第24章

InatownofthesteppeswhereIfoundlifeexceedinglydull，thebestandthebrightestspotwasthecemetery。OftendidIusetowalkthere，andonceithappenedthatIfellasleeponsomethick，rich，sweet-smellinggrassinacradle-likehollowbetweentwotombs。 FromthatsleepIwasawakenedwiththesoundofblowsbeingstruckagainstthegroundnearmyhead。Theconcussionofthemjarredmenotalittle，astheearthquiveredandtinkledlikeabell。Raisingmyselftoasittingposture，Ifoundsleepstillsoheavyuponmethatatfirstmyeyesremainedblindedwithunfathomabledarkness，andcouldnotdiscernwhatthematterwas。TheonlythingthatIcouldseeamidthegoldenglareoftheJunesunlightwasawaveringblurwhichatintervalsseemedtoadheretoagreycross，andtomakeitgiveforthasuccessionofsoftcreaks。 Presently，however——againstmywish，indeed——thatwaveringblurresolveditselfintoalittle，elderlyman。Sharp-featured，withathick，silverytuftofhairbeneathhisunderlip，andabushywhitemoustachecurledinmilitaryfashion，onhisupper，hewasusingthecrossasameansofsupportas，withhisdisengagedhandoutstretched，andsawingtheair，hedughisfootrepeatedlyintotheground，and，ashedidso，bestoweduponmesundrydry，covertglancesfromthedepthsofapairofdarkeyes。 “Whathaveyougotthere？“Iinquired。 “Asnake，“herepliedinaneducatedbassvoice，andwitharuggedforefingerhepointeddownwards；whereuponIperceivedthatwrigglingonthepathathisfeetandconvulsivelywhiskingitstail，therewasanechidna。 “Oh，itisonlyagrassworm，“Isaidvexedly。 Theoldmanpushedawaythedull，iridescent，rope-likethingwiththetoeofhisboot，raisedastrawhatinsalute，andstrodefirmlyonwards。 “Ithankyou，“Icalledout；whereupon，herepliedwithoutlookingbehindhim: “IfthethingreallyWASagrassworm，ofcoursetherewasnodanger。“ Thenhedisappearedamongthetombstones。 Lookingatthesky，Iperceivedthetimetobeaboutfiveo’clock。 Thesteppewindwassighingoverthetombs，andcausinglongstemsofgrasstorocktoandfro，andfreightingtheheatedairwiththesilkenrustlingofbirchesandlimesandothertrees，andleadingonetodetectamidthehummingofsummeranoteofquietgriefeminentlycalculatedtoevokelofty，directthoughtsconcerninglifeandone’sfellow-men。 Veilingwithgreenery，greyandwhitetombstoneswornwiththesnowsofwinter，crossesstreakedwithmarksofrain，andthewallwithwhichthegraveyardwasencircled，therankvegetationservedtoalsoconcealthepropinquityofaslovenly，clamoroustownwhichlaycoatedwithrich，sootygrimeamidanatmosphereofdustandsmells。 AsIsetoffforarambleamongthetombsandtangledgrass，I coulddiscernthroughopeningsinthecurtainofverdureabelfry’sgildedcrosswhichreareditselfsolemnlyovercrossesandmemorials。Atthefootofthosememorialsthesacramentalvestmentofthecemeterywasstuddedwithakaleidoscopicsheenofflowersoverwhichbeesandwaspsweresohoveringandhummingthatthegrass’ssad，prayerfulmurmurseemedchargedwithasongoflifewhichyetdidnothinderreflectionsondeath。Flutteringabovemeonnoiselesswingwerebirdstheflightofwhichsometimesmademestart，andstandwonderingwhethertheobjectbeforemygazewasreallyabirdornot:andeverywheretheshimmerofgildedsunlightwassettingtheclose-packedgraveyardinaquiverwhichmadethemoundsofitstombsreminiscentofaseawhen，afterastorm，thewindhasfallen，andallthegreenlevelisanexpanseofsmooth，foamlessbillows。 Beyondthewallofthecemeterythebluevoidofthefirmamentwaspiercedwithsmokychimneysofoil-millsandsoapfactories，theroofsofwhichshoweduplikeparticolouredstainsagainstthedarkerragsandtattersofotherbuildings；whileblinkinginthesunlightIcoulddiscernclatter-emitting，windowswhichlookedtomelikewatchfuleyes。Onlyonthenearersideofthewallwasasparsestripofturfdottedoverwithragged，withered，tremulousstems，andbeyondthis，again，laythesiteofaburntbuildingwhichconstitutedablackpatchofearth-heaps，brokenstoves，dullgreyashes，andcoaldust。Toheavengapedtheblack，noisomemouthsofburning-pitswhereinthemoreeconomicalcitizenswereaccustomednightlytogetridofthecontentsoftheirdustbins。Amongthetallstemsofsteppegrasswavedlarge，glossyleavesofergot；inthesunlightsplintersofbrokenglasssparkledasthoughtheywerelaughing；and，fromtwospotsinthedarkbrownplotwhichformedasemicirclearoundthecemetery，thereprojected，liketeeth，twobuildingsthenewyellowpaintofwhichneverthelessmadethemlookmeanandpettyamidthetangleofrubbish，pigweed，groundsel，anddock。 Indolentlyroaminghitherandthither，afewspeckledhensresembledfemalepedlars，andsomepompousredcockerelsatroupeoffiremen；intheorificesoftheburning-pitsanumberofmournful-eyed，homelessdogswerelyingsheltered；amongtheshootsofthesteppescrubsomeleancatswerestalkingsparrows；andabandofchildrenwhowereplayinghide-and-seekamongtheorificesabove-mentionedpresented，apitifulsightastheywentskippingoverthefilthyearth，disappearinginthecrevicesamongthepilesofheaped-updirt。 Beyondthesiteoftheburnt-outbuildingtherestretchedaseriesofmean，close-packedhutswhich，crammedexclusivelywithneedyfolk，stoodstaring，withtheirdim，humbleeyesofwindows，atthecrumblingbricksofthecemeterywall，andthedensemassoftreeswhichthatwallenclosed。Here，inonesuchhut，hadImyselfalodginginadiminutiveattic，whichnotonlysmeltoflamp-oil，butstoodinapositiontohavewaftedtoittheleastgasporejaculationonthepartofmylandlord，IrakleiVirubov，aclerkinthelocaltreasury。Inshort，I couldneverglanceoutofthewindowatthecemeteryontheothersideofthestripofdead，burnt，pollutedearthwithoutreflectingthat，bycomparison，thatcemeterywasaplaceofsheerbeauty，aplaceofceaselessattraction。 Andever，thatday，asthoughhehadbeenfollowingme，couldtherebesightedamongthetombsthedarkfigureoftheoldmanwhohadsoabruptlyawakenedmefromslumber；andsincehisstrawhatreflectedthesunlightasbrilliantlyasthediskofasunflowerasitmeanderedhitherandthither，I，inmyturn，foundmyselffollowinghim，thoughthinking，allthewhile，ofIrakleiVirubov。OnlyaweekwasitsinceIraklei’swife，athin，shrewish，long-nosedwomanwithgreenandcatlikeeyes，hadsetforthonapilgrimagetoKiev，andIrakleihadhastenedtoimportintothehutastout，squint-eyeddamselwhomhehadintroducedtomeashis“niecebymarriage。“ “ShewasbaptisedEvdokia，“hehadsaidontheoccasionreferredto。“Usually，however，IcallherDikanka。Praybefriendlywithher，butremember，also，thatsheisnotapersonwithwhomtotakeliberties。“ Large，round-shouldered，andclean-shavenlikeachef，Virubovwasforeverhitchingupbreecheswhichhadslippedfromastomachruinedwithsurfeitsofwatermelon。Andalwayswerehisfatlipspartedasthoughathirst，andperpetuallyhadheinhiscolourlesseyesanexpressionofinsatiablehunger。 OneeveningIoverheardadialoguetothefollowingeffect。 “Dikanka，praycomeandscratchmyback。Yes，betweentheshoulder-blades。O-o-oh，thatisit。Myword，howstrongyouare！“ WhereatDikankahadlaughedshrilly。AndonlywhenIhadmovedmychair，andthrowndownmybook，hadthelaughterandunctuouswhisperingdiedaway，andgivenplacetoawhisperof: “HolyFatherNicholas，prayforusuntoGod！Isthesupperkvasready，Dikanka？“ Andsoftlythepairhaddepartedtothekitchen——theretogruntandsquealoncemorelikeacoupleofpigs…… Theoldmanwiththegreymoustachesteppedovertheturfwiththeelasticstrideofyouth，untilatlengthhehaltedbeforealargemonumentindrabgranite，andstoodreadingtheinscriptionthereon。FeaturednotaltogetherinaccordancewiththeRussiantype，hehadonadark-bluejacket，aturned-downcollar，andablackstockfinishedoffwithalargebow——thelattercontrastingagreeablywiththethick，silvery，asitweremolten，chin-tuft。Also，fromthecentreofafiercemoustachethereprojectedalongandgristlynose，whileoverthegreyskinofhischeeksthererananetworkofsmallredveins。Intheactofraisinghishandtohishat(presumablyforthepurposeofsalutingthedead)，he，afterconningthedarklettersoftheinscriptiononthetomb，turnedasidelongeyeuponmyself；andsinceIfoundthefactembarrassing，Ifrowned，andpassedonward，full，still，ofthoughtsofthestreetwhereIwasresidingandwhereIdesiredtofathomthemeanexistenceekedoutbyVirubovandhis“niece。“ Asusual，thetombswerealsobeingpatrolledbyPimesha，otherwisePimenKrozootov，abibulous，broken-downex-merchantwhousedtospendhistimeinstumblingandfallingaboutthegravesinsearchofthesupposedresting-placeofhiswife。Bentofbody，Pimeshahadasmall，bird-likefaceover-grownwithgreydown，theeyesofasickrabbit，and，ingeneral，theappearanceofhavingundergoneachewingbyasetofsharpteeth。Forthepastthreeyearshehadthusbeenroamingthecemetery，thoughhislegsweretooweaktosupporthisundersized，shatteredbody；andwheneverhecaughthisfoothefell，andforlongcouldnotrise，butlaygaspingandfumblingamongthegrass，androotingitup，andsniffingwithanoseassharpandredasthoughtheskinhadbeenflayedfromit。True，hiswifehadbeenburiedatNovotchevkassk，athousandverstsaway，butPimenrefusedtocreditthefact，andalways，onbeingtoldit，stutteredwithmuchblinkingofhiswet，fadedeyes: “Natasha？Natashaishere。“ Also，thereusedtovisitthespot，well-nighdaily，aMadameChristoforov，atalloldladywho，wearingblackspectaclesandaplaingrey，shroudlikedressthatwastrimmedwithblackvelvet，neverfailedtohaveastickbetweenherabnormallylongfingers。Wizenedofface，withcheekshangingdownlikebags，andaknotofgrey，rather，grey-green，haircombedoverhertemplesfromunderalacescarf，andalmostconcealingherears，thisladypursuedherwaywithdeliberation，andentireassurance，andyieldedthepathtonoonewhomshemightencounter。Ihaveanideathattherelayburiedthereasonwhohadbeenkilledinaroisterers’brawl。 Anotherhabitualvisitorwasthin-legged，short-sightedAulicCouncillorPraotzev，ex-schoolmaster。Withabookstuffedintothepocketofhiscanvaspea-jacket，awhiteumbrellagraspedinhisredhand，andasmileextendingtoearsassharpandpointedasarabbit’s，hecould，anySundayafterdinner，beseenskippingfromtombtotomb，withhisumbrellabrandishedlikeawhiteflagsolicitingtermsofpeacewithdeath。 And，onreturninghomebeforethebellrangforVespers，hewouldfindthatacrowdofboyshadcollectedoutsidehisgardenwall；whereupon，dancingabouthimlikepuppiesaroundastork，theywouldfalltoshoutinginvariousmerrykeys: “TheCouncillor，theCouncillor！WhowasitthatfellinlovewithMadameSukhinikh，andthenfellintothepond？“