第31章

AsIretiredtomynookandlaydown，Ireflectedthatwhatthebigpeasanthadsaidwasappositeenough-thattheyoungfellow’sfacedidinverytruthresembleanoldandshabbywoollenmitten。 PresentlyIdreamtthatIwaspaintingabelfry，andthat，asI didso，huge，goggle-eyedjackdawskeptflyingaroundthebelfry’sgables，andflappingatmewiththeirwingsandhinderingmywork:until，asIsoughttobeatthemoff，Imissedmyfooting，felltoearth，andawoketofindmybreathchokingamidadull，sick，painfulfeelingoflassitudeandweakness，andakaleidoscopicmistquaveringbeforemyeyestillitrenderedmedizzy。Frommyhead，behindthecar，athinstreamofbloodwastrickling。 Risingwithsomedifficultytomyfeet，Isteppedafttoapump，washedmyheadunderajetofcoldwater，bounditwithmyhandkerchief，and，returning，inspectedmyresting-placeinastateofbewildermentastowhatcouldhavecausedtheaccidenttohappen。 OnthedecknearthespotwhereIhadbeenasleep，therewasstandingstackedapileofsmalllogspreparedforthecook’sgalley；while，intheprecisespotwheremyheadhadrestedtherewasreposingabirchfaggotofwhichthewithy-tiehadcomeunfastened。AsIraisedthefallenfaggotIperceivedittobecleanandcomposedofsilkyloppingsofbirch-barkwhichrustledasIfingeredthem；and，consequently，Ireflectedthattheceaselessvibrationofthesteamermusthavecausedthefaggottobecomejerkedontomyhead。 Reassuredbythisplausibleexplanationoftheunfortunate，butabsurd，occurrenceofwhichIhavespoken，Inextreturnedtothestern，wheretherewerenooppressiveodourstobeencountered，andwhenceagoodviewwasobtainable。 Thehourwastheturnofthenight，thehourofmaximumtensionbeforedawn，thehourwhenalltheworldseemsplungedinaprofundityofslumberwhencetherecanbenoawakening，andwhenthecompletenessofthesilenceattunesthesoultospecialsensibility，andwhenthestarsseemtobehangingstrangelyclosetoearth，andthemorningstar，inparticular，tobeshiningasbrightlyasaminiaturesun。Yetalreadyhadtheheavensbeguntogrowcoldlygrey，tolosetheirnocturnalsoftnessandwarmth，whiletheraysofthestarsweredroopinglikepetals，andthemoon，hithertogolden，hadturnedpaleandbecomedustedoverwithsilver，andmovedfurtherfromtheearthasintangiblythewateroftheriverslougheditsthick，viscousgleam，andswiftlyemittedandwithdrew，stray，pearlyreflectionsofthechangesoccurringintheheavenlytints。 Intheeasttherewasrising，andhangingsuspendedovertheblackspearsofthepineforest，athinpinkmistthesensuoushueofwhichwasglowingeverbrighter，andassumingadensityevergreater，andstandingforthmoreboldlyandclearly，evenasawhisperoftimidprayermergesintoasongofexultantthankfulness。Anothermoment，andthespikedtopsofthepinesblazedintopointsofredfireresemblingfestivalcandlesinasanctuary。 Next，anunseenhandthrewoverthewater，drewalongitssurface，atransparentandmany-colourednetofsilk。Thiswasthemorningbreeze，heraldofdawn，aswithacoatingoftissue-like，silveryscalesitrippledtheriveruntiltheeyegrewwearyoftryingtofollowtheplayofgoldandmother-of-pearlandpurpleandbluish-greenreflectedfromthesun-renovatedheavens。 Next，likeafanthereunfoldedthemselvesthefirstsword-shapedbeamsofday，withtheirtipsblindinglywhite； whilesimultaneouslyoneseemedtoheardescendingfromaniilimitableheightadensesound-waveofsilverbells，asound-waveadvancingtriumphantlytogreetthesunashisroseaterimbecamevisibleovertheforestliketherimofacupthat，filledwiththeessenceoflife，wasabouttoemptyitscontentsupontheearth，andtopourabounteousfloodofcreativepuissanceuponthemarsheswhenceareddishvapourasofincensewasarising。Meanwhileonthemoreprecipitousofthetwobankssomeofthetreesneartheriver’smarginwerethrowingsoftgreenshadowsoverthewater，whilegilt-likedewwassparkling。ontheherbage，andbirdswereawakening，andasawhitegullskimmedthewater’ssurfaceonlevelwings，thepaleshadowofthosewingsfollowedthebirdoverthetintedexpanse，whilethesun，suspendedinflamebehindtheforest，liketheImperialbirdofthefairy-tale，rosehigherandhigherintothegreenish-bluezenith，untilsilveryVenus，expiring，herselflookedlikeabird。 Hereandthereontheyellowstripofsandbytheriver’smargin，long-leggedsnipewerescurryingabout。Twofishermenwererockinginaboatinthesteamer’swashastheyhauledtheirtackle。Floatingfromtheshoretherebegantoreachussuchvocalsoundsofmorningasthecrowingofcocks，thelowingofcattle，andthepersistentmurmurofhumanvoices。 Similarlythebuff-colouredbalesinthesteamer’sstemgraduallyreddened，asdidthegreytintsinthebeardofthelargepeasantwhere，sprawlinghisponderousformoverthedeck，hewaslyingasleepwithmouthopen，nostrilsdistendedwithstertoroussnores，browsraisedasthoughinastonishment，andthickmoustacheintermittentlytwitching。 Someoneamidthepilesofbaleswaspantingashefidgeted，andasIglancedinthatdirectionIencounteredthegazeofapairofsmall，narrow，inflamedeyes，andbeheldbeforemetheragged，mitten-likeface，thoughnowitlookedeventhinnerandgreyerthanithaddoneonthepreviousevening。Apparentlyitsownerwasfeelingcold，forhehadhunchedhischinbetweenhisknees，andclaspedhishirsutearmsaroundhislegs，ashiseyesstaredgloomily，withahuntedair，inmydirection。Thenwearily，lifelesslyhesaid: “Yes，youhavefoundme。Andnowyoucanthrashmeifyouwishtodoso——youcangivemeablow，forIgaveyouone，and，consequently，it’syourturntodothehitting。“ Stupefiedwithastonishment，Iinquiredinanundertone。 “Itwasyou，then，thathitme？“ “Itwasso，butwhereareyourwitnesses？“ Thewordscameinhoarse，croaked，suppressedaccents，withaseparationofthehands，andanupthrowoftheheadandprojectingcarswhichhadsuchacomicallookofbeingcrushedbeneaththeweightofthebattened-downcap。Next，thrustinghishandsintothepocketsofhispea-jacket，themanrepeatedinatoneofchallenge: “Where，Isay，areyourwitnesses？Youcangotothedevil！“ Icoulddiscerninhimsomethingatoncehelplessandfroglikewhichevokedinmeastrongfeelingofrepulsion；andsince，withthat，Ihadnorealwishtoconversewithhim，oreventorevengemyselfuponhimforhiscowardlyblow，Iturnedawayinsilence。 ButamomentlaterIlookedathimagain，andsawthathewasseatedinhisformerposture，withhisarmsembracinghisknees，hischinrestinguponthem，andhisred，sleeplesseyesgazinglifelesslyatthebargewhichthesteamerwastowingbetweenwideribbonsoffoamingwater——ribbonssparklinginthesunlightlikemashinabrewer’svat。 Andthoseeyes，thatdead，alienatedexpression，thegaycheerfulnessofthemorning，andtheclearradianceoftheheavens，andthekindlytintsofthetwobanks，andthevocalsoundsoftheJuneday，andthebracingfreshnessoftheair，andthewholescenearoundusservedbuttothrowintothemoretragicrelief。 JustasthesteamerwasleavingSundirthemanthrewhimselfintothewater；inthesightofeverybodyhesprangoverboard。 Uponthatallshouted，jostledtheirneighboursastheyrushedtotheside，andfelltoscanningtheriverwherefrombanktobankitlaywrappedinblindingglitter。 Thewhistlesoundedinfitfulalarm，thesailorsthrewlifebeltsoverboard，thedeckrumbledlikeadrumunderthecrowd’ssurgingrush，steamhissedafflightedly，awomanventedanhystericalcry，andthecaptainbawledfromthebridgetheimperiouscommand: “Avastheavinglifebelts！Bynowthefoolwillhavegotone！ Damnyou，calmthepassengers！“ Anunwashed，untidypriestwithtimid，staringeyesthrustbackhislong，dishevelledhair，andfelltorepeating，ashisfatshoulderjostledallandsundry，andhisfeettrippedpeopleup。 “Amuzhik，isit，orawoman？Amuzhik，eh？“ BythetimethatIhadmademywaytothesternthemanhadfallenfarbehindthesternofthebarge，andhisheadlookedassmallasaflyontheglassysurfaceofthewater。However，towardsthatflyafishing-boatwasalreadydartingwiththeswiftnessofawaterbeetle，andcausingitstwooarstoshowquiveringlyredandgrey，whilefromthemarshierofthetwobankstherebeganhastilytoputoutasecondboatwhichleaptinthesteamer’swashwiththegaietyofayoungcalf。 Suddenlytherebrokeintothepainfulhubbubonthesteamer’sdeckafaint，heartrendingcryof“A-a-ah！“ Inanswertoitasharp-nosed，black-bearded，well-dressedpeasantmutteredwithasmackofhislips: “Ah！Thatishimshouting。Whatamadmanhemusthavebeen！Andanuglycustomertoo，wasn’the？“ Thepeasantwiththecurlybeardrejoinedinatoneofconvictionengulfingallotherutterances: “Itishisconsciencethatiscatchinghim。Thinkwhatyoulike，butnevercanconsciencebesuppressed。“ Therewith，constantlyinterruptingoneanother，thepairbetookthemselvestoapublicrecitalofthetragicstoryofthefair-hairedyoungfellow，whomthefishermenhadnowliftedfromthewater，andwereconveyingtowardsthesteamerwithoarsthatoscillatedattopspeed。 Thebeardedpeasantcontinued: “Assoonasitwasseenthathewasbutrunningafterthesoldier’swife。“ “Besides，“theotherpeasantinterrupted，“thepropertywasnottobedividedafterthedeathofthefather。“ Withwhichthebeardedmuzhikeagerlyrecountedthehistoryofthemurderdonebythebrother，thenephew，andason，whilethespruce，spare，well-dressedpeasantinterlardedthegeneralbuzzofconversationwithwordsandcommentscheerfullyandstridentlydelivered，muchasthoughheweredrivinginstakesfortheerectionofafence。 “Everymanisdrawnmostinthedirectionwhitherhefindsiteasiesttogo。“