the witch and other stories(女巫)-第44节
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take away all the gold and silver from them。 Rather than give up their
plunder like that to the government for nothing； the brave fellows took and
buried it； so that their children； anyway； might get it； but where they
buried it no one knows。〃
〃I have heard of those treasures；〃 the old man muttered grimly。
〃Yes 。 。 。〃 Panteley pondered again。 〃So it is。 。 。 。〃
A silence followed。 The overseer looked dreamily into the distance；
gave a laugh and pulled the rein； still with the same expression as though
he had forgotten something or left something unsaid。 The horse reluctantly
started at a walking pace。 After riding a hundred paces Panteley shook his
head resolutely； roused himself from his thoughts and； lashing his horse；
set off at a trot。
The shepherds were left alone。
〃That was Panteley from Makarov's estate；〃 said the old man。 〃He gets
a hundred and fifty a year and provisions found； too。 He is a man of
education。 。 。 。〃
The sheep； waking up there were about three thousand of them
began without zest to while away the time； nipping at the low； half…
trampled grass。 The sun had not yet risen； but by now all the barrows
could be seen and； like a cloud in the distance； Saur's Grave with its
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peaked top。 If one clambered up on that tomb one could see the plain from
it； level and boundless as the sky； one could see villages； manor…houses；
the settlements of the Germans and of the Molokani； and a long…sighted
Kalmuck could even see the town and the railway…station。 Only from there
could one see that there was something else in the world besides the silent
steppe and the ancient barrows； that there was another life that had nothing
to do with buried treasure and the thoughts of sheep。
The old man felt beside him for his crook a long stick with a hook at
the upper end and got up。 He was silent and thoughtful。 The young
shepherd's face had not lost the look of childish terror and curiosity。 He
was still under the influence of what he had heard in the night； and
impatiently awaiting fresh stories。
〃Grandfather；〃 he asked； getting up and taking his crook； 〃what did
your brother Ilya do with the soldier？〃
The old man did not hear the question。 He looked absent…mindedly at
the young man； and answered； mumbling with his lips：
〃I keep thinking； Sanka； about that writing that was shown to that
soldier at Ivanovka。 I didn't tell Panteley God be with him but you
know in that writing the place was marked out so that even a woman could
find it。 Do you know where it is？ At Bogata Bylotchka at the spot； you
know； where the ravine parts like a goose's foot into three little ravines； it
is the middle one。〃
〃Well； will you dig？〃
〃I will try my luck。 。 。〃
〃And； grandfather； what will you do with the treasure when you find
it？〃
〃Do with it？〃 laughed the old man。 〃H'm！ 。 。 。 If only I could find it
then。 。 。 。 I would show them all。 。 。 。 H'm！ 。 。 。 I should know what to
do。 。 。 。〃
And the old man could not answer what he would do with the treasure
if he found it。 That question had presented itself to him that morning
probably for the first time in his life； and judging from the expression of
his face； indifferent and uncritical； it did not seem to him important and
deserving of consideration。 In Sanka's brain another puzzled question was
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stirring： why was it only old men searched for hidden treasure； and what
was the use of earthly happiness to people who might die any day of old
age？ But Sanka could not put this perplexity into words； and the old man
could scarcely have found an answer to it。
An immense crimson sun came into view surrounded by a faint haze。
Broad streaks of light； still cold； bathing in the dewy grass； lengthening
out with a joyous air as though to prove they were not weary of their task；
began spreading over the earth。 The silvery wormwood； the blue flowers
of the pig's onion； the yellow mustard； the corn…flowers all burst into
gay colours； taking the sunlight for their own smile。
The old shepherd and Sanka parted and stood at the further sides of the
flock。 Both stood like posts； without moving； staring at the ground and
thinking。 The former was haunted by thoughts of fortune； the latter was
pondering on what had been said in the night； what interested him was not
the fortune itself； which he did not want and could not imagine； but the
fantastic； fairy…tale character of human happiness。
A hundred sheep started and； in some inexplicable panic as at a signal；
dashed away from the flock； and as though the thoughts of the sheep
tedious and oppressive had for a moment infected Sanka also； he； too；
dashed aside in the same inexplicable animal panic； but at once he
recovered himself and shouted：
〃You crazy creatures！ You've gone mad； plague take you！〃
When the sun； promising long hours of overwhelming heat； began to
bake the earth； all living things that in the night had moved and uttered
sounds were sunk in drowsiness。 The old shepherd and Sanka stood with
their crooks on opposite sides of the flock； stood without stirring； like
fakirs at their prayers； absorbed in thought。 They did not heed each other；
each of them was living in his own life。 The sheep were pondering； too。
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A MALEFACTOR
AN exceedingly lean little peasant； in a striped hempen shirt and
patched drawers； stands facing the investigating magistrate。 His face
overgrown with hair and pitted with smallpox； and his eyes scarcely
visible under thick； overhanging eyebrows have an expression of sullen
moroseness。 On his head there is a perfect mop of tangled； unkempt hair；
which gives him an even more spider…like air of moroseness。 He is
barefooted。
〃Denis Grigoryev！〃 the magistrate begins。 〃Come nearer； and answer
my questions。 On the seventh of this July the railway watchman； Ivan
Semyonovitch Akinfov； going along the line in the morning； found you at
the hundred…and…forty…first mile engaged in unscrewing a nut by which the
rails are made fast to the sleepers。 Here it is； the nut！ 。 。 。 With the
aforesaid nut he detained you。 Was that so？〃
〃Wha…at？〃
〃Was this all as Akinfov states？〃
〃To be sure； it was。〃
〃Very good； well； what were you unscrewing the nut for？〃
〃Wha…at？〃
〃Drop that 'wha…at' and answer the question； what were you
unscrewing the nut for？〃
〃If I hadn't wanted it I shouldn't have unscrewed it；〃 croaks Denis；
looking at the ceiling。
〃What did you want that nut for？〃
〃The nut？ We make weights out of those nuts for our lines。〃
〃Who is 'we'？〃
〃We； people。 。 。 。 The Klimovo peasants； that is。〃
〃Listen； my man； don't play the idiot to me； but speak sensibly。 It's no
use telling lies here about weights！〃
〃I've never been a liar from a child； and now I'm telling lies 。 。 。〃
mutters Denis； blinking。 〃But can you do without a weight； your honour？
If you put live bait or maggots on a hook； would it go to the bottom
without a w eight？ 。 。 。 I am telling lies；〃 grins Denis。 。 。 。 〃What the devil
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is the use of the worm if it swims on the surface！ The perch and the pike
and the eel…pout always go to the bottom； and a bait on the surface is only
taken by a shillisper； not very often then； and there are no shillispers in our
river。 。 。 。 That fish likes plenty of room。〃
〃Why are you telling me about shillispers？〃
〃Wha…at？ Why； you asked me yourself！ The gentry catch fish that way
too in our parts。 The
