creatures that once were men-第18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！



silently；　and　began　listlessly　to　work。　　Soon；　however；　one　of　

us　remarked：



〃Perhaps；　after　all〃



〃Shut　up！〃　shouted　the　baker。



We　were　all　convinced　that　he　was　a　man　of　judgment；　a　man　who　

knew　more　than　we　did　about　things。　　And　at　the　sound　of　his　

voice　we　were　convinced　of　the　soldier's　victory；　and　our　

spirits　became　sad　and　downcast。



At　twelve　o'clockwhile　we　were　eating　our　dinnersthe　

soldier　came　in。　　He　was　as　clean　and　as　smart　as　ever；　and　

looked　at　usas　usualstraight　in　the　eyes。　　But　we　were　all　

awkward　in　looking　at　him。



〃Now　then；　honored　sirs；　would　you　like　me　to　show　you　a　

soldier's　quality？〃　he　said；　chuckling　proudly。



〃Go　out　into　the　passage；　and　look　through　the　crackdo　you　

understand？〃



We　went　into　the　passage；　and　stood　all　pushing　against　one　

another；　squeezed　up　to　the　cracks　of　the　wooden　partition　of　

the　passage　that　looked　into　the　yard。　　We　had　not　to　wait　

long。　　Very　soon　Tanya；　with　hurried　footsteps　and　a　careworn　

face；　walked　across　the　yard；　jumping　over　the　puddles　of　

melting　snow　and　mud：　　she　disappeared　into　the　store　cellar。　　

Then　whistling；　and　not　hurrying　himself；　the　soldier　followed　

in　the　same　direction。　　His　hands　were　thrust　in　his　pockets；　

his　mustaches　were　quivering。



Rain　was　falling；　and　we　saw　how　its　drops　fell　into　the　

puddles；　and　the　puddles　were　wrinkled　by　them。　　The　day　was　

damp　and　graya　very　dreary　day。　　Snow　still　lay　on　the　roofs；　

but　on　the　ground　dark　patches　of　mud　had　begun　to　appear。　　





123　　TWENTY…SIX　MEN　AND　A　GIRL





And　the　snow　on　the　roofs　too　was　covered　by　a　layer　of　

brownish　dirt。　The　rain　fell　slowly　with　a　depressing　sound。　

It　was　cold　and　disagreeable　for　us　waiting。



The　first　to　come　out　of　the　store　cellar　was　the　soldier；　

he　walked　slowly　across　the　yard；　his　mustaches　twitching；　his　

hands　in　his　pocketsthe　same　as　always。



ThenTanya；　too；　came　out。　　Her　eye~her　eyes　were　radiant　

with　joy　and　happiness；　and　her　lipswere　smiling。　　And　she　

walked　as　though　in　a　dream；　staggering；　with　unsteady　steps。



We　could　not　bear　this　quietly。　　All　of　us　at　once　rushed　to　

the　door；　dashed　out　into　the　yard　andhissed　at　her；　reviled　

her　viciously；　loudly；　wildly。



She　started　at　seeing　us；　and　stood　as　though　rooted　in　the　

mud　under　her　feet。　　We　formed　a　ring　round　her！　and　

malignantly；　without　restraint；　abused　her　with　vile　words；　

said　shameful　things　to　her。



We　did　this　not　loudly；　not　hurriedly；　seeing　that　she　could　

not　get　away；　that　she　was　hemmed　in　by　us；　and　we　could　

deride　her　to　our　hearts'　content。　　I　don't　know　why；　but　we　



did　not　beat　her。　　She　stood　in　the　midst　of　us；　and　turned　

her　head　this　way　and　that；　as　she　heard　our　insults。　　And　

we…more　and　more　violently　flung　at　her　the　filth　and　venom　

of　our　words。



The　color　had　left　her　face。　　Her　blue　eyes；　so　happy　a　moment　

before；　opened　wide；　her　bosom　heaved；　and　her　lips　quivered。



We　in　a　ring　round　her　avenged　ourselves　on　her　as　though　she　

had　robbed　us。　　She　belonged　to　us；　we　had　lavished　on　her　our　

best；　and　though　that　best　was　a　beggar's　crumb；　still　we　were　

twenty…six；　she　was　one；　and　so　there　was　no　pain　we　could　

give　her　equal　to　her　guilt！





124　TWENTY…SIX　MEN　AND　A　GIRL





How　we　insulted　her！　　She　was　still　mute；　still　gazed　at　us　

with　wild　eyes；　and　a　shiver　ran　all　over　her。



We　laughed；　roared；　yelled。　　Other　people　ran　up　from　

somewhere　and　joined　us。　　One　of　us　pulled　Tanya　by　the　sleeve　

of　her　blouse。



Suddenly　her　eyes　flashed；　deliberately　she　raised　her　hands　

to　her　head　and　straightening　her　hair　she　said　loudly　but　

calmly；　straight　in　our　faces：



〃Ah；　you　miserable　prisoners！〃



And　she　walked　straight　at　us；　walked　as　directly　as　though　

we　had　not　been　before　her；　as　though　we　were　not　blocking　

her　way。



And　hence　it　was　that　no　one　did　actually　prevent　her　passing。



Walking　out　of　our　ring；　without　turning　round；　she　said　

loudly　and　with　indescribable　contempt：



〃Ah；　you　scumbrutes。〃



Andwas　gone。



We　were　left　in　the　middle　of　the　yard；　in　the　rain；　under　the　

gray　sky　without　the　sun。



Then　we　went　mutely　away　to　our　damp　stone　cellar。　　As　before

the　sun　never　peeped　in　at　our　windows；　and　Tanya　came　no　more！











CHELKASH



An　Episode





Darkened　by　the　dust　of　the　dock；　the　blue　southern　sky　is　

murky；　the　burning　sun　looks　duskily　into　the　greenish　sea；　as　

though　through　a　thin　gray　veil。　　It　can　find　no　reflection　in　

the　water；　continually　cut　up　by　the　strokes　of　oars；　the　screws　

of　steamers；　the　deep；　sharp　keels　of　Turkish　feluccas　and　other　

sailing　vessels；　that　pass　in　all　directions；　ploughing　up　the　

crowded　harbor；　where　the　free　waves　of　the　sea；　pent　up　within

granite　walls；　and　crushed　under　the　vast　weights　that　glide　

over　its　crests；　beat　upon　the　sides　of　the　ships　and　on　the　

bank；　beat　and　complain；　churned　up　into　foam　and　fouled　with　

all　sorts　of　refuse。



The　jingle　of　the　anchor　chains；　the　rattle　of　the　links　of　the　

trucks　that　bring　down　the　cargoes；　the　metallic　clank　of　sheets　

of　iron　falling　on　the　stone　pavement；　the　dull　thud　of　wood；　

the　creaking　of　the　carts　plying　for　hire；　the　whistles　of　the　

steamers；　piercingly　shrill　and　hoarsely　roaring；　the　shouts　of

dock　laborers；　sailors；　and　customs　officersall　these　sounds　

melt　into　the　deafening　symphony　of　the　working　day；　that　

hovering　uncertainty　hangs　over　the　harbor；　as　though　afraid　to　

float　upward　and　be　lost。　　





125　CHELKASH





And　fresh　waves　of　sound　continually　rise　up　from　the　earth　to　

join　it；　deep；　grumbling；　sullen　reverberations　setting　all　

around　quaking；　shrill；　menacing　notes　that　pierce　the　ear　and　

the　dusty；　sultry　air。



The　granite；　the　iron；　the　wood；　the　harbor　pavement；　the　ships　

and　the　menall　swelled　the　mighty　strains　of　this　frenzied；　

impassioned　hymn　to　Mercury。　　But　the　voices　of　men；　scarcely　

audible　in　it；　were　weak　and　ludicrous。　　And　the　men；　too；　

themselves；　the　first　source　of　all　that　uproar；　were　ludicrous　

and　pitiable：　　their　little　figures；　dusty；　tattered；　nimble；　

bent　under　the　weight　of　goods　that　lay　on　their　backs；　under　

the　weight　of　cares　that　drove　them　hither　and　thither；　in　the　

clouds　of　dust；　in　the　sea　of　sweltering　heat　and　din；　were　so　

trivial　and　small　in　comparison　with　the　colossal　iron　monsters；　

the　mountains　of　bales；　the　thundering　railway　trucks　and　all　

that　they　had　created。　　Their　own　creation　had　enslaved　them；　

and　stolen　away　their　individual　life。



As　they　lay　letting　off　steam；　the　heavy　giant　steamers　

whistled　or　hissed；　or　seemed　to　heave　deep　sighs；　and　in　every　

sound　that　came　from　them　could　be　heard　the　mocking　note　of　

ironical　contempt　for　the　gray；　dusty　shapes　of　men；　crawling　

about　their　decks　and　filling　their　deep　holds　with　the　fruits　

of　their　slavish　toil。　　Ludicrous　and　pitiable　were　the　long

strings　of　dock　laborers　bearing　on　their　backs　thousands　of　

tons　of　bread；　and　casting　it　into　the　iron　bellies　of　the　

ships　to　gain　a　few　pounds　of　that　same　bread　to　fill　their　

own　belliesfor　their　worse　luck　not　made　of　iron；　but　alive　

to　the　pangs　of　hunger。　





127　　CHELKASH





The　men；　tattered；　drenched　with　sweat；　made　dull　by　weariness；　

and　din　and　heat；　and　the　mighty　machines；　created　by　those　men；　

shining；　well…fed；　serene；　in　the　sunshine；　machines　which　in　

the　last　resort　are；　after　all；　not　set　in　motion　by　steam；　but　

by　the　muscles　and　blood　of　their　creatorsin　this　contrast　

was　a　whole　poem　of　cruel　and　frigid　irony。



The　clamor　oppressed　the　spirit；　the　dust　fretted　the　nostrils　

and　blinded　the　eyes；　the　sweltering　heat　baked　and　exhausted　

the　body；　and　everything…buildings；　men；　pavementseemed　

strained；　breaking；　ready　to　burst；　losing　patience；　on　the　

verge　of　exploding　into　some　immense　catastrophe；　some　outbreak；　

after　which　one　would　be　able　to　breathe　freely　and　easily　in　

the　air　refreshed　by　it。　　On　the　earth　there　would　be　quietness；

and　that　dusty　uproar；　deafening；　fretting　the　nerves；　driving　

one　to　melancholy　frenzy；　would　vanish；　and　in　town；　and　sea　

and　sky；　it　would　be　still　and　clear　and　pleasant。　　But　that　

was　only　seeming。　　It　seemed　so　because　man　has　not　yet　grown　

weary　of　hoping　for　better　things；　and　the　longing　to　feel　free　

is　not　dead　in　him。



Twelve　times　there　rang　out　the　regular　musical　peal　of　the　

bell。　　When　the　last　brazen　clang　had　died　away；　the　savage　

orchestra　of　toil　had　already　lost　half　its　volume。　　A　minute　

later　it　had　passed　into　a　dull；　repining　grumble。　　Now　the　

voices　of　men　and　the　splash　of　the　sea　could　be　heard　more　

clearly。　　The　dinner…hour　had　come。





128　CHELKASH





CHAPTER　I









When　the　dock　laborers；　knocking　off　work；　had　scattered　about　

the　dock　in　noisy　groups；　buying　various　edibles　from　the　women　

hawking　food；　and　were　settling　themselves　to　dinner　in　shady　

corners　on　the　pavement；　there　walked　into　their　midst　Grishka　

Chelkash；　an　old　hunted　wolf；　well　known　to　all　the　dock　

population　as　a　hardened　drunkard　and　a　bold　and　dexterous　thief。

He　was　barefoot　and　bareheaded；　clad　in　old；　threadbare；　shoddy　

breeches；　in　a　dirty　print　shirt；　with　a　torn　collar　that　

displayed　his　mobile；　dry；　angular　bones　tightly　covered　with　

brown　skin。　　From　the　ruffled　state　of　his　black；　slightly　

grizzled　hair　and　the　dazed　look　on　his　keen；　predatory　face；　

it　was　evident　that　he　had　only　just　waked　up。　　There　was　a　

straw　sticking　in　one　brown　mustache；　another　straw　clung　to　

the　scrubby　bristles　of　his　shaved　left　cheek；　and　behind　his　

ear　he　had　stuck　a　little；　freshly…picked　twig　of　lime。　　Long；

bony；　rather　stooping；　he　paced　slowly　over　the　flags；　and　

turning　his　hooked；　rapacious…looking　nose　from　side　to　side；　

he　cast　sharp　glances　about　him；　his　cold；　gray　eyes　shining；　

as　he　scanned　one　after　another　among　the　dock　laborers。　　His　

thick　and　long　brown　mustaches　were　continually　twitching　like　

a　cat's　whiskers；　while　he　rubbed　his　hands　behind　his　back；　

nervously　clenching　the　long；　crooked；　clutching　fingers。　　

Even　here；　among　hundreds　of　striking…looking；　tattered　

vagabonds　like　himself；　he　attracted　attention　at　once　from　

his　resemblance　to　a　vulture　of　the　steppes；　from　his　hungry…

looking　thinness；　and　from　that　peculiar　gait　of　his；　as　though　

pouncing　down　on　his　prey；　so　smooth　and　easy　in　appearance；　

but　inwardly　intent　and　alert；　like　the　flight　of　the　keen；　

nervous　bird　he　resembled。





129　　CHELKASH





As　he　reached　one　of　the　groups　of　ragged　dockers；　reclining　

in　the　shade　of　a　stack　of　coal　baskets；　there　rose　to　meet　

him　a　thick…set　young　man；　with　pur