the wife and other stories- 第37部分

〃Well；　you　are　off　on　another　tack　now；　Ivan　Ivanovitch；〃　said　the　schoolmaster。　〃Let　us　go　to　sleep！

And　ten　minutes　later　Burkin　was　asleep。　But　Ivan　Ivanovitch　kept　sighing　and　turning　over　from　side　to　side；　then　he　got　up；　went　outside　again；　and；　sitting　in　the　doorway；　lighted　his　pipe。


GOOSEBERRIES

THE　whole　sky　had　been　overcast　with　rain…clouds　from　early　morning；　it　was　a　still　day；　not　hot；　but　heavy；　as　it　is　in　grey　dull　weather　when　the　clouds　have　been　hanging　over　the　country　for　a　long　while；　when　one　expects　rain　and　it　does　not　come。　Ivan　Ivanovitch；　the　veterinary　surgeon；　and　Burkin；　the　high…school　teacher；　were　already　tired　from　walking；　and　the　fields　seemed　to　them　endless。　Far　ahead　of　them　they　could　just　see　the　windmills　of　the　village　of　Mironositskoe；　on　the　right　stretched　a　row　of　hillocks　which　disappeared　in　the　distance　behind　the　village；　and　they　both　knew　that　this　was　the　bank　of　the　river；　that　there　were　meadows；　green　willows；　homesteads　there；　and　that　if　one　stood　on　one　of　the　hillocks　one　could　see　from　it　the　same　vast　plain；　telegraph…wires；　and　a　train　which　in　the　distance　looked　like　a　crawling　caterpillar；　and　that　in　clear　weather　one　could　even　see　the　town。　Now；　in　still　weather；　when　all　nature　seemed　mild　and　dreamy；　Ivan　Ivanovitch　and　Burkin　were　filled　with　love　of　that　countryside；　and　both　thought　how　great；　how　beautiful　a　land　it　was。

〃Last　time　we　were　in　Prokofy's　barn；〃　said　Burkin；　〃you　were　about　to　tell　me　a　story。〃

〃Yes；　I　meant　to　tell　you　about　my　brother。〃

Ivan　Ivanovitch　heaved　a　deep　sigh　and　lighted　a　pipe　to　begin　to　tell　his　story；　but　just　at　that　moment　the　rain　began。　And　five　minutes　later　heavy　rain　came　down；　covering　the　sky；　and　it　was　hard　to　tell　when　it　would　be　over。　Ivan　Ivanovitch　and　Burkin　stopped　in　hesitation；　the　dogs；　already　drenched；　stood　with　their　tails　between　their　legs　gazing　at　them　feelingly。

〃We　must　take　shelter　somewhere；〃　said　Burkin。　〃Let　us　go　to　Alehin's；　it's　close　by。〃

〃Come　along。〃

They　turned　aside　a　nd　walked　through　mown　fields；　sometimes　going　straight　forward；　sometimes　turning　to　the　right；　till　they　came　out　on　the　road。　Soon　they　saw　poplars；　a　garden；　then　the　red　roofs　of　barns；　there　was　a　gleam　of　the　river；　and　the　view　opened　on　to　a　broad　expanse　of　water　with　a　windmill　and　a　white　bath…house：　this　was　Sofino；　where　Alehin　lived。

The　watermill　was　at　work；　drowning　the　sound　of　the　rain；　the　dam　was　shaking。　Here　wet　horses　with　drooping　heads　were　standing　near　their　carts；　and　men　were　walking　about　covered　with　sacks。　It　was　damp；　muddy；　and　desolate；　the　water　looked　cold　and　malignant。　Ivan　Ivanovitch　and　Burkin　were　already　conscious　of　a　feeling　of　wetness；　messiness；　and　discomfort　all　over；　their　feet　were　heavy　with　mud；　and　when；　crossing　the　dam；　they　went　up　to　the　barns；　they　were　silent；　as　though　they　were　angry　with　one　another。

In　one　of　the　barns　there　was　the　sound　of　a　winnowing　machine；　the　door　was　open；　and　clouds　of　dust　were　coming　from　it。　In　the　doorway　was　standing　Alehin　himself；　a　man　of　forty；　tall　and　stout；　with　long　hair；　more　like　a　professor　or　an　artist　than　a　landowner。　He　had　on　a　white　shirt　that　badly　needed　washing；　a　rope　for　a　belt；　drawers　instead　of　trousers；　and　his　boots；　too；　were　plastered　up　with　mud　and　straw。　His　eyes　and　nose　were　black　with　dust。　He　recognized　Ivan　Ivanovitch　and　Burkin；　and　was　apparently　much　delighted　to　see　them。

〃Go　into　the　house；　gentlemen；〃　he　said；　smiling；　〃I'll　come　directly；　this　minute。〃

It　was　a　big　two…storeyed　house。　Alehin　lived　in　the　lower　storey；　with　arched　ceilings　and　little　windows；　where　the　bailiffs　had　once　lived；　here　everything　was　plain；　and　there　was　a　smell　of　rye　bread；　cheap　vodka；　and　harness。　He　went　upstairs　into　the　best　rooms　only　on　rare　occasions；　when　visitors　came。　Ivan　Ivanovitch　and　Burkin　were　met　in　the　house　by　a　maid…servant；　a　young　woman　so　beautiful　that　they　both　stood　still　and　looked　at　one　another。

〃You　can't　imagine　how　delighted　I　am　to　see　you；　my　friends；〃　said　Alehin；　going　into　the　hall　with　them。　〃It　is　a　surprise！　Pelagea；〃　he　said；　addressing　the　girl；　〃give　our　visitors　something　to　change　into。　And；　by　the　way；　I　will　change　too。　Only　I　must　first　go　and　wash；　for　I　almost　think　I　have　not　washed　since　spring。　Wouldn't　you　like　to　come　into　the　bath…house？　and　meanwhile　they　will　get　things　ready　here。〃

Beautiful　Pelagea；　looking　so　refined　and　soft；　brought　them　towels　and　soap；　and　Alehin　went　to　the　bath…house　with　his　guests。

〃It's　a　long　time　since　I　had　a　wash；〃　he　said；　undressing。　〃I　have　got　a　nice　bath…house；　as　you　see　　my　father　built　it　　but　I　somehow　never　have　time　to　wash。〃

He　sat　down　on　the　steps　and　soaped　his　long　hair　and　his　neck；　and　the　water　round　him　turned　brown。

〃Yes；　I　must　say；〃　said　Ivan　Ivanovitch　meaningly；　looking　at　his　head。

〃It's　a　long　time　since　I　washed　。　。　。〃　said　Alehin　with　embarrassment；　giving　himself　a　second　soaping；　and　the　water　near　him　turned　dark　blue；　like　ink。

Ivan　Ivanovitch　went　outside；　plunged　into　the　water　with　a　loud　splash；　and　swam　in　the　rain；　flinging　his　arms　out　wide。　He　stirred　the　water　into　waves　which　set　the　white　lilies　bobbing　up　and　down；　he　swam　to　the　very　middle　of　the　millpond　and　dived；　and　came　up　a　minute　later　in　another　place；　and　swam　on；　and　kept　on　diving；　trying　to　touch　the　bottom。

〃Oh；　my　goodness！〃　he　repeated　continually；　enjoying　himself　thoroughly。　〃Oh；　my　goodness！〃　He　swam　to　the　mill；　talked　to　the　peasants　there；　then　returned　and　lay　on　his　back　in　the　middle　of　the　pond；　turning　his　face　to　the　rain。　Burkin　and　Alehin　were　dressed　and　ready　to　go；　but　he　still　went　on　swimming　and　diving。　〃Oh；　my　goodness！　。　。　。〃　he　said。　〃Oh；　Lord；　have　mercy　on　me！　。　。　。〃

〃That's　enough！〃　Burkin　shouted　to　him。

They　went　back　to　the　house。　And　only　when　the　lamp　was　lighted　in　the　big　drawing…room　upstairs；　and　Burkin　and　Ivan　Ivanovitch；　attired　in　silk　dressing…gowns　and　warm　slippers；　were　sitting　in　arm…chairs；　and　Alehin；　washed　and　combed；　in　a　new　coat；　was　walking　about　the　drawing…room；　evidently　enjoying　the　feeling　of　warmth；　cleanliness；　dry　clothes；　and　light　shoes；　and　when　lovely　Pelagea；　stepping　noiselessly　on　the　carpet　and　smiling　softly；　handed　tea　and　jam　on　a　tray　　only　then　Ivan　Ivanovitch　began　on　his　story；　and　it　seemed　as　though　not　only　Burkin　and　Alehin　were　listening；　but　also　the　ladies；　young　and　old；　and　the　officers　who　looked　down　upon　them　sternly　and　calmly　from　their　gold　frames。

〃There　are　two　of　us　brothers；〃　he　began　〃I；　Ivan　Ivanovitch；　and　my　brother；　Nikolay　Ivanovitch；　two　years　younger。　I　went　in　for　a　learned　profession　and　became　a　veterinary　surgeon；　while　Nikolay　sat　in　a　government　office　from　the　time　he　was　nineteen。　Our　father；　Tchimsha…Himalaisky；　was　a　kantonist；　but　he　rose　to　be　an　officer　and　left　us　a　little　estate　and　the　rank　of　nobility。　After　his　death　the　little　estate　went　in　debts　and　legal　expenses；　but；　anyway；　we　had　spent　our　childhood　running　wild　in　the　country。　Like　peasant　children；　we　passed　our　days　and　nights　in　the　fields　and　the　woods；　looked　after　horses；　stripped　the　bark　off　the　trees；　fished；　and　so　on。　。　。　。　And；　you　know；　whoever　has　once　in　his　life　caught　perch　or　has　seen　the　migrating　of　the　thrushes　in　autumn；　watched　how　they　float　in　flocks　over　the　village　on　bright；　cool　days；　he　will　never　be　a　real　townsman；　and　will　have　a　yearning　for　freedom　to　the　day　of　his　death。　My　brother　was　miserable　in　the　government　office。　Years　passed　by；　and　he　went　on　sitting　in　the　same　place；　went　on　writing　the　same　papers　and　thinking　of　one　and　the　same　thing　　how　to　get　into　the　country。　And　this　yearning　by　degrees　passed　into　a　definite　desire；　into　a　dream　of　buying　himself　a　little　farm　somewhere　on　the　banks　of　a　river　or　a　lake。

〃He　was　a　gentle；　good…natured　fellow；　and　I　was　fond　of　him；　but　I　never　sympathized　with　this　desire　to　shut　himself　up　for　the　rest　of　his　life　in　a　little　farm　of　his　own。　It's　the　correct　thing　to　say　that　a　man　needs　no　more　than　six　feet　of　earth。　But　six　feet　is　what　a　corpse　needs；　not　a　man。　And　they　say；　too；　now；　that　if　our　intellectual　classes　are　attracted　to　the　land　and　yearn　for　a　farm；　it's　a　good　thing。　But　these　farms　are　just　the　same　as　six　feet　of　earth。　To　retreat　from　town；　from　the　struggle；　from　the　bustle　of　life；　to　retreat　and　bury　oneself　in　one's　farm　　it's　not　life；　it's　egoism；　laziness；　it's　monasticism　of　a　sort；　but　monasticism　without　good　works。　A　man　does　not　need　six　feet　of　earth　or　a　farm；　but　the　whole　globe；　all　nature；　where　he　can　have　room　to　display　all　the　qualities　and　peculiarities　of　his　free　spirit。

〃My　brother　Nikolay；　sitting　in　his　government　office；　dreamed　of　how　he　would　eat　his　own　cabbages；　which　would　fill　the　whole　yard　with　such　a　savoury　smell；　take　his　meals　on　the　green　grass；　sleep　in　the　sun；　sit　for　whole　hours　on　the　seat　by　the　gate　gazing　at　the　fields　and　the　forest。　Gardening　books　and　the　agricultural　hints　in　calendars　were　his　delight；　his　favourite　spiritual　sustenance；　he　enjoyed　reading　newspapers；　too；　but　the　only　things　he　read　in　them　were　the　advertisements　of　so　many　acres　of　arable　land　and　a　grass　meadow　with　farm…houses　and　buildings；　a　river；　a　garden；　a　mill　and　millponds；　for　sale。　And　his　imagination　pictured　the　garden…paths；　flowers　and　fruit；　starling　cotes；　the　carp　in　the　pond；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing；　you　know。　These　imaginary　pictures　were　of　different　kinds　according　to　the　advertisements　which　he　came　across；　but　for　some　reason　in　every　one　of　them　he　had　always　to　have　gooseberries。　He　could　not　imagine　a　homestead；　he　could　not　picture　an　idyllic　nook；　without　gooseberries。

〃　'Country　life　has　its　conveniences；'　he　would　sometimes　say。　'You　sit　on　the　verandah　and　you　drink　tea；　while　your　ducks　swim　on　the　pond；　there　is　a　delicious　smell　everywhere；　and　。　。　。　and　the　gooseberries　are　growing。'

〃He　used　to　draw　a　map　of　his　property；　and　in　every　map　there　were　the　same　things　　（a）　house　for　the　family；　（b）　servants'　quarters；　（c）　kitchen…ga　rden；　（d）　gooseberry…bushes。　He　liv