creatures that once were men-第2章

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To　no　Westerner；　I　am　afraid；　would　it　occur；　when　asked　

what　he　was；　to　say；　〃A　man。〃　　He　would　be　a　plasterer　who　

had　walked　from　Reading；　or　an　iron…puddler　who　had　been　

thrown　out　of　work　in　Lancashire；　or　a　University　man　who　

would　be　really　most　grateful　for　the　loan　of　five　shillings；　

or　the　son　of　a　lieutenant…general　living　in　Brighton；　who　

would　not　have　made　such　an　application　if　he　had　not　known

that　he　was　talking　to　another　gentleman。　　With　us　it　is　not　

a　question　of　men　being　of　various　kinds；　with　us　the　kinds　

are　almost　different　animals。　　But　in　spite　of　all　Gorky's　

superficial　scepticism　and　brutality；　it　is　to　him　the　fall　

from　humanity；　or　the　apparent　fall　from　humanity；　which　is　

not　merely　great　and　lamentable；　but　essential　and　even　

mystical。　　The　line　between　man　and　the　beasts　is　one　of　the　

transcendental　essentials　of　every　religion；　and　it　is；　like　

most　of　the　transcendental　things　of　religion；　identical　

with　the　main　sentiments　of　the　man　of　common　sense。　　We　feel　

this　gulf　when　theologies　say　that　it　cannot　be　crossed。　But　

we　feel　it　quite　as　much　（and　that　with　a　primal　shudder）　

when　philosophers　or　fanciful　writers　suggest　that　it　might

be　crossed。　　And　if　any　man　wishes　to　discover　whether　or　no　

he　has　really　learned　to　regard　the　line　between　man　and　

brute　as　merely　relative　and　evolutionary；　let　him　say　again　

to　himself　those　frightful　words；　〃Creatures　that　once　were　Men。〃





G。　K。　CHESTERTON。











CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN











PART　I





In　front　of　you　is　the　main　street；　with　two　rows　of

miserable…looking　huts　with　shuttered　windows　and　old　walls　

pressing　on　each　other　and　leaning　forward。　　The　roofs　of　

these　time…worn　habitations　are　full　of　holes；　and　have　been　

patched　here　and　there　with　laths；　from　underneath　them　

project　mildewed　beams；　which　are　shaded　by　the　dusty…leaved　

elder…trees　and　crooked　white　willowpitiable　flora　of　

those　suburbs　inhabited　by　the　poor。



The　dull　green　time…stained　panes　of　the　windows　look　upon　

each　other　with　the　cowardly　glances　of　cheats。　　Through　the　

street　and　toward　the　adjacent　mountain　runs　the　sinuous　

path；　winding　through　the　deep　ditches　filled　with　

rain…water。　　Here　and　there　are　piled　heaps　of　dust　and　other　

rubbisheither　refuse　or　else　put　there　purposely　to　keep　

the　rain…water　from　flooding　the　houses。　　On　the　top　of　the　

mountain；　among　green　gardens　with　dense　foliage；　beautiful　

stone　houses　lie　hidden；　the　belfries　of　the　churches　rise　

proudly　toward　the　sky；　and　their　gilded　crosses　shine　beneath

the　rays　of　the　sun。　　During　the　rainy　weather　the

neighboring　town　pours　its　water　into　this　main　road；　which；　

at　other　times；　is　full　of　its　dust；　and　all　these　miserable　

houses　seem；　as　it　were；　thrown　by　some　powerful　hand　into　

that　heap　of　dust；　rubbish；　and　rainwater。　　





14　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





They　cling　to　the　ground　beneath　the　high　mountain；　exposed　

to　the　sun；　surrounded　by　decaying　refuse；　and　their　sodden　

appearance　impresses　one　with　the　same　feeling　as　would　the　

half…rotten　trunk　of　an　old　tree。



At　the　end　of　the　main　street；　as　if　thrown　out　of　the　town；　

stood　a　two…storied　house；　which　had　been　rented　from　

Petunikoff；　a　merchant　and　resident　of　the　town。　　It　was　in　

comparatively　good　order；　being　farther　from　the　mountain；　

while　near　it　were　the　open　fields；　and　about　half…a…mile　

away　the　river　ran　its　winding　course。



This　large　old　house　had　the　most　dismal　aspect　amid　its　

surroundings。　　The　walls　bent　outward；　and　there　was　hardly　

a　pane　of　glass　in　any　of　the　windows；　except　some　of　the　

fragments；　which　looked　like　the　water　of　the　marshesdull　

green。　　The　spaces　of　wall　between　the　windows　were　covered　

with　spots；　as　if　time　were　trying　to　write　there　in　

hieroglyphics　the　history　of　the　old　house；　and　the　tottering　

roof　added　still　more　to　its　pitiable　condition。　　It　seemed　as　

if　the　whole　building　bent　toward　the　ground；　to　await　the　

last　stroke　of　that　fate　which　should　transform　it　into　a　

chaos　of　rotting　remains；　and　finally　into　dust。



The　gates　were　open；　one…half　of　them　displaced　and　lying　on　

the　ground　at　the　entrance；　while　between　its　bars　had　grown　

the　grass；　which　also　covered　the　large　and　empty　court…yard。　

In　the　depths　of　this　yard　stood　a　low；　iron…roofed；　

smoke…begrimed　building。　　The　house　itself　was　of　course　

unoccupied；　but　this　shed；　formerly　a　blacksmith's　forge；　

was　now　turned　into　a　〃dosshouse；〃　kept　by　a　retired　captain　

named　Aristid　Fomich　Kuvalda。





15　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





In　the　interior　of　the　dosshouse　was　a　long；　wide　and　grimy　

board；　measuring　some　28　by　70　feet。　　The　room　was　lighted　

on　one　side　by　four　small　square　windows；　and　on　the　other　

by　a　wide　door。　　The　unpainted　brick　walls　were　black　with　

smoke；　and　the　ceiling；　which　was　built　of　timber；　was　almost　

black。　　In　the　middle　stood　a　large　stove；　the　furnace　of　which　

served　as　its　foundation；　and　around　this　stove　and　along　the　

walls　were　also　long；　wide　boards；　which　served　as　beds　for　

the　lodgers。　　The　walls　smelt　of　smoke；　the　earthen　floor　of　

dampness；　and　the　long；　wide　board　of　rotting　rags。



The　place　of　the　proprietor　was　on　the　top　of　the　stove；　

while　the　boards　surrounding　it　were　intended　for　those　who　

were　on　good　terms　with　the　owner；　and　who　were　honored　by　

his　friendship。　　During　the　day　the　captain　passed　most　of　his　

time　sitting　on　a　kind　of　bench；　made　by　himself　by　placing　

bricks　against　the　wall　of　the　court…yard；　or　else　in　the　

eating…house　of　Egor　Yavilovitch；　which　was　opposite　the　

house；　where　he　took　all　his　meals　and　where　he　also　drank　

vodki。



Before　renting　this　house；　Aristid　Kuvalda　had　kept　a　registry　

office　for　servants　in　the　town。　　If　we　look　further　back　into　

his　former　life；　we　shall　find　that　he　once　owned　printing　

works；　and　previous　to　this；　in　his　own　words；　he　〃just　lived！　

And　lived　well　too；　Devil　take　it；　and　like　one　who　knew　how！〃



He　was　a　tall；　broad…shouldered　man　of　fifty；　with　a

raw…looking　face；　swollen　with　drunkenness；　and　with　a

dirty　yellowish　beard。　





16　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





His　eyes　were　large　and　gray；　with　an　insolent　expression　of　

happiness。　　He　spoke　in　a　bass　voice　and　with　a　sort　of　

grumbling　sound　in　his　throat；　and　he　almost　always　held　

between　his　teeth　a　German　china　pipe　with　a　long　bowl。　When　

he　was　angry　the　nostrils　of　his　big；　crooked　red　nose　swelled；

and　his　lips　trembled；　exposing　to　view　two　rows　of　large　and　

wolf…like　yellow　teeth。　　He　had　long　arms；　was　lame；　and　always　

dressed　in　an　old　officer's　uniform；　with　a　dirty；　greasy　cap　

with　a　red　band；　a　hat　without　a　brim；　and　ragged　felt　boots　

which　reached　almost　to　his　knees。　　In　the　morning；　as　a　rule；　

he　had　a　heavy　drunken　headache；　and　in　the　evening　he　caroused。

However　much　he　drank；　he　was　never　drunk；　and　so　was　always　

merry。



In　the　evenings　he　received　lodgers；　sitting　on　his　brick…made　

bench　with　his　pipe　in　his　mouth。



〃Whom　have　we　here？〃　he　would　ask　the　ragged　and　tattered　object　

approaching　him；　who　had　probably　been　chucked　out　of　the　town　

for　drunkenness；　or　perhaps　for　some　other　reason　not　quite　so　

simple。　　And　after　the　man　had　answered　him；　he　would　say；　〃Let　

me　see　legal　papers　in　confirmation　of　your　lies。〃　　And　if　there　

were　such　papers　they　were　shown。　The　captain　would　then　put　

them　in　his　bosom；　seldom　taking　any　interest　in　them；　and　would　

say：　　〃Everything　is　in　order。　　Two　kopecks　for　the　night；　ten　

kopecks　for　the　week；　and　thirty　kopecks　for　the　month。　　Go　and　

get　a　place　for　yourself；　and　see　that　it　is　not　other　people's；　

or　else　they　will　blow　you　up。　　The　people　that　live　here　are　

particular。〃





17　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN　　





〃Don't　you　sell　tea；　bread；　or　anything　to　eat？〃



〃I　trade　only　in　walls　and　roofs；　for　which　I　pay　to　the　

swindling　proprietor　of　this　holeJudas　Petunikoff；　merchant　

of　the　second　guildfive　roubles　a　month；〃　explained　Kuvalda　

in　a　business…like　tone。　　〃Only　those　come　to　me　who　are　not　

accustomed　to　comfort　and　luxuries。　。　。but　if　you　are　

accustomed　to　eat　every　day；　then　there　is　the　eating…house　

opposite。　　But　it　would　be　better　for　you　if　you　left　off　that　

habit。　You　see　you　are　not　a　gentleman。　What　do　you　eat？　You　

eat　yourself！〃



For　such　speeches；　delivered　in　a　strictly　business…like　manner；

and　always　with　smiling　eyes；　and　also　for　the　attention　he　paid　

to　his　lodgers；　the　captain　was　very　popular　among　the　poor　of　

the　town。　　It　very　often　happened　that　a　former　client　of　his　

would　appear；　not　in　rags；　but　in　something　more　respectable　and　

with　a　slightly　happier　face。



〃Good…day；　your　honor；　and　how　do　you　do？〃



〃Alive；　in　good　health！　Go　on。〃



〃Don't　you　know　me？〃



〃I　did　not　know　you。〃



〃Do　you　remember　that　I　lived　with　you　last　winter　for　nearly　a　

month　。　。　。　when　the　fight　with　the　police　took　place；　and　

three　were　taken　away？〃　



〃My　brother；　that　is　so。　The　police　do　come　even　under　my　

hospitable　roof！〃



〃My　God！　You　gave　a　piece　of　your　mind　to　the　police　inspector　

of　this　district！〃



〃Wouldn't　you　accept　some　small　hospitality　from　me？　When　I　

lived　with　you；　you　were。　。　。　。〃　





18　　CREATURES　THAT　ONCE　WERE　MEN





〃Gratitude　must　be　encouraged　because　it　is　seldom　met　with。　

You　seem　to　be　a　good　man；　and；　though　I　don't　remember　you；　

still　I　will　go　with　you　into　the　public…house　and　drink　to　

your　success　and　future　prospects　with　the　greatest　pleasure。〃



〃You　seem　always　the　same　。　。　。　Are　you　always　joking？〃



〃What　else　can　one　do；　living　among　you　unfortunate　men？〃



They　went。　　Sometimes　the　Captain's　former　customer；　uplifted　

and　unsettled　by　the　entertainment；　returned　to　the　dosshouse；　

and　on　the　following　morning　they　would　again　begin　treating　

each　other　till　the　Captain's　companion　would　wake　up　to　

realize　that　he　had　spent　all　his　money　in　drink。



〃Your　honor；　do　you　see　that　I　have　again　fallen　into　your　

hands？　What　shall　we　do　now？〃



〃The　position；　no　doubt；　is　not　a　very　good　one；　but　still　

you　need　not　trouble　about　it；〃　reasoned　the　Captain。　　〃You　

must；　my　friend；　treat　everything　indifferently；　without　

spoiling　yourself　by　philosophy；　and　without　asking　yourself　

any　question。　　To　philosophize　is　always　foolish；　to　

philosophize　with　a　drunken　headache；　ineffably　so。　　Drunken　

headaches　require　vodki；　and　not　the　remorse　of　conscience　

or　gnashing　of　teeth　。　。　。　save　your　teeth；　or　else　you　will　

not　be　able　to　protect　yourself。　　Here　are　twenty　kopecks。　　Go　

and　buy　a　bottle　of　vodki　for　five　kopecks；　hot　tripe　or　lungs；　

one　pound　o