第25章

Losinghistemper，andopeningagreatmouth，untilhelookedlikeanoldrookwhichisabouttocaw，theCouncillorwouldstamphisfootseveraltimes，asthoughpreparingtodancetotheboys’shouting，andlowerhishead，grasphisumbrellalikeabayonet，andchargeattheladswithapantingshoutof: “I’lltellyourfathers！Oh，I’lltellyourmothers！“ AsfortheMadameSukhinikh，referredto，shewasanoldbeggar-womanwho，theyearround，andinallweathers，satonalittlebenchbesidethecemeterywicket，andstucktoitlikeastone。Herlargeface，afacerenderedbricklikebyyearsofinebriety，wascoveredwithdarkblotchesbornoffrostbite，alcoholicinflammation，sunburn，andexposuretowind，andhereyeswereperpetuallyinastateofsuppuration。Neverdidanyonepassherbutsheprofferedawoodencupinasupplianthand，andcriedhoarsely，ratherasthoughshewerecursingthepersonconcerned: “GivesomethingforChrist’ssake！Giveinmemoryofyourkinsfolkthere！“ Onceanunexpectedstormblewinfromthesteppes，andbroughtadownpourwhich，overtakingtheoldwomanonherwayhome，causedher，hersightbeingpoor，tofallintoapond，whencePraotzevattemptedtorescueher，andintowhich，intheend，heslippedhimself。Fromthatdayonwardshewastwittedonthesubjectbytheboysofthetown。 OtherfrequentersofthecemeteryIseebeforeme——dark，silentfigures，figuresofpersonswhomstillunseveredcordsofmemoryseemedtohaveboundtotheplacefortherestoftheirlives，andcompelledtowander，likeunburiedcorpses，inquestofsuitabletombs。Yes，theywerepersonswhomlifehadrejected，anddeath，asyet，refusedtoaccept。 Also，attimestherewouldemergefromthelonggrassahomelessdogwithlarge，sulleneyes，eyesstartlingatonceintheirintelligenceandintheirabsoluteIshmaelitism——untilonealmostexpectedtohearissuefromtheanimal’smouthreproachescouchedinhumanlanguage。 Andsometimesthedogwouldstillremainhaltedinthecemeteryas，withtaillowered，itswayeditsshelterless，shaggyheadtoandfrowithanairofprofoundreflection，whileoccasionallyventingasubdued，long-drawnyelporhowl。 Again，amongthedenseoldlimetrees，therewouldbescurryinganunseenmobofstarlingsandjackdawswhoseyoungwould，meanwhile，maintainasoft，hungrypiping，asortofgentlypersuasive，chirrupingchorus；untilinautumn，whenthewindhadstrippedbaretheboughs，thesebirds’blacknestswouldcometolooklikemouldy，rag-swathedheadsofhumanbeingswhichsomeonehadtornfromtheirbodiesandflungintothetrees，tohangforeveraroundthewhite，sugarloaf-shapedchurchofthemartyredSt。Barbara。Duringthatautumnseason，indeed，everythinginthecemetery’svicinitylookedsadandtarnished，andthewindwouldwailabouttheplace，andsighlikealoverwhohasbeendrivenmadthroughbereavement…… Suddenlytheoldmanhaltedbeforemeonthepath，and，sternlyextendingahandtowardsawhitestonemonumentnearus，readaloud: “’UnderthiscrossthereliesburiedthebodyoftherespectedcitizenandservantofGod，DiomidPetrovitchUssov，’“etc。，etc。 Whereaftertheoldmanreplacedhishat，thrusthishandsintothepocketsofhispea-jacket，measuredmewitheyesdarkincolour，butexceptionallyclearforhistimeoflife，andsaid: “Itwouldseemthatfolkcouldfindnothingtosayofthismanbeyondthathewasa’servantofGod。’Now，howcanaservantbeworthyofhonouratthehandof’citizens’？“ “Possiblyhewasanascetic，“wasmyhazardedconjecture； whereupontheoldmanrejoinedwithastampofhisfoot: “Theninsuchcaseoneoughttowrite——“ “Towritewhat？“ “TowriteEVERYTHING，infullestpossibledetail。“ Andwiththelong，firmstrideofasoldiermyinterlocutorpassedonwardstowardsamoreremoteportionofthecemetery——myselfwalking，thistime，besidehim。Hisstatureplacedhisheadonalevelwithmyshoulderonly，andcausedhisstrawhattoconcealhisfeatures。Hence，sinceIwishedtolookathimashediscoursed，Ifoundmyselfforcedtowalkwithheadbent，asthoughIhadbeenescortingawoman。 “No，thatisnotthewaytodoit，“presentlyhecontinuedinthesoft，civilvoiceofonewhohasacomplainttopresent。 “Anysuchproceedingismerelyamarkofbarbarism——ofacompletelackofobservationofmenandlife。“ Withahandtakenfromoneofhispockets，hetracedalargecircleintheair。 “Doyouknowthemeaningofthat？“heinquired。 “Itsmeaningisdeath，“wasmydiffidentreply，madewithashrugoftheshoulders。 Ashakeofhisheaddisclosedtomeakeen，agreeable，finelycutfaceashepronouncedthefollowingSlavonicwords: “’Smertusmertvsekonechniepogublenabwist。’“[Deathhathbeenforeveroverthrownbydeath。“] “Doyouknowthatpassage？“headdedpresently。 Yetitwasinsilencethatwewalkedthenexttenpaces——hethreadinghiswayalongtherough，grassypathatconsiderablespeed。Suddenlyhehalted，raisedhishatfromhishead，andprofferedmeahand。 “Youngman，“hesaid，“letusmakeoneanother’sbetteracquaintance。IamLieutenantSavvaYaloylevKhorvat，formerlyoftheStateRemountEstablishment，subsequentlyoftheDepartmentofImperialLands。Iamamanwho，afterneverhavingbeenfoundofficiallyremiss，amlivinginhonourableretirement——amanatonceahouseholder，awidower，andapersonofhastytemper。“ Then，afterapause，headded: “Vice-GovernorKhorvatofTambovismybrother——ayoungerbrother；hebeingfifty-five，andIsixty-one，si-i-ixtyone。“ Hisspeechwasrapid，butaspreciseasthoughnomistakewaspermissibleinitsdelivery。 “Also，“hecontinued，“asamancognisantofeverypossiblespeciesofcemetery，Iammuchdissatisfiedwiththisone。Infact，neversatisfiedwithsuchplacesamI。“ Herehebrandishedhisfistintheair，anddescribedalargearcoverthecrosses。 “Letussitdown，“hesaid，“andIwillexplainthings。“ So，afterthatwehadseatedourselvesonabenchbesideawhiteoratory，andLieutenantKhorvathadtakenoffhishat，andwithabluehandkerchiefwipedhisforeheadandthethicksilveryhairwhichbristledfromtheknobsofhisscalp，hecontinued: “Markyouwellthewordkladbistche。“[Theword，thoughcustomarilyusedforcemetery，means，primarily，atreasure-house。]Herehenudgedmewithhiselbow——continuing，thereafter，moresoftly:“Inakladbisicheonemightreasonablylookforkladi，fortreasuresofintellectandenlightenment。 Yetwhatdowefind？Onlythatwhichisoffensiveandinsulting。 Allofusdoesitinsult，fortherebyisaninsultpaidtoallwho，inlife，arebearingstilltheir’crossandburden。’Youtoowill，oneday，beinsultedbythesystem，evenasshallI。 Doyouunderstand？Irepeat，’theircrossandburden’——thesenseofthewordsbeingthat，lifebeinghardanddifficult，weoughttohonournonebutthosewhoSTILLarebearingtheirtrials，orbearingtrialsforyouandme。Now，THESEfolkherehaveceasedtopossessconsciousness。“ Eachtimethattheoldmanwavedhishatinhisexcitement，itssmallshadow，bird-like，flewalongthenarrowpath，andoverthecross，and，finally，disappearedinthedirectionofthetown。 Next，distendinghisruddycheeks，twitchinghismoustache，andregardingmecovertlyoutofboylikeeyes，theLieutenantresumed: “Probablyyouarethinking，’ThemanwithwhomIhavetodealisoldandhalf-witted。’Butno，youngfellow；thatisnotso，forlongbeforeYOURtimehadItakenthemeasureoflife。 Regardthesememorials。AREtheymemorials？Forwhatdotheycommemorateasconcernsyouandmyself？Theycommemorate，inthatrespect，nothing。No，theyarenotmemorials；theyaremerelypassportsortestimonialsconferreduponitselfbyhumanstupidity。UnderagivencrosstheremaylieaMaria，andunderanotheroneaDaria，oranAlexei，oranEvsei，orsomeoneelse——all’servantsofGod，’butnototherwiseparticularised。Anoutragethis，sir！Forinthisplacefolkwhohavelivedtheirdifficultportionoflifeonearthareseenrobbedofthatrecordoftheirexistences，whichoughttohavebeenpreservedforyourandmyinstruction。Yes，ADESCRIPTIONOFTHELIFE LIVEDBYAMANiswhatmatters。Atombmightthenbecomeevenmoreinterestingthananovel。Doyoufollowme？“ “Notaltogether，“Irejoined。 Heheavedaveryaudiblesigh。 “Itshouldbeeasyenough，“washisremark。“Tobeginwith，I amNOTa’servantofGod。’Rather，Iamamanintelligently，ofsetpurpose，keepingGod’sholycommandmentssofaraslieswithinmypower。Andnoone，notevenGod，hasanyrighttodemandofmemorethanIcangive。Thatisso，isitnot？“ Inodded。 “There！“theLieutenantcriedbrisklyas，cockinghishat，heassumedastillmoretruculentair。Then，spreadingouthishands，hegrowledinhisflexiblebass: “Whatisthiscemetery？Itismerelyaplaceofshow。“ Atthismoment，forsomereasonoranother，thereoccurredtomeanincidentwhichinvolvedthefigureofIrakleiVirubov，thefigurewhichhadcarpetslippersonitsponderousfeet，thicklips，agreedymouth，deceitfuleyes，andaframesohugeandcavernousthatthedapperlittleLieutenantcouldhavesteppedintoitcomplete。