第32章

“ThenitwillbetheDevilthatwillbedrawinghim，sincethedirectionofHellisalwaystheeasiest。“ “Well，YOUwillnotbegoingthatway，Isuppose？Youdon’taltogetherfancyit？“ “WhyshouldI？“ “Becauseyouhavedeclaredittobetheeasiestway。“ “Well，Iamnotasaint。“ “No，ha-ha！youarenot。“ “Andyoumeanthat——？“ “Imeannothing。Ifadog’schainbeshort，heisnottobeblamed。“ Whereupon，settingnosetonose，thepairplungedintoaquarrelstillmoreheatedastheyexpoundedinsimple，butoftencuriouslyapposite，languageopinionsintelligibletothemselvesalone。Theonepeasant，aleanfellowwithlengthylimbs，cold，sarcasticeyes，andadark，bonycountenance，spokeloudlyandsonorously，withfrequentshrugsoftheshoulders，whiletheotherpeasant，amanstoutandbroadofbuildwhountilnowhadseemedcalm，self-assuredofdemeanour，andamanofsettledviews，breathedheavily，whilehisoxlikeeyesglowedwithanardourcausinghisfacetoflushpatchily，andhisbeardtostickoutfromhischin。 “Lookhere，forinstance，“hegrowledashegesticulatedandrolledhisdulleyesabout。“Howcanthatbe？DoesnotevenGodknowwhereinamanoughttorestrainhimself？“ “IftheDevilbeone’smaster，Goddoesn’tcomeintothematter。“ “Liar！Forwhowasthefirstwhoraisedhishandagainsthisfellow？“ “Cain。“ “Andthefirstmanwhorepentedofasin？“ “Adam。“ “Ah！Yousee！“ Heretherebrokeintothedisputeashoutof:“Theyarejustgettinghimaboard！“andthecrowd，rushingawayfromthestern，carriedwithitthetwodisputants——thesparerpeasant； loweringhisshoulders，andbuttoninguphisjacketashewent； whilethebeardedpeasant，followingathisheels，thrusthisheadforwardinasurlymannerasheshiftedhiscapfromtheoneeartotheother。 Withaponderousbeatingofpaddlesagainstthecurrentthesteamerheavedto，andthecaptainshoutedthroughaspeaking-trumpet，withaviewtopreventingacollisionbetweenthebargeandthestemofthevessel: “Putherover！Puthero-o-ove-r！“ Soonthefishing-boatcamealongside，andthehalf-drownedman，withaformaslimpasahalf-emptysack，andwaterexudingfromeverystitch，andhishithertohaggardfacegrownsmoothandsimple-looking，washoistedonboard。 Next，onthesailorslayinghimuponthehatchwayofthebaggagehold，hesatup，leanedforward，smoothedhiswethairwiththepalmsofhishands，andaskeddully，withoutlookingatanyone: “Havetheyalsorecoveredmycap？“ Someoneamongthethrongaroundhimexclaimedreprovingly: “Itisnotaboutyourcapthatyououghttobethinking，butaboutyoursoul。“ Uponthishehiccupedloudlyandfreely，likeacamel，andemittedastreamofturgidwaterfromhismouth。Then，lookingatthecrowdwithlack-lustreeyes，hesaidinanapathetictone: “Letmebetakenelsewhere。“ Inanswer，theboatswainsternlybadehimstretchhimselfout，andthistheyoungfellowdid，withhishandsclaspedunderhishead，andhiseyesclosed，whiletheboatswainaddedbrusquelytotheonlookers: “Moveaway，moveaway，goodpeople。Whatistheretostareat？ Thisisnotashow……Hi，youmuzhik！Whydidyouplayussuchatrick，damnyou？“ Thecrowdhowever，wasnottobesuppressed，butindulgedincomments。 “Hemurderedhisfather，didn’the？“ “What？THATwretchedcreature？“ Asfortheboatswain，hesquatteduponhisheels，andproceededtosubjecttherescuedmantoacourseofstrictinterrogation。 “Whatisthedestinationmarkedonyourticket？“ “Perm。“ “ThenyououghttoleavetheboatatKazan。Andwhatisyourname？“ “Yakov。“ “Andyoursurname？“ “Bashkin——thoughweareknownalsoastheBukolovfamily。“ “YourfamilyhasaDOUBLEsurname，then？“ Withthefullpowerofhistrumpet-likelungsthebeardedpeasant(evidentlyhehadlosthistemper)brokein: “Thoughhisuncleandhisbrotherhavebeensentencedtopenalservitudeandaretravellingtogetheronthatbarge，he——well，hehasreceivedhisdischarge！Thatisonlyapersonalmatter，however。Inspiteofwhatjudgesmaysay，oneoughtnevertokill，sinceconsciencecannotbearthethoughtofblood。Evennearlytobecomeamurdereriswrong。“ Bythistimemoreandmorepassengershadcollectedastheyawakenedfromsleepandemergedfromthefirst-andsecond-classcabins。Amongthemwasthemate，amanwithablackmoustacheandrubicundfeatureswhoinquiredofsomeoneamidtheconfusion:“Youarenotadoctor，Isuppose？“ andreceivedtheastonished，high-pitchedreply:“No，sir，noreverhavebeenone。“ Tothissomeoneaddedwithadrawl: “Whyisadoctorneeded？Surelythemanisafellowofnoparticularimportance？“ Overtherivertheradianceofthesummerdaylighthadgatheredincreasedstrength，and，sincethedatewasaSunday，bellsweresoundingseductivelyfromahill，andacoupleofwomeningalaapparelwhowerefollowingthemarginoftheriverwavedhandkerchiefstowardsthesteamer，andshoutedsomegreeting。 Meanwhiletheyoungfellowlaymotionless，withhiseyesclosed。 Divestedofhispea-jacket，andwrappedaboutwithwet，clingingunderclothing，helookedmoresymmetricalthanpreviously——hischestseemedbetterdeveloped，hisbodyplumper，andhisfacemorerotundandlessugly。 Yetthoughthepassengersgazedathimwithcompassionordistasteorseverityorfear，asthecasemightbe，alldidsowithoutceremony，asthoughhehadnotbeenalivingmanatall。 Forinstance，agauntgentlemaninagreyfrock-coatsaidtoaladyinayellowstrawhatadornedwithapinkribbon: “Atourplace，inRiazan，whenacertainmaster-watchmakerwentandhangedhimselftoaventilator，hefirstofallstoppedeverywatchandclockinhisshop。Now，thequestionis，whydidhestopthem？“ “Anabnormalcaseindeed！“ Ontheotherhand，adark-browedwomanwhohadherhandshiddenbeneathhershawlstoodgazingattherescuedmaninsilence，andwithhersideturnedtowardshim。Asshedidsotearswerewellinginhergrey-blueeyes。 Presentlytwosailorsappeared。Oneofthembentovertheyoungfellow，touchedhimontheshoulder，andsaid: “Hi！Youaretogetup。“ Whereupontheyoungfellowrose，andwasremovedelsewhither。 When，afteraninterval，hereappearedondeck，hewascleananddry，andcladinacook’swhitejumperandasailor’sbluesergetrousers。Claspinghishandsbehindhisback，hunchinghisshoulders，andbendinghisheadforward，hewalkedswiftlytothestern，withathrongofidlers——atfirstonebyone，andtheninpartiesoffromthreetoadozen——followinginhiswake。 Themanseatedhimselfuponacoilofrope，and，craninghisneckinwolf-likefashiontoeyethebystanders，frowned，letfallhistemplesuponhandsthrustintohisflaxenhair，andfixedhisgazeuponthebarge。 Standingorsittingaboutinthehotsunshine，peoplestaredathimwithoutstint。Evidentlytheywouldhaveliked，butdidnotdare，toengagehiminconversation。Presentlythebigpeasantalsoarrivedonthescene，and，afterglancingatallpresent，tookoffhishat，andwipedhisperspiringface。Next，agrey-headedoldmanwitharednose，athinwispofbeard，andwateryeyesclearedhisthroat，andinhoneyedtonestooktheinitiative。 “Wouldyoumindtellingushowitallhappened？“hebegan。 “WhyshouldIdoso？“retortedtheyoungfellowwithoutmoving。 Takingaredhandkerchieffromhisbosom，theoldmanshookitoutandapplieditcautiouslytohiseyes。Thenhesaidthroughitsfoldsinthequietaccentsofamanwhoisdeterminedtopersevere: “Why，yousay？Forthereasonthattheoccasionisonewhenalloughttoknowthetru——“