第33章

Lurchingforward，thebeardedpeasantinterposedwitharasp: “Yes，doyoutellusallaboutit，andthingswillbecomeeasierforyou。Forasinalwaysneedstobemadeknown。“ While，likeanecho，avoicesaidinboldandsarcasticaccents: “Itwouldbebettertoseizehimandtiehimup。“ Uponthistheyoungfellowraisedhisbrowsalittle，andretortedinanundertone: “Letmebide。“ “Therascal！“thecrowdcommented，whiletheoldman，neatlyfoldingandreplacinghishandkerchief，raisedahandasdryasacock’sleg，andremarkedwithasharp，knowingsmile: “Possiblyitisnotmerelyoutofidlecuriositythatfolkaremakingthisrequest。“ “Goandbedamnedtoyou！“theyoungfellowexclaimedwithagrimsnap。Whereuponthebigpeasantbellowedoutinablusteringfashion: “What？Thenyouwillnottellusatleastyourdestination？“ Whereafterthesamespeakercontinuedtoholdforthonhumanity，God，andthehumanconscience——staringwildlyaroundhimashedidso，wavinghisarmsabout，andgrowingevermorefrantic，untilreallyitwascurioustowatchhim。 Atlengththecrowdgrewsimilarlyexcited，andtooktoencouragingthespeakerwithcriesof“True！Thatisso！“ Asfortheyoungfellow，helistenedawhileinsilence，withoutmoving。Then，straighteninghisback，herose，thrusthishandsintothepocketsofhistrousers，and，swayinghisbodytoandfro，begantoglareatthecrowdwithgreenisheyeswhichweremanifestlylighteningtoaviciousgleam。Atlength，thrustingforthhischest，hecriedhoarsely: “SoyouaskmewhitherIambound？Iamboundforthebrigands’lair，forthebrigands’lair，where，unlessyoufirsttakeandputmeinfetters，IintendtocutthethroatofeverymanthatImeet。Yes，ahundredmurderswillIcommit，forallfolkwillbethesametome，andnotasoulwillIspare。Aye，theendofmytetherisreached，sotakeandfettermewhilstyoucan。“ Hisbreathwasissuingwithdifficulty，andashespokehisshouldersheaved，andhislegstrembledbeneathhim。Also，hisfacehadturnedgreyandbecomedistortedwithtremors。 Uponthis，thecrowdbrokeintoagruff，ugly，resentfulroar，andedgedawayfromtheman。Yet，indoingso，manyofitsmemberslookedcuriouslylikethemanhimselfinthewaythattheyloweredtheirheads，caughtattheirbreath，andlettheireyesflash。Clearlythemanwasinimminentdangerofbeingassaulted。 Suddenlyherecoveredhissubdueddemeanour——he，asitwere，thawedinthesunlight:until，assuddenly，hislegsgavewaybeneathhim，and，narrowlyescapinginjurytohisfacefromthecornerofabale，hefellforwarduponhiskneesasthoughfelledwithanaxe。Thereafter，clutchingathisthroat，heshoutedinastrangevoice，andcrowdingthewordsupononeanother: “TellmewhatIamtodo。Isallofitmyfault？LongIlayinprisonbeforeIwastriedandtoldtogofree……yet——“ Tearingathisearsandcheeks，herockedhisheadtoandfroasthoughseekingtorenditfromitssocket。Thenhecontinued: “YetIamNOTfree。Norisitinmypowertosaywhatwillbecomeofme。Formethereremainsneitherlifenordeath。“ “Aha！“exclaimedthebigpeasant；andatthesoundthecrowddrewbackasinconsternation，whilesomehastenedtodepartaltogether。Asfortheremainder(numberingadozenorso)，theyherdedsullenly，nervously，involuntarilyintoamassastheyoungfellowcontinuedindistractedtonesandwithatremblinghead: “OhthatIcouldsleepforthenexttenyears！ForthencouldI provemyself，anddecidewhetherIamguiltyornot。LastnightIstruckamanwithafaggot。AsIwaswalkingaboutIsawasleepamanwhohadangeredme，andthereuponthought，’Come！I shouldliketodealhimablow，butcanIactuallydoit？’AndstrikehimIdid。Wasitmyfault？AlwaysIkeepaskingmyself，’CanI，orcanInot，doathing？’Aye，lost，lostamI！“ Apparentlythisoutburstcausedthemantoreachtheendofhispower，forpresentlyhesankfromkneestoheels——thenontohisside，withhandsclaspinghishead，andhistonguefinallyutteringthewords，“Betterhadyoukillme！“ Ahushfell，forallnowstoodconfoundedandsilent，with，aboutthem，agreyer，amoresubdued，lookwhichmadeallmoreresembletheirfellows。Infact，toallhadtheatmospherebecomeoppressive，asthougheveryone’sbreasthadhadclampedintoitalarge，softclodofhumid，viscidearth。Untilatlastsomeonesaidinalow，shamefaced，butfriendly，tone: “Goodbrother，wearenotyourjudges。“ Towhichsomeoneelseaddedwithanequalmeasureofgentleness: “Indeed，wemaybenobetterthanyou。“ “Wepityyou，butwemustnotjudgeyou。Onlypityispermitted。“ Asforthewell-dressedpeasant，hisloud，triumphantutterancewas: “LetGodjudgehim，butmensufferhim。Ofjudgingofoneanothertherehasbeenenough。“ Andafifthmanremarkedtoafriendashewalkedaway: “Whatarewetomakeofthis？Tojudgebythebook，theyoungfellowisatonceguiltyandnotguilty。“ “Bygonesoughttobebygones。Ofallcoursesthatisthebest。“ “Yes，forwearetooquick。Whatgoodcanthatdo？“ “Aye，what？“ Atlengththedark-browedwomansteppedforward。Lettinghershawltohershoulders，straighteninghairstreakedwithgreyunderabrightbluescarf，anddeftlyputtingasideaskirtshesoseatedherselfbesidetheyoungfellowastoscreenfromthecrowdwiththeheightofherfigure。Then，raisingkindlyface，shesaidcivilly，butauthoritatively，tothebystanders: “Doallofyougoaway。“ Whereuponthecrowdbegantodepart，thebigpeasantsayingashewent: “There！JustasIforetoldhasthematterturnedout。 ConscienceHASasserteditself。“ Yetthewordswerespokenwithoutself-complacency，rather，thoughtfully，andwithasenseofawe。 Asforthered-nosedoldmanwhowaswalkinglikeashadowbehindthelastspeaker，heopenedhissnuff-box，peeredthereinwithhismoisteyes，anddrawledtonooneinparticular: “Howoftendoesoneseeamanplaywithconscience，yes，eventhoughhebearogue！Heerectsthatconscienceasascreentohisknaveriesandtricksandwiles，andmasksthewholewithacloudofwords。Yes，weknowhowitisdone，eventhoughfolkmaystareathim，andsaytooneanother，’Howferventlyhissoulisglowing！’Aye，allthetimethatheisholdinghishandtohishearthewillbedippingtheotherhandintoyourpocket。“ Theloverofproverbs，forhispart，unbuttonedhisjacket，thrusthishandsunderhiscoat-tails，andsaidinaloudvoice: “Thereisasayingthatyoucantrustanywildbeast，suchasafoxorahedgehogoratoad，butnot——“ “Quiteso，dearsir。Thecommonfolkareexceedinglydegenerate。“ “Well，theyarenotdevelopingastheyoughttodo。“ “No，theyareover-cramped，“wasthebigpeasant’srasped-outcomment。“TheyhavenoroomforGROWTH。“ “Yes，theyDOgrow，butonlyasregardsbeardandmoustache，asatreegrowstobranchandsap。“ Withaglanceatthepurveyorofproverbstheoldmanassentedbyremarking:“Yes，trueitisthatthecommonfolkarecramped。“Whereafterhethrustapinchofsnuffintohisnostrils，andthrewbackhisheadinanticipationofthesneezewhichfailedtocome。Atlength，drawingadeepbreaththroughhispartedlips，hesaidashemeasuredthepeasantagainwithhiseyes: “Myfriend，youareofasortcalculatedtolast。“ Inanswerthepeasantnodded。 “SOMEday，“heremarked，“weshallgetwhatwewant。“ Infrontofusnow，wasKazan，withthepinnaclesofitschurchesandmosquespiercingthebluesky，andlookinglikegarlandsofexoticblooms。AroundthemlaythegreywalloftheKremlin，andabovethemsoaredthegrimTowerofSumbek。