now there was no horse； and all he had was the price of
the skin； four roubles and eighty kopeks。 Getting up he arranged the
linen bands on his legs； and went through the yard into the hut。 His wife
was putting straw into the stove with one hand； with the other she was
holding a baby girl to her breast； which was hanging out of her dirty
chemise。
Mitri crossed himself three times； turning towards the corner in which
the ikons hung； and repeated some utterly meaningless words； which he
called prayers； to the Trinity and the Virgin； the Creed and our Father。
114
… Page 115…
THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
〃Isn't there any water？〃
〃The girl's gone for it。 I've got some tea。 Will you go up to the
squire？〃
〃Yes； I'd better。〃 The smoke from the stove made him cough。 He
took a rag off the wooden bench and went into the porch。 The girl had just
come back with the water。 Mitri filled his mouth with water from the
pail and squirted it out on his hands； took some more in his mouth to wash
his face； dried himself with the rag； then parted and smoothed his curly
hair with his fingers and went out。 A little girl of about ten； with nothing
on but a dirty shirt； came towards him。 〃Good…morning； Uncle Mitri；〃
she said； 〃you are to come and thrash。〃 〃All right； I'll come；〃 replied
Mitri。 He understood that he was expected to return the help given the
week before by Kumushkir； a man as poor as he was himself； when he was
thrashing his own corn with a horse…driven machine。
〃Tell them I'll comeI'll come at lunch time。 I've got to go to
Ugrumi。〃 Mitri went back to the hut； and changing his birch…bark shoes
and the linen bands on his legs； started off to see the squire。 After he had
got three roubles from Volgin； and the same sum from Nicholas Petrovich；
he returned to his house； gave the money to his wife； and went to his
neighbour's。 The thrashing machine was humming； and the driver was
shouting。 The lean horses were going slowly round him； straining at their
traces。 The driver was shouting to them in a monotone； 〃Now； there； my
dears。〃 Some women were unbinding sheaves； others were raking up the
scattered straw and ears； and others again were gathering great armfuls of
corn and handing them to the men to feed the machine。 The work was in
full swing。 In the kitchen garden； which Mitri had to pass； a girl； clad only
in a long shirt； was digging potatoes which she put into a basket。
〃Where's your grandfather？〃 asked Mitri。 〃He's in the barn 〃Mitri
went to the barn and set to work at once。 The old man of eighty knew of
Mitri's trouble。 After greeting him； he gave him his place to feed the
machine。
Mitri took off his ragged coat； laid it out of the way near the fence； and
then began to work vigorously； raking the corn together and throwing it
115
… Page 116…
THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
into the machine。 The work went on without interruption until the
dinner…hour。 The cocks had crowed two or three times； but no one paid any
attention to them； not because the workers did not believe them； but
because they were scarcely heard for the noise of the work and the talk
about it。 At last the whistle of the squire's steam thrasher sounded three
miles away； and then the owner came into the barn。 He was a straight old
man of eighty。 〃It's time to stop；〃 he said； 〃it's dinner…time。〃 Those at
work seemed to redouble their efforts。 In a moment the straw was cleared
away； the grain that had been thrashed was separated from the chaff and
brought in； and then the workers went into the hut。
The hut was smoke…begrimed； as its stove had no chimney； but it had
been tidied up； and benches stood round the table； making room for all
those who had been working； of whom there were nine； not counting the
owners。 Bread； soup； boiled potatoes； and kvass were placed on the
table。
An old one…armed beggar； with a bag slung over his shoulder； came in
with a crutch during the meal。
〃Peace be to this house。 A good appetite to you。 For Christ's sake
give me something。〃
〃God will give it to you；〃 said the mistress； already an old woman； and
the daughter…in…law of the master。 〃Don't be angry with us。〃 An old
man； who was still standing near the door； said； 〃Give him some bread；
Martha。 How can you？〃
〃I am only wondering whether we shall have enough。〃 〃Oh； it is wrong；
Martha。 God tells us to help the poor。 Cut him a slice。〃
Martha obeyed。 The beggar went away。 The man in charge of the
thrashing…machine got up； said grace； thanked his hosts； and went away to
rest。
Mitri did not lie down； but ran to the shop to buy some tobacco。 He
was longing for a smoke。 While he smoked he chatted to a man from
Demensk； asking the price of cattle； as he saw that he would not be able to
manage without selling a cow。 When he returned to the others； they were
already back at work again； and so it went on till the evening。
116
… Page 117…
THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
Among these downtrodden； duped； and defrauded men； who are
becoming demoralised by overwork； and being gradually done to death by
underfeeding； there are men living who consider themselves Christians；
and others so enlightened that they feel no further need for Christianity or
for any religion； so superior do they appear in their own esteem。 And yet
their hideous； lazy lives are supported by the degrading； excessive labour
of these slaves； not to mention the labour of millions of other slaves；
toiling in factories to produce samovars； silver； carriages； machines； and
the like for their use。 They live among these horrors； seeing them and yet
not seeing them； although often kind at heartold men and women； young
men and maidens； mothers and childrenpoor children who are being
vitiated and trained into moral blindness。
Here is a bachelor grown old； the owner of thousands of acres； who
has lived a life of idleness； greed； and over…indulgence； who reads The
New Times； and is astonished that the government can be so unwise as to
permit Jews to enter the university。 There is his guest； formerly the
governor of a province； now a senator with a big salary； who reads with
satisfaction that a congress of lawyers has passed a resolution in favor of
capital punishment。 Their political enemy； N。 P。； reads a liberal paper； and
cannot understand the blindness of the government in allowing the union
of Russian men to exist。
Here is a kind； gentle mother of a little girl reading a story to her about
Fox； a dog that lamed some rabbits。 And here is this little girl。 During
her walks she sees other children； barefooted； hungry； hunting for green
apples that have fallen from the trees； and； so accustomed is she to the
sight； that these children do not seem to her to be children such as she is；
but only part of the usual surroundings the familiar landscape。
Why is this？
117
… Page 118…
THE FORGED COUPONAnd Other Stories
THE YOUNG TSAR
THE young Tsar had just ascended the throne。 For five weeks he had
worked without ceasing； in the way that Tsars are accustomed to work。 He
had been attending to reports； signing papers； receiving ambassadors and
high officials who came to be presented to him； and reviewing troops。 He
was tired； and as a traveller exhausted by heat and thirst longs for a
draught of water and for rest； so he longed for a respite of just one day at
least from receptions； from speeches； from parades a few free hours to
spend like an ordinary human being with his young； clever； and beautiful
wife； to whom he had been married only a month before。
It was Christmas Eve。 The young Tsar had arranged to have a
complete rest that evening。 The night before he had worked till very late
at documents which his ministers of state had left for him to examine。 In
the morning he was present at the Te Deum； and then at a military service。
In the afternoon he received official visitors； and later he had been obliged
to listen to the reports of three ministers of state； and had given his assent
to many important matters。 In his conference with the Minister of Finance
he had agreed to an increase of duties on imported goods； which should in
the future add many millions to the State revenues。 Then he sanctioned the
sale of brandy by the Crown in various parts of the country； and signed a
decree permitting the sale of alcohol in villages having markets。 This
was also calculated to increase the principal revenue to the State； which
was derived from the sale of spirits。 He had also approved of the issuing
of a new gold loan required for a financial negotiation。 The Minister of
justice having reported on the complicated case of the succession of the
Baron Snyders； the young Tsar confirmed the decision by his signature；
and also approved the new rules relating to the application of Article 1830
of the penal code； providing for the punishment of tramps。 In his
conference with the Minister of the Interior he ratified the order
concerning the collection of taxes in arrears； signed the order settling what
measures should be taken in regard to the persecution of religious
118
… Page 119…
