the witch and other stories-第29章

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the　lads　was　not　his　fashion；　he　would　rather　sit　alone　or　be
whispering　with　old　women。　When　he　was　still　young　he　took　jobs
to　look　after　the　bees　and　the　market　gardens。　Good　folks　would
come　to　his　market　garden　sometimes　and　his　melons　were
whistling。　One　day　he　caught　a　pike；　when　folks　were　looking　on；
and　it　laughed　aloud；　'Ho…ho…ho…ho！'　〃

〃It　does　happen；〃　said　Panteley。

The　young　shepherd　turned　on　his　side　and；　lifting　his　black
eyebrows；　stared　intently　at　the　old　man。

〃Did　you　hear　the　melons　whistling？〃　he　asked。

〃Hear　them　I　didn't；　the　Lord　spared　me；〃　sighed　the　old　man；
〃but　folks　told　me　so。　It　is　no　great　wonder　。　。　。　the　Evil　One
will　begin　whistling　in　a　stone　if　he　wants　to。　Before　the　Day　of
Freedom　a　rock　was　humming　for　three　days　and　three　nights　in　our
parts。　I　heard　it　myself。　The　pike　laughed　because　Yefim　caught　a
devil　instead　of　a　pike。〃

The　old　man　remembered　something。　He　got　up　quickly　on　to　his
knees　and；　shrinking　as　though　from　the　cold；　nervously　thrusting
his　hands　into　his　sleeves；　he　muttered　in　a　rapid　womanish
gabble：

〃Lord　save　us　and　have　mercy　upon　us！　I　was　walking　along　the
river　bank　one　day　to　Novopavlovka。　A　storm　was　gathering；　such　a
tempest　it　was；　preserve　us　Holy　Mother；　Queen　of　Heaven。　。　。　。　I
was　hurrying　on　as　best　I　could；　I　looked；　and　beside　the　path
between　the　thorn　bushes　　the　thorn　was　in　flower　at　the　time
　there　was　a　white　bullock　coming　along。　I　wondered　whose
bullock　it　was；　and　what　the　devil　had　sent　it　there　for。　It　was
coming　along　and　swinging　its　tail　and　moo…oo…oo！　but　would　you
believe　it；　friends；　I　overtake　it；　I　come　up　close　　and　it's
not　a　bullock；　but　Yefim　　holy；　holy；　holy！　I　make　the　sign　of
the　cross　while　he　stares　at　me　and　mutters；　showing　the　whites
of　his　eyes；　wasn't　I　frightened！　We　came　alongside；　I　was　afraid
to　say　a　word　to　him　　the　thunder　was　crashing；　the　sky　was
streaked　with　lightning；　the　willows　were　bent　right　down　to　the
water　　all　at　once；　my　friends；　God　strike　me　dead　that　I　die
impenitent；　a　hare　ran　across　the　path　。　。　。　it　ran　and　stopped；
and　said　like　a　man：　'Good…evening；　peasants。'　Lie　down；　you
brute！　〃　the　old　man　cried　to　the　shaggy　dog；　who　was　moving
round　the　horse　again。　〃Plague　take　you！〃

〃It　does　happen；〃　said　the　overseer；　still　leaning　on　the　saddle
and　not　stirring；　he　said　this　in　the　hollow；　toneless　voice　in
which　men　speak　when　they　are　plunged　in　thought。

〃It　does　happen；〃　he　repeated；　in　a　tone　of　profundity　and
conviction。

〃Ugh；　he　was　a　nasty　old　fellow；〃　the　old　shepherd　went　on　with
somewhat　less　fervour。　〃Five　years　after　the　Freedom　he　was
flogged　by　the　commune　at　the　office；　so　to　show　his　spite　he
took　and　sent　the　throat　illness　upon　all　Kovyli。　Folks　died　out
of　number；　lots　and　lots　of　them；　just　as　in　cholera。　。　。　。〃

〃How　did　he　send　the　illness？〃　asked　the　young　shepherd　after　a
brief　silence。

〃We　all　know　how；　there　is　no　great　cleverness　needed　where　there
is　a　will　to　it。　Yefim　murdered　people　with　viper's　fat。　That　is
such　a　poison　that　folks　will　die　from　the　mere　smell　of　it；　let
alone　the　fat。〃

〃That's　true；〃　Panteley　agreed。

〃The　lads　wanted　to　kill　him　at　the　time；　but　the　old　people
would　not　let　them。　It　would　never　have　done　to　kill　him；　he　knew
the　place　where　the　treasure　is　hidden；　and　not　another　soul　did
know。　The　treasures　about　here　are　charmed　so　that　you　may　find
them　and　not　see　them；　but　he　did　see　them。　At　times　he　would
walk　along　the　river　bank　or　in　the　forest；　and　under　the　bushes
and　under　the　rocks　there　would　be　little　flames；　little　flames。
。　。　little　flames　as　though　from　brimstone。　I　have　seen　them
myself。　Everyone　expected　that　Yefim　would　show　people　the　places
or　dig　the　treasure　up　himself；　but　he　　as　the　saying　is；　like
a　dog　in　the　manger　　so　he　died　without　digging　it　up　himself
or　showing　other　people。〃

The　overseer　lit　a　pipe；　and　for　an　instant　lighted　up　his　big
moustaches　and　his　sharp；　stern…looking；　and　dignified　nose。
Little　circles　of　light　danced　from　his　hands　to　his　cap；　raced
over　the　saddle　along　the　horse's　back；　and　vanished　in　its　mane
near　its　ears。

〃There　are　lots　of　hidden　treasures　in　these　parts；〃　he　said。

And　slowly　stretching；　he　looked　round　him；　resting　his　eyes　on
the　whitening　east　and　added：

〃There　must　be　treasures。〃

〃To　be　sure；〃　sighed　the　old　man；　〃one　can　see　from　every　sign
there　are　treasures；　only　there　is　no　one　to　dig　them；　brother。
No　one　knows　the　real　places；　besides；　nowadays；　you　must
remember；　all　the　treasures　are　under　a　charm。　To　find　them　and
see　them　you　must　have　a　talisman；　and　without　a　talisman　you　can
do　nothing；　lad。　Yefim　had　talismans；　but　there　was　no　getting
anything　out　of　him；　the　bald　devil。　He　kept　them；　so　that　no　one
could　get　them。〃

The　young　shepherd　crept　two　paces　nearer　to　he　old　man　and；
propping　his　head　on　his　fists；　fastened　his　fixed　stare　upon
him。　A　childish　expression　of　terror　and　curiosity　gleamed　in　his
dark　eyes；　and　seemed　in　the　twilight　to　stretch　and　flatten　out
the　large　features　of　his　coarse　young　face。　He　was　listening
intently。

〃It　is　even　written　in　the　Scriptures　that　there　are　lots　of
treasures　hidden　here；〃　the　old　man　went　on；　〃it　is　so　for　sure。
。　。　and　no　mistake　about　it。　An　old　soldier　of　Novopavlovka　was
shown　at　Ivanovka　a　writing；　and　in　this　writing　it　was　printed
about　the　place　of　the　treasure　and　even　how　many　pounds　of　gold
was　in　it　and　the　sort　of　vessel　it　was　in；　they　would　have　found
the　treasures　long　ago　by　that　writing；　only　the　treasure　is
under　a　spell；　you　can't　get　at　it。〃

〃Why　can't　you　get　at　it；　grandfather？〃　asked　the　young　man。

I　suppose　there　is　some　reason；　the　soldier　didn't　say。　It　is
under　a　spell　。　。　。　you　need　a　talisman。〃

The　old　man　spoke　with　warmth；　as　though　he　were　pouring　out　his
soul　before　the　overseer。　He　talked　through　his　nose　and；　being
unaccustomed　to　talk　much　and　rapidly；　stuttered；　and；　conscious
of　his　defects；　he　tried　to　adorn　his　speech　with　gesticulations
of　the　hands　and　head　and　thin　shoulders；　and　at　every　movement
his　hempen　shirt　crumpled　into　folds；　slipped　upwards　and
displayed　his　back；　black　with　age　and　sunburn。　He　kept　pulling
it　down；　but　it　slipped　up　again　at　once。　At　last；　as　though
driven　out　of　all　patience　by　the　rebellious　shirt；　the　old　man
leaped　up　and　said　bitterly：

〃There　is　fortune；　but　what　is　the　good　of　it　if　it　is　buried　in
the　earth？　It　is　just　riches　wasted　with　no　profit　to　anyone；
like　chaff　or　sheep's　dung；　and　yet　there　are　riches　there；　lad；
fortune　enough　for　all　the　country　round；　but　not　a　soul　sees　it！
It　will　come　to　this；　that　the　gentry　will　dig　it　up　or　the
government　will　take　it　away。　The　gentry　have　begun　digging　the
barrows。　。　。　。　They　scented　something！　They　are　envious　of　the
peasants'　luck！　The　government；　too；　is　looking　after　itself。　It
is　written　in　the　law　that　if　any　peasant　finds　the　treasure　he
is　to　take　it　to　the　authorities！　I　dare　say；　wait　till　you　get
it！　There　is　a　brew　but　not　for　you！〃

The　old　man　laughed　contemptuously　and　sat　down　on　the　ground。
The　overseer　listened　with　attention　and　agreed；　but　from　his
silence　and　the　expression　of　his　figure　it　was　evident　that　what
the　old　man　told　him　was　not　new　to　him；　that　he　had　thought　it
all　over　long　ago；　and　knew　much　more　than　was　known　to　the　old
shepherd。

〃In　my　day；　I　must　own；　I　did　seek　for　fortune　a　dozen　times；〃
said　the　old　man；　scratching　himself　nervously。　〃I　looked　in　the
right　places；　but　I　must　have　come　on　treasures　under　a　charm。　My
father　looked　for　it；　too；　and　my　brother；　too　　but　not　a　thing
did　they　find；　so　they　died　without　luck。　A　monk　revealed　to　my
brother　Ilya　　the　Kingdom　of　Heaven　be　his　　that　in　one　place
in　the　fortress　of　Taganrog　there　was　a　treasure　under　three
stones；　and　that　that　treasure　was　under　a　charm；　and　in　those
days　　it　was；　I　remember；　in　the　year　'38　　an　Armenian　used
to　live　at　Matvyeev　Barrow　who　sold　talismans。　Ilya　bought　a
talisman；　took　two　other　fellows　with　him；　and　went　to　Taganrog。
Only　when　he　got　to　the　place　in　the　fortress；　brother；　there　was
a　soldier　with　a　gun；　standing　at　the　very　spot。　。　。　。〃

A　sound　suddenly　broke　on　the　still　air；　and　floated　in　all
directions　over　the　steppe。　Something　in　the　distance　gave　a
menacing　bang；　crashed　against　stone；　and　raced　over　the　steppe；
uttering；　〃Tah！　tah！　tah！　tah！〃　When　the　sound　had　died　away　the
old　man　looked　inquiringly　at　Panteley；　who　stood　motionless　and
unconcerned。

〃It's　a　bucket　broken　away　at　the　pits；〃　said　the　young　shepherd
after　a　moment's　thought。

It　was　by　now　getting　light。　The　Milky　Way　had　turned　pale　and
gradually　melted　like　snow；　losing　its　outlines；　the　sky　was
becoming　dull　and　dingy　so　that　you　could　not　make　out　whether　it
was　clear　or　covered　thickly　with　clouds；　and　only　from　the
bright　leaden　streak　in　the　east　and　from　the　stars　that　lingered
here　and　there　could　one　tell　what　was　coming。

The　first　noiseless　breeze　of　morning；　cautiously　stirring　the
spurges　and　the　brown　stalks　of　last　year's　grass；　fluttered
along　the　road。

The　overseer　roused　himself　from　his　thoughts　and　tossed　his
head。　With　both　hands　he　shook　the　saddle；　touched　the　girth　and；
as　though　he　could　not　make　up　his　mind　to　mount　the　horse；　stood
still　again；　hesitating。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃your　elbow　is　near；　but　you　can't　bite　it。　There
is　fortune；　but　there　is　not　the　wit　to　find　it。〃

And　he　turned　facing　the　shepherds。　His　stern　face　looked　sad　and
mocking；　as　though　he　were　a　disappointed　man。

〃Yes；　so　one　dies　without　knowing　what　happiness　is　like　。　。　。〃
he　said　emphatically；　lifting　his　left　leg　into　the　stirrup。　〃A
younger　man　may　live　to　see　it；　but　it　is　time　for　us　to　lay
aside　all　thought　of　it。〃

Stroking　his　long　moustaches　covered　with　dew；　he　seated　himself
heavily　on　the　horse　and　screwed　up　his　eyes；　looking　into　the
distance；　as　though　he　had　forgotten　something　or　left　something
unsaid。　In　the　bluish　distance　where　the　furthest　visible　hillock
melted　into　the　mist　nothing　was　stirring；　the　ancient　barrows；
once　watch…mounds　and　tombs；　which　rose　here　and　there　above　the
horizon　and　the　boundless　steppe　had　a　sullen　and　death…like
look；　there　was　a　feeling　of　endless　time　and　utter　indifference
to　man　in　their　immobility　and　silence；　another　thousand　years
would　pass；　myriads　of　men　would　die；　while　they　would　still
stand　as　they　had　stood；　wit　h　no　regret　for　the　dead　nor
interest　in　the　living；　and　no　soul　would　ever　know　why　they
stood　there；　and　what　secret　of　the　steppes　was　hidden　under
them。

The　rooks　awakening；　flew　one　after　another　in　silence　over　the
earth。　No　meaning　was　to　be　seen　in　the　languid　flight　of　those
long…lived　birds；　nor　in　the　morning　which　is　repeated　punctually
every　twenty…four　hours；　nor　in　the　boundless　expanse　of　the
steppe。

The　overseer　smiled　and　said：

〃What　space；　Lord　have　mercy　upon　us！　You　would　have　a　hunt　to
find　treasure　in　it！　Here；〃　he　went　on；　dropping　his　voice　and
making　a　serious　face；　〃here　there　are　two　treasures　buried　for　a
certainty。　The　gentry　don't