creatures that once were men-第6章
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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 was not noble。
I care now for nothing and nobody 。 。 。 and all my life has been
tamea sweetheart who has jilted metherefore I despise life；
and am indifferent to it。〃
〃You lie！〃 says Abyedok。
〃I lie？〃 roars Aristid Kuvalda； almost crimson with anger。
〃Why shout？〃 comes in the cold sad voice of Martyanoff。
〃Why judge others？ Merchants； noblemen。 。 。what have we to
do with them？〃
〃Seeing what we are〃 。 。 。 puts in Deacon Taras。
〃Be quiet； Abyedok；〃 says the teacher good…naturedly。
〃Why do you provoke him？〃 He does not love either discussion
or noise； and when they quarrel all around him his lips form
into a sickly grimace； and he endeavors quietly and reasonably
to reconcile each with the other； and if he does not succeed
in this he leaves the company。 Knowing this； the Captain； if
he is not very drunk； controls himself； not wishing to lose；
in the person of the teacher； one of the best of his listeners。
〃I repeat；〃 he continues； in a quieter tone； 〃that I see life
in the hands of enemies； not only enemies of the noble but of
everything good； avaricious and incapable of adorning existence
in any way。〃
40 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃But all the same； says the teacher； 〃merchants； so to speak；
created Genoa； Venice； Hollandand all these were merchants；
merchants from England； India； the Stroyanoff merchants。 。 。 。〃
〃I do not speak of these men； I am thinking of Judas Petunikoff；
who is one of them。 。 。 。〃
〃And you say you have nothing to do with them？〃 asks the teacher
quietly。
〃But do you think that I do not live？ Aha！ I do live； but I
suppose I ought not to be angry at the fact that life is
desecrated and robbed of all freedom by these men。〃
〃And they dare to laugh at the kindly anger of the Captain； a
man living in retirement？〃 says Abyedok teasingly。
〃Very well！ I agree with you that I am foolish。 Being a
creature who was once a man； I ought to blot out from my heart
all those feelings that once were mine。 You may be right； but
then how could I or any of you defend ourselves if we did away
with all these feelings？〃
〃Now then； you are talking sense；〃 says the teacher encouragingly。
〃We want other feelings and other views on life 。 。 。 We want
something new。 。 。because we ourselves are a novelty in this
life。 。 。 。〃
〃Doubtless this is most important for us；〃 remarks the teacher。
〃Why？〃 asks Kanets。 〃Is it not all the same whatever we say or
think？ We have not got long to live I am forty； you are fifty
。 。 。 there is no one among us younger than thirty； and even
at twenty one cannot live such a life long。〃
41 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃And what kind of novelty are we？〃 asked Abyedok mockingly。
〃Since nakedness has always existed 〃
〃Yes； and it created Rome；〃 said the teacher。
〃Yes； of course；〃 says the Captain； beaming with joy。
〃Romulus and Remus； eh？ We also shall create when our time
comes。 。 。 。〃
〃Violation of public peace；〃 interrupts Abyedok。 He laughs
in a self…satisfied way。 His laughter is impudent and insolent；
and is echoed by Simtsoff； the Deacon and Paltara Taras。 The
naive eyes of young Meteor light up； and his cheeks flush
crimson。
Kanets speaks； and it seems as if he were hammering their heads。
〃All these are foolish illusions 。 。 。 fiddlesticks！〃
It was strange to see them reasoning in this manner； these
outcasts from life； tattered； drunken with vodki and wickedness；
filthy and forlorn。 Such conversations rejoiced the Captain's
heart。 They gave him an opportunity of speaking more； and
therefore he thought himself better than the rest。 However low
he may fall； a man can never deny himself the delight of feeling
cleverer； more powerful； or even better fed than his companions。
Aristid Kuvalda abused this pleasure； and never could have
enough of it； much to the disgust of Abyedok； Kubar； and others
of these creatures that once were men； who were less interested
in such things。
Politics； however； were more to the popular taste。 The
discussions as to the necessity of taking India or of subduing
England were lengthy and protracted。
42 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
Nor did they speak with less enthusiasm of the radical measure
of clearing Jews off the face of the earth。 On this subject
Abyedok was always the first to propose dreadful plans to effect
the desired end； but the Captain； always first in every other
argument； did not join in this one。 They also spoke much and
impudently about women； but the teacher always defended them；
and sometimes was very angry when they went so far as to pass
the limits of decency。 They all； as a rule； gave in to him；
because they did not look upon him as a common person； and also
because they wished to borrow from him on Saturdays the money
which he had earned during the week。 He had many privileges。
They never beat him； for instance； on these occasions when the
conversation ended in a free fight。 He had the right to bring
women into the dosshouse； a privilege accorded to no one else；
as the Captain had previously warned them。
〃No bringing of women to my house；〃 he had said。 〃Women；
merchants and philosophers； these are the three causes of my
ruin。 I will horsewhip anyone bringing in women。 I will
horsewhip the woman also 。 。 。 And as to the philosopher；
I'll knock his head off for him。〃 And notwithstanding his age
he could have knocked anyone's head off； for he possessed
wonderful strength。 Besides that； whenever he fought or
quarrelled； he was assisted by Martyanoff； who was accustomed
during a general fight to stand silently and sadly back to back
with Kuvalda； when he became an all destroying and impregnable
engine of war。 Once when Simtsoff was drunk； he rushed at the
teacher for no reason whatever； and getting hold of his head
tore out a bunch of hair。
43 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
Kuvalda； with one stroke of his fist in the other's chest； sent
him spinning； and he fell to the ground。 He was unconscious
for almost half…an…hour； and when he came to himself Kuvalda
compelled him to eat the hair he had torn from the teacher's
head。 He ate it； preferring this to being beaten to death。
Besides reading newspapers； fighting and indulging in general
conversation； they amused themselves by playing cards。 They
played without Martyanoff because he could not play honestly。
After cheating several times； he openly confessed：
〃I cannot play without cheating 。 。 。 it is a habit of mine。〃
〃Habits do get the better of you；〃 assented Deacon Taras。 〃I
always used to beat my wife every Sunday after Mass； and when
she died I cannot describe how extremely dull I felt every
Sunday。 I lived through one Sundayit was dreadful； the second
I still controlled myself； the third Sunday I struck my Asok。
。 。 。 She was angry and threatened to summon me。 Just imagine
if she had done so！ On the fourth Sunday； I beat her just as
if she were my own wife！ After that I gave her ten roubles；
and beat her according to my own rules till I married again！〃
〃You are lying； Deacon！ How could you marry a second time？〃
interrupted Abyedok。
〃Ay； just so 。 。 。 She looked after my house 。 。 。〃
〃Did you have any children？〃 asked the teacher。
〃Five of them 。 。 。 One was drowned 。 。 。 the oldest 。 。 。
he was an amusing boy！ Two died of diphtheria 。 。 。 One of
the daughters married a student and went with him to Siberia。
44 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
The other went to the University of St。 Petersburg and died
there 。 。 。 of consumption they say。 Yees； there were five
of them 。 。 。 Ecclesiastics are prolific； you know。〃 He began
explaining why this was so； and they laughed till they nearly
burst at his tales。 When the laughter stopped； Aleksei
Maksimovitch Simtsoff remembered that he too had once had a
daughter。
〃Her name was Lidka 。 。 。 she was very stout。 。 。 。〃
More than this he did not seem to remember； for he looked at
them all； was silent and smiled 。 。 。 in a guilty way。 Those
men spoke very little to each other about their past； and they
recalled it very seldom； and then only its general outlines。
When they did mention it； it was in a cynical tone。 Probably；
this was just as well； since； in many people； remembrance of
the past kills all present energy and deadens all hope for the
future。
* * * * * * * * * *
On rainy； cold； or dull days in the late autumn； these
〃creatures that once were men〃 gathered in the eating…house of
Vaviloff。 They were well known there； where some feared them
as thieves and rogues； and some looked upon them contemptuously
as hard drinkers； although they respected them； thinking that
they were clever。
The eating…house of Vaviloff was the club of the main street；
and the 〃creatures that once were men〃 were its most intellectual
members。
45 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
On Saturday evenings or Sunday mornings； when the eating…house
was packed； the 〃creatures that once were men〃 were only too
welcome guests。 They brought with them； besides the forgotten
and poverty…stricken inhabitants of the street； their own spirit；
in which there was something that brightened the lives of men
exhausted and worn out in the struggle for existence； as great
drunkards as the inhabitants of Kuvalda's shelter； and； like
them； outcasts from the town。 Their ability to speak on all
subjects； their freedom of opinion； skill in repartee； courage
in the presence of those of whom the whole street was in terror；
together with their daring demeanor； could not but be pleasing
to their companions。 Then； too； they were well versed in law；
and could advise； write petitions； and help to swindle without
incurring the risk of punishment。 For all this they were paid
with vodki and flattering admiration of their talents。
The inhabitants of the street were divided into two parties
according to their sympathies。 One was in favor of Kuvalda；
who was thought 〃a good soldier； clever； and courageous〃； the
other was convinced of the fact that the teacher was 〃superior〃
to Kuvalda。 The latter's admirers were those who were known to
be drunkards； thieves； and murderers； for whom the road from
beggary to prison was inevitable。 But those who respected the
teacher were men who still had expectations； still hoped for
better things； who were eternally occupied with nothing； and
who were nearly always hungry。
The nature of the te
