creatures that once were men-第5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！
face； as if to discover what kind of a man he was。
32 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
Tyapa often listened to his conversation； and once；
sitting down beside him； said：
〃I see you are very learned 。 。 。 Have you read the Bible？〃
〃I have read it。 。 。 。〃
〃I see； I see 。 。 。 Can you remember it？〃
〃Yes 。 。 。 I remember it。 。 。 。〃
Then the old man leaned to one side and gazed at the other
with a serious； suspicious glance。
〃There were the Amalekites； do you remember？〃
〃Well？〃
〃Where are they now？〃
〃Disappeared 。 。 。 Tyapa 。 。 。 died out。 。 。 。〃
The old man was silent； then asked again： 〃And where are
the Philistines？〃
〃These also。 。 。 。〃
〃Have all these died out？〃
〃Yes 。 。 。 all。 。 。 。〃
〃And so 。 。 。 we also will die out？〃
〃There will come a time when we also will die；〃 said the
teacher indifferently。
〃And to what tribe of Israel do we belong？〃
The teacher looked at him； and began telling him about
Scythians and Slavs。 。 。 。
The old man became all the more frightened； and glanced at
his face。
〃You are lying！〃 he said scornfully； when the teacher had
finished。
〃What lie have I told？〃 asked the teacher。
33 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃You mentioned tribes that are not mentioned in the Bible。〃
He got up and walked away； angry and deeply insulted。
〃You will go mad； Tyapa；〃 called the teacher after him with
conviction。
Then the old man came back again； and stretching out his hand；
threatened him with his crooked and dirty finger。
〃God made Adamfrom Adam were descended the Jews； that means
that all people are descended from Jews 。 。 。 and we also。 。 。 。〃
〃Well？〃
〃Tartars are descended from Ishmael； but he also came of the
Jews。 。 。 。〃
〃What do you want to tell me all this for？〃
〃Nothing！ Only why do you tell lies？〃 Then he walked away；
leaving his companion in perplexity。 But after two days he came
again and sat by him。
〃You are learned 。 。 。 Tell me； then； whose descendants are we？
Are we Babylonians； or who are we？〃
〃We are Slavs； Tyapa；〃 said the teacher； and attentively awaited
his answer； wishing to understand him。
〃Speak to me from the Bible。 There are no such men there。〃
Then the teacher began criticizing the Bible。 The old man
listened； and interrupted him after a long while。
〃Stop 。 。 。 Wait！ That means that among people known to God
there are no Russians？ We are not known to God？ Is it so？
God knew all those who are mentioned in the Bible 。 。 。 He
destroyed them by sword and fire； He destroyed their cities；
but He also sent prophets to teach them。
34 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
That means that He also pitied them。 He scattered the Jews
and the Tartars 。 。 。 But what about us？ Why have we prophets
no longer？〃
〃Well； I don't know！〃 replied the teacher； trying to understand
the old man。 But the latter put his hand on the teacher's
shoulder； and slowly pushed him backward and forward； and his
throat made a noise as if he were swallowing something。 。 。 。
〃Tell me！ You speak so much 。 。 。 as if you knew everything。
It makes me sick to listen to you 。 。 。 you darken my soul 。 。 。
I should be better pleased if you were silent。 Who are we； eh？
Why have we no prophets？ Ha； ha！ 。 。 。 Where were we when Christ
walked on this earth？ Do you see？ And you too； you are
lying 。 。 。 Do you think that all die out？ The Russian people
will never disappear 。 。 。 You are lying。 It has been written
in the Bible； only it is not known what name the Russians are
given。 Do you see what kind of people they are？ They are
numberless 。 。 。 How many villages are there on the earth？
Think of all the people who live on it； so strong； go numerous I
And you say that they will die out； men shall die； but God wants
the people； God the Creator of the earth！ The Amalekites did
not die out。 They are either German or French 。 。 。 But you；
eh； you！ Now then； tell me why we are abandoned by God？ Have
we no punishments nor prophets from the Lord？ Who then will
teach us？〃 Tyapa spoke strongly and plainly； and there was
faith in his words。
35 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
He had been speaking a long time； and the teacher； who was
generally drunk and in a speechless condition； could not stand
it any longer。 He looked at the dry； wrinkled old man； felt
the great force of these words； and suddenly began to pity
himself。 He wished to say something so strong and convincing
to the old man that Tyapa would be disposed in his favor； he
did not wish to speak in such a serious； earnest way； but in
a soft and fatherly tone。 And the teacher felt as if something
were rising from his breast into his throat 。 。 。 But he could
not find any powerful words。
〃What kind of a man are you？ 。 。 。 Your soul seems to be torn
awayand you still continue speaking 。 。 。 as if you knew
something 。 。 。 It would be better if you were silent。〃
〃Ah； Tyapa； what you say is true；〃 replied the teacher sadly。
〃The people 。 。 。 you are right 。 。 。 they are numberless 。 。 。
but I am a stranger to them 。 。 。 and they are strangers to me
。 。 。 Do you see where the tragedy of my life is hidden？ 。 。 。
But let me alone！ I shall suffer 。 。 。 and there are no
prophets also 。 。 。 No。 You are right； I speak a great deal
。 。 。 But it is no good to anyone。 I shall be always silent
。 。 。 Only don't speak with me like this 。 。 。 Ah； old man；
you do not know 。 。 。 You do not know 。 。 。 And you cannot
understand。〃
And in the end the teacher cried。 He cried so easily and so
freely； with such torrents of flowing tears； that he soon
found relief。
36 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃You ought to go into a village 。 。 。 become a clerk or a
teacher 。 。 。 You would be well fed there。 What are you crying
for？〃 asked Tyapa sadly。
But the teacher was crying as if the tears quieted and comforted
him。
From this day they became friends； and the 〃creatures that once
were men；〃 seeing them together； said： 〃The teacher is friendly
with Tyapa 。 。 。 He wishes his money。 Kuvalda must have put
this into his head 。 。 。 To look about to see where the old
man's fortune is。 。 。 。〃
Probably they did not believe what they said。 There was one
strange thing about these men； namely； that they painted
themselves to others worse than they actually were。 A man who
has good in him does not mind sometimes showing his worse nature。
* * * * * * * * * *
When all these people were gathered round the teacher； then the
reading of the newspaper would begin。
〃Well； what does the newspaper discuss to…day？ Is there any feuilleton？〃
〃No；〃 the teacher informs him。
〃Your publisher seems greedy 。 。 。 but is there any leader？〃
〃There is one to…day 。 。 。 It appears to be by Gulyaeff。〃
〃Aha！ Come； out with it I He writes cleverly； the rascal。〃
〃'The taxation of immovable property；'〃 reads the teacher； 〃It
was introduced some fifteen years ago； and up to the present it
has served as the basis for collecting these taxes in aid of the
city revenue。 。 。 。'〃
37 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃That is simple；〃 comments Captain Kuvalda。 〃It continues to
serve。 That is ridiculous。 To the merchant who is moving
about in the city； it is profitable that it should continue
to serve。 Therefore it does continue。〃
〃The article； in fact； is written on the subject；〃 says the
teacher。
〃Is it？ That is strange； it is more a subject for a
feuilleton。〃
〃Such a subject must be treated with plenty of pepper。 。 。 。〃
Then a short discussion begins。 The people listen attentively；
as only one bottle of vodki has been drunk。
After the leader； they read the local events； then the court
proceedings； and； if in the police court it reports that the
defendant or plaintiff is a merchant； then Aristid Kuvalda
sincerely rejoices。 If someone has robbed the merchant； 〃That
is good；〃 says he。 〃Only it is a pity they robbed him of so
little。〃 If his horses have broken down； 〃It is sad that he
is still alive。〃 If the merchant has lost his suit in court；
〃It is a pity that the costs were not double the amount。〃
〃That would have been illegal；〃 remarks the teacher。
〃Illegal！ But is the merchant himself legal？〃 inquires Kuvalda
bitterly。 〃What is the merchant？ Let us investigate this rough
and uncouth phenomenon。 First of all； every merchant is a
mujik。 He comes from a village； and in course of time becomes
a merchant。 In order to be a merchant； one must have money。
38 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
Where can the mujik get the money from？ It is well known that
he does not get it by honest hard work； and that means that the
mujik； somehow or other； has been swindling。 That is to say；
a merchant is simply a dishonest mujik。〃
〃Splendid！〃 cry the people； approving the orator's deduction；
and Tyapa bellows all the time； scratching his breast。 He
always bellows like this as he drinks his first glass of vodki；
when he has a drunken headache。 The Captain beams with joy。
They next read the correspondence。 This is； for the Captain；
〃an abundance of drinks；〃 as he himself calls it。 He always
notices how the merchants make this life abominable； and how
cleverly they spoil everything。 His speeches thunder at and
annihilate merchants。 His audience listens to him with the
greatest pleasure； because he swears atrociously。 〃If I wrote
for the papers；〃 he shouts； 〃I would show up the merchant in
his true colors 。 。 。 I would show that he is a beast； playing
for a time the role of a man。 I understand him！ He is a rough
boor； does not know the meaning of the words 'good taste；' has
no notion of patriotism； and his knowledge is not worth five
kopecks。〃
Abyedok； knowing the Captain's weak point； and fond of making
other people angry； cunningly adds：
〃Yes； since the nobility began to make acquaintance with hunger；
men have disappeared from the world。 。 。 。〃
〃You are right； you son of a spider and a toad。 Yes； from the
time that the noblemen fell； there have been no men。 There are
only merchants； and I hate them。〃
39 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃That is easy to understand； brother； because you too； have
been brought down by them。 。 。 。〃
〃I？ I was ruined by love of life 。 。 。 Fool that I was； I loved
life； but the merchant spoils it； and I cannot bear it； simply
for this reason； and not because I am a nobleman。 But if you
want to know the truth； I was once a man； though I
