the man who was afraid-第4部分

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ssed　by　a　painful　foreboding；　slackened　its　joyous　throbbing。

〃That's　nothing。　That's　nothing。　It's　always　like　this；〃　said　he　softly；　bending　over　his　wife　to　give　her　a　kiss。　But　she　moaned　right　into　his　face：

〃I'll　not　survive　this。〃

Her　lips　were　gray　and　cold；　and　when　he　touched　them　with　his　own　he　understood　that　death　was　already　within　her。

〃Oh；　Lord！〃　he　uttered；　in　an　alarmed　whisper；　feeling　that　fright　was　choking　his　throat　and　suppressing　his　breath。

〃Natasha？　What　will　become　of　him？　He　must　be　nursed！　What　is　the　matter　with　you？〃

He　almost　began　to　cry　at　his　wife。　The　midwife　was　bustling　about　him；　shaking　the　crying　child　in　the　air。　She　spoke　to　him　reassuringly；　but　he　heard　nothinghe　could　not　turn　his　eyes　away　from　the　frightful　face　of　his　wife。　Her　lips　were　moving；　and　he　heard　words　spoken　in　a　low　voice；　but　could　not　understand　them。　Sitting　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　he　spoke　in　a　dull　and　timid　voice：　〃Just　think　of　it！　He　cannot　do　without　you；　he's　an　infant！　Gather　strength！　Drive　this　thought　away　from　you！　Drive　it　away。〃

He　talked；　yet　he　understood　he　was　speaking　useless　words。　Tears　welled　up　within　him；　and　in　his　breast　there　came　a　feeling　heavy　as　stone　and　cold　as　ice。

〃Forgive　me。　Goodbye！　Take　care。　Look　out。　Don't　drink；〃　whispered　Natalya；　soundlessly。

The　priest　came；　and；　covering　her　face　with　something；　and　sighing；　began　to　read　gentle；　beseeching　words：

〃0h　God；　Almighty　Lord；　who　cureth　every　disease；　cure　also　Thy　servant　Natalya；　who　has　just　given　birth　to　a　child；　and　restore　her　from　the　bed　on　which　she　now　lies；　for　in　the　words　of　David；　'We　indulge　in　lawlessness　and　are　wicked　in　Thine　eyes。〃'

The　old　man's　voice　was　interrupted　now　and　then；　his　thin　face　was　stern　and　from　his　clothes　came　the　odour　of　rock…rose。

〃Guard　the　infant　born　of　her；　guard　him　from　all　possible　temptation；　from　all　possible　cruelty；　from　all　possible　storms；　from　evil　spirits；　night　and　day。〃

Ignat　listened　to　the　prayer；　and　wept　silently。　His　big；　hot　tears　fell　on　the　bare　hand　of　his　wife。　But　the　hand；　evidently；　did　not　feel　that　the　tears　were　dropping　upon　it：　it　remained　motionless；　and　the　skin　did　not　tremble　from　the　fall　of　the　tears。　After　the　prayer　Natalya　became　unconscious　and　a　day　later　she　died；　without　saying　another　wordshe　died　just　as　quietly　as　she　had　lived。　Having　arranged　a　pompous　funeral；　Ignat　christened　his　son；　named　him　Foma；　and　unwillingly　gave　his　boy　into　the　family　of　the　godfather；　his　old　friend　Mayakin；　whose　wife；　too；　had　given　birth　to　a　child　not　long　before。　The　death　of　his　wife　had　sown　many　gray　hairs　in　Ignat's　dark　beard；　but　in　the　stern　glitter　of　his　eyes　appeared　a　new　expression；　gentle；　clear　and　mild。

CHAPTER　II

MAYAKIN　lived　in　an　enormous　two…story　house　near　a　big　palisade；　where　sturdy；　old　spreading　linden　trees　were　growing　magnificently。　The　rank　branches　covered　the　windows　with　a　dense；　dark　embroidery；　and　the　sun　in　broken　rays　peeped　into　the　small　rooms；　which　were　closely　crowded　with　miscellaneous　furniture　and　big　trunks；　wherefore　a　stern　and　melancholy　semi…　darkness　always　reigned　there　supreme。　The　family　was　devoutthe　odour　of　wax；　of　rock…rose　and　of　image…lamp　oil　filled　the　house；　and　penitent　sighs　and　prayers　soared　about　in　the　air。　Religious　ceremonials　were　performed　infallibly；　with　pleasure；　absorbing　all　the　free　power　of　the　souls　of　the　dwellers　of　the　house。　Feminine　figures　almost　noiselessly　moved　about　the　rooms　in　the　half…dark；　stifling；　heavy　atmosphere。　They　were　dressed　in　black；　wore　soft　slippers　on　their　feet；　and　always　had　a　penitent　look　on　their　faces。

The　family　of　Yakov　Tarazovich　Mayakin　consisted　of　himself；　his　wife；　a　daughter　and　five　kinswomen；　the　youngest　of　whom　was　thirty…four　years　old。　These　were　alike　devout　and　impersonal；　and　subordinate　to　Antonina　Ivanovna；　the　mistress　of　the　house。　She　was　a　tall；　thin　woman；　with　a　dark　face　and　with　stern　gray　eyes；　which　had　an　imperious　and　intelligent　expression。　Mayakin　also　had　a　son　Taras；　but　his　name　was　never　mentioned　in　the　house；　acquaintances　knew　that　since　the　nineteen…year…old　Taras　had　gone　to　study　in　Moscowhe　married　there　three　years　later；　against　his　father's　willYakov　disowned　him。　Taras　disappeared　without　leaving　any　trace。　It　was　rumoured　that　he　had　been　sent　to　Siberia　for　something。

Yakov　Mayakin　was　very　queerly　built。　Short；　thin；　lively；　with　a　little　red　beard；　sly　greenish　eyes；　he　looked　as　though　he　said　to　each　and　every　one：

〃Never　mind；　sir；　don't　be　uneasy。　Even　though　I　know　you　for　what　you　are；　if　you　don't　annoy　me　I　will　not　give　you　away。〃

His　beard　resembled　an　egg　in　shape　and　was　monstrously　big。　His　high　forehead；　covered　with　wrinkles；　joined　his　bald　crown；　and　it　seemed　as　though　he　really　had　two　facesone　an　open；　penetrating　and　intellectual　face；　with　a　long　gristle　nose；　and　above　this　face　another　one；　eyeless　and　mouthless；　covered　with　wrinkles；　behind　which　Mayakin　seemed　to　hide　his　eyes　and　his　lips　until　a　certain　time；　and　when　that　time　had　arrived；　he　would　look　at　the　world　with　different　eyes　and　smile　a　different　smile。

He　was　the　owner　of　a　rope…yard　and　kept　a　store　in　town　near　the　harbour。　In　this　store；　filled　up　to　the　ceiling　with　rope；　twine；　hemp　and　tow；　he　had　a　small　room　with　a　creaking　glass　door。　In　this　room　stood　a　big；　old；　dilapidated　table；　and　near　it　a　deep　armchair；　covered　with　oilcloth；　in　which　Mayakin　sat　all　day　long；　sipping　tea　and　always　reading　the　same　〃Moskovskiya　Vedomosty；〃　to　which　he　subscribed；　year　in　and　year　out；　all　his　life。　Among　merchants　he　enjoyed　the　respect　and　reputation　of　a　〃brainy〃　man；　and　he　was　very　fond　of　boasting　of　the　antiquity　of　his　race；　saying　in　a　hoarse　voice：

〃We；　the　Mayakins；　were　merchants　during　the　reign　of　'Mother'　Catherine；　consequently　I　am　a　pure…blooded　man。〃

In　this　family　Ignat　Gordyeeff's　son　lived　for　six　years。　By　the　time　he　was　seven　years　old　Foma　was　a　big…headed；　broad…　shouldered　boy；　seemingly　older　that　his　years；　both　in　his　size　and　in　the　serious　look　of　his　dark；　almond…shaped　eyes。　Quiet；　silent　and　persistent　in　his　childish　desires；　he　spent　all　his　days　over　his　playthings；　with　Mayakin's　daughter；　Luba；　quietly　looked　after　by　one　of　the　kinswomen；　a　stout；　pock…marked　old　maid；　who　was；　for　some　reason　or　other；　nicknamed　〃Buzya。〃　She　was　a　dull；　somewhat　timid　creature；　and　even　to　the　children　she　spoke　in　a　low　voice；　in　words　of　monosyllables。　Having　devoted　her　time　to　learning　prayers；　she　had　no　stories　to　tell　Foma。

Foma　was　on　friendly　terms　with　the　little　girl；　but　when　she　angered　or　teased　him　he　turned　pale；　his　nostrils　became　distended；　his　eyes　stared　comically　and　he　beat　her　audaciously。　She　cried；　ran　to　her　mother　and　complained　to　her；　but　Antonina　loved　Foma　and　she　paid　but　little　attention　to　her　daughter's　complaints；　which　strengthened　the　friendship　between　the　children　still　more。　Foma's　day　was　long　and　uniform。　Getting　out　of　bed　and　washing　himself；　he　used　to　place　himself　before　the　image；　and　under　the　whispering　of　the　pock…marked　Buzya　he　recited　long　prayers。　Then　they　drank　tea　and　ate　many　biscuits；　cakes　and　pies。　After　teaduring　the　summerthe　children　went　to　the　big　palisade；　which　ran　down　to　a　ravine；　whose　bottom　always　looked　dark　and　damp；　filling　them　with　terror。　The　children　were　not　allowed　to　go　even　to　the　edge　of　the　ravine；　and　this　inspired　in　them　a　fear　of　it。　In　winter；　from　tea　time　to　dinner；　they　played　in　the　house　when　it　was　very　cold　outside；　or　went　out　in　the　yard　to　slide　down　the　big　ice　hill。

They　had　dinner　at　noon；　〃in　Russian　style；〃　as　Mayakin　said。　At　first　a　big　bowl　of　fat；　sour　cabbage　soup　was　served　with　rye　biscuits　in；　but　without　meat；　then　the　same　soup　was　eaten　with　meat　cut　into　small　pieces；　then　they　ate　roast　meatpork；　goose；　veal　or　rennet；　with　gruelthen　again　a　bowl　of　soup　with　vermicelli；　and　all　this　was　usually　followed　by　dessert。　They　drank　kvass　made　of　red　bilberries；　juniper…berries；　or　of　bread　Antonina　Ivanovna　always　carried　a　stock　of　different　kinds　of　kvass。　They　ate　in　silence；　only　now　and　then　uttering　a　sigh　of　fatigue；　the　children　each　ate　out　of　a　separate　bowl；　the　adults　eating　out　of　one　bowl。　Stupefied　by　such　a　dinner；　they　went　to　sleep；　and　for　two　or　three　hours　Mayakin's　house　was　filled　with　snoring　and　with　drowsy　sighs。

Awaking　from　sleep；　they　drank　tea　and　talked　about　local　news；　the　choristers；　the　deacons；　weddings；　or　the　dishonourable　conduct　of　this　or　that　merchant。　After　tea　Mayakin　used　to　say　to　his　wife：

〃Well；　mother；　hand　me　the　Bible。〃

Yakov　Tarasovich　used　to　read　the　Book　of　Job　more　often　than　anything　else。　Putting　his　heavy；　silver…framed　spectacles　on　his　big；　ravenous　nose；　he　looked　around　at　his　listeners　to　see　whether　all　were　in　their　places。

They　were　all　seated　where　he　was　accustomed　to　see　them　and　on　their　faces　was　a　familiar；　dull　and　timid　expression　of　piety。

〃There　was　a　man　in　the　land　of　Uz；〃　began　Mayakin；　in　a　hoarse　voice；　and　Foma；　sitting　beside　Luba　on　the　lounge　in　the　corner　of　the　room；　knew　beforehand　that　soon　his　godfather　would　become　silent　and　pat　his　bald　head　with　his　hand。　He　sat　and；　listening；　pictured　to　himself　this　man　from　the　land　of　Uz。　The　man　was　tall　and　bare；　his　eyes　were　enormously　large；　like　those　of　the　image　of　the　Saviour；　and　his　voice　was　like　a　big　brass　trumpet　on　which　the　soldiers　played　in　the　camps。　The　man　was　constantly　growing　bigger　and　bigger；　and；　reaching　the　sky；　he　thrust　his　dark　hands　into　the　clouds；　and；　tearing　them　asunder；　cried　out　in　a　terrible　voice：

〃Why　is　light　given　to　a　man　whose　way　is　hid；　and　whom　God　hath　hedged　in？〃

Dread　fell　on　Foma；　and　he　trembled；　slumber　fled　from　his　eyes；　he　heard　the　voice　of　his　godfather；　who　said；　with　a　light　smile；　now　and　then　pinching　his　beard：

〃See　how　audacious　he　was！〃

The　boy　knew　that　his　godfather　spoke　of　the　man　from　the　land　of　Uz；　and　the　godfather's　smile　soothed　the　child。　So　the　man　would　not　break　the　sky；　he　would　not　rend　it　asunder　with　his　terrible　arms。　And　then　Foma　sees　the