the witch and other stories(女巫)-第26节
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then there came another boat with a fat Chinaman sitting in it； eating rice
with little sticks。
Languidly the water heaved； languidly the white seagulls floated over
it。
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〃I should like to give that fat fellow one in the neck；〃 thought Gusev；
gazing at the stout Chinaman； with a yawn。
He dozed off； and it seemed to him that all nature was dozing； too。
Time flew swiftly by； imperceptibly the day passed； imperceptibly the
darkness came on。 。 。 。 The steamer was no longer standing still； but
moving on further。
IV
Two days passed； Pavel Ivanitch lay down instead of sitting up； his
eyes were closed； his nose seemed to have grown sharper。
〃Pavel Ivanitch；〃 Gusev called to him。 〃Hey； Pavel Ivanitch。〃
Pavel Ivanitch opened his eyes and moved his lips。
〃Are you feeling bad？〃
〃No 。 。 。 it's nothing 。 。 。〃 answered Pavel Ivanitch； gasping。 〃Nothing；
on the contrary I am rather better。 。 。 。 You see I can lie down。 I am a
little easier。 。 。 。〃
〃Well； thank God for that； Pavel Ivanitch。〃
〃When I compare myself with you I am sorry for you 。 。 。 poor fellow。
My lungs are all right； it is only a stomach cough。 。 。 。 I can stand hell； let
alone the Red Sea。 Besides I take a critical attitude to my illness and to the
medicines they give me for it。 While you 。 。 。 you are in darkness。 。 。 。 It's
hard for you； very； very hard！〃
The ship was not rolling； it was calm； but as hot and stifling as a bath…
house； it was not only hard to speak but even hard to listen。 Gusev hugged
his knees； laid his head on them and thought of his home。 Good heavens；
what a relief it was to think of snow and cold in that stifling heat！ You
drive in a sledge； all at once the horses take fright at something and
bolt。 。 。 。 Regardless of the road； the ditches； the ravines； they dash like
mad things； right through the village； over the pond by the pottery works；
out across the open fields。 〃Hold on；〃 the pottery hands and the peasants
sho ut； meeting them。 〃Hold on。〃 But why？ Let the keen； cold wind beat in
one's face and bite one's hands； let the lumps of snow； kicked up by the
horses' hoofs； fall on one's cap； on one's back； down one's collar； on one's
chest； let the runners ring on the snow； and the traces and the sledge be
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smashed； deuce take them one and all！ And how delightful when the
sledge upsets and you go flying full tilt into a drift； face downwards in the
snow； and then you get up white all over with icicles on your moustaches；
no cap； no gloves； your belt undone。 。 。 。 People laugh； the dogs bark。 。 。 。
Pavel Ivanitch half opened one eye； looked at Gusev with it； and asked
softly：
〃Gusev； did your commanding officer steal？〃
〃Who can tell； Pavel Ivanitch！ We can't say； it didn't reach us。〃
And after that a long time passed in silence。 Gusev brooded； muttered
something in delirium； and kept drinking water； it was hard for him to talk
and hard to listen； and he was afraid of being talked to。 An hour passed； a
second； a third； evening came on； then night； but he did not notice it。 He
still sat dreaming of the frost。
There was a sound as though someone came into the hospital； and
voices were audible； but a few minutes passed and all was still again。
〃The Kingdom of Heaven and eternal peace；〃 said the soldier with his
arm in a sling。 〃He was an uncomfortable man。〃
〃What？〃 asked Gusev。 〃Who？〃
〃He is dead； they have just carried him up。〃
〃Oh； well；〃 muttered Gusev； yawning； 〃the Kingdom of Heaven be
his。〃
〃What do you think？〃 the soldier with his arm in a sling asked Gusev。
〃Will he be in the Kingdom of Heaven or not？〃
〃Who is it you are talking about？〃
〃Pavel Ivanitch。〃
〃He will be 。 。 。 he suffered so long。 And there is another thing； he
belonged to the clergy； and the priests always have a lot of relations。 Their
prayers will save him。〃
The soldier with the sling sat down on a hammock near Gusev and
said in an undertone：
〃And you； Gusev； are not long for this world。 You will never get to
Russia。〃
〃Did the doctor or his assistant say so？〃 asked Gusev。
〃It isn't that they said so； but one can see it。 。 。 。 One can see directly
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when a man's going to die。 You don't eat； you don't drink； it's dreadful to
see how thin you've got。 It's consumption； in fact。 I say it； not to upset you；
but because maybe you would like to have the sacrament and extreme
unction。 And if you have any money you had better give it to the senior
officer。〃
〃I haven't written home 。 。 。〃 Gusev sighed。 〃I shall die and they won't
know。〃
〃They'll hear of it；〃 the sick sailor brought out in a bass voice。 〃When
you die they will put it down in the _Gazette；_ at Odessa they will send in
a report to the commanding officer there and he will send it to the parish
or somewhere。 。
Gusev began to be uneasy after such a conversation and to feel a vague
yearning。 He drank water it was not that； he dragged himself to the
window and breathed the hot； moist air it was not that； he tried to think
of home； of the frost it was not that。 。 。 。 At last it seemed to him one
minute longer in the ward and he would certainly expire。
〃It's stifling； mates 。 。 。〃 he said。 〃I'll go on deck。 Help me up； for
Christ's sake。〃
〃All right；〃 assented the soldier with the sling。 〃I'll carry you； you can't
walk； hold on to my neck。〃
Gusev put his arm round the soldier's neck； the latter put his unhurt
arm round him and carried him up。 On the deck sailors and time…expired
soldiers were lying asleep side by side； there were so many of them it was
difficult to pass。
〃Stand down；〃 the soldier with the sling said softly。 〃Follow me
quietly； hold on to my shirt。 。 。 。〃
It was dark。 There was no light on deck； nor on the masts； nor
anywhere on the sea around。 At the furthest end of the ship the man on
watch was standing perfectly still like a statue； and it looked as though he
were asleep。 It seemed as though the steamer were abandoned to itself and
were going at its own will。
〃Now they will throw Pavel Ivanitch into the sea；〃 said the soldier
with the sling。 〃In a sack and then into the water。〃
〃Yes； that's the rule。〃
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〃But it's better to lie at home in the earth。 Anyway； your mother comes
to the grave and weeps。〃
〃Of course。〃
There was a smell of hay and of dung。 There were oxen standing with
drooping heads by the ship's rail。 One； two； three； eight of them！ And there
was a little horse。 Gusev put out his hand to stroke it； but it shook its head；
showed its teeth； and tried to bite his sleeve。
〃Damned brute 。 。 。〃 said Gusev angrily。
The two of them； he and the soldier； threaded their way to the head of
the ship； then stood at the rail and looked up and down。 Overhead deep
sky； bright stars； peace and stillness； exactly as at home in the village；
below darkness and disorder。 The tall waves were resounding； no one
could tell why。 Whichever wave you looked at each one was trying to rise
higher than all the rest and to chase and crush the next one； after it a third
as fierce and hideous flew noisily； with a glint of light on its white crest。
The sea has no sense and no pity。 If the steamer had been smaller and
not made of thick iron； the waves would have crushed it to pieces without
the slightest compunction； and would have devoured all the people in it
with no distinction of saints or sinners。 The steamer had the same cruel
and meaningless expression。 This monster with its huge beak was dashing
onwards； cutting millions of waves in its path； it had no fear of the
darkness nor the wi
