the man who was afraid-第8部分

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out　his　request。　And　if　he　should　happen　to　be　proud　and　thus　feel　offended　at　your　aid；　do　not　allow　him　to　see　that　you　are　lending　him　a　helping　hand。　That's　the　way　it　should　be　done；　according　to　common　sense！　Here；　for　example；　two　boards；　let　us　say；　fall　into　the　mudone　of　them　is　a　rotten　one；　the　other；　a　good　sound　board。　What　should　you　do？　What　good　is　there　in　the　rotten　board？　You　had　better　drop　it；　let　it　stay　in　the　mud　and　step　on　it　so　as　not　to　soil　your　feet。　As　to　the　sound　board；　lift　it　up　and　place　it　in　the　sun；　if　it　can　be　of　no　use　to　you；　someone　else　may　avail　himself　of　it。　That's　the　way　it　is；　my　son！　Listen　to　me　and　remember。　There　is　no　reason　why　Yefim　should　be　pitied。　He　is　a　capable　fellow；　he　knows　his　value。　You　cannot　knock　his　soul　out　with　a　box　on　the　ear。　I'll　just　watch　him　for　about　a　week；　and　then　I'll　put　him　at　the　helm。　And　there；　I　am　quite　sure；　he'll　be　a　good　pilot。　And　if　he　should　be　promoted　to　captain；　he　wouldn't　lose　couragehe　would　make　a　clever　captain！　That's　the　way　people　grow。　I　have　gone　through　this　school　myself；　dear。　I；　too；　received　more　than　one　box　on　the　ear　when　I　was　of　his　age。　Life；　my　son；　is　not　a　dear　mother　to　all　of　us。　It　is　our　exacting　mistress。〃

Ignat　talked　with　his　son　about　two　hours；　telling　him　of　his　own　youth；　of　his　toils；　of　men；　their　terrible　power；　and　of　their　weakness；　of　how　they　live；　and　sometimes　pretend　to　be　unfortunate　in　order　to　live　on　other　people's　money；　and　then　he　told　him　of　himself；　and　of　how　he　rose　from　a　plain　working　man　to　be　proprietor　of　a　large　concern。　The　boy　listened　to　his　words；　looked　at　him　and　felt　as　though　his　father　were　coming　nearer　and　nearer　to　him。　And　though　his　father's　story　did　not　contain　the　material　of　which　Aunt　Anfisa's　fairy…tales　were　brimful；　there　was　something　new　in　it；　something　clearer　and　more　comprehensible　than　in　her　fairy…tales；　and　something　just　as　interesting。　Something　powerful　and　warm　began　to　throb　within　his　little　heart；　and　he　was　drawn　toward　his　father。　Ignat；　evidently；　surmised　his　son's　feelings　by　his　eyes：　he　rose　abruptly　from　his　seat；　seized　him　in　his　arms　and　pressed　him　firmly　to　his　breast。　And　Foma　embraced　his　neck；　and；　pressing　his　cheek　to　that　of　his　father；　was　silent　and　breathed　rapidly。

〃My　son；〃　whispered　Ignat　in　a　dull　voice；　〃My　darling！　My　joy！　Learn　while　I　am　alive。　Alas！　it　is　hard　to　live。〃

The　child's　heart　trembled　at　this　whisper；　he　set　his　teeth　together；　and　hot　tears　gushed　from　his　eyes。

Until　this　day　Ignat　had　never　kindled　any　particular　feeling　in　his　son：　the　boy　was　used　to　him；　he　was　tired　of　looking　at　his　enormous　figure；　and　feared　him　slightly；　but　was　at　the　same　time　aware　that　his　father　would　do　anything　for　him　that　he　wanted。　Sometimes　Ignat　would　stay　away　from　home　a　day；　two；　a　week；　or　possibly　the　entire　summer。　And　yet　Foma　did　not　even　notice　his　absence；　so　absorbed　was　he　by　his　love　for　Aunt　Anfisa。　When　Ignat　returned　the　boy　was　glad；　but　he　could　hardly　tell　whether　it　was　his　father's　arrival　that　gladdened　him　or　the　playthings　he　brought　with　him。　But　now；　at　the　sight　of　Ignat；　the　boy　ran　to　meet　him；　grasped　him　by　the　hand；　laughed；　stared　into　his　eyes　and　felt　weary　if　he　did　not　see　him　for　two　or　three　hours：　His　father　became　interesting　to　him；　and；　rousing　his　curiosity；　he　fairly　developed　love　and　respect　for　himself。　Every　time　that　they　were　together　Foma　begged　his　father：

〃Papa；　tell　me　about　yourself。〃

。。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。

The　steamer　was　now　going　up　the　Volga。　One　suffocating　night　in　July；　when　the　sky　was　overcast　with　thick　black　clouds；　and　everything　on　the　Volga　was　somewhat　ominously　calm；　they　reached　Kazan　and　anchored　near　Uslon　at　the　end　of　an　enormous　fleet　of　vessels。　The　clinking　of　the　anchor　chains　and　the　shouting　of　the　crew　awakened　Foma；　he　looked　out　of　the　window　and　saw；　far　in　the　distance；　small　lights　glimmering　fantastically：　the　water　about　the　boat　black　and　thick；　like　oiland　nothing　else　could　be　seen。　The　boy's　heart　trembled　painfully　and　he　began　to　listen　attentively。　A　scarcely　audible；　melancholy　song　reached　his　earsmournful　and　monotonous　as　a　chant　on　the　caravan　the　watchmen　called　to　one　another；　the　steamer　hissed　angrily　getting　up　steam。　And　the　black　water　of　the　river　splashed　sadly　and　quietly　against　the　sides　of　the　vessels。　Staring　fixedly　into　the　darkness；　until　his　eyes　hurt；　the　boy　discerned　black　piles　and　small　lights　dimly　burning　high　above　them。　He　knew　that　those　were　barges；　but　this　knowledge　did　not　calm　him　and　his　heart　throbbed　unevenly；　and；　in　his　imagination；　terrifying　dark　images　arose。

〃O…o…o；〃　a　drawling　cry　came　from　the　distance　and　ended　like　a　wail。

Someone　crossed　the　deck　and　went　up　to　the　side　of　the　steamer。

〃O…o…o；〃　was　heard　again；　but　nearer　this　time。

〃Yefim！〃　some　one　called　in　a　low　voice　on　the　deck。　〃Yefimka！〃

〃Well？〃

〃Devil！　Get　up！　Take　the　boat…hook。〃

〃O…o…o；〃　someone　moaned　near　by；　and　Foma；　shuddering；　stepped　back　from　the　window。

The　queer　sound　came　nearer　and　nearer　and　grew　in　strength；　sobbed　and　died　out　in　the　darkness。　While　on　the　deck　they　whispered　with　alarm：

〃Yefimka！　Get　up！　A　guest　is　floating！〃

〃Where？〃　came　a　hasty　question；　then　bare　feet　began　to　patter　about　the　deck；　a　bustle　was　heard；　and　two　boat…hooks　slipped　down　past　the　boy's　face　and　almost　noiselessly　plunged　into　the　water。

〃A　gue…e…est！〃　Some　began　to　sob　near　by；　and　a　quiet；　but　very　queer　splash　resounded。

The　boy　trembled　with　fright　at　this　mournful　cry；　but　he　could　not　tear　his　hands　from　the　window　nor　his　eyes　from　the　water。

〃Light　the　lantern。　You　can't　see　anything。〃

〃Directly。〃

And　then　a　spot　of　dim　light　fell　over　the　water。　Foma　saw　that　the　water　was　rocking　calmly；　that　a　ripple　was　passing　over　it；　as　though　the　water　were　afflicted；　and　trembled　for　pain。

〃Look！　Look！〃　they　whispered　on　the　deck　with　fright。

At　the　same　time　a　big；　terrible　human　face；　with　white　teeth　set　together；　appeared　on　the　spot　of　light。　It　floated　and　rocked　in　the　water；　its　teeth　seemed　to　stare　at　Foma　as　though　saying；　with　a　smile：

〃Eh；　boy；　boy；　it　is　cold。　Goodbye！〃

The　boat…hooks　shook；　were　lifted　in　the　air；　were　lowered　again　into　the　water　and　carefully　began　to　push　something　there。

〃Shove　him！　Shove！　Look　out；　he　may　be　thrown　under　the　wheel。〃

〃Shove　him　yourself　then。〃

The　boat…hooks　glided　over　the　side　of　the　steamer；　and；　scratching　against　it；　produced　a　noise　like　the　grinding　of　teeth。　Foma　could　not　close　his　eyes　for　watching　them。　The　noise　of　feet　stamping　on　the　deck；　over　his　head；　was　gradually　moving　toward　the　stern。　And　then　again　that　moaning　cry　for　the　dead　was　heard：

〃A　gue…e…est！〃

〃Papa！〃　cried　Foma　in　a　ringing　voice。　〃Papa！〃　His　father　jumped　to　his　feet　and　rushed　toward　him。

〃What　is　that？　What　are　they　doing　there？〃　cried　Foma。

Wildly　roaring；　Ignat　jumped　out　of　the　cabin　with　huge　bounds。　He　soon　returned；　sooner　than　Foma；　staggering　and　looking　around　him；　had　time　to　reach　his　father's　bed。

〃They　frightened　you？　It's　nothing！〃　said　Ignat；　taking　him　up　in　his　arms。　〃Lie　down　with　me。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Foma；　quietly。

〃It　was　nothing；　my　son。　Only　a　drowned　man。　A　man　was　drowned　and　he　is　floating。　That's　nothing！　Don't　be　afraid；　he　has　already　floated　clear　of　us。〃

〃Why　did　they　push　him？〃　interrogated　the　boy；　firmly　pressing　close　to　his　father；　and　shutting　his　eyes　for　fright。

〃It　was　necessary　to　do　so。　The　water　might　have　thrown　him　under　the　wheel。　Under　ours；　for　instance。　Tomorrow　the　police　would　notice　it；　there　would　be　trouble；　inquests；　and　we　would　be　held　here　for　examination。　That's　why　we　shoved　him　along。　What　difference　does　it　make　to　him？　He　is　dead；　it　doesn't　pain　him；　it　doesn't　offend　him。　And　the　living　would　be　troubled　on　his　account。　Sleep；　my　son。

〃So　he　will　float　on　that　way？〃

〃He　will　float。　They'll　take　him　out　somewhere　and　bury　him。〃

〃And　will　a　fish　devour　him？〃

〃Fish　do　not　eat　human　bodies。　Crabs　eat　them。　They　like　them。〃

Foma's　fright　was　melting；　from　the　heat　of　his　father's　body；　but　before　his　eyes　the　terrible　sneering　face　was　still　rocking　in　the　black　water。

〃And　who　is　he？〃

〃God　knows！　Say　to　God　about　him：　'0h　Lord；　rest　his　soul！　'〃

〃Lord；　rest　his　soul！〃　repeated　Foma；　in　a　whisper。

〃That's　right。　Sleep　now；　don't　fear。　He　is　far　away　now！　Floating　on。　See　here；　be　careful　as　you　go　up　to　the　side　of　the　ship。　You　may　fall　overboard。　God　forbid！　And〃

〃Did　he　fall　overboard？〃

〃Of　course。　Perhaps　he　was　drunk；　and　that's　his　end！　And　maybe　he　threw　himself　into　the　water。　There　are　people　who　do　that。　They　go　and　throw　themselves　into　the　water　and　are　drowned。　Life；　my　dear；　is　so　arranged　that　death　is　sometimes　a　holiday　for　one；　sometimes　it　is　a　blessing　for　all。〃

〃Papa。〃

〃Sleep；　sleep；　dear。〃

CHAPTER　III

DURING　the　very　first　day　of　his　school　life；　stupefied　by　the　lively　and　hearty　noise　of　provoking　mischiefs　and　of　wild；　childish　games；　Foma　picked　out　two　boys　from　the　crowd　who　at　once　seemed　more　interesting　to　him　than　the　others。　One　had　a　seat　in　front　of　him。　Foma；　looking　askance；　saw　a　broad　back；　a　full　neck；　covered　with　freckles；　big　ears；　and　the　back　of　the　head　closely　cropped；　covered　with　light…red　hair　which　stood　out　like　bristles。

When　the　teacher；　a　bald…headed　man；　whose　lower　lip　hung　down；　called　out：　〃Smolin；　African！〃　the　red…headed　boy　arose　slowly；　walked　up　to　the　teacher；　calmly　stared　into　his　face；　and；　having　listened　to　the　problem；　carefully　began　to　make　big　round　figures　on　the　blackboard　with　chalk。

〃Good　enough！〃　said　the　teacher。　〃Yozhov；　Nicolai。　Proceed！〃

One　of　Foma's　neighbours；　a　fidgety　little　boy　with　black　little　mouse…eyes；　jumped　up　from　his　seat　and　passed　through　the　aisle；　striking　against　everything　and　turning　his　head　on　all　sides。　At　the　blackboard　he　seized　the　chalk；　and；　standing　up　on　the　toes　of　his　boots；　noisily　began　to　mark　the　board　with　the　chalk；　creaking　and　filling　with　chalk　dust；　dashing　off　small；　illegible　marks。

〃