creatures that once were men-第13章
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trousers were frayed； his hat almost yellow with age and
crumpled like his lean and hungry face。
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〃No； you are not necessary！ We have plenty like you here；〃
said the Captain； turning away。
〃Then； good…bye！〃 The man went to the door； and said quietly
from there； 〃If anything happens 。 。 。 let me know in the
publishing office 。 。 。 My name is Rijoff。 I might write a
short obituary 。 。 。 You see he was an active member of the
Press。〃
〃H'm； an obituary； you say？ Twenty lines forty kopecks？ I
will do more than that。 When he dies I will cut off one of
his legs and send it to you。 That will be much more profitable
than an obituary。 It will last you for three days 。 。 。 His
legs are fat。 You devoured him when he was alive。 You may as
well continue to do so after he is dead。 。 。 。〃
The man sniffed strangely and disappeared。 The Captain sat
down on the wooden board beside the teacher； felt his forehead
and breast with his hands and called 〃Philip！〃
The sound re…echoed from the dirty walls of the dosshouse and
died away。
〃This is absurd； brother；〃 said the Captain； quietly arranging
the teacher's untidy hair with his hand。 Then the Captain
listened to his breathing； which was rapid and uneven； and
looked at his sunken gray face。 He sighed and looked upon him；
knitting his eyebrows。 The lamp was a bad one 。 。 。 The light
was fitful； and dark shadows flickered on the dosshouse walls。
The Captain watched them； scratching his beard。
Tyapa returned； bringing a vedro of water； and placing it beside
the teacher's head； he took his arm as if to raise him up。
88 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃The water is not necessary；〃 and the Captain shook his head。
〃But we must try to revive him；〃 said the old rag…collector。
〃Nothing is needed；〃 said the Captain； decidedly。
They sat silently looking at the teacher。
〃Let us go and drink； old devil！〃
〃But he？〃
〃Can you do him any good？〃
Tyapa turned his back on the teacher； and both went out into
the courtyard to their companions。
〃What is it？〃 asked Abyedok； turning his sharp nose to the
old man。
The snoring of those who were asleep； and the tinkling sound
of pouring vodki was heard 。 。 。 The Deacon was murmuring
something。 The clouds swam low； so low that it seemed as if
they would touch the roof of the house and would knock it over
on the group of men。
〃Ah！ One feels sad when someone near at hand is dying；〃
faltered the Captain； with his head down。 No one answered him。
〃He was the best among you 。 。 。 the cleverest； the most
respectable。 I mourn for him。〃
〃R…e…s…t with the Saints 。 。 。 Sing； you crooked hunchback！〃
roared the Deacon； digging his friend in the ribs。
〃Be quiet！〃 shouted Abyedok； jumping vengefully to his feet。
〃I will give him one on the head；〃 proposed Martyanoff； raising
his head from the ground。
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〃You are not asleep？〃 Aristid Fomich asked him very softly。
〃Have you heard about our teacher？〃
Martyanoff lazily got up from the ground； looked at the line
of light coming out of the dosshouse； shook his head and
silently sat down beside the Captain。
〃Nothing particular 。 。 。 The man is dying remarked the Captain；
shortly。
〃Have they been beating him？〃 asked Abyedok； with great interest。
The Captain gave no answer。 He was drinking vodki at the moment。
〃They must have known we had something in which to commemorate
him after his death！〃 continued Abyedok； lighting a cigarette。
Someone laughed； someone sighed。 Generally speaking； the
conversation of Abyedok and the Captain did not interest them；
and they hated having to think at all。 They had always felt the
teacher to be an uncommon man； but now many of them were drunk
and the others sad and silent。 Only the Deacon suddenly drew
himself up straight and howled wildly：
〃And may the righteous r…e…s…t！〃
〃You idiot！〃 hissed Abyedok。 〃What are you howling for？〃
〃Fool！〃 said Tyapa's hoarse voice。 〃When a man is dying one must
be quiet 。 。 。 so that he may have peace。
Silence reigned once more。 The cloudy sky threatened thunder；
and the earth was covered with the thick darkness of an autumn
night。
〃Let us go on drinking！〃 proposed Kuvalda； filling up the
glasses。
〃I will go and see if he wants anything；〃 said Tyapa。
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〃He wants a coffin！〃 jeered the Captain。
〃Don't speak about that；〃 begged Abyedok in a low voice。
Meteor rose and followed Tyapa。 The Deacon tried to get up；
but fell and swore loudly。
When Tyapa had gone the Captain touched Martyanoff's shoulder
and said in low tones：
〃Well； Martyanoff 。 。 。 You must feel it more then the others。
You were 。 。 。 But let that go to the Devil 。 。 。 Don't you
pity Philip？〃
〃No；〃 said the ex…jailer； quietly； 〃I do not feel things of
this sort； brother 。 。 。 I have learned better this life is
disgusting after all。 I speak seriously when I say that I
should like to kill someone。〃
〃Do you？〃 said the Captain； indistinctly。 〃Well let's have
another drink 。 。 。 It's not a long job ours； a little drink
and then 。 。 。〃
The others began to wake up； and Simtsoff shouted in a blissful
voice： 〃Brothers！ One of you pour out a glass for the old man！〃
They poured out a glass and gave it to him。 Having drunk it
he tumbled down again； knocking against another man as he fell。
Two or three minutes' silence ensued； dark as the autumn night。
〃What do you say？〃
〃I say that he was a good man 。 。 。 a quiet and good man；〃
whispered a low voice。
〃Yes； and he had money； too 。 。 。 and he never refused it to
a friend。 。 。 。〃
Again silence ensued。
〃He is dying！〃 said Tyapa； hoarsely； from behind the
91 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
Captain's head。 Aristid Fomich got up； and went with firm
steps into the dosshouse。
〃Don't go！〃 Tyapa stopped him。 〃Don't go！ You are drunk！
It is not right。〃 The Captain stopped and thought。
〃And what is right on this earth？ Go to the Devil！〃 And he
pushed Tyapa aside。
On the walls of the dosshouse the shadows were creeping；
seeming to chase each other。 The teacher lay on the board
at full length and snored。 His eyes were wide open； his naked
breast rose and fell heavily； the corners of his mouth foamed；
and on his face was an expression as if he wished to say
something very important； but found it difficult to do so。
The Captain stood with his hands behind him； and looked at him
in silence。 He then began in a silly way：
〃Philip！ Say something to me 。 。 。 a word of comfort to a
friend 。 。 。 come 。 。 。 I love you； brother！ All men are
beasts 。 。 。 You were the only man for me 。 。 。 though you
were a drunkard。 Ah！ how you did drink vodki； Philip！ That
was the ruin of you I You ought to have listened to me； and
controlled yourself 。 。 。 Did I not once say to you。 。 。 。〃
The mysterious； all…destroying reaper； called Death； made up
his mind to finish the terrible work quickly； as if insulted
by the presence of this drunken man at the dark and solemn
struggle。 The teacher sighed deeply； and quivered all over；
stretched himself out； and died。 The Captain stood shaking
to and fro； and continued to talk to him。
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〃Do you want me to bring you vodki？ But it is better that you
should not drink； Philip 。 。 。 control yourself or else drink！
Why should you really control yourself？ For what reason；
Philip？ For what reason？〃
He took him by the foot and drew him closer to himself。
〃Are you dozing； Philip？ Well； then； sleep Good…night 。 。 。
To…morrow I shall explain all this to you； and you will
understand that it is not really necessary to deny yourself
anything 。 。 。 But go on sleeping now 。 。 。 if you are not
dead。〃
He went out to his friends； followed by the deep silence； and
informed them：
〃Whether he is sleeping or dead； I do not know I am a little
drunk。〃
Tyapa bent further forward than usual and crossed himself
respectfully。 Martyanoff dropped to the ground and lay there。
Abyedok moved quietly； and said in a low and wicked tone：
〃May you all go to the Devil！ Dead？ What of that？ Why should
I care？ Why should I speak about it？ It will be time enough
when I come to die myself 。 。 。 I am not worse than other
people。〃
〃That is true；〃 said the Captain； loudly； and fell to the
ground。 〃The time will come when we shall all die like others
。 。 。 Ha！ ha！ How shall we live？ That is nothing 。 。 。
But we shall die like everyone else； and this is the whole end
of life； take my word for it。 A man lives only to die； and he
dies 。 。 。 and if this be so what does it matter how or where
he died or how he lived？ Am I right； Martyanoff？ Let us
therefore drink 。 。 。 while we still have life！〃
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The rain began to fall。 Thick； close darkness covered the
figures that lay scattered over the ground； half drunk； half
asleep。 The light in the windows of the dosshouse flickered；
paled； and suddenly disappeared。 Probably the wind blew it
out or else the oil was exhausted。 The drops of rain sounded
strangely on the iron roof of the dosshouse。 Above the
mountain where the town lay the ringing of bells was heard；
rung by the watchers in the churches。 The brazen sound
coming from the belfry rang out into the dark and died away；
and before its last indistinct note was drowned another stroke
was heard and the monotonous silence was again broken by the
melancholy clang of bells。
* * * * * * * * * *
The next morning Tyapa was the first to wake up。 Lying on his
back he looked up into the sky。 Only in such a position did
his deformed neck permit him to see the clouds above his head。
This morning the sky was of a uniform gray。 Up there hung the
damp； cold mist 0？ dawn； almost extinguishing the sun； hiding
the unknown vastness behind and pouring despondency over the
earth。 Tyapa crossed himself； and leaning on his elbow；
looked round to see whether there was any vodki left。 The
bottle was there； but it was empty。 Crossing over his
companions he looked into the glasses from which they had
drunk； found one of them almost full； emptied it； wiped his
lips with his sleeve； and began to shake the Captain。
The Captain raised his head and looked at him with sad eyes。
94 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃We must inform the police 。 。 。 Get up！〃
〃Of what？〃
