creatures that once were men-第9章
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reading and bellowing at the same time。 At last he got up
resolutely； and went to the door； leaving all the papers on
the bar； and saying to Vaviloff：
〃Wait！ Don't lift them！〃
Vaviloff gathered them lip； put them into the cashbox； and
locked it； then felt the lock with his hand； to see if it were
secure。 After that； he scratched his bald head； thoughtfully；
and went up on the roof of the eating…house。 There he saw the
Captain measuring the front of the house； and watched him
anxiously； as he snapped his fingers； and began measuring the
same line over again。 Vaviloff's face lit up suddenly； and he
smiled happily。
〃Aristid； Fomich； is it possible？〃 he shouted； when the Captain
came opposite to him。
〃Of course it is possible。 There is more than one short in the
front alone； and as to the depth I shall see immediately。〃
〃The depth 。 。 。 seventy…three feet。〃
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〃What？ Have you guessed； you shaved； ugly face？〃
〃Of course； Aristid Fomich！ If you have eyes you can see a
thing or two；〃 shouted Vaviloff joyfully。
A few minutes afterward they sat side by side in Vaviloff's
parlor； and the Captain was engaged in drinking large
quantities of beer。
〃And so all the walls of the factory stand on your ground；〃
said he to the eating…house keeper。 〃Now； mind you show no
mercy！ The teacher will be here presently； and we will get
him to draw up a petition to the court。 As to the amount of
the damages you will name a very moderate sum in order not to
waste money in deed stamps； but we will ask to have the factory
knocked down。 This； you see； donkey； is the result of
trespassing on other people's property。 It is a splendid
piece of luck for you。 We will force him to have the place
smashed； and I can tell you it will be an expensive job for
him。 Off with you to the court。 Bring pressure to bear on
Judas。 We will calculate how much it will take to break the
factory down to its very foundations。 We will make an estimate
of it all； counting the time it will take too； and we will make
honest Judas pay two thousand roubles besides。〃
〃He will never give it！〃 cried Vaviloff； but his eyes shone
with a greedy light。
〃You lie！ He will give it 。 。 。 Use your brains 。 。 。 What else
can he do？ But look here； Egorka； mind you； don't go in for
doing it on the cheap。 They are sure to fry to buy you off。
Don't sell yourself cheap。 They will probably use threats； but
rely upon us。 。 。 。〃
61 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
The Captain's eyes were alight with happiness； and his face
with excitement。 He worked upon Vaviloff's greed； and urging
upon him the importance of immediate action in the matter；
went away in a very joyful and happy frame of mind。
* * * * * * * * * *
In the evening everyone was told of the Captain's discovery；
and they all began to discuss Petunikoff's future predicament；
painting in vivid colors his excitement and astonishment on the
day the court messenger handed him the copy of the summons。
The Captain felt himself quite a hero。 He was happy and all
his friends highly pleased。 The heap of dark and tattered
figures that lay in the courtyard made noisy demonstrations of
pleasure。 They all knew the merchant； Petunikoff； who passed
them very often； contemptuously turning up his eyes and giving
them no more attention than he bestowed on the other heaps of
rubbish lying on the ground。 He was well fed； and that
exasperated them still more； and now how splendid it was that
one of themselves had struck a hard blow at the selfish
merchant's purse！ It gave them all the greatest pleasure。 The
Captain's discovery was a powerful instrument in their hands。
Every one of them felt keen animosity toward all those who were
well fed and well dressed； but in some of them this feeling was
only beginning to develop。 Burning interest was felt by those
〃creatures that once were men〃 in the prospective fight between
Kuvalda and Petunikoff； which they already saw in imagination。
62 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
For a fortnight the inhabitants of the dosshouse awaited the
further development of events； but Petunikoff never once visited
the building。 It was known that he was not in town； and that
the copy of the petition had not yet been handed to him。
Kuvalda raged at the delays of the civil court。 It is improbable
that anyone had ever awaited the merchant with such impatience as
did this bare…footed brigade。
〃He isn't even thinking of coming； the wretch！ 。 。 。〃
〃That means that he does not love me！〃 sang Deacon Taras； leaning
his chin on his hand and casting a humorous glance toward the
mountain。
At last Petunikoff appeared。 He came in a respectable cart with
his son playing the role of groom。 The latter was a red…cheeked；
nice…looking youngster； in a long square…cut overcoat。 He wore
smoked eyeglasses。 They tied the horse to an adjoining tree； the
son took the measuring instrument out of his pocket and gave it
to his father； and they began to measure the ground。 Both were
silent and worried。
〃Aha！〃 shouted the Captain gleefully。
All those who were in the dosshouse at the moment came out to
look at them and expressed themselves loudly and freely in
reference to the matter。
〃What does the habit of thieving mean？ A man may sometimes make
a big mistake when he steals； standing to lose more than he
gets；〃 said the Captain； causing much laughter among his staff
and eliciting various murmurs of assent。
〃Take care； you devil！〃 shouted Petunikoff； 〃lest I have you in
the police court for your words！〃
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〃You can do nothing to me without witnesses 。 。 。 Your son cannot
give evidence on your side〃 。 。 。 the Captain warned him。
〃Look out all the same； you old wretch； you may be found guilty
too！〃 And Petunikoff shook his fist at him。 His son； deeply
engrossed in his calculations； took no notice of the dark group
of men； who were taking such a wicked delight in adding to his
father's discomfiture。 He did not even once look in their
direction。
〃The young spider has himself well in hand；〃 remarked Abyedok；
watching young Petunikoff's every movement and action。 Having
taken all the measurements he desired； Ivan Andreyevitch knit
his brows； got into the cart； and drove away。 His son went with
a firm step into Vaviloff's eating…house； and disappeared behind
the door。
〃Ho； ho！ That's a determined young thief！ 。 。 。 What will happen
next； I wonder 。 。 。？〃 asked Kuvalda。
〃Next？ Young Petunikoff will buy out Egor Vaviloff；〃 said
Abyedok with conviction； and smacked his lips as if the idea
gave him great pleasure。
〃And you are glad of that？〃 Kuvalda asked him gravely。
〃I am always pleased to see human calculations miscarry；〃
explained Abyedok； rolling his eyes and rubbing his hands with
delight。 The Captain spat angrily on the ground and was silent。
They all stood in front of the tumble…down building； and silently
watched the doors of the eating…house。 More than an hour passed
thus。
64 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
Then the doors opened and Petunikoff came out as silently as he
had entered。 He stopped for a moment； coughed； turned up the
collar of his coat； glanced at the men； who were following all
his movements with their eyes； and then went up the street
toward the town。
The Captain watched him for a moment； and turning to Abyedok
said smilingly：
〃Probably you were right after all； you son of a scorpion and
a wood…louse！ You nose out every evil thing。 Yes； the face
of that young swindler shows that be has got what he wanted。 。 。
I wonder how much Egorka has got out of them。 He has evidently
taken something 。 。 。 He is just the same sort of rogue that
they are 。 。 。 they are all tarred with the same brush。 He has
got some money； and I'm damned if I did not arrange the whole
thing for him！ It is best to own my folly 。 。 。 Yes； life is
against us all； brothers 。 。 。 and even when you spit upon
those nearest to you； the spittle rebounds and hits your own
face。〃
Having satisfied himself with this reflection； the worthy Captain
looked round upon his staff。 Every one of them was disappointed；
because they all knew that something they did not expect had
taken place between Petunikoff and Vaviloff； and they all felt
that they had been insulted。 The feeling that one is unable to
injure anyone is worse than the feeling that one is unable to do
good； because to do harm is far easier and simpler。
〃Well； why are we loitering here？ We have nothing more to wait
for 。 。 。 except the reward that I shall get outout of Egorka；
。 。 。〃 said the Captain； looking angrily at the eating…house。
〃So our peaceful life under the roof of Judas has come to an end。
65 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
Judas will now turn us out 。 。 。 So do not say that I have not
warned you。〃
Kanets smiled sadly。
〃What are you laughing at； jailer？〃 Kuvalda asked。
〃Where shall I go then？〃
〃That； my soul； is a question that fate will settle for you； so
do not worry；〃 said the Captain thoughtfully； entering the
dosshouse。 〃The creatures that once were men〃 followed him。
〃We can do nothing but await the critical moment；〃 said the
Captain； walking about among them。 〃When they turn us out we
shall seek a new place for ourselves； but at present there is
no use spoiling our life by thinking of it 。 。 。 In times of
crisis one becomes energetic 。 。 。 and if life were fuller of
them and every moment of it so arranged that we were compelled
to tremble for our lives all the time 。 。 。 By God！ life would be
livelier and even fuller of interest and energy than it is！〃
〃That means that people would all go about cutting one another's
throats；〃 explained Abyedok smilingly。
〃Well； what about it？〃 asked the Captain angrily。 He did not
like to hear his thoughts illustrated。
〃Oh！ Nothing！ When a person wants to get anywhere quickly he
whips up the horses； but of course it needs fire to make engines
go。 。 。 。〃
〃Well； let everything go to the Devil as quickly as possible。
I'm sure I should be pleased if the earth suddenly opened up or
was burned or destroyed somehow 。 。 。 only I were left to the
last in order to see the others consumed。 。 。 。〃
66 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃Ferocious creature！〃 smiled Abyedok。
〃Well； what of that？ I 。 。 。 I was once a man 。 。 。 now I am
an outcast 。 。 。 that means I have no obligations。 It means
that I am free to spit on every
