the man who was afraid- 第6部分

〃Anfisa！　May　I　see　my　son；　with　one　eye？〃　Foma　knew　that　Anfisa　would　not　let　him　in；　and　he　again　fell　asleep　in　spite　of　the　noise　of　their　voices。　But　when　Ignat　came　home　intoxicated　during　the　day　he　immediately　seized　his　son　with　his　enormous　paws　and　carried　him　about　the　rooms；　asking　him　with　an　intoxicated；　happy　laughter：

〃Fomka！　What　do　you　wish？　Speak！　Presents？　Playthings？　Ask！　Because　you　must　know　there's　nothing　in　this　world　that　I　wouldn't　buy　for　you。　I　have　a　million！　Ha；　ha；　ha！　And　I'll　have　still　more！　Understand？　All's　yours！　Ha；　ha！〃

And　suddenly　his　enthusiasm　was　extinguished　like　a　candle　put　out　by　a　violent　puff　of　the　wind。　His　flushed　face　began　to　shake；　his　eyes；　burning　red；　filled　with　tears；　and　his　lips　expanded　into　a　sad　and　frightened　smile。

〃Anfisa；　in　case　he　should　die；　what　am　I　to　do　then？〃

And　immediately　after　these　words　he　was　seized　with　fury。

〃I'd　burn　everything！〃　he　roared；　staring　wildly　into　some　dark　corner　of　the　room。　〃I'd　destroy　everything！　I'd　blow　it　up　with　dynamite！〃

〃Enough；　you　ugly　brute！　Do　you　wish　to　frighten　the　child？　Or　do　you　want　him　to　take　sick？〃　interposed　Anfisa；　and　that　was　sufficient　for　Ignat　to　rush　off　hastily；　muttering：

〃Well；　well；　well！　I　am　going；　I　am　going；　but　don't　cry！　Don't　make　any　noise。　Don't　frighten　him。〃

And　when　Foma　was　somewhat　sick；　his　father；　casting　everything　aside；　did　not　leave　the　house　for　a　moment；　but　bothered　his　sister　and　his　son　with　stupid　questions　and　advice；　gloomy；　sighing；　and　with　fear　in　his　eyes；　he　walked　about　the　house　quite　out　of　sorts。

〃Why　do　you　vex　the　Lord？〃　said　Anfisa。　〃Beware；　your　grumblings　will　reach　Him；　and　He　will　punish　you　for　your　complaints　against　His　graces。〃

〃Eh；　sister！〃　sighed　Ignat。　〃And　if　it　should　happen？　My　entire　life　is　crumbling　away！　Wherefore　have　I　lived？　No　one　knows。〃

Similar　scenes　and　the　striking　transitions　of　his　father　from　one　mood　to　another　frightened　the　child　at　first；　but　he　soon　became　accustomed　to　all　this；　and　when　he　noticed　through　the　window　that　his　father；　on　coming　home；　was　hardly　able　to　get　out　of　the　sledge；　Foma　said　indifferently：

〃Auntie；　papa　came　home　drunk　again。〃

。。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。

Spring　came；　and；　fulfilling　his　promise；　Ignat　took　his　son　along　on　one　of　his　steamers；　and　here　a　new　life；　abounding　in　impressions；　was　opened　before　Foma's　eyes。

The　beautiful　and　mighty　〃Yermak；〃　Gordyeeff's　steam　tow…boat；　was　rapidly　floating　down　the　current；　and　on　each　side　the　shores　of　the　powerful　and　beautiful　Volga　were　slowly　moving　past　himthe　left　side；　all　bathed　in　sunshine；　stretching　itself　to　the　very　end　of　the　sky　like　a　pompous　carpet　of　verdure；　the　right　shore；　its　high　banks　overgrown　with　woods；　swung　skyward；　sinking　in　stern　repose。

The　broad…bosomed　river　stretched　itself　majestically　between　the　shores；　noiselessly；　solemnly　and　slowly　flowed　its　waters；　conscious　of　their　invincible　power；　the　mountainous　shore　is　reflected　in　the　water　in　a　black　shadow；　while　on　the　left　side　it　is　adorned　with　gold　and　with　verdant　velvet　by　a　border　of　sand　and　the　wide　meadows。　Here　and　there　villages　appear　on　mountain　and　on　meadow；　the　sun　shines　bright　on　the　window…panes　of　the　huts　and　on　the　yellow　roofs　of　straw；　the　church　crosses　sparkle　amid　the　verdure　of　the　trees；　gray　wind…mill　wings　revolve　lazily　in　the　air；　smoke　from　the　factory　chimney　rises　skyward　in　thick；　black　curling　clouds。　Crowds　of　children　in　blue；　red　or　white　shirts；　standing　on　the　banks；　shouted　loudly　at　the　sight　of　the　steamer；　which　had　disturbed　the　quiet　of　the　river；　and　from　under　the　steamer's　wheels　the　cheerful　waves　are　rushing　toward　the　feet　of　the　children　and　splash　against　the　bank。　Now　a　crowd　of　children；　seated　in　a　boat；　rowed　toward　the　middle　of　the　river　to　rock　there　on　the　waves　as　in　a　cradle。　Trees　stood　out　above　the　water；　sometimes　many　of　them　are　drowned　in　the　overflow　of　the　banks；　and　these　stand　in　the　water　like　islands。　From　the　shore　a　melancholy　song　is　heard：

〃Oh；　o…o…o；　once　more！〃

The　steamer　passes　many　rafts；　splashing　them　with　waves。　The　beams　are　in　continual　motion　under　the　blows　of　the　waves；　the　men　on　the　rafts　in　blue　shirts；　staggering；　look　at　the　steamer　and　laugh　and　shout　something。　The　big；　beautiful　vessel　goes　sidewise　on　the　river；　the　yellow　scantlings　with　which　it　is　loaded　sparkle　like　gold　and　are　dimly　reflected　in　the　muddy；　vernal　water。　A　passenger　steamer　comes　from　the　opposite　side　and　whistlesthe　resounding　echo　of　the　whistle　loses　itself　in　the　woods；　in　the　gorges　of　the　mountainous　bank；　and　dies　away　there。　In　the　middle　of　the　river　the　waves　stirred　up　by　the　two　vessels　strike　against　one　another　and　splash　against　the　steamers'　sides；　and　the　vessels　are　rocked　upon　the　water。　On　the　slope　of　the　mountainous　bank　are　verdant　carpets　of　winter　corn；　brown　strips　of　fallow　ground　and　black　strips　of　ground　tilled　for　spring　corn。　Birds；　like　little　dots；　soar　over　them；　and　are　clearly　seen　in　the　blue　canopy　of　the　sky；　nearby　a　flock　is　grazing；　in　the　distance　they　look　like　children's　toys；　the　small　figure　of　the　shepherd　stands　leaning　on　a　staff；　and　looks　at　the　river。

The　glare　of　the　water　freedom　and　liberty　are　everywhere；　the　meadows　are　cheerfully　verdant　and　the　blue　sky　is　tenderly　clear；　a　restrained　power　is　felt　in　the　quiet　motion　of　the　water；　above　it　the　generous　May　sun　is　shining；　the　air　is　filled　with　the　exquisite　odour　of　fir　trees　and　of　fresh　foliage。　And　the　banks　keep　on　meeting　them；　caressing　the　eyes　and　the　soul　with　their　beauty；　as　new　pictures　constantly　unfold　themselves。

Everything　surrounding　them　bears　the　stamp　of　some　kind　of　tardiness：　allnature　as　well　as　menlive　there　clumsily；　lazily；　but　in　that　laziness　there　is　an　odd　gracefulness；　and　it　seems　as　though　beyond　the　laziness　a　colossal　power　were　concealed；　an　invincible　power；　but　as　yet　deprived　of　consciousness；　as　yet　without　any　definite　desires　and　aims。　And　the　absence　of　consciousness　in　this　half…slumbering　life　throws　shades　of　sadness　over　all　the　beautiful　slope。　Submissive　patience；　silent　hope　for　something　new　and　more　inspiriting　are　heard　even　in　the　cry　of　the　cuckoo；　wafted　to　the　river　by　the　wind　from　the　shore。　The　melancholy　songs　sound　as　though　imploring　someone　for　help。　And　at　times　there　is　in　them　a　ring　of　despair。　The　river　answers　the　songs　with　sighs。　And　the　tree…　tops　shake；　lost　in　meditation。　Silence。

Foma　spent　all　day　long　on　the　captain's　bridge　beside　his　father。　Without　uttering　a　word；　he　stared　wide…eyed　at　the　endless　panorama　of　the　banks；　and　it　seemed　to　him　he　was　moving　along　a　broad　silver　path　in　those　wonderful　kingdoms　inhabited　by　the　sorcerers　and　giants　of　his　familiar　fairy…tales。　At　times　he　would　load　his　father　with　questions　about　everything　that　passed　before　them。　Ignat　answered　him　willingly　and　concisely；　but　the　boy　was　not　pleased　with　his　answers；　they　contained　nothing　interesting　and　intelligible　to　him；　and　he　did　not　hear　what　he　longed　to　hear。　Once　he　told　his　father　with　a　sigh：

〃Auntie　Anfisa　knows　better　than　you。〃

〃What　does　she　know？〃　asked　Ignat；　smiling。

〃Everything；〃　replied　the　boy；　convincedly。

No　wonderful　kingdom　appeared　before　him。　But　often　cities　appeared　on　the　banks　of　the　river；　just　such　cities　as　the　one　where　Foma　lived。　Some　of　them　were　larger；　some　smaller；　but　the　people；　and　the　houses；　and　the　churchesall　were　the　same　as　in　his　own　city。　Foma　examined　them　in　company　with　his　father；　but　was　still　unsatisfied　and　returned　to　the　steamer　gloomy　and　fatigued。

〃Tomorrow　we　shall　be　in　Astrakhan；〃　said　Ignat　one　day。

〃And　is　it　just　the　same　as　the　other　cities？〃

〃Of　course。　How　else　should　it　be？〃

〃And　what　is　beyond　Astrakhan？〃

〃The　sea。　The　Caspian　Sea　it　is　called。〃

〃And　what　is　there？〃

〃Fishes；　queer　fellow！　What　else　can　there　be　in　the　water？〃

〃There's　the　city　Kitezh　standing　in　the　water。〃

〃That's　a　different　thing！　That's　Kitezh。　Only　righteous　people　live　there。〃

〃And　are　there　no　righteous　cities　on　the　sea？〃

No；〃　said　Ignat；　and；　after　a　moment's　silence；　added：　〃The　sea　water　is　bitter　and　nobody　can　drink　it。〃

〃And　is　there　more　land　beyond　the　sea？〃

〃Certainly；　the　sea　must　have　an　end。　It　is　like　a　cup。〃

〃And　are　there　cities　there　too？〃

〃Again　cities。　Of　course！　Only　that　land　is　not　ours；　it　belongs　to　Persia。　Did　you　see　the　Persians　selling　pistachio…nuts　and　apricots　in　the　market？〃

〃Yes；　I　saw　them；〃　replied　Foma；　and　became　pensive。

One　day　he　asked　his　father：

〃Is　there　much　more　land　left？〃

〃The　earth　is　very　big；　my　dear！　If　you　should　go　on　foot；　you　couldn't　go　around　it　even　in　ten　years。〃

Ignat　talked　for　a　long　time　with　his　son　about　the　size　of　the　earth；　and　said　at　length：

〃And　yet　no　one　knows　for　certain　how　big　it　really　is；　nor　where　it　ends。〃

〃And　is　everything　alike　on　earth？〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃The　cities　and　all？〃

〃Well；　of　course；　the　cities　are　like　cities。　There　are　houses；　streetsand　everything　that　is　necessary。〃

After　many　similar　conversations　the　boy　no　longer　stared　so　often　into　the　distance　with　the　interrogative　look　of　his　black　eyes。

The　crew　of　the　steamer　loved　him；　and　he；　too；　loved　those　fine；　sun…burnt　and　weather…beaten　fellows；　who　laughingly　played　with　him。　They　made　fishing　tackles　for　him；　and　little　boats　out　of　bark；　played　with　him　and　rowed　him　about　the　anchoring　place；　when　Ignat　went　to　town　on　business。　The　boy　often　heard　the　men　talking　about　his　father；　but　he　paid　no　attention　to　what　they　said；　and　never　told　his　father　what　he　heard　about　him。　But　one　day；　in　Astrakhan；　while　the　steamer　was　taking　in　a　cargo　of　fuel；　Foma　heard　the　voice　of　Petrovich；　the　machinist：

〃He　ordered　such　a　lot　of　wood　to　be　taken　in。　What　an　absurd　man！　First　he　loads　the　steamer　up　to　the　very　deck；　and　then　he　roars。　'You　break　the　machinery　too　often；'　he　says。　'You　pour　oil；'　he　says；　'at　random。'〃

The　voice　of　the　gray　and　stern　pilot　replied：

〃It's　all　his　exorbitant　greediness。　Fuel　is　cheaper　here；　s