resurrection(复活)-第54节

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〃Oh；　certainly　I　will；〃　said　the　foreman；　and　smiled　still　more
joyfully。　〃I　shall　call　them　to…morrow。〃

〃Just　hear　him；　he's　not　artful；　not　he；〃　said　a　blackhaired
peasant；　with　an　unkempt　beard；　as　he　sat　jolting　from　side　to
side　on　a　well…fed　mare；　addressing　an　old　man　in　a　torn　coat　who
rode　by　his　side。　The　two　men　were　driving　a　herd　of　the
peasants'　horses　to　graze　in　the　night；　alongside　the　highroad
and　secretly；　in　the　landlord's　forest。

〃Give　you　the　land　for　nothingyou　need　only　signhave　they　not
done　the　likes　of　us　often　enough？　No；　my　friend；　none　of　your
humbug。　Nowadays　we　have　a　little　sense；〃　he　added；　and　began
shouting　at　a　colt　that　had　strayed。

He　stopped　his　horse　and　looked　round；　but　the　colt　had　not
remained　behind；　it　had　gone　into　the　meadow　by　the　roadside。
〃Bother　that　son　of　a　Turk；　he's　taken　to　getting　into　the
landowner's　meadows；〃　said　the　dark　peasant　with　the　unkempt
beard；　hearing　the　cracking　of　the　sorrel　stalks　that　the
neighing　colt　was　galloping　over　as　he　came　running　back　from　the
scented　meadow。

〃Do　you　hear　the　cracking？　We'll　have　to　send　the　women　folk　to
weed　the　meadow　when　there's　a　holiday；〃　said　the　thin　peasant
with　the　torn　coat；　〃or　else　we'll　blunt　our　scythes。〃

〃Sign；〃　he　says。　The　unkempt　man　continued　giving　his　opinion　of
the　landlord's　speech。　〃'Sign；'　indeed；　and　let　him　swallow　you
up。〃

〃That's　certain；〃　answered　the　old　man。　And　then　they　were
silent；　and　the　tramping　of　the　horses'　feet　along　the　highroad
was　the　only　sound　to　be　heard。


CHAPTER　VIII。

GOD'S　PEACE　IN　THE　HEART。

When　Nekhludoff　returned　he　found　that　the　office　had　been
arranged　as　a　bedroom　for　him。　A　high　bedstead；　with　a　feather
bed　and　two　large　pillows；　had　been　placed　in　the　room。　The　bed
was　covered　with　a　dark　red　doublebedded　silk　quilt；　which　was
elaborately　and　finely　quilted；　and　very　stiff。　It　evidently
belonged　to　the　trousseau　of　the　foreman's　wife。　The　foreman
offered　Nekhludoff　the　remains　of　the　dinner；　which　the　latter
refused；　and；　excusing　himself　for　the　poorness　of　the　fare　and
the　accommodation；　he　left　Nekhludoff　alone。

The　peasants'　refusal　did　not　at　all　bother　Nekhludoff。　On　the
contrary；　though　at　Kousminski　his　offer　had　been　accepted　and　he
had　even　been　thanked　for　it；　and　here　he　was　met　with　suspicion
and　even　enmity；　he　felt　contented　and　joyful。

It　was　close　and　dirty　in　the　office。　Nekhludoff　went　out　into
the　yard；　and　was　going　into　the　garden；　but　he　remembered：　that
night；　the　window　of　the　maid…servant's　room；　the　side　porch；　and
he　felt　uncomfortable；　and　did　not　like　to　pass　the　spot
desecrated　by　guilty　memories。　He　sat　down　on　the　doorstep；　and
breathing　in　the　warm　air；　balmy　with　the　strong　scent　of　fresh
birch　leaves；　he　sat　for　a　long　time　looking　into　the　dark　garden
and　listening　to　the　mill；　the　nightingales；　and　some　other　bird
that　whistled　monotonously　in　the　bush　close　by。　The　light
disappeared　from　the　foreman's　window；　in　the　cast；　behind　the
barn；　appeared　the　light　of　the　rising　moon；　and　sheet　lightning
began　to　light　up　the　dilapidated　house；　and　the　blooming；
over…grown　garden　more　and　more　frequently。　It　began　to　thunder
in　the　distance；　and　a　black　cloud　spread　over　one…third　of　the
sky。　The　nightingales　and　the　other　birds　were　silent。　Above　the
murmur　of　the　water　from　the　mill　came　the　cackling　of　geese；　and
then　in　the　village　and　in　the　foreman's　yard　the　first　cocks
began　to　crow　earlier　than　usual；　as　they　do　on　warm；　thundery
nights。　There　is　a　saying　that　if　the　cocks　crow　early　the　night
will　be　a　merry　one。　For　Nekhludoff　the　night　was　more　than
merry；　it　was　a　happy；　joyful　night。　Imagination　renewed　the
impressions　of　that　happy　summer　which　he　had　spent　here　as　an
innocent　lad；　and　he　felt　himself　as　he　had　been　not　only　at　that
but　at　all　the　best　moments　of　his　life。　He　not　only　remembered
but　felt　as　he　had　felt　when；　at　the　age　of　14；　he　prayed　that
God　would　show　him　the　truth；　or　when　as　a　child　he　had　wept　on
his　mother's　lap；　when　parting　from　her；　and　promising　to　be
always　good；　and　never　give　her　pain；　he　felt　as　he　did　when　he
and　Nikolenka　Irtenieff　resolved　always　to　support　each　other　in
living　a　good　life　and　to　try　to　make　everybody　happy。

He　remembered　how　he　had　been　tempted　in　Kousminski；　so　that　he
had　begun　to　regret　the　house　and　the　forest　and　the　farm　and　the
land；　and　he　asked　himself　if　he　regretted　them　now；　and　it　even
seemed　strange　to　think　that　he　could　regret　them。　He　remembered
all　he　had　seen　to…day；　the　woman　with　the　children；　and　without
her　husband；　who　was　in　prison　for　having　cut　down　trees　in　his
（Nekhludoff's）　forest；　and　the　terrible　Matrona；　who　considered；
or　at　least　talked　as　if　she　considered；　that　women　of　her
position　must　give　themselves　to　the　gentlefolk；　he　remembered
her　relation　to　the　babies；　the　way　in　which　they　were　taken　to
the　Foundlings'　Hospital；　and　the　unfortunate；　smiling；　wizened
baby　with　the　patchwork　cap；　dying　of　starvation。　And　then　he
suddenly　remembered　the　prison；　the　shaved　heads；　the　cells；　the
disgusting　smells；　the　chains；　and；　by　the　side　of　it　all；　the
madly　lavish　city　lift　of　the　rich；　himself　included。

The　bright　moon；　now　almost　full；　rose　above　the　barn。　Dark
shadows　fell　across　the　yard；　and　the　iron　roof　of　the　ruined
house　shone　bright。　As　if　unwilling　to　waste　this　light；　the
nightingales　again　began　their　trills。

Nekhludoff　called　to　mind　how　he　had　begun　to　consider　his　life
in　the　garden　of　Kousminski　when　deciding　what　he　was　going　to
do；　and　remembered　how　confused　he　had　become；　how　he　could　not
arrive　at　any　decision；　how　many　difficulties　each　question　had
presented。　He　asked　himself　these　questions　now；　and　was
surprised　how　simple　it　all　was。　It　was　simple　because　he　was　not
thinking　now　of　what　would　be　the　results　for　himself；　but　only
thought　of　what　he　had　to　do。　And；　strange　to　say；　what　he　had　to
do　for　himself　he　could　not　decide；　but　what　he　had　to　do　for
others　he　knew　without　any　doubt。　He　had　no　doubt　that　he　must
not　leave　Katusha；　but　go　on　helping　her。　He　had　no　doubt　that　he
must　study；　investigate；　clear　up；　understand　all　this　business
concerning　judgment　and　punishment；　which　he　felt　he　saw
differently　to　other　people。　What　would　result　from　it　all　he　did
not　know；　but　he　knew　for　certain　that　he　must　do　it。　And　this
firm　assurance　gave　him　joy。

The　black　cloud　had　spread　all　over　the　sky；　the　lightning
flashed　vividly　across　the　yard　and　the　old　house　with　its
tumble…down　porches；　the　thunder　growled　overhead。　All　the　birds
were　silent；　but　the　leaves　rustled　and　the　wind　reached　the　step
where　Nekhludoff　stood　and　played　with　his　hair。　One　drop　came
down；　then　another；　then　they　came　drumming　on　the　dock　leaves
and　on　the　iron　of　the　roof；　and　all　the　air　was　filled　by　a
bright　flash；　and　before　Nekhludoff　could　count　three　a　fearful
crash　sounded　over　head　and　spread　pealing　all　over　the　sky。

Nekhludoff　went　in。

〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　thought。　〃The　work　that　our　life　accomplishes；　the
whole　of　this　work；　the　meaning　of　it　is　not；　nor　can　be；
intelligible　to　me。　What　were　my　aunts　for？　Why　did　Nikolenka
Irtenieff　die？　Why　am　I　living？　What　was　Katusha　for？　And　my
madness？　Why　that　war？　Why　my　subsequent　lawless　life？　To
understand　it；　to　understand　the　whole　of　the　Master's　will　is
not　in　my　power。　But　to　do　His　will；　that　is　written　down　in　my
conscience；　is　in　my　power；　that　I　know　for　certain。　And　when　I
am　fulfilling　it　I　have　sureness　and　peace。〃

The　rain　came　down　in　torrents　and　rushed　from　the　roof　into　a
tub　beneath；　the　lightning　lit　up　the　house　and　yard　less
frequently。　Nekhludoff　went　into　his　room；　undressed；　and　lay
down；　not　without　fear　of　the　bugs；　whose　presence　the　dirty；
torn　wall…papers　made　him　suspect。

〃Yes；　to　feel　one's　self　not　the　master　but　a　servant；〃　he
thought；　and　rejoiced　at　the　thought。　His　fears　were　not　vain。
Hardly　had　he　put　out　his　candle　when　the　vermin　attacked　and
stung　him。　〃To　give　up　the　land　and　go　to　Siberia。　Fleas；　bugs；
dirt！　Ah；　well；　if　it　must　be　borne；　I　shall　bear　it。〃　But；　in
spite　of　the　best　of　intentions；　he　could　not　bear　it；　and　sat
down　by　the　open　window　and　gazed　with　admiration　at　the
retreating　clouds　and　the　reappearing　moon。


CHAPTER　IX。

THE　LAND　SETTLEMENT。

It　was　morning　before　Nekhludoff　could　fall　asleep；　and　therefore
he　woke　up　late。　At　noon　seven　men；　chosen　from　among　the
peasants　at　the　foreman's　invitation；　came　into　the　orchard；
where　the　foreman　had　arranged　a　table　and　benches　by　digging
posts　into　the　ground；　and　fixing　boards　on　the　top；　under　the
apple　trees。　It　took　some　time　before　the　peasants　could　be
persuaded　to　put　on　their　caps　and　to　sit　down　on　the　benches。
Especially　firm　was　the　ex…soldier；　who　to…day　had　bark　shoes　on。
He　stood　erect；　holding　his　cap　as　they　do　at　funerals；　according
to　military　regulation。　When　one　of　them；　a　respectable…looking；
broad…shouldered　old　man；　with　a　curly；　grizzly　beard　like　that
of　Michael　Angelo's　〃Moses；〃　and　grey　hair　that　curled　round　the
brown；　bald　forehead；　put　on　his　big　cap；　and；　w