creatures that once were men-第27章
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people in the world are Christians。 Well； why do you ask then？
You know the way they all live； they follow the law of Christ！〃
I grew excited； and began eagerly to tell him about Christ's
life。 At first he listened attentively； but this attention
did not last long； and he began to yawn。
I understood that it was useless appealing to his heart； and
I once more addressed myself to his head； and talked to him
of the advantages of mutual help and of knowledge； the
benefits of obedience to the law； speaking of the policy of
morality and nothing more。
〃He who is strong is a law to himself！ He has no need of
learning； even blind； he'll find his way；〃 Prince Shakro
replied； languidly。
186 MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER
Yes； he was always true to himself。 This made me feel a
respect for him； but he was savage and cruel； and sometimes
I felt a spark of hatred for Prince Shakro。 Still； I had not
lost all hope of finding some point of contact with him； some
common ground on which we could meet； and understand one
another。
I began to use simpler language with the prince； and tried to
put myself mentally on a level with him。 He noticed these
attempts of mine； but evidently mistaking them for an
acknowledgment on my part of his superiority； adopted a still
more patronizing tone in talking to me。 I suffered； as the
conviction came home to me； that all my arguments were
shattered against the stone wall of his conception of life。
CHAPTER III。
Soon we had left Perekop behind us。 We were approaching the
Crimean mountains。 For the last two days we bad seen them
against the horizon。 The mountains were pale blue； and looked
like soft heaps of billowy clouds。 I admired them in the
distance； and I dreamed of the southern shore of the Crimea。
The prince hummed his Georgian songs and was gloomy。 We had
spent all our money； and there was no chance of earning
anything in these parts。
We bent our steps toward Feodosia； where a new harbor was in
course of construction。 The prince said that he would work；
too； and that when we had earned enough money we would take
a boat together to Batoum。
187 MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER
In Batoum； he said； he had many friends； and with their
assistance he could easily get me a situationas a house…
porter or a watchman。 He clapped me patronizingly on the
back； and remarked； indulgently； with a peculiar click of his
tongue：
〃I'll arrange it for you！ You shall have such a life tse'；
tse'！ You will have plenty of wine； there will be as much
mutton as you can eat。 You can marry a fat Georgian girl；
tse'； tse'； tse'！ She will cook you Georgian dishes； give
you childrenmany； many children！ tse'； tse'； tse'！〃
This constant repetition of 〃tse'； tse'； tse'！〃 surprised me
at first； then it began to irritate me； and； at last； it
reduced me to a melancholy frenzy。 In Russia we use this
sound to call pigs； but in the Caucasus it seems to be an
expression of delight and of regret； of pleasure and of
sadness。
Shakro's smart suit already began to look shabby； his
elegant boots had split in many places。 His cane and hat had
been sold in Kherson。 To replace the hat he had bought an
old uniform cap of a railway clerk。 When he put this cap on
for the first time； he cocked it on one side of his head； and
asked： 〃Does it suit me？ Do I look nice？〃
CHAPTER IV。
At last we reached the Crimea。 We had left Simpheropol behind
us； and were moving towards Jalta。
188 MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER
I was walking along in silent ectasy； marvelling at the beauty
of this strip of land； caressed on all sides by the sea。
The prince sighed； complained； and； casting dejected glances
about him； tried filling his empty stomach with wild berries。
His knowledge of their nutritive qualities was extremely
limited； and his experiments were not always successful。
Often he would remark； ill…humoredly：
〃If I'm turned inside out with eating this stuff； how am I to
go any farther？ And what's to be done then？〃
We had no chance of earning anything； neither had we a penny
left to buy a bit of bread。 All we had to live on was fruit；
and our hopes for the future。
The prince began to reproach me with want of enterprise and
lazinesswith 〃gaping about；〃 as he expressed it。
Altogether； he was beginning to bore me； but what most tried
my patience were his fabulous accounts of his appetite。
According to these accounts； after a hearty breakfast at noon
of roast lamb； and three bottles of wine； he could easily； at
his two o'clock dinner； dispose of three plates of soup； a pot
of pilave； a dish of shasleek； and various other Caucasian
dishes； washed down abundantly with wine。 For whole days he
would talk of nothing but his gastronomic tastes and knowledge：
and while thus talking； he would smack his lips； his eyes would
glow； he would show his teeth； and grind them together； would
suck in and swallow the saliva that came dripping from his
eloquent lips。 Watching him at these moments； I conceived for
him a deep feeling of disgust； which I found difficult to
conceal。
189 MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER
Near Jalta I obtained a job at clearing away the dead branches
in an orchard。 I was paid fifty kopecks in advance； and laid
out the whole of this money on bread and meat。 No sooner had
I returned with my purchase； than the gardener called me away
to my work。 I had to leave my store of food with Shakro； who；
under the pretext of a headache； had declined to work。 When I
returned in an hour's time； I had to acknowledge that Shakro's
stories of his appetite were all too true。 Not a crumb was
left of all the food I had bought！ His action was anything
but a friendly one； but I let it pass。 Later on I had to
acknowledge to myself the mistake I then made。
My silence did not pass unnoticed by Shakro； who profited by
it in his own fashion。 His behavior toward me from that time
grew more and more shameless。 I worked； while he ate and
drank and urged me on； refusing； on various pretexts； to do
any work himself。 I am no follower of Tolstoi。 I felt amused
and sad as I saw this strong healthy lad watching me with
greedy eyes when I returned from a hard day's labor； and found
him waiting for me in some shady nook。 But it was even more
mortifying to see that he was sneering at me for working。 He
sneered at me because he had learned to beg； and because he
looked on me as a lifeless dummy。 When he first started
begging； he was ashamed for me to see him； but he soon got
over this； and as soon as we came to some Tartar village； he
would openly prepare for business。 Leaning heavily on his
stick； he would drag one foot after him； as though he were
lame。 He knew quite well that the Tartars were mean； and never
give alms to anyone who is strong and well。
190 MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER
I argued with him； and tried to convince him of the shamefulness
of such a course of action。 He only sneered。
〃I cannot work；〃 was all he would reply。
He did not get much by his begging。
My health at that time began to give way。 Every day the
journey seemed to grow more trying。 Every day our relations
toward each other grew more strained。 Shakro； now； had begun
shamelessly to insist that I should provide him with food。
〃It was you；〃 he would say； 〃who brought me out here； all this
way； so you must look after me。 I never walked so far in my
life before。 I should never have undertaken such a journey on
foot。 It may kill me！ You are tormenting me； you are crushing
the life out of me！ Think what it would be if I were to die！
My mother would weep； my father would weep； all my friends
would weep！ Just think of all the tears that would be shed！〃
I listened to such speeches； but was not angered by them。 A
strange thought began to stir in my mind； a thought that made
me bear with him patiently。 Many a time as be lay asleep by
my side I would watch his calm； quiet face； and think to myself；
as though groping after some idea：
〃He is my fellow…travellermy fellow…traveller。〃
At times； a dim thought would strike me； that after all Shakro
was only right in claiming so freely； and with so much
assurance； my help and my care。 It proved that he possessed
a strong will。
191 MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER
He was enslaving me； and I submitted； and studied his
character； following each quivering movement of the muscles
of his face； trying to foresee when and at what point he
would stop in this process of exploiting another person's
individuality。
Shakro was in excellent spirits； he sang； and slept； and
jeered at me； when he felt so disposed。 Sometimes we
separated for two or three days。 I would leave him some bread
and some money （if we had any）； and would tell him where to
meet me again。 At parting； he would follow me with a
suspicious； angry look in his eyes。 But when we met again he
welcomed me with gleeful triumph。 He always said； laughing：
〃I thought you had run off alone； and left me！ ha！ ha！ ha！〃
I brought him food； and told him of the beautiful places I had
seen； and once even； speaking of Bakhtchesarai； I told him
about our Russian poet Pushkin； and recited some of his verses。
But this produced no effect on him。
〃Oh； indeed； that is poetry； is it？ Well； songs are better
than poetry； I knew a Georgian once！ He was the man to sing！
He sang so loudso loudhe would have thought his throat
was being cut？ He finished by murdering an inn…keeper； and
was banished to Siberia。〃
Every time I returned； I sank lower and lower in the opinion
of Shakro； until he could not conceal his contempt for me。
Our position was anything but pleasant。 I was seldom lucky
enough to earn more than a rouble or a rouble and a…half a
week； and I need not say that was not nearly sufficient to
feed us both。
192 MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER
The few bits of money that Shakro gained by begging made but
little difference in the state of our affairs； for his belly
was a bottomless pit； which swallowed everything that fell
in its way； grapes； melons； salt fish； bread； or dried fruit；
and as time went on he seemed to need ever more and more food。
Shakro began to urge me to hasten our departure from the
Crimea； not unreasonably pointing out that autumn would soon
be here and we had a long way still to go。 I agreed with this
view； and； besides； I had by then seen all that part of the
Crimea。 So we pushed on again toward Feodosia； hoping to earn
something there。 Once more our diet was reduced to fruit； and
to hopes for the future。
Poor
