第4章

OnafrozenrivernearacertainRussiantown，agangofsevencarpenterswerehastilyrepairinganicebreakerwhichthetownsfolkhadstrippedforfirewood。 Thatyearspringhappenedtobelateinarriving，andyouthfulMarchlookedmorelikeOctober，andonlyatnoon，andthatnotoneveryday，didthepale，wintrysunshowhimselfintheovercastheavens，or，glimmeringinbluespacesbetweenclouds，contemplatetheearthwithasquinting，malevolenteye。 ThedayinquestionwastheFridayinHolyWeek，and，asnightdrewon，drippingswerebecomingcongealedintoicicleshalfanarshinlong，andinthesnow-strippediceoftheriveronlythedunhueofthewintrycloudswasreflected。 Asthecarpentersworkedtherekeptmournfully，insistentlyechoingfromthetownthecopperynoteofbells；andatintervalsheadswouldraisethemselves，andblueeyeswouldgleamthoughtfullythroughthesamegreyfoginwhichthetownlayenveloped，andanaxeupliftedwouldhoveramomentintheairasthoughfearingwithitsdescenttocleavethelusciousfloodofsound。 Scatteredoverthespaciousriver-trackweredarkpinebranches，projectingobliquelyfromtheice，tomarkpaths，openspaces，andcracksonthesurface；andwheretheyrearedthemselvesaloft，thesebrancheslookedlikethecramped，distortedarmsofdrowningmen。 Fromtherivercameawhiffofgloomanddepression。Coveredoverwithsoddenslush，itstretchedwithirksomerigiditytowardsthemistyquarterwhenceblewalanguid，sluggish，damp，coldwind。 Suddenlytheforeman，oneOssip，acleanlybuilt，uprightlittlepeasantwithaneatlycurling，silverybeard，ruddycheeks，andaflexibleneck，amaneverywhereandalwaysinevidence，shouted: “Lookalivethere，myhearties！“ Presentlyheturnedhisattentiontomyself，andsmiledinsinuatingly。 “Inspector，“hesaid，“whatareyoutryingtopokeoutoftheskywiththatsquatnoseofyours？Andwhyareyouhereatall？Youcomefromthecontractor，yousay？——fromVasiliSergeitch？Well，well！Thenyourjobistohurryusup，tokeepbarkingout，’Mindwhatyouaredoing，such-and-suchgang！’Yetthereyoustand-blinkingoveryourtasklikeanobjectdriedstiff！It’snottoblinkthatyou’rehere，buttoplaythewatchdoguponus，andtokeepaneyeopen，andyourtongueonthewag。Soissueyourcommands，youngcockerel。“ Thenheshoutedtotheworkmen: “Now，then！Noshirking！Isthejobgoingtobefinishedtonight，orisitnot？“ Asamatteroffact，hehimselfwastheworstshirkerintheartel[Workman’sunion]。True，hewasalsoafirst-ratehandathistrade，andamanwhocouldworkquicklyandwellandwithskillandconcentration；but，unfortunately，hehatedputtinghimselfout，andpreferredtospendhistimespinningarrestingyarns。Forinstance，onthepresentoccasionhechosethemomentwhenworkwasproceedingwithaswing，wheneveryonewasbusilyandsilentlyandwholeheartedlylabouringwiththeobjectofrunningthejobthroughtotheend，tobegininhismusicalvoice: “Lookhere，lads。Onceuponatime——“ Andthoughforthefirsttwoorthreeminutesthemenappearednottohearhim，andcontinuedtheirplaningandchoppingasbefore，themomentcamewhenthesofttenoraccentscaughtandheldthemen’sattention，astheytrickledandburbledforth。 Then，screwinguphisbrighteyeswithahumorousair，andtwistinghiscurlybeardbetweenhisfingers，Ossipgaveacomplacentclickofhistongue，andcontinuedmeasuredly，andwithdeliberation: “Soheseizedholdofthetench，andthrustitbackintothecave。Andasheturnedtoproceedthroughtheforesthethoughttohimself:’NowImustkeepmyeyesaboutme。’Andsuddenly，fromsomewhere(noonecouldhavesaidwhere)，awoman’svoiceshrieked:’Elesi-a-ah！Elesia-ah！’“ Hereatall，lankyMorduinenamedLeuka，with，assurname，Narodetz，ayoungfellowwhosesmalleyesworealwaysanexpressionofastonishment，laidasidehisaxe，andstoodgaping。 “Andfromthecaveadeepbassvoicereplied:’Elesi-a-ah！’ whileatthesamemomentthetenchsprangfromthecave，and，champingitsjaws，wriggledandwriggledbacktotheslough。“ HereanoldsoldiernamedSaniavin，amoroseman，atippler，andasuffererfromasthmaandaninexplicablegrudgeagainstlifeingeneral，croakedout: “Howcouldyourtenchhavewriggledacrossdrylandifitwasafish？“ “Can，forthatmatter，afishspeak？“wasOssip’sgood-humouredretort。 AllofwhichinspiredMokeiBudirin，agrey-headedmuzhikofacastofcountenancecanineintheprominenceofhisjawsandtherecessionofhisforehead，andtaciturnwithal，thoughnototherwiseremarkable，togiveslow，nasalutterancetohisfavouriteformula。 “Thatistrueenough，“hesaid。 Fornevercouldanythingbespokenofthatwasgrimormarvellousorlewdormalicious，butBudirinatoncere-echoedsoftly，butinatoneofunshakableconviction:“Thatistrueenough。“ Thereafterhewouldtapmeonthebreastwithhishardandponderousfist。 PresentlyworkagainunderwentaninterruptionthroughthefactthatYakovBoev，amanwhopossessedbothastammerandasquint，becamesimilarlyfilledwithadesiretotellussomethingaboutafish。Yetfromthemomentthathebeganhisnarrativeeveryonedeclinedtobelieveit，andlaughedathisbrokenverbiageas，frequentlyinvokingtheDeity，andcursing，andbrandishinghisawl，andviciouslyswallowingspittle，heshoutedamidgeneralridicule: “Once-onceuponatimetherelivedaman。Yes，otherfolkbeforeYOUhavebelievedmytale。Indeed，itisnomorethanthetruththatI’mgoingtotellyou。Verywell！Cackleaway，andbedamned！“ Hereeveryonewithoutexceptiondroppedhisworktoshoutwithmerrimentandclaphishands:withtheresultthat，doffinghiscap，andtherebydisclosingasilvered，symmetricallyshapedheadwithonebaldspotamiditsonedarkportion，Ossipwasforcedtoshoutseverely: “Hi，youBudirin！You’vehadyoursay，andgivenussomefun，andtheremustbenomoreofit。“ “ButIhadonlyjustbegunwhatIwanttosay，“theoldsoldiergrumbled，spittinguponthepalmsofhishands。 Next，Ossipturnedtomyself。 “Inspector，“hebegan…… Itismyopinionthatinthushinderingthemenfromworkthroughhistale-telling，Ossiphadsomedefiniteendinview。I couldnotsaypreciselywhatthatendwas，butitmusthavebeentheobjecteitherofcloakinghisownlazinessorofgivingthemenarest。Ontheotherhand，wheneverthecontractorwaspresenthe，Ossip，borehimselfwithhumbleobsequiousness，andcontinuedtoassumeaguiseofsimplicitywhichnonethelessdidnotpreventhim，ontheadventofeachSaturday，frominducinghisemployertobestowapourboireupontheartel。 AndthoughthissameOssipwasanartelui，andadirectoroftheartel，hisseniorco-membersborehimnoaffection，but，rather，lookeduponhimasawagortrifler，andtreatedhimasofnoimportance。And，similarly，theyoungermembersoftheartellikedwellenoughtolistentohistales，butdeclinedtotakehimseriously，and，insomecases，regardedhimwithill-concealed，oropenlyexpressed，distrust。 OncetheMorduine，amanofeducationwithwhom，onoccasions，I helddiscussionsonintimatesubjects，repliedtoaquestionofmineonthesubjectofOssip: “Iscarcelyknow。Goodnessaloneknows！No，Idonotknowanythingabouthim。“ Towhich，afterapause，headded: “OnceafellownamedMikhailo，acleverfellowwhoisnowdead，insultedOssipbysayingtohim:’Doyoucallyourselfaman？ Why，regardedasaworkman，you’reaslifelessasadoornail，while，seeingthatyouweren’tborntobeamaster，you’llallyourlifecontinuechatteringincorners，likeaplummetswingingattheendofastring！’Yes，andthatwastrueenough。“ Lastly。afteranotherpausetheMorduineconcluded: “Nomatter。Heisnotsuchabadsort。“ Myownpositionamongthesemenwasapositionofsomeawkwardness，for，ayoungfellowofonlyfifteen，Ihadbeenappointedbythecontractor，adistantrelativeofmine，tothetaskofsuperintendingtheexpenditureofmaterial。Thatistosay，Ihadtoseetoitthatthecarpentersdidnotmakeawaywithnails，ordisposeofplanksinreturnfordrink。Yetallthetimemypresencewaspracticallyuseless，seeingthatthemenstolenailsasthoughIwerenoteveninexistenceandstrovetoshowmethatamongthemIwasapersontoomany，asheerincubus，andseizedeveryopportunityofgivingmecovertjogswithabeam，andsimilarlyaffrontingme。 This，ofcourse，mademyrelationswiththemhighlydifficult，embarrassing，andirksome；andthoughmomentsoccurredwhenI longedtosaysomethingthatmightingratiateme，andendeavouredtoeffectanadvanceinthatdirection，thewordsalwaysfailedmeatthenecessaryjuncture，andIfoundmyselflyingcrushedasbeforeunderaburdensomesenseofthesuperfluityofmyexistence。 Again，ifeverItriedtomakeanentryastosomematerialwhichhadbeenused，Ossipwouldapproachme，and，forinstance，say: “Isitjotteddown，eh？Thenletmelookatit。“ And，eyeingthenotebookwithafrown，hewouldaddvaguely: