the witch and other stories(女巫)-第15节
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〃Yes；〃 the tramp answered mildly。
〃H'm。 。 。 then you've been christened？〃
〃Why； to be sure！ I'm not a Turk。 I go to church and to the sacrament；
and do not eat meat when it is forbidden。 And I observe my religious
duties punctually。 。 。 。〃
〃Well； what are you called； then？〃
〃Call me what you like； good man。〃
Ptaha shrugged his shoulders and slapped himself on the haunches in
extreme perplexity。 The other constable； Nikandr Sapozhnikov； maintained
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a staid silence。 He was not so naive as Ptaha； and apparently knew very
well the reasons which might induce an orthodox Christian to conceal his
name from other people。 His expressive face was cold and stern。 He
walked apart and did not condescend to idle chatter with his companions；
but； as it were； tried to show everyone； even the fog； his sedateness and
discretion。
〃God knows what to make of you；〃 Ptaha persisted in addressing the
tramp。 〃Peasant you are not； and gentleman you are not； but some sort of a
thing between。 。 。 。 The other day I was washing a sieve in the pond and
caught a reptile see； as long as a finger； with gills and a tail。 The first
minute I thought it was a fish； then I looked and； blow it！ if it hadn't
paws。 It was not a fish； it was a viper； and the deuce only knows what it
was。 。 。 。 So that's like you。 。 。 。 What's your calling？〃
〃I am a peasant and of peasant family；〃 sighed the tramp。 〃My mamma
was a house serf。 I don't look like a peasant； that's true； for such has been
my lot； good man。 My mamma was a nurse with the gentry； and had every
comfort； and as I was of her flesh and blood； I lived with her in the
master's house。 She petted and spoiled me； and did her best to take me out
of my humble class and make a gentleman of me。 I slept in a bed； every
day I ate a real dinner； I wore breeches and shoes like a gentleman's child。
What my mamma ate I was fed on； too； they gave her stuffs as a present；
and she dressed me up in them。 。 。 。 We lived well！ I ate so many sweets
and cakes in my childish years that if they could be sold now it would be
enough to buy a goo d horse。 Mamma taught me to read and write； she
instilled the fear of God in me from my earliest years； and she so trained
me that now I can't bring myself to utter an unrefined peasant word。 And I
don't drink vodka； my lad； and am neat in my dress； and know how to
behave with decorum in good society。 If she is still living； God give her
health； and if she is dead； then； O Lord； give her soul peace in Thy
Kingdom； wherein the just are at rest。〃
The tramp bared his head with the scanty hair standing up like a brush
on it； turned his eyes upward and crossed himself twice。
〃Grant her； O Lord； a verdant and peaceful resting…place；〃 he said in a
drawling voice； more like an old woman's than a man's。 〃Teach Thy
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servant Xenia Thy justifications； O Lord！ If it had not been for my beloved
mamma I should have been a peasant with no sort of understanding！ Now；
young man； ask me about anything and I understand it all： the holy
Scriptures and profane writings； and every prayer and catechism。 I live
according to the Scriptures。 。 。 。 I don't injure anyone； I keep my flesh in
purity and continence； I observe the fasts； I eat at fitting times。 Another
man will take no pleasure in anything but vodka and lewd talk； but when I
have time I sit in a corner and read a book。 I read and I weep and weep。〃
〃What do you weep for？〃
〃They write so patheticallyl For some books one gives but a five…
kopeck piece； and yet one weeps and sighs exceedingly over it。〃
〃Is your father dead？〃 asked Ptaha。
〃I don't know； good man。 I don't know my parent； it is no use
concealing it。 I judge that I was mamma's illegitimate son。 My mamma
lived all her life with the gentry； and did not want to marry a simple
peasant。 。 。 。〃
〃And so she fell into the master's hands；〃 laughed Ptaha。
〃She did transgress； that's true。 She was pious； God…fearing； but she
did not keep her maiden purity。 It is a sin； of course； a great sin； there's no
doubt about it； but to make up for it there is； maybe； noble blood in me。
Maybe I am only a peasant by class； but in nature a noble gentleman。〃
The 〃noble gentleman〃 uttered all this in a soft； sugary tenor；
wrinkling up his narrow forehead and emitting creaking sounds from his
red； frozen little nose。 Ptaha listened and looked askance at him in wonder；
continually shrugging his shoulders。
After going nearly five miles the constables and the tramp sat down on
a mound to rest。
〃Even a dog knows his name；〃 Ptaha muttered。 〃My name is
Andryushka； his is Nikandr； every man has his holy name； and it can't be
forgotten。 Nohow。〃
〃Who has any need to know my name？〃 sighed the tramp； leaning his
cheek on his fist。 〃And what advantage would it be to me if they did know
it？ If I were allowed to go where I would but it would only make things
worse。 I know the law； Christian brothers。 Now I am a tramp who doesn't
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remember his name； and it's the very most if they send me to Eastern
Siberia and give me thirty or forty lashes； but if I were to tell them my real
name and description they would send me back to hard labour； I know！〃
〃Why； have you been a convict？〃
〃I have； dear friend。 For four years I went about with my head shaved
and fetters on my legs。〃
〃What for？〃
〃For murder； my good man！ When I was still a boy of eighteen or so；
my mamma accidentally poured arsenic instead of soda and acid into my
master's glass。 There were boxes of all sorts in the storeroom； numbers of
them； it was easy to make a mistake over them。〃
The tramp sighed； shook his head； and said：
〃She was a pious woman； but； who knows？ another man's soul is a
slumbering forest！ It may have been an accident； or maybe she could not
endure the affront of seeing the master prefer another servant。 。 。 。 Perhaps
she put it in on purpose； God knows！ I was young then； and did not
understand it all 。 。 。 now I remember that our master had taken another
mistress and mamma was greatly disturbed。 Our trial lasted nearly two
years。 。 。 。 Mamma was condemned to penal servitude for twenty years；
and I； on account of my youth； only to seven。〃
〃And why were you sentenced？〃
〃As an accomplice。 I handed the glass to the master。 That was always
the custom。 Mamma prepared the soda and I handed it to him。 Only I tell
you all this as a Christian； brothers； as I would say it before God。 Don't
you tell anybody。 。 。 。〃
〃Oh； nobody's going to ask us；〃 said Ptaha。 〃So you've run away from
prison； have you？〃
〃I have； dear friend。 Fourteen of us ran away。 Some folks； God bless
them！ ran away and took me with them。 Now you tell me； on your
conscience； good man； what reason have I to disclose my name？ They will
send me back to penal servitude； you know！ And I am not fit for penal
servitude！ I am a refined man in delicate health。 I like to sleep and eat in
cleanliness。 When I pray to God I like to light a little lamp or a candle； and
not to have a noise around me。 When I bow down to the ground I like the
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floor not to be dirty or spat upon。 And I bow down forty times every
morning and evening； praying for mamma。〃
The tramp took off his cap and crossed himself。
〃And let them send me to Eastern Siberia；〃 he said； 〃I am not afraid of
that。〃
〃Surely that's no better？〃
〃It is quite a different thing。 In penal servitude you are like a crab in a
basket： crowding； crushing； jostling； there's no room to breathe； it's
downright hell such hell； may the Queen of Heaven keep us from it！ You
are a robber and treate
