creatures that once were men-第10章

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an　outcast　。　。　。　that　means　I　have　no　obligations。　　It　means　

that　I　am　free　to　spit　on　everyone。　　The　nature　of　my　present　

life　means　the　rejection　of　my　past　。　。　。　giving　up　all　relations　

toward　men　who　are　well　fed　and　well　dressed；　and　who　look　upon　

me　with　contempt　because　I　am　inferior　to　them　in　the　matter　of　

feeding　or　dressing。　　I　must　develop　something　new　within　myself；　

do　you　understand？　　Something　that　will　make　Judas　Petunikoff　and　

his　kind　tremble　and　perspire　before　me！〃



〃Ah！　　You　have　a　courageous　tongue！〃　jeered　Abyedok。



〃Yes　。　。　。　You　miser！〃　　And　Kuvalda　looked　at　him　contemptuously。　

〃What　do　you　understand？　　What　do　you　know？　　Are　you　able　to　

think？　　But　I　have　thought　and　I　have　read　。　。　。　books　of　which　

you　could　not　have　understood　one　word。〃



〃Of　course！　　One　cannot　eat　soup　out　of　one's　hand　。　。　。　But　

though　you　have　read　and　thought；　and　I　have　not　done　that　or　

anything　else；　we　both　seem　to　have　got　into　pretty　much　the　

same　condition；　don't　we？〃



〃Go　to　the　Devil！〃　shouted　Kuvalda。　　His　conversations　with　

Abyedok　always　ended　thus。　　When　the　teacher　was　absent　his　

speeches；　as　a　rule；　fell　on　the　empty　air；　and　received　no　

attention；　and　he　knew　this；　but　still　he　could　not　help　

speaking。　　And　now；　having　quarrelled　with　his　companion；　he　

felt　rather　deserted；　but；　still　longing　for　conversation；　he　

turned　to　Simtsoff　with　the　following　question：　





67　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





〃And　you；　Aleksei　Maksimovitch；　where　will　you　lay　your　gray　

head？〃



The　old　man　smiled　good…humoredly；　rubbed　his　hands；　and　

replied；　〃I　do　not　know　。　。　。　I　will　see。　　One　does　not　require　

much；　just　a　little　drink。〃



〃Plain　but　honorable　fare！〃　the　Captain　said。　　Simtsoff　was　

silent；　only　adding　that　he　would　find　a　place　sooner　than　any　

of　them；　because　women　loved　him。　　This　was　true。　　The　old　man　

had；　as　a　rule；　two　or　three　prostitutes；　who　kept　him　on　their　

very　scant　earnings。　　They　very　often　beat　him；　but　he　took　this

stoically。　　They　somehow　never　beat　him　too　much；　probably　

because　they　pitied　him。　　He　was　a　great　lover　of　women；　and　

said　they　were　the　cause　of　all　his　misfortunes。　　The　character　

of　his　relations　toward　them　was　confirmed　by　the　appearance　of　

his　clothes；　which；　as　a　rule；　were　tidy；　and　cleaner　than　those　

of　his　companions。　　And　now；　sitting　at　the　door　of　the　dosshouse；

he　boastingly　related　that　for　a　long　time　past　Redka　had　been　

asking　him　to　go　and　live　with　her；　but　he　had　not　gone　because　

he　did　not　want　to　part　with　the　company。　　They　heard　this　with　

jealous　interest。　　They　all　knew　Redka。　　She　lived　very　near　the　

town；　almost　below　the　mountain。　　Not　long　ago；　she　had　been　in

prison　for　theft。　　She　was　a　retired　nurse；　a　tall；　stout　peasant　

woman　with　a　face　marked　by　smallpox；　but　with　very　pretty；　

though　always　drunken；　eyes。



〃Just　look　at　the　old　devil！〃　swore　Abyedok；　looking　at　Simtsoff；　

who　was　smiling　in　a　self…satisfied　way。



〃And　do　you　know　why　they　love　me？　　Because　I　know　how　to　cheer　

up　their　souls。〃





68　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





〃Do　you？〃　inquired　Kuvalda。



〃And　I　can　make　them　pity　me　。　。　。　And　a　woman；　when　she　pities！　　

Go　and　weep　to　her；　and　ask　her　to　kill　you　。　。　。　she　will　pity　

youand　she　will　kill　you。〃



〃I　feel　inclined　to　commit　a　murder；〃　declared　Martyanoff；　

laughing　his　dull　laugh。



〃Upon　whom？〃　asked　Abyedok；　edging　away　from　him。



〃It's　all　the　same　to　me　。　。　。　Petunikoff　。　。　。　Egorka　or　even　

you！〃



〃And　why？〃　inquired　Kuvalda。



〃I　want　to　go　to　Siberia　。　。　。　I　have　had　enough　of　this　vile　

life　。　。　。　one　learns　how　to　live　there！〃



〃Yes；　they　have　a　particularly　good　way　of　teaching　in　Siberia；〃　

agreed　the　Captain　sadly。



They　spoke　no　more　of　Petunikoff；　or　of　the　turning　out　of　the　

inhabitants　of　the　dosshouse。　　They　all　knew　that　they　would　

have　to　leave　soon；　therefore　they　did　not　think　the　matter　

worth　discussion。　　It　would　do　no　good；　and　besides　the　weather　

was　not　very　cold　though　the　rains　had　begun　。　。　。　and　it　would　

be　possible　to　sleep　on　the　ground　anywhere　outside　the　town。　

They　sat　in　a　circle　on　the　grass　and　conversed　about　all　sorts

of　things；　discussing　one　subject　after　another；　and　listening　

attentively　even　to　the　poor　speakers　in　order　to　make　the　time　

pass；　keeping　quiet　was　as　dull　as　listening。　　This　society　of　

〃creatures　that　once　were　men〃　had　one　fine　characteristicno

one　of　them　endeavored　to　make　out　that　he　was　better　than　the　

others；　nor　compelled　the　others　to　acknowledge　his　superiority。





69　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





The　August　sun　seemed　to　set　their　tatters　on　fire　as　they　sat　

with　their　backs　and　uncovered　heads　exposed　to　it　。　。　。　a　

chaotic　mixture　of　the　vegetable；　mineral；　and　animal　kingdoms。　

In　the　corners　of　the　yard　the　tall　steppe　grass　grew　

luxuriantly　。　。　。　Nothing　else　grew　there　but　some　dingy　

vegetables；　not　attractive　even　to　those　who　nearly　always　

felt　the　pangs　of　hunger。



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The　following　was　the　scene　that　took　place　in　Vaviloff's　

eating…house。



Young　Petunikoff　entered　slowly；　took　off　his　hat；　looked　around　

him；　and　said　to　the　eating…house　keeper：



〃Egor　Terentievitch　Vaviloff？　Are　you　he？〃



〃I　am；〃　answered　the　sergeant；　leaning　on　the　bar　with　both　arms　

as　if　intending　to　jump　over　it。



〃I　have　some　business　with　you；〃　said　Petunikoff。



〃Delighted。　　Please　come　this　way　to　my　private　room。〃



They　went　in　and　sat　down；　the　guest　on　the　couch　and　his　host　

on　the　chair　opposite　to　him。　　In　one　corner　a　lamp　was　burning　

before　a　gigantic　icon；　and　on　the　wall　at　the　other　side　there　

were　several　oil　lamps。　　They　were　well　kept　and　shone　as　if　

they　were　new。　　The　room；　which　contained　a　number　of　boxes　and　

a　variety　of　furniture；　smelt　of　tobacco；　sour　cabbage；　and　olive

oil。　　Petunikoff　looked　around　him　and　made　a　face。　　Vaviloff　

looked　at　the　icon；　and　then　they　looked　simultaneously　at　one　

another；　and　both　seemed　to　be　favorably　impressed。　　Petunikoff　

liked　Vaviloff's　frankly　thievish　eyes；　and　Vaviloff　was　pleased　

with　the　open　cold；　determined　face　of　Petunikoff；　with　its　

large　cheeks　and　white　teeth。





70　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





〃Of　course　you　already　know　me；　and　I　presume　you　guess　what　I　

am　going　to　say　to　you；〃　began　Petunikoff。



〃About　the　lawsuit？　。　。　。　I　presume？〃　remarked　the　ex…sergeant　

respectfully。



〃Exactly！　　I　am　glad　to　see　that　you　are　not　beating　about　the　

bush；　but　going　straight　to　the　point　like　a　business　man；〃　

said　Petunikoff　encouragingly。



〃I　am　a　soldier；〃　answered　Vaviloff；　with　a　modest　air。



〃That　is　easily　seen；　and　I　am　sure　we　shall　be　able　to　finish　

this　job　without　much　trouble。〃



〃Just　so。〃



〃Good！　　You　have　the　law　on　your　side；　and　will；　of　course；　win　

your　case。　　I　want　to　tell　you　this　at　the　very　beginning。〃



〃I　thank　you　most　humbly；〃　said　the　sergeant；　rubbing　his　eyes　

in　order　to　hide　the　smile　in　them。



〃But　tell　me；　why　did　you　make　the　acquaintance　of　your　future　

neighbors　like　this　through　the　law　courts？〃



Vaviloff　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　did　not　answer。



〃It　would　have　been　better　to　come　straight　to　us　and　settle　

the　matter　peacefully；　eh？　　What　do　you　think？〃



〃That　would　have　been　better；　of　course；　but　you　see　there　is　

a　difficulty　。　。　。　I　did　not　follow　my　own　wishes；　but　those　

of　others　。　。　。　I　learned　afterward　that　it　would　have　been　

better　if　。　。　。　but　it　was　too　late。〃





71　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





〃Oh！　I　suppose　some　lawyer　taught　you　this？〃



〃Someone　of　that　sort。〃



〃Aha！　Do　you　wish　to　settle　the　affair　peacefully；〃



〃With　all　my　heart！〃　cried　the　soldier。



Petunikoff　was　silent　for　a　moment；　then　looked　at　him；　and　

suddenly　asked；　coldly　and　dryly；　〃And　why　do　you　wish　to　do　

so？〃



Vaviloff　did　not　expect　such　a　question；　and　therefore　had　no　

reply　ready。　　In　his　opinion　the　question　was　quite　unworthy　

of　any　attention；　and　so　he　laughed　at　young　Petunikoff。



〃That　is　easy　to　understand。　　Men　like　to　live　peacefully　with　

one　another。〃



〃But；〃　interrupted　Petunikoff；　〃that　is　not　exactly　the　reason　

why。　　As　far　as　I　can　see；　you　do　not　distinctly　understand　

why　you　wish　to　be　reconciled　to　us　。　。　。　I　will　tell　you。〃



The　soldier　was　a　little　surprised。　　This　youngster；　dressed　

in　a　check　suit；　in　which　he　looked　ridiculous；　spoke　as　if　

he　were　Colonel　Rakshin；　who　used　to　knock　three　of　the　

unfortunate　soldier's　teeth　out　every　time　he　was　angry。



〃You　want　to　be　friends　with　us　because　we　should　be　such　

useful　neighbors　to　you　。　。　。　because　there　will　be　not　less　

than　a　hundred　and　fifty　workmen　in　our　factory；　and　in　

course　of　time　even　more。　　If　a　hundred　men　come　and　drink　

one　glass　at　your　place；　after　receiving　their　weekly　wages；　

that　means　that　you　will　sell　every　month　four　hundred　glasses　

more　than　you　sell　at　present。　　This　is；　of　course；　the　lowest　

estimate　and　then　you　have　the　eating…house　besides。　You　are　

not　a　fool；　and　you　can　understand　for　yourself　what　

profitable　neighbors　we　shall　be。〃





72　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





〃That　is　true；〃　Vaviloff　nodded　〃I　knew　that　before。〃



〃Well；　what　then？〃　asked　the　merchant　loudly。



〃Nothing　。　。　。　let　us　be　friends！〃



〃It　is　nice　to　see　that　you　have　decided　so　quickly。　Look　here；　

I　have　already　prepared　a　notification　to　the　court　of　the　

withdrawal　of　the　summons　against　my　father。　　Here　it　is；　read　

it；　and　sign　it。〃



Vaviloff　looked　at　his　companion　with　his　round　eyes　and　

shivered；　as　if　experiencing　an　unpleasant　sensation。



〃Pardon　me　。　。　。　sign　it？　　And　why？〃



〃There　is　no　difficulty　about　it　。　。　。　write　your　Christian　

name　and　surname　and　nothing　more；〃　explained　Petunikoff；　

pointing　obligingly　with　his　finger　to　the　place　for　the　

signature。



〃Oh！　It　is　not　that　。　。　。　I　was　alluding　to　the　compensation　

I　was　to　get　for　my　ground。〃



〃But　then　this　ground　is　of　no　use　to　you；〃　said　Petunikoff　

calmly。



〃But　it　is　mine！〃　exclaimed　the　soldier。



〃Of　course；　and　how　much　do　you　want　for　it？〃



〃Well；　say　the　amount　stated　in　the　document；〃　said　Vaviloff　

boldly。



〃Six　hundred！〃　and　Petunikoff　smiled　softly。　　〃You　are　a　funny　

fellow！〃



〃The　law　is　on　my　side　。　。　。　I　can　even　demand　two　thousand。　

I　can　insist　on　your　pulling　down　the　building　。　。　。　and　

enforce　it　too。　　That　is　why　my　claim　is　so　small。　　I　demand　

that　you　should　pull　it　down！〃



〃Very　well。　　Probably　we　shall　do　so　。　。　。　after　three　years；　

and　after　having　dragged　you　into　enormous　law