A Reckless Character And Other Stories

VI

thousand versts round about

one little cloud in it, which is half floating, half melting

wallows dart past in silence; the horses neigh and munch, th

whiff of tan,-and another of leather.-The hemp-patches, also,

bottom. Through the ravine runs a brook; on its bottom tiny pebbles seem to tremble athwart its pellucid rippl

over each tiny porch is an openwork iron horse's head with a stiff mane.[69] The uneven window-panes sparkle with the hues of the rainbow. Jugs holding bouquets are painted on the shutters. In front of each cottage stands seda

ch is fragrant to the point of inducing faintness. The sagacious householders have spread out the hay in front of their c

hens are searching in the hay for gnats and small beetles; a wh

borders, are bandying lively remarks as they stand with their breast

laughs, partly at their words, and partly at t

dripping bucket from the well.... The bucket trembles

sewife in a new-checked petticoat

arthy neck; her grey hair is bound about with a yellow k

face smiles. The old woman must be in her seventh decade ...

cellar; the sides of the pot are covered with dewdrops, like small pearl beads. On the palm of her left hand the old woman of

flaps his wings; an imprisoned

the voice of my coachma

e, plenty! O free village! O

the dome of Saint Sophia in Constantinople, and all the

ary,

NVER

s human foot

r the Fins

hole chain of steep cliffs....

el frost; firm, sparkling snow; from beneath the sno

ft, one on each side of the horizon:

o its neighbour: "What

tter.-What is goi

nute. And the Finsteraarhorn rumbles in re

years elapse, as i

ow?" inquires

blue; the forests are black; heaps of stones piled up shine grey. Around them small beetles are still b

en

s,

ars pass, as it

at now?" asks

Finsteraarhorn. "Things have become clearer down below; th

years pass, as i

ou see?" says

replies the Finsteraarhorn; "well, and yonder, far away, in

au, after other thousands of y

re, quite white, wherever one looks.... Everywhere is our snow, lev

hou and I have chattered enough,

is t

en, clear heaven slumbers over the

ary,

OLD

cross a spaciou

ht, cautious footsteps behind my b

loped in grey rags. The old woman's face was visible from b

p to her...

hou want? Art thou a begga

eyes were veiled with a semi-transparent, whitish membrane or film, such as s

id not move and reveal the pupils ... f

thou following me?"-But, as before, the old woman did

om her and

same light, measured footsteps whic

tally added: "Probably, owing to her blindness, she has lost her way, and now she is guiding herself by the

me as though that old woman were not only following me, but were guiding me,-that she was

y road, something looms up black and expands ... some sort of pit....

ith large, evil eyes which bode me ill ... the eyes of a bird of prey.... I bend down to her

ld woman is my Fate-that F

madness.... I must make an effort." And I

as before, rustle behind me, close, close behin

again there is the same rustling behind

I dart, like a hare pursued ...

will not go anywhere at all!"-and I

wo paces distant.-I do not hear h

h had loomed black in the distance,

man is looking straight at me, and her t

nst not

ary,

E

m, my dog and I.... A frightfu

front of me, and gazin

looking him stra

me. He is dumb, he has no words, he does

the same feeling, that there is no difference whatever between us. We are ex

upon us, it is waving i

is is t

precisely what sort of fla

nimal and a man ex

eyes exactly alike

al and in the man, one and the same lif

ary,

RI

vice or in love; but our views did not agree on any point

out the life of earth and matters beyond t

ughest at everything; but if I die before thee, I will appear to the

while he was still young in years; but years pas

, and could not get to sleep

k in the room; I began to st

standing between the two windows, and nodding

ly in bed, and propping myself on my elbow, I began to gaze with redoub

ontinued to

oach?... Or dost thou wish to give me to understand that thou wert in the wrong? That we were both in t

nd only went on nodding his head sadly and

laughing ...

ary,

BEGG

treet when a beggar, a de

ng rags, unclean sores.... Oh, how horrib

, bloated, dirty hand.... He

ther purse, nor watch, nor even handkerchief

.. and extended his hand, whi

shook that dirty, trem

rother; I have n

upon me; his blue lips smiled-and in

d. "Thanks for this also, brothe

had received an al

ary,

E JUDGMENT OF THE D

Thou hast always spoken the truth, thou great wr

er of the crowd."... Who is there that has

ne; and whosoever hath the s

stly.... And honest souls turn squeamishly away from him; honest faces flush with indignation at his name. "Depart! Begone!" honest young voices shou

toil, make no effort to defend himself-

in place of bread, the daily food of the poor man.... They snatched the precious g

and do not even know the

to them? He, although he be name

at what we offer may

mouths of people whom one loves..

said the Athenian chiefta

hy and full fed!" is

ary,

ONTEN

ovements are cheerful, alert; his eyes are beaming, his lips are smiling,

? Or, simply, has he breakfasted well, and is it a sensation of health, a sensation of full-fed strength which is leapin

ssiduously disseminated it, he has heard it-that same calumny-fr

ven at this moment is that ni

ary,

ULE O

d an old swindler to me, "reproach him with the very defect or vice of wh

kes other people think that

even be sincere.... You may profit by

enegade, reproach your advers

him with reproof that he is a lackey ... the l

he lackey of non-lac

also," chimed i

ary,

D OF T

DR

somewhere in Russia, in the wi

paint; there is no furniture. In front of the house is a bare plain; gradually descen

plainly clad; they are pacing up and down in silence, as though by stealth. T

. On all faces there is disquiet and melancholy ... all, in turn, approach the wi

eams in a shrill, monotonous voice: "Daddy, I'm afraid!"-This shrill cry makes me sick at heart-and I also begin to be

ld only get away from here! How stifling it is! H

oud. And there is no w

to scream with the same plaintive voice as

ouse is standing on the crest of a frightful mountain!-The horizon has fallen, has gone

Horror freezes our hearts.-"There it is

e earth something has begun to stir, some smal

ame moment.-"It will drown us all directly.... Onl

er separate hillocks which are tumbling in the distance.... A

outer darkness. Everything round about has begun to quiver,-and yonder, in that onco

howling! It is the eart

of it! The end

mrades, but we, all of us, were already crushed, buried, drow

.. eternal

or breath

h, 1

A

ago,-whenever I had occasion to hire a publi

ave come to town with their ochre-tinted little sledges and miserable little nags in the hope

he had blue eyes and rosy cheeks; his red-gold hair curled in rings beneath a wretched little patched cap, which was pulled

ome, beardless face se

n with him. Sadness was di

ed him.-"Why art not thou ch

w did not reply

.-"And such a grief that it would be bett

love her .

d toward me; only he b

rget. It is eating away my heart ... so it is! And why must she di

of a good d

y to the village, home. It was already after midnight when I arrived. I entered my cottage, stopped short in the middle of it, and said so softly: 'Masha! hey, Masha!' Only a cricket shrilled.-Then

s out of his hands, he squeezed a tear out of his eye with his mitten, shook it

w obeisance, grasping his cap in both hands, and drove off at a foot-pace over th

l, 1

E

me a fool live

rumours began to reach him to the effect that he b

fret over the question how he was to

rk little brain.... And without the sl

od gracious!" exclaimed the fool, "that artist was relegated to the archives long ago

ightened, and immediate

read to-day!" said anot

lf? That book is good for nothing; everybody dropped it in dis

also was frightened an

!" said a third acquaintance to the foo

N. N. is a scoundrel! He has robbed all his relatives. Who

ol, and renounced his friend. And whosoever or whatsoever was

oachfully: "And do you still

!" his acquaintances began to say

tongue!" a

; he is

r proposing to the fool that he should

nd everybody, without making the slightest c

uthorities, is an authority himself,-an

rally speaking-to worship ... yet in this case, if one does not do it

eer for fools

l, 1

ENTAL

know the great Giaffar,

as still a young man, Giaffar was

ear a hoarse cry: some one wa

own age for his good sense and prudence; but he had a

a decrepit old man pinned against the wall of

l upon the malefactors. One he

nimity shall not remain unrewarded. In appearance I am a beggar; but only in appearance. I am not a common man.-Come to-morrow morni

true; but all sorts of things happen. Why should not I try t

ed him in the ey

et out for the bazaar. The old man was already waiting for hi

d and led him to a small garden, su

rden, on a green lawn, grew a

ess; only its folia

of medium size was oblong in shape, of a milky-white hue; another was l

wind. It tinkled delicately and plaintively, as though it w

se than all men; if thou shalt pluck and eat the red one, thou shalt become as rich as the Hebrew Rothschild; if thou shalt pluck and eat the yellow one,

ng with himself.-"If one becomes too wise, he will not wish to live, probably; if he becomes richer

e good part!-What use hast thou for the white apple? Thou art wiser than Solomon as thou art.-And neither do

ith a start, "where the respected mot

e earth, and pointed ou

he sun of the universe, the g

l, 1

R-LINE

poetry that if several weeks passed and no beautiful new verses had made

ir heads, and gathering in throngs on the public squares, they shed te

nius, presented himself on the square, fille

ally-constructed tribune and made a

their staves. "Silence! Attention

n Junius, in a loud, but

rades! Ye lov

l that is grac

n by a moment o

instant will co

erse the

to him, from all points of the square,

gnation, all eyes flashed with wrath, all hands

ay from the tribune with the talentless rhymster! Away with the fool! Hurl ro

ad succeeded in fleeing to his own house, outbursts of raptu

etected (for it is dangerous to irritate an enr

t did h

aring: "Glory! Glory! Glory to the immortal Julius! He hath comforted us in our grief, in our great woe! He hath given us verses sweeter than honey, more melodious than the cymbals, more fragrant than the rose, m

With what verses hath Julius made you happy?-Alas, I was not on the square

d the man interrogated.-"For whom dost thou take

es!'-thus began th

f verses! Com

hat is graceful,

wn by a moment

will come-and day will

thou thin

ve been in the crowd when I recited them; he heard and repeated them, ba

r envious or a fool!... Only consider just one thing, unhappy man! Julius says in such lofty style: 'And day will chase away th

and the same thing...."

rupted him, "and I will shout to the p

ho had overheard his conversation with the citizen, stepped u

n said his at the right time.-consequently, he is in the right, whi

eaming with purple, darkling with laurel athwart the undulating streams of abundant incense, with majestic leisureliness, like an emperor marching to his empire, the proudly-erect figure of Julius moved forward with easy grace ... and long b

l, 1

SP

king along one of the alleys in the garde

d began to crawl stealthily along

nd down on its head. It had fallen from the nest (the wind was rocking the trees of the a

sted sparrow fell like a stone in front of my dog's very muzzle-and, with plumage all ruffled, contorted, with

... but the whole of its tiny body was throbbing with fear, its vo

it could not have remained perched on its lofty, secure boug

retreated.... Evidently

he discomfited hound, an

ential before that tiny, heroic

death.-Only by it, only by love,

l, 1

SK

uminated ball-room; a multit

in progress about a well-known songstress. The people are lauding her as div

l the faces, a thin shell of skin flew off, and instantly there was revealed t

bony spheres turning this way and that, as they gleamed in the light of the lamps an

as before.... And with the same clatter as before, the brisk tongues, flashing like red rags from behind the grinning teeth

l, 1

R AND THE

NVER

TO

What dost thou want? Th

a

AZY M

of you,

TO

look at my hands. Dost thou see how dirty they are? And they stink of

AN-offerin

el

R-smellin

seem to give off

LAZY

ast six years I have

TO

t was t

LAZY

you, the coarse, uneducated people; I rebelled against your

TO

son? It served you

ears

ILER TO ANO

of those white-handed lazy men was t

THER

er.... W

T TO

o-day, I hear; that's the o

ND T

ept on r

T TO

h

ND T

a bit of that rope with which they are going to hang him?

T TO

t that. We must tr

l, 1

E

August.... Autumn

without thunder and without lightning, ha

ed and smoked, all flooded with the h

om and staring with stubborn thoughtfulness

r a brief though anguished conflict, she would that same in

ed out briskly into the

.. then another;

, I bent my steps to the alley down whic

escended. But on the damp sand of the path, gleaming scarl

-budded rose. Two hours before I ha

in the mire, and returning to the drawing-room,

ng the whole length of the room with her lig

merry confusion, her lowered eyes, which seemed to

at its crumpled petals, glanced at me-and her eye

u weeping ab

his rose. Look what

into my head to displa

y the mire," I said with

ied, and, turning toward the fireplace, she

exclaimed, not without audacity,-and her beautiful eyes

at she had been

l, 1

Y OF J.

ouse which had been hastily converted into a field military hospital in a ruine

om she had nursed as long as she could keep on her feet rose by turns from their infected la

The ladies envied her, the men courted her ... two or three men loved her secretly

other. Every other happiness passed her by. But she had long since become reconciled to that, and all flaming with the fire of inextinguishable faith, she dedicated herself to t

acrifice has been made

"thank you" even to her corpse, although she

ed by this tardy blossom, which

mber,

AST M

ends.... But there came an evil

the town where he lived I learned that h

tered his chamber..

him. O God! How dise

e lightest garment. Abruptly he extended to me his frightfully-thin hand, which looked as though it had been gnawed away, with an effort whispered several incomprehensible wo

e him, and involuntarily dropping my eyes in the presen

hat it was not his ha

t, white woman. A long veil enveloped her from head to foot. Her dee

ur hands.... She re

Death who had r

l, 1

VI

w ... in the morning, early in

n; but the dark, warm night was al

nd silent ... but one could scent the approach of the awakening, and

h the open window, flew a large b

ird: it was a tiny, winged woman, clad in a long,

ke a rose bursting into blossom; a garland of lilies-of-the-valley confined the scattered curls of her small, round head

was laughing; laughing also were her huge, black, luminous eyes. The

lower-"Imperial sceptre"[72] the Russian folk c

ove me she touched my

d already fluttered through the wi

e-dove greeted her with its first cooing; and at the spot whe

y! Thou hast visited me by acciden

n! Only for an instant can ye gleam before m

, 1

TAS-VIS

S-RE

ive gaze is walking along with great strides, and pushing b

scles of a Hercules, and a tiny head on a bull-like neck-a

ed countenance expresses impatience and hardihood.... She does not wish to obey, she does not wish to a

as-Vis-L

es may inte

, 1

L

on the broad, much-travelled road

umbling, trod heavily and feebly, exactly as though they belonged to some one else; his

ropped his elbows on his knees, covered his face with both hands, an

remembe

, friends and enemies.... And lo! now he had not a crust of bread, and every one had abandoned him, his friends even more promp

ripped and dripped, m

and beheld in front of him a stranger: a face calm and dignified, but n

n voice made itself heard.... "But surely tho

ed the old man, with a sigh

thee," pursued the stranger, "thou wouldst have had no one to whom to show

no reply, and f

r again. "Go, stretch out thy hand, afford to other good people

t the stranger had already vanished,-but far aw

d out his hand.-The wayfarer turned away

her, and this one gave t

given him, and sweet did the bit which he had begged seem to him, and there wa

, 1

IN

us were sitting in a lar

e were all talking about some very unfamilia

t three inches and a half long, flew into the room

e of the same colour; it had extended, shaggy claws and a big, angular head, like t

again alighted, again began to move in terrifying and repulsive manner, without stirring from the spot. It evoked in all of us disgust, alarm, even terror.... None of us had ever seen anything of the sort; we all cr

-He shrugged his shoulders, he smiled, he positively could not understand what had happened to us a

the air, and swooping down upon his head, stung him on the brow, a lit

away.... Only then did we divine

, 1

AGE-

n died-a young fellow aged twenty

ing of the peasant-woman's affliction, went t

nd her

[73] cabbage-soup from the bottom of a smoke-begrimed pot, in a leisurely way, with her

yes were red and swollen ... but she carried hers

can eat at such a moment ... bu

few years before, she had refused, out of grief, to hire a very beautiful villa in the vicinity of Peter

cious!-I am amazed! Is it possible that thou didst not love thy son? How is i

own her sunken cheeks,-"and, of course, my own end has come also: my head has been taken awa

ugged her shoulders and went

, 1

ZURE

light, youth, and happiness! I

ated boat. Like the breast of a swan the white

ut with all my being I felt that they we

overed with a fine rippling of golden scales, and over-head an equally shoreless azur

here arose laughter, ringing and j

d with inspired power ... so that it seemed as though the very sky resounded in reply to th

opelled by the breeze; it was ruled by our own sportive hearts. Whithersoever

. Intoxicating perfumes were wafted from the surrounding shores; some of these islands pelted us with a rain of w

and roses melted in the pearly foam, which

d to hear women's voices in them.... And everything round about,-the sky, the sea, the bellying of

t another moment and lo! her eyes would beam forth, her smile would blossom out...

have beheld the

e,

RICH

nues allots whole thousands for the education of children, the cur

a poverty-stricken peasant's family which received an or

ll spend our last kopéks on her, and there will be

unsalted porridge," replied

long way behind

y,

OL

tressing days

age. Everything which thou hast loved, to which thou hast surrendered thyself i

Lament? Thou wilt help neither t

liage is smaller, more scanty-but

t the very bottom of thy concentrated soul, thy previous life, accessible to thee alone, will shine f

.. do not look ah

y,

ORRES

itting at a table

Plaintive moans, violent oaths, outbursts

ed one of the friends, after havin

re, no matter who it is, such chastisement without tr

a murderer who

n? Never mind, let us go, let

t a thief

ontractor, a Russian M?cenas, a lawyer, a well-intentioned editor,

re thrashing a

see here now, let's drin

y,

BROT

a vis

d themselves before

had any garments on their naked bodies, and from

youth smiles like one who has authority,-confidently and lazily; a sumptuous garland of flowers rests lightly on his shining hair, almost touching his velvet eyebrows. The spotted skin of a leopard, pinned with a golden dart, hangs lightly from his plump shoulders down upon his cur

e, round, pale grey in colour ... his gaze is uneasy and strangely bright. All his features are sharp-cut: his mouth is small, half open, w

ot express any compassion either. Around the head of the second are fastened a few empty, broken ears of grain intertwined with withered

ared to be insep

of grapes on the harsh collar-bone of the second; the slender, bony hand of the second, wit

oice. This is w

er--own brothers, the two fundam

purpose of obtaining food; and eats,

essary that life should not cease,-one's own life and th

st,

EG

ch was requisite to make hi

life he had remained rich and healthy; he had never committed a single crime; he had n

consciousness of his honesty, he crushed every o

tal ... and he exacted u

good deed which was not prescribed;-and he was pitiless, and

wn very exemplary self, and he was genuinely indignan

d upbraided and persecuted egoists and egoism more than anything

eakness in any one else. Altogether, he did not understand anybody or anything, for he

iveness. He never had had occasion to forgive

d, he, that marvel, that monster of virtue, rolled up his eyes, and

nothing quivered even then in his stony hear

eaply-acquired virtue-thou art almost more repu

ber,

EME BEIN

it into his head to give a gr

uests. Only the virtues ... he

agreeable and courteous than the great ones; but all seemed well pleased,

ry beautiful ladies who, apparently, wer

ese ladies by the hand

said he, pointi

added, pointin

ever since the world has existed-and it has e

ber,

SP

below, creaking sand ... sand without end

ove this sea of dead du

hinx rears

up-turned nostrils, and those eyes, those long, half-sleepy, half-watc

to say something! Th

he riddle and underst

ith its white teeth, the soft moustache and curling beard,-and those small eyes set far apart ... and on the head the cap of hair furrowed with a parting.... Why, it

h to say something? Y

hi

found eyes-speak also.... And their s

is thine

ent to don a cap to be

f All th

ber,

MP

verdant forest clothed them from summit to base. The southern sky hung transparently blue above

ut how, in the first century after the birth of Chr

the head of the helmsman, some one uttered distinctly: "When thou sh

ned. But when the ship ran past the isl

th of the shore (for the island was uninhabited), there resounded loud s

a strange thought flashed across my br

ould not think of death, and with all the force at my

stled youthful voices.-Everything there in front of me suddenly broke into laughter more brilliant than the sun on high, more sportive than the brooks which were babbling beneath the grass. The hurried tramp of light foot

Curls fluttered on divine heads, graceful arms uplifted garlands and cymbals,

the rest;-on her shoulders is a quiver; in her hands is a bow; u

is it

I saw how the face of the goddess, suddenly rendered dumb, became covered with a deathly pallor; I saw how her feet grew petrified, how inexpr

irection in which

olden cross was blazing like a spark of fire on the white belfry of

ained.... The broad forest gleamed green as before, and only in spots, athwart the close network of the branches, could tufts of something w

etted the vani

ber,

AND

out of prison and started to run at a headlong pace

ight.... His pursuers

th steep banks,-a narrow, but deep riv

ve had already set foot upon it.... But it so happened that just at this poi

f his voice:-"Good heavens! What art thou doing? Come to thy senses, thou madman! Dost thou not see t

earest thou the pursuit?" groaned in desperation

ealous friend, snatching the plank from beneath the feet of the fugitive.-The

way; but the friend sat down on the shore and beg

He would not heed me!"

all his life in that frightful prison! At all events, he is not suff

pity, from a hum

ued to sob inconsolably

ber,

RI

ow-ceiled country church.-Slender wax tapers burned

ny flame.-It was dark and dim in the church.

gin to surge, to fall, to rise again, like ripe ears of gra

stepped from behind and too

, but I immediately felt

ssion of me simultaneously. I forc

ely and gently. His lips were closed, but not compressed; the upper lip seemed to rest upon the lower; his small beard

ht to myself. "Such a simpl

es from that simple man it again seemed to me that

I beheld the same face, resembling all human faces

. Only then did I understand that precisely such a fa

ber,