creatures that once were men-第8章
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their lives into one cruel farce。 But this enemy could not be
captured because it was invisible。
Then they began beating each other brutally； and drank till they
had drunk everything which they could pawn to the indulgent
Vaviloff。 And thus they passed the autumn days in open wickedness；
in suffering which was eating their hearts out； unable to rise out
of this vicious life and in dread of the still crueller days of
winter。
Kuvalda in such cases came to their assistance with his philosophy。
〃Don't lose your temper； brothers； everything has an end； this is
the chief characteristic of life。
53 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
The winter will pass； summer will follow 。 。 。 a glorious time；
when the very sparrows are filled with rejoicing。〃 But his
speeches did not have any effecta mouthful of even the freshest
and purest water will not satisfy a hungry man。
Deacon Taras also tried to amuse the people by singing his songs
and relating his tales。 He was more successful； and sometimes
his endeavors ended in a wild and glorious orgy at the
eating…house。 They sang； laughed and danced； and for hours
behaved like madmen。 After this they again fell into a
despairing mood； sitting at the tables of the eating…house； in
the black smoke of the lamp and the tobacco； sad and tattered；
speaking lazily to each other； listening to the wild howling
of the wind； and thinking how they could get enough vodki to
deaden their senses。
And their hand was against every man； and every man's hand
against them。
PART II
All things are relative in this world； and a man cannot sink
into any condition so bad that it could not be worse。 One
day； toward the end of September； Captain Aristid Kuvalda was
sitting； as was his custom； on the bench near the door of the
dosshouse； looking at the stone building built by the merchant
Petunikoff close to Vaviloff's eating…house； and thinking
deeply。 This building； which was partly surrounded by woods；
served the purpose of a candle factory。
54 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
Painted red； as if with blood； it looked like a cruel machine
which； though not working； opened a row of deep； hungry；
gaping jaws； as if ready to devour and swallow anything。 The
gray wooden eating…house of Vaviloff； with its bent roof
covered with patches； leaned against one of the brick walls
of the factory； and seemed as if it were some large form of
parasite clinging to it。 The Captain was thinking that they
would very soon be making new houses to replace the old
building。 〃They will destroy the dosshouse even；〃 he
reflected。 〃It will be necessary to look out for another；
but such a cheap one is not to be found。 It seems a great
pity to have to leave a place to which one is accustomed；
though it will be necessary to go； simply because some
merchant or other thinks of manufacturing candles and soap。〃
And the Captain felt that if he could only make the life of
such an enemy miserable； even temporarily； oh！ with what
pleasure he would do it！
Yesterday； Ivan Andreyevitch Petunikoff was in the dosshouse
yard with his son and an architect。 They measured the yard
and put small wooden sticks in various places； which； after
the exit of Petunikoff and at the order of the Captain；
Meteor took out and threw away。 To the eyes of the Captain
this merchant appeared small and thin。 He wore a long
garment like a frock…coat； a velvet cap； and high；
well…cleaned boots。 He had a thin face with prominent
cheek…bones； a wedge…shaped grayish beard； and a high forehead
seamed with wrinkles from beneath which shone two narrow；
blinking； and observant gray eyes 。 。 。 a sharp； gristly nose；
a small mouth with thin lips 。 。 。 altogether his appearance
was pious； rapacious； and respectably wicked。
55 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃Cursed cross…bred fox and pig！〃 swore the Captain under his
breath； recalling his first meeting with Petunikoff。 The
merchant came with one of the town councillors to buy the
house； and seeing the Captain asked his companion：
〃Is this your lodger？〃
And from that day； a year and a half ago； there has been keen
competition among the inhabitants of the dosshouse as to which
can swear the hardest at the merchant。 And last night there
was a 〃slight skirmish with hot words；〃 as the Captain called
it； between Petunikoff and himself。 Having dismissed the
architect the merchant approached the Captain。
〃What are you hatching？〃 asked he； putting his hand to his cap；
perhaps to adjust it； perhaps as a salutation。
〃What are you plotting？〃 answered the Captain in the same tone。
He moved his chin so that his beard trembled a little； a
non…exacting person might have taken it for a bow； otherwise it
only expressed the desire of the Captain to move his pipe from
one corner of his mouth to the other。 〃You see； having plenty
of money； I can afford to sit hatching it。 Money is a good
thing； and I possess it；〃 the Captain chaffed the merchant；
casting cunning glances at him。 〃It means that you serve money；
and not money you；〃 went on Kuvalda； desiring at the same time
to punch the merchant's belly。
〃Isn't it all the same？ Money makes life comfortable； but no
money；〃 。 。 。 and the merchant looked at the Captain with a
feigned expression of suffering。 The other's upper lip curled；
and exposed large； wolf…like teeth。
56 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃With brains and a conscience； it is possible to live without
it。 Men only acquire riches when they cease to listen to their
conscience 。 。 。 the less conscience the more money！〃
〃Just so； but then there are men who have neither money nor
conscience。〃
〃Were you just like what you are now when you were young？〃
asked Kuvalda simply。 The other's nostrils twitched。 Ivan
Andreyevitch sighed； passed his hand over his eyes and said：
〃Oh！ When I was young I had to undergo a great many difficulties
。 。 。 Work！ Oh！ I did work！〃
〃And you cheated； too； I suppose？〃
〃People like you？ Nobles？ I should just think so！
They used to grovel at my feet！〃
〃You only went in for robbing； not murder； I suppose？〃 asked the
Captain。 Petunikoff turned pale； and hastily changed the
subject。
〃You are a bad host。 You sit while your guest stands。〃
〃Let him sit； too；〃 said Kuvalda。
〃But what am I to sit on？〃
〃On the earth 。 。 。 it will take any rubbish 。 。 。〃
〃You are the proof of that；〃 said Petunikoff quietly； while
his eyes shot forth poisonous glances。
And he went away； leaving Kuvalda under the pleasant impression
that the merchant was afraid of him。 If he were not afraid of
him he would long ago have evicted him from the dosshouse。
57 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
But then he would think twice before turning him out； because of
the five roubles a month。 And the Captain gazed with pleasure
at Petunikoff's back as he slowly retreated from the court…yard。
Following him with his eyes； he noticed how the merchant passed
the factory and disappeared into the wood； and he wished very
much that he might fall and break all his bones。 He sat
imagining many horrible forms of disaster while watching
Petunikoff； who was descending the hill into the wood like a
spider going into its web。 Last night he even imagined that the
wood gave way before the merchant and he fell 。 。 。 but
afterward he found that he had only been dreaming。
And to…day； as always； the red building stands out before the
eyes of Aristid Kuvalda； so plain； so massive； and clinging so
strongly to the earth； that it seems to be sucking away all its
life。 It appears to be laughing coldly at the Captain with its
gaping walls。 The sun pours its rays on them as generously as
it does on the miserable hovels of the main street。
〃Devil take the thing！〃 exclaimed the Captain； thoughtfully
measuring the walls of the factory with his eyes。 〃If only
。 。 。 。〃 Trembling with excitement at the thought that had just
entered his mind Aristid Kuvalda jumped up and ran to Vaviloff's
eating…house muttering to himself all the time。
Vaviloff met him at the bar and gave him a friendly welcome。
〃I wish your honor good health！〃 He was of middle height and
had a bald head； gray hair； and straight mustaches like
tooth…brushes。 Upright and neat in his clean jacket； he showed
by every movement that he was an old soldier。
58 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃Egorka； show me the lease and plan of your house；〃
demanded Kuvalda impatiently。
〃I have shown it you before。〃 Vaviloff looked up suspiciously
and closely scanned the Captain's face。
〃Show it me！〃 shouted the Captain； striking the bar with his
fist and sitting down on a stool close by。
〃But why？〃 asked Vaviloff； knowing that it was better to keep
his wits about him when Kuvalda got excited。
〃You fool！ Bring it at once。〃
Vaviloff rubbed his forehead； and turned his eyes to the
ceiling in a tired way。
〃Where are those papers of yours？〃
There was no answer to this on the ceiling； so the old sergeant
looked down at the floor； and began drumming with his fingers
on the bar in a worried and thoughtful manner。
〃It's no good your making wry faces！〃 shouted the Captain； for
he had no great affection for him； thinking that a former
soldier should rather have become a thief than an eating…house
keeper。
〃Oh！ Yes！ Aristid Fomich； I remember now。 They were left at
the High Court of Justice at the time when I came into
possession。〃
〃Get along； Egorka！ It is to your own interest to show me the
plan； the title…deeds； and everything you have immediately。 You
will probably clear at least a hundred roubles over this； do
you understand？〃
Vaviloff did not understand at all； but the Captain spoke in
such a serious and convincing tone that the sergeant's eyes
burned with curiosity； and； telling him that he would see if
the papers were in his desk； he went through the door behind
the bar。
59 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
Two minutes later he returned with the papers in his hand；
and an expression of extreme astonishment on his face。
〃Here they are； the deeds about the damned houses！〃
〃Ah！ You 。 。 。 vagabond！ And you pretend to have been a
soldier； too！〃 And Kuvalda did not cease to belabor him with
his tongue； as he snatched the blue parchment from his hands。
Then； spreading the papers out in front of him； and excited
all the more by Vaviloff's inquisitiveness； the Captain began
reading and bellowing at the same time。 At last he got up
resolutely； and went to the door； l
