第47章

IthoughtofastudentofKazanwhomIhadknowninthedaysofthepast，ofayoungfellowfromViatkawho，pale-browed，andsententiousofdiction，mightalmosthavebeenbrothertotheex- soldierhimself。AndonceagainIheardhimdeclarethat“beforeallthingsmustIlearnwhetherornotthereexistsaGod；pre- eminentlymustImakeabeginningthere。“ AndIthought，too，ofacertainaccoucheusenamedVelikovawhohadbeenacomely，butreputedlygay，woman。AndIrememberedacertainoccasionwhen，onahilloverlookingtheriverKazanandtheArskiPlain，shehadstoodcontemplatingthemarshesbelow，andthefarbluelineoftheVolga；untilsuddenlyturningpale，shehad，withtearsofjoysparklinginherfineeyes，criedunderherbreath，butsufficientlyloudlyforallpresenttohearher: “Ah，friends，howgraciousandhowfairisthislandofours！ Come，letussalutethatlandforhavingdeemedusworthyofresidencetherein！“ Whereuponallpresent，includingadeacon-studentfromtheEcclesiasticalSchool，aMorduinefromtheForeignCollege，astudentofveterinaryscience，andtwoofourtutors，haddoneobeisance。AtthesametimeIrecalledthefactthatsubsequentlyoneofthepartyhadgonemad，andcommittedsuicide。 Again，Irecalledhowonce，onthePianiBor[LiquorWharf]bytheriverKama，atall，sandyyoungfellowwithintelligenteyesandthefaceofane’er-do-wellhadcaughtmyattention。Thedayhadbeenahot，languorousSundayonwhichallthingshadseemedtobeexhibitingtheirbetterside，andtellingthesunthatitwasnotinvainthathewaspouringouthisbrilliantpotency，anddiffusinghislivinggold；whilethemanofwhomIspeakhad，dressedinanewsuitofblueserge，anewcapcockedawry，andapairofbrilliantlypolishedboots，beenstandingattheedgeofthewharf，andgazingatthebrownwatersoftheKama，theemeraldexpansebeyondthemandthesilver-scaledpoolsleftbehindbythetide。Until，asthesunhadbeguntosinktowardsthemarshesontheothersideoftheriver，andtobecomedissolvedintostreaks，themanhadsmiledwithincreasingrapture，andhisfacehadglowedwithcreasingeagernessanddelight；untilfinallyhehadsnatchedthecapfromhishead，flungit，withapowerfulthrowfaroutintotherussetwaters，andshouted:“Kama，Omymother，Iloveyou，andneverwilldesertyou！“ Andthelast，andalsothebest，recollectionofthingsseenbeforethenightofwhichIspeakwastherecollectionofanoccasionwhen，onelateautumn，IhadbeencrossingtheCaspianSeaonanoldtwo-mastedschoonerladenwithdriedapricots，plums，andpeaches。SailingonheralsoshehadhadsomehundredfishermenfromtheBozhiFactory，menwho，originallyforestpeasantsoftheUpperVolga，hadbeenwell-built，bearded，healthy，goodhumoured，animal-spiritedyoungfellows，youngsterstannedwiththewind，andsaltedwiththeseawater；youngsterswho，afterworkinghardattheirtrade，hadbeenrejoicingattheprospectofreturninghome。Andcareeringaboutthedecklikeyouthfulbearsaseverandanonlofty，sharp-pointedwaveshadseizedandtossedalofttheschooner，andtheyardshadcracked，andthetaut-runrigginghadwhistled，andthesailshadbelliedintoglobes，andthehowlingwindhadshavedoffthewhitecrestsofbillows，andpartiallysubmergedthevesselincloudsoffoam。 Andseatedonthedeckwithhisbroadbackrestingagainstthemainmasttherehadbeenoneyounggiantinparticular。Cladinawhitelinenshirtandapairofbluesergetrousers，andinnocentalikeofbeardandmoustache，thisyoungfellowhadhadfull，redlips，blue，boyish，andexceedinglytranslucenteyes，andafaceintoxicatedinexcelsiswiththehappinessofyouth；whileleaningacrosshiskneesastheyhadrestedsprawlingoverthedecktherehadbeenayoungfemaletrimmeroffish，awenchasmassiveandtallastheyoungmanhimself，andawenchwhosefacehadbecometannedtoroughnesswiththesunandwind，eyebrowsdark，full，andaslargeasthewingsofaswallow，breastsasfirmasstone，andteatsaroundwhich，astheyprojectedfromthefoldsofaredbodice，therehadlainapatternofblueveins。 Thebroad，iron-blackpalmoftheyoungfellow’slong，knottedhandhadbeenrestingonthewoman’sleftbreast，withthearmbaretotheelbow；whileinhisrighthand，ashehadsatgazingpensivelyatthewoman’srobustfigure，therehadbeengraspedatinmugfromwhichsomeoftheredliquorhadscatteredstainsoverthefrontofhislinenshirt。 Meanwhile，aroundthepairtherehadbeenhoveringsomeoftheyoungster’scomrades，who，withcoatsbuttonedtothethroat，andcapsgrippedtopreventtheirbeingblownawaybythewind，hademployedthemselveswithscanningthewoman’sfigurewithenviouseyes，andviewingherfromeitherside。Nay，theshaggygreenwavesthemselveshadbeenstealingoccasionalglimpsesatthepictureascloudshadswirledacrossthesky，gullshadutteredtheirinsatiablescream，andthesun，dancingonthefoam-fleckedwaters，hadvestedthebillows，nowintintsofblue，nowinnaturaltintsasofflamingjewels。 Inshort，allthepassengersontheschoonerhadbeenshoutingandlaughingandsinging，whilethegreatbeardedpeasantshadalsobeenpayingassiduouscourttoalargeleathernbottlewhichhadlainensconcedonaheapofpeach-sacks，withtheresultthatthescenehadcometohaveaboutitsomethingoftheantique，legendaryairofthereturnofStepanRazinfromhisPersiancampaign。 Atlengththebuffetingofthewindhadcausedanoldmanwithacrookednosesetonahairy，faun-likefacetostumbleoveroneofthewoman’sfeet；whereuponhehadhalted，thrownuphisheadwithnonsenilevigour，andexclaimed: “Maythedevilflyawaywithyou，youshamelesshussy！Whyliesprawlingaboutthedecklikethis？See，too，howexposedyouare！“ Thewomanhadnotstirredatthewords——shehadnotevenopenedaneye；onlyoverherlipstherehadpassedafainttremor。Whereastheyoungfellowhadstraightenedhimself，depositedhistinmuguponthedeck，andcriedloudlyashelaidhisdisengagedhanduponthewoman’sbreast。 “Ah，youenvyme，doyou，YakimPetrov？Nevermind，thoughyouhavedonenogreatharm。Butrunnorisks；donotlookforneedlesstrouble，foryourdayforsuckingsugarplumsispast。“ Whereafter，raisingbothhishands，theyoungfellowhadsoftlyletthemsinkagainuponthewoman’sbosomasheaddedtriumphantly: “ThesebreastscouldfeedallRussia！“ Then，andonlythen，hadthewomansmiledalong，slowsmile。Andasshehaddonesoeverythinginthevicinityhadseemedtosmileinunison，andtoriseandfallinharmonywithherbosom——yes，thewholevessel，andthevessel’sfreight。Andatthemomentwhenaparticularlylargewavehadstruckthebulwarks，andbesprinkledallonboardwithspray，thewomanhadopenedherdarkeyes，lookedkindlyattheoldman，andattheyoungfellow，andatthesceneingeneral——thensetherselftorecoverherbosom。 “Nay，“theyoungfellowhadcriedasheinterposedtoremoveherhands。“Thereisnoneedforthat，thereisnoneedforthat。 LetthemALLlook。“ Suchthememoriesthatcamebacktomyrecollectionthatnight。 GladlyIwouldhaverecountedthemtomycompanions，but，unfortunately，thesehad，bynow，succumbedtoslumber。Theex- soldier，restinginasittingposture，andsnoringloudly，hadhisbackprisedagainsthiswallet，hisheadslopedsideways，andhishandsclaspeduponhisknees，whileVasiliwaslyingonhisbackwithhisfaceturnedupwards，hishandsclaspedbehindhishead，hisdark，finelymouldedbrowsraisedalittle，andhismoustacheerect。Also，hewasweepinginhissleep——tearswerecoursingdownhisbrown，sunburntcheeks；tearswhich，inthemoonlight，hadinthemsomethingofthegreenishtintofachrysoliteorseawater，andwhich，onsuchamanlyface，lookedstrangeindeed！ Stilltherivuletwaspurlingasitflowed，andthefirecrackling；whilebathedintheredglowoftheflamestherewassitting，bentforward，thedark，stonelikefigureoftheMolokans’watchman，withtheaxeathisfeetreflectingtheradiantgleamofthemoonintheskyaboveus。 Alltheearthseemedtobesleepingaseverthewaningstarsseemedtodrawnearerandnearer…… Theslowlengthofthenextdaywasdraggedalongamidaninertiabornofthemoistheat，thesongoftheriver，andtheintoxicatingscentsofforestandflowers。Inshort，onefeltinclinedtodonothing，frommorntillnight，saveroamthedefilewithouttheexchangingofaword，theconceivingofadesire，ortheformulatingofathought。 Atsunset，whenwewereengagedindrinkingteabythefire，theex-soldierremarked: “Ihopethatlifeinthenextworldwillexactlyresemblelifeinthisspot，andbejustasquietandpeacefulandimmunefromwork。Hereoneneedsbuttositandmeltlikebutterandsufferneitherfromwrongnoranxiety。“ Then，ascarefullyhewithdrewhispipefromhislips，andsighed，headded: “Aye！IfIcouldbutfeelsurethatlifeinthenextworldwillbelikelifehere，IwouldpraytoGod:’ForChrist’ssaketakemysoulattheearliestconceivablemoment。’“ “WhatmightsuitYOUwouldnotsuitME，“Vasilithoughtfullyobserved。“Iwouldnotalwayslivesuchalifeasthis。Imightdosoforatime，butnotinperpetuity。“ “Ah，butneverhaveyouworkedhard，“gruntedtheex-soldier。 Ineverywaytheeveningresembledthepreviousone；thereweretobeobservedthesamelusciousfloodingofthedefilewithdove-colouredmist，thesameflashingofthesilvercragsintheroseatetwilight，thesamerockingofthedense，warmforest’ssoft，leafytree-tops，thesamesofteningoftherocks’outlinesinthegloom，thesamegradualupliftofshadows，thesamechantingofthe“matchmaking“river，thesameroutineonthepartofthebig，sleekcarpentersaroundthebarraque——aroutineasslowandponderousinitscourseasthemovementsofadroveofwildboars。 Morethanonceduringtheoffhoursofthedayhadwesoughttomakethecarpenters’acquaintance，tostartaconversationwiththem，butalwaystheiranswershadbeengivenreluctantly，inmonosyllables，andneverhadadiscussionseemedlikelytogetunderwaywithoutthewhiteheadedforemanshoutingtotheparticularmemberofthegangconcerned:“Hi，you，Pavlushka！