第44章

“Idonotknowforcertain，since，thoughmenwhotookanactualpartintheexpedition’sengagementshavesaidthattheywereso(theChechintzeisaviciousbrute，andnevergivesin)，Imyselfknowbutlittleoftheaffair，sinceIspentmywholetimeinthereserve，andneveroncedidmycompanyadvancetotheassault。 No，itmerelylayaboutonthesand，andfiredatlongrange。Infact，nothingbutsandwastobeseenthereabouts；nordidweeversucceedinfindingoutwhatthefightingwasfor。True，ifapieceofcountrybegood，itisinourinteresttotakeit；butinthepresentcasethecountrywaspoorandbare，withneverariverinsight，andaclimatesohotthatallonethoughtofwasone’smortalneedofadrink。Infact，someofourfellowsdiedofthirstoutright。Moreover，inthosepartstheregrowsasortofmilletcalleddzhugar——milletwhichnotonlyhasahorribletaste，butprovesabsolutelydelusive，sincethemoreoneeatsofit，thelessonefeelsfilled。“ Astheex-soldiertoldmethetalecolourlesslyandreluctantly，withfrequentpausesbetweenthesentences(asthougheitherhefounditdifficulttorecalltheexperienceorhewerethinkingofsomethingelse)，heneveroncelookedmestraightintheface，butkepthiseyesshamefacedlyfixedupontheground。 Unwieldilyandunhealthilystout，healwaysconveyedtometheimpressionofbeingchargedwithavaguediscontent，asortofcaptiousinertia。 “Absolutelyunfitforsettlementisthiscountry“hecontinuedasheglancedaroundhim。“Itisfitonlytodonothingin。Forthatmatter，onedoesn’tWANTtodoanythinginit，savetolivewithone’seyesbulginglikeadrunkard’s——fortheclimateistoohot，andtheplacesmellslikeachemist’sshoporahospital。“ Nevertheless，forthepasteightyearshadhebeenroamingthis“toohot“country，asthoughfascinated！ “WhynotreturntoRiazan？“Isuggested。 “Nothingwouldtherebethereformetodo，“herepliedthroughhisteeth，andwithanodddivisionofhiswords。 MyfirstencounterwithhimhadbeenattherailwaystationatArmavir，where，purpleinthefacewithexcitement，hehadbeenstampinglikeahorse，and，withdistendedeyes，hissing，or，rather，snarling，atacoupleofGreeks: “I’lltearthefleshfromyourbones！“ Meanwhilethetwolean，withered，ragged，identicallysimilardenizensofHellashadbeenbaringtheirsharpwhiteteethatintervals，andsayingapologetically: “Whathasangeredyou，sir？“ Finally，regardlessoftheGreeks’words，theex-soldierhadbeathisbreastlikeadrum，andshoutedinaccentsofincreasedvenom: “Now，whereareyouliving？InRussia，doyousay？Thenwhoissupportingyouthere？Aha-a-a！Russia，itissaid，isagoodfoster-mother。Iexpectyousaythesame。“ And，lastly，hehadapproachedafat，grey-headed，bemedalledgendarme，andcomplainedtohim: “EveryonecursesusbornRussians，yeteveryonecomestolivewithus——Greeks，Germans，Songs，andthelot。Andwhiletheygettheirlivelihoodhere，andcatanddrinktheirfill，theycontinuetocurseus。Ascandal，isitnot？“ ThethirdmemberofourpartywasamanofaboutthirtywhoworeaCossackcapoverhisleftear，andhadaCossackforelock，roundedfeatures，alargenose，adarkmoustache，andaretrousselip。Whenthevolatileyoungengineeringstudentfirstbroughthimtousandsaid，“Hereisanothermanforyou，“thenewcomerglancedatmethroughthelashesofhiselusiveeyes——thenplungedhishandsintothepocketsofhisTurkishoveralls。Justasweweredeparting，however，hewithdrewonehandfromthelefttrouserpocket，passeditslowlyoverthedarkbristlesofhisunshavenchin，andaskedinmusicaltones: “DoyoucomefromRussia？“ “Whenceelse，Ishouldliketoknow？“snappedtheex-soldiergruffly。 Uponthisthenewcomertwistedhisright-handmoustachethenreplacedhishandinhispocket。Broad-shouldered，sturdy，andwell-builtthroughout，hewalkedwiththestrideofamanwhoisaccustomedtocoverlongdistances。Yetwithhimhehadbroughtneitherwalletnorgripsack，andsomehowhissupercilious，retrousseupperlipandthicklyfringedeyesirritatedme，andinclinedmetobesuspiciousof，andevenactivelytodislike，theman。 Suddenly，whilewewereproceedingalongthecausewaybythesideoftherivulet，heturnedtous，andsaid，ashenoddedtowardsthesportivelycoursingwater: “Lookatthematchmaker！“ Theex-soldierhoistedhisbleachedeyebrows，andgazedaroundhimforamomentinbewilderment。Thenhewhispered: “Thefool！“ But，formyownpart，Iconsideredthatwhatthemanhadsaidwasapposite；thattherugged，boisterouslittleriverdidindeedresemblesomefussy，light-heartedoldladywholovedtoarrangeaffairesducoeurbothforherownprivateamusementandforthepurposeofenablingotherfolktorealisethejoysofaffectionamidwhichshewasliving，andofwhichshewouldnevergrowweary，andtowhichshedesiredtointroducetherestoftheworldasspeedilyaspossible。 Similarly，whenwearrivedatthebarraquethismanwiththeCossackfaceglancedattherivulet，andthenatthemountainsandthesky，and，finally，appraisedthesceneinonepregnant，comprehensiveexclamationof“Slavno！“[Howsplendid！] Theex-soldier，whowasengagedinriddinghimselfofhisknapsack，straightenedhimself，andaskedwithhisarmssetakimbo: “WHATisitthatissosplendid？“ Foramomentortwothenewcomermerelyeyedthesquatfigureofhisquestioner——afigureuponwhichhungdrabshredsaslichenhangsuponastone。Thenhesaidwithasmile: “Cannotyouseeforyourself？Takethatmountainthere，andthatcleftinthemountain——aretheynotgoodtolookat？“ Andashemovedaway，theex-soldiergapedafterhimwitharepeatedwhisperof: “Thefool！“ Towhichpresentlyheaddedinalouder，aswellasamysterious，tone: “Ihaveheardthatoccasionallytheysendfeverpatientshitherfortheirhealth。“ Thesameeveningsawtwosturdywomenarrivewithsupperforthecarpenters；whereupontheclatteroflabourceased，andthereforetherustlingoftheforestandthemurmuringoftherivuletbecamethemoredistinct。 Next，deliberately，andwithmanycoughs，theex-soldiersettoworktocollectsometwigsandchipsforthepurposeoflightingafire。Afterwhich，havingarrangedakettleovertheflames，hesaidtomesuggestively: “Youtooshouldcollectsomefirewood，forinthesepartsthenightsaredarkandchilly。“ Isetforthinsearchofchipsamongthestoneswhichlayaroundthebarraque，and，insodoing，stumbledacrossthenewcomer，whowaslyingwithhisbodyrestingonanelbow，andhisheadonhishand，asheconnedamanuscriptspreadoutbeforehim。Asheraisedhiseyestogazevaguely，inquiringlyintomyface，Isawthatoneofhiseyeswaslargerthantheother。 Evidentlyhedivinedthatheinterestedme，forhesmiled。YetsotakenabackbythiswasI，thatIpassedonmywaywithoutspeaking。 Meanwhilethecarpenters，disposedintwocirclesaroundthebarraque(acircletoeachwoman)，partookofasilentsupper。 Deeperanddeepergrewtheshadowofnightoverthedefile。 Warmerandwarmer，denseranddenser，grewtheair，untilthetwilightcausedtheslopesofthemountainstosofteninoutline，andtherockstoseemtoswellandmergewiththebluish- blacknesswhichoverhungthebedofthedefile，andthesuperimposedheightstoformasingleapparentwhole，andthesceneingeneraltoresolveitselfinto，becomeunitedinto，onecompactbulk。 Quietlythendidtintshithertoredextinguishtheirtremulousglow——softlythereflaredup，dustedpurpleinthesunset’ssheen，thepeakofKaraDagh。Viceversa，thefoamoftherivuletnowblushedtored，and，seemingly，assuageditsvehemence——flowedwithadeeper，amorepensive，note；whilesimilarlytheforesthusheditsvoice，andappearedtostooptowardsthewaterwhileemittingevermorepowerful，intoxicatingodourstominglewiththeresinous，cloyinglysweetperfumeofourwoodfire。 Theex-soldiersquatteddownbeforethelittleblaze，andrearrangedsomefuelunderthekettle。 “Whereistheotherman？“saidhe。“Goandfetchhim。“ Idepartedforthepurpose，and，onmyway，heardoneofthecarpentersintheneighbourhoodofthebarraquesayinathick，unctuous，sing-songvoice。 “Agreatworkisitindeed！“ WhereafterIheardthetwowomenfalltodrawlinginlow，hungryaccents: “WiththefleshI’llconquerpain； Thespiritshallmylustrestrain； All-supremethesoulshallreign； Andcarnalviceslureinvain。“ True，thewomenpronouncedtheirwordsdistinctlyenough；yetalwaystheyprolongedthefinal“u“soundofthestanza’sfirstandthirdlinesuntil，asthemelodyfloatedawayintothedarkness，and，asitwere，sanktoearth，itcametoresemblethelong-drawnhowlofawolf。 Inanswertomyinvitationtocometosupper，thenewcomersprangtohisfeet，foldeduphismanuscript，stuffeditintooneofthepocketsofhisraggedcoat，andsaidwithasmile: