Orloff and his Wife

of these human habitations, thus crippled by time, are mottled with patches of the inner bark of the linden-tree, and overgrown with moss; above them, here and there, project tal

the rains. Here and there lie heaps of broken bricks and other rubbish, overgrown with high grass-representing the remnants or the beginnings of the constructions, unsuccessfully undertaken by the inhabitants in their fight with the floods of rain-water, which flo

her, it sprinkles it with dust,-and all these deformed little houses look as though

ll, half-decayed, infirm, decorated by sun, dust, and rain with that

d escheated to the town, and had been purchased from the town by merchant Petúnnikoff. It was the last in the line, standing at the very fo

all askew, in its two rows of windows there was not a single one which had preserved its regular sh

use in these hieroglyphs. The roof, which sloped toward the street, still further increased its rueful aspect-it seemed as though the house had bent dow

esert courtyard of the house. At the far end of this courtyard stood a low, smoke-begrimed building with an iron roof, of one slant. The house itself was, of course, uninhabitable,

llet; or, figuratively

the ceiling, of barge-bottom wood,[2] was also smoked until it was black; in the middle of the place stood a huge stove, for which the forge served as foundation, and around the stove, and along the walls, ran wide sleep

gether with huge wooden pegs. After being unloaded, at their destination, they ar

shelves around the stove were the places of honor, and upon them the night-lodg

ess of an arm-chair, which he had put together, with his[Pg 198] own hands, out of bricks; or in the eating-house of

e further back in his past, we should discover that he had had a printing-office, and before the printing-office he had-to us

with a curved stem, almost always projected. When he was angry, the nostrils of his huge, hooked, bright-red nose became widely inflated, and his lips quivered, revealing two rows of yellow teeth, as large as those of a wolf. Long-armed, knock-kneed, always clad in a dirty and tattered officer's clo

brick arm-chair, with his pipe i

downtrodden individual who had been ejected from the town for drunkenn

an re

g

document, in confir

] The captain thrust it into his breast, rarely

irty kopéks. Go and occupy a place, but look out that it doesn't belong to some

) "paper," here, as often, m

s aske

l in bread, tea or

Kuválda, in a business-like tone; "the people who come to me are not used to luxury ... and if you are accustomed to gobble every day,-there's the eating-house

n, Petúnnikoff's name was not Iuda (Juda

lodgers, the captain enjoyed wide popularity among the poor people of the town. It often happened that a former patron of the captain pre

g

Well-Born! How

'm alive. Sp

ou recog

N

you in the winter ... when that police round-u

police are constantly vi

when you made that insulting

mories, and say simpl

from me? When I lived with you

must be a fine young fellow, and although I don't remember you in the least, I'll accom

the same as ever

d I do, living amon

nd shaken lose by the treat; on the following day, they both treated each other again, and one fine m

befallen me! I've got into your

ting questions. It is always stupid to philosophize, and to philosophize when one has a drunken headache-is inexpressibly stupid. A drunken headache demands vódka, and not gnawings of conscience and gnashing of teeth.?. spare your teeth, or there won't

en the captain had not a kopék left out of the three-ruble or five-ruble bank-note whi

if you don't repent, you won't be saved. We have performed the first, but repentance is useless, so let's save ourselves at once. Take yourself off to the river and work. If you can't trust yourself, tell the contractor to retain your money, or

. He[Pg 202] only dimly understood their poignant wit, but he beheld before him the merry eyes, felt the courag

is conduct on the part of the captain, was in possession of the material possibility of rising again a s

town, in the character of a respectable man, but, devil take it, as soon as my trousers dropped off, I fell in people's estimation, and was obliged to drop down here myself, from the town. People, my very fine blockhead, judge of e

ristíd Fómitch?" inquired

e or seventy kopéks, and I'll wait for the rest unti

g

"What a good sort of fellow you are, really! Ekh, life did wrong in treating

xist without speeches o

nts to build some sort of a factory. The place for our teacher is by the side of a good wife, and in the midst of half a dozen children, but he is lying around at Vavíloff's, in the dram-shop. And here are you-you're going off to seek a place as a footman or a corridor-

buffet, near the bedrooms of his allotted section, and serres, with bread, butter and cream, or whatever

hich again began with a good drinking-bout, and again reached the point where the patron had drunk

ly one of those patrons who had reformed only to ruin himself again immediately. By his intellect, he was a man[Pg 204] who stood closer to the captain than all the rest,

row, spouted so many melancholy tirades, that they both infallibly set out on a spree, and drank up all they owned. In all probability, Kuválda deliberately arranged the matter so that the teacher, despite all his desires, could not get away from his lodging-house. Was it possible for Aristíd Kuválda, a member of the

e had tried a few more professions, and, finally, after passing an examination as attorney-at-law, he took to drinking like a fish, and hit upon the cavalry captain. He was tall, round-shouldered, with a long, sharp nose, and a perfectly bald head. In his bony, yellow face, with its small, pointed[Pg 205] beard, shone large,

culture. One week more of work,-and I shall

resolution, Philip, I shall not give you a single glass duri

l!-You won't give e

hing approaching a timid entreaty for r

oar for it-I w

o soften. The captain assumed a surly aspect, and uttered speeches impregnated with deadly irony, on the theme of the disgrace of having a weak character, about the beastly delight of drunkenness, and on all other themes appropriate to the occasion. To do him justice-he was s

told you so,' says he, 'and you wouldn't

ly clutching his dirty cloak, trembling all over, licking his dry lips,

nquired the ca

hen dropped his head dejectedly on his brea

... perhaps you'll refo

he captain saw that his friend's gaunt body was all quivering wi

end with destiny,"-he remarked as he did so, as

of the farewell of friends was enacted between him and the captain

Street. Poor people are always rich in children, and in this street, in its dust and holes, swarms of dirty, t

they had the appearance of flowers which had withered prematurely; it m

n the midst of these little folks, who treated him with entire familiarity, as one of their own age. They even addressed him simply as Philip, without adding to his name "uncle" or "little uncle." As they flitted swiftly around him, they jostled him, sprang upon his back, slapped him on his bald head, seized him by the nose. All this must have delighted him, for he did not protest against such liberties. On the whole, he talked very little wi

wo-thirds of a m

the men with pasts formed around him. On catching sight of him, they moved toward him[Pg 208] from the various nooks of the court

ifty, clad in a sail-cloth great-coat, and a broad-brimmed hat, which sheltered his fat, red face, with its thick, white beard, from amid which his tiny, crimson nose and his thick lips of the same color, a

ambling at "Little Belt," at "Three Little Leaves," at "Little Bank," and by other arts, equally witty, and equally disliked by the police. He lowered his heavy body, which had bee

ay

by a venomous smile. His thin lips disclosed two rows of yellow teeth, which had been ruined by illness, and the rags on his narrow, bony shoulders fluttered as though from a clothes-rack. His nickname w

shaggy head. He danced wonderfully well, and was even more wonderful in his use of ribald language. He, in company with Tarás-and-a-Half, had selected for his specialty wood-sawing on the bank of the river, and in his leisure hours the deacon was wont to narrate to his friend, and to anyone who cared to listen, tales "of his own composition," as he announced. As they listened to these tales, the heroes of which were always saints, kings, priests, and generals, even the inhabitants of the night lodging-house spat with squeamishness, and opened their eyes to th

g

om that day forth he had remained among these men, to their astonishment. At first they did not notice him,-by day, like the rest of t

at are you doin

answered bold

. a tra

foolish face, with high cheek-bones, adorned with a snub nose. He wore a blue blouse w

here for? You're of no use to us.... Do you drink vódka? No ... Well, and do you know h

g fellow

I'll go on li

at

becau

Meteor!" sai

teeth out for him, in a min

r?" inquired

hing

h you over the head,"-announced

g

iven him a drubbing, ha

cient foundation; he, like yourself, wants to live with us, without sufficient foundation. Well, and devil take him.... We

g man," advised the teacher, surveying

they got used to him, and ceased to notice him.

boast of any such pasts as "the have-beens," and although they, no less than the rest, had experienced the vicissitudes of fate, yet they were more unadulterated folks than those, not so horribly shattered. It is possible that a respectable man of the cultured class is higher than the

eyebrows. He was the captain's first lodger, in point of time, and they said of him that he had a lot of money concealed somewhere. Precisely on account of this money they had "scraped" his throat with a knife two years before, and from that day forth he had hung his head in that strange manner. He denied the existence of the money, he said that "they had scratched him simply for nothing, out of impude

hich has run away from him, and is seeking a refuge for itself!

ountry by poverty, made his appearance in the night lodging-house, Tyápa, at the sight of him, fell into melancholy ire and uneasiness. He persecuted the unfortunate man with caustic jeers,[Pg 213] which emerged from his throat in a vicious rattle; he set s

rawled out of his nook again when the teacher brought the newspaper and read it aloud. Generally, Tyápa listened to all that was read in silence, and sighed d

it to

you want

s there's something

ut w

the vil

hirty houses had been burned, and in a third a woman had poisoned her family-everything which it is customary to write about the country, and which depicts it

reading his Bible. As he read, he bellowed and sighed. He held the book[Pg 214] suppo

,"-Kuválda said to him,-"wha

do you u

r do I understand anything; bu

o read t

n insects breed in the head, it's uncomfortable, but if t

n't very long,"-s

out where he had learned to read a

ja

ou been

s..

at

ght this Bible from there. A lady gave it to

say so? H

d to read and write there.... I got a

it a long time. He stared long at the teacher,-in order to look in a man's face Tyápa bent h

... you've been learned...

g

s..

... Do you r

... ye

ide, and gazed at the teacher with

r whether there wer

el

are the

ppeared, Tyápa

ng for a while, then a

e Phili

e same w

ey all d

... a

And we shall

lso, shall die off,"-the teach

f the tribes of I

the Cimmerians, the Scythians, the Huns, the Slavs.... The old man curv

t!"-he said hoarsely, whe

ng?"-asked the ot

names of those people were

y, deeply offended,

Tyápa," the teacher called

g

m, and stretching out his arm, he menac

ded from Adam, which signifies that all men are

el

Ishmael ... and he c

what do

Why did

cutor dumfounded. But a couple of day

... well, and you ough

and began attentively to await Tyápa's w

re are no such folks there. Who a

m of the Bible. The old man listened to

nscribed in the Bible-those the Lord knew.... He annihilated them with fire and sword, he destroyed their towns and villages, but he also sent the prophets to them, for t

g

the latter laid his hand on the teacher's shoulder, began to push him gently to

ould a whole nation die out? The Russian people can't disappear-you're lying ... ifs written down in the Bible, only it isn't known under what word.... You know the nation, what ifs like? Ifs huge.... How many villages are there on the earth? The whole nation lives there ... a genuine, great nation.... And you say-it will di

a wooden saw. He listened to the old man, watched his distorted countenance, felt this strange, crushing power of words, and, all of a sudden, he[Pg 218] felt sorry to the verge of pain, for himself, and sad over something. He, also, felt a desire to say something powerful, something confident, to th

rags ... and you have said various words.... As thoug

o me.... That's where the tragedy of my life lies.... But-let me go! I shall suffer.... And there are no prophets ... none!... I really do talk a great deal ... and that'

asily and freely, with such an abundance of tea

e of teacher or scribe there ... and you'd get enough to eat,

ntinued to weep, e

friends, and when the Men with

g

er Tyápa ... he's steering

'Find out,' says he, 'where th

re was one absurd characteristic about these men: they were fond of dis

him sometimes is not averse to

ed around the teacher with his

does that nasty little newspaper di

wered the

ng grasping.... And is t

to-day ... Gulyáe

scal writes sensibly; he has

real estate," r

han fifteen years ago, and continues to serve at the present time as the

hat's ridiculous. It's profitable for the merchant who runs the town t

tten on that theme,

g

for a feuilleton ... it must be

these criminal sections either as an active or a suffering personality-Aristíd Kuválda sincerely exults. If the merchant has been plundered-very fine, only, it's a pity that he was robbed of so little. If his horses have

been illegal,"-re

e makes his appearance from the village, and, after the lapse of a certain time, he becomes a merchant. In order to become a merchant, he must have money. Where can the peasant get money?

nce expresses its approval

rom correspondents are read. These contain, for the captain, "an overflowing sea," to use his own[Pg 221] words. Everywhere he sees how evil a thing the merchant is making of life

e that he's only an animal, temporarily discharging the functions of a man. I understand him! He? He's rough, he's stu

in's weak side, and was fond of exa

began unanimously to die of starvation

, ever since the nobles fell, there are no people!

use you, brother, also have bee

... and not because I'm a nobleman. I'm not a nobleman, if you want to know it, but simply a man who has seen better days. I don't care a fig now f

-says The

Aristíd Kuválda

g

d, gloomy bass.-"Why dispute? What do w

r one thing nor the other,

ays the teacher pacifical

ly and persuasively endeavored to reconcile everybody with everybody else, and if he did not succeed in this, he left the company. Knowing this, the captain

f enemies, enemies not only of the noblemen, but enemies of every wel

Genoa, Venice, Holland,-it was merchants, the merchants of Engla

ror of Siberia, was in the service

rchants? I have in view Judas Pe

o do with them?" ask

indignant at the sight of the way in which th

the cavalry[Pg 223] captain, and of the man

myself all the feelings and thoughts which were formerly mine. That's true, I admit.... But w

to talk sensibly," the

fe, different feelings ... we require something n

o require that,"-

ven't long to live ... I'm forty years old, you're fifty ... not one among

ins The Gnawed Bone.-"The nake

ed Rome,"-say

mus,-weren't they members of the Golden Squad of robb

h is evil, and soul-rending. Símtzoff, the deacon, and Tarás-and-a-Half join in. The ingenuous eyes of the dirty little lad Met

g

sense ... dream

f life, tattered, impregnated, with vódka and wr

st. But, no matter how low a man has fallen,-he will never deny himself the delight of feeling himself stronger, more sensible, although even better fed than his neighbor. Aristíd Kuváld

terminating the Hebrews from the face of the earth, but in this question The Gnawed Bone always got the upper hand, and had concocted wonderfully harsh projects, and the captain, who always wished to be the leading personage, avoided this theme. They talked readily, much,

s when the discussion wound up in a universal thrashing match. He[Pg 225] was permitted to bring

my had luck. I'll give any man a sound drubbing whom I see making his appearance with a woman ...

t, he was aided by Martyánoff. Gloomy and taciturn as a grave-stone, when a general fight was in progress the latter

a lock of it. Kuválda, with one blow of his fist, laid him out senseless for half an hour, and when he cam

one of their diversions. They played without Martyánoff, because he could not play

ggling a card....

in[Pg 226]credible. I lived through one Sunday, and I saw that things were bad! Another-I bore it. On the third-I hit my cook one blow.... She took offence.... 'I'll hand you over to the justice of the peace,

n, must be married-and must be married before they are ordained. They cannot marry again. This rule ceases with

you marry a second time?"-Th

... she looked after m

children?"-the t

rried some student or other, and went with him to Siberia, and the other wanted to educate herself, and died in Peter[

breviation for St. Pe

hter by his narration. When they had laughed until they were tired,

ka.... She was su

g

othing further, for he stared at them all, s

ral terms, and in a more or less sneering tone. Possibly, such an attitude toward the past was wise, for, to th

, as thieves and bullies, rather despised as desperate drunkards, but, at the same time, they were respected and listened to, being regarde

exhausted and distracted in their pursuit of a morsel of bread, drunkards of the same stamp as the denizens of Kuválda's refuge, and outcasts from the town equally with them. Skill in talking about everything and ridiculing everything, fearlessness of opinion, harshness of speech, the absence of fear in the presence of that

s, and hair-brained fellows, to whom the path from the beggar's wallet to the prison did not seem a dangerous road. The teacher was admired by the more steady-going people, who cherished hopes of something, who expected something, who were eternally busy about something, and were rarely full-fed. The character of the relations of Kuválda and the teacher toward the street is accurately defined by the foll

have wanted to build anything but a starling-house, and haven't yet got ready even for that?

nion upon the matter in hand, and banged his fist down

utifying the town-you will make Vyézhaya Street decent, and you will force them to build a new city hall. Take the Mayor's horses to cart the stuff, and seize his three daughters-they're girls thoroughly suited to harness. Or

d exercised their wits on the captain's proposi

yway, Your Well-Born? ...

oot! If the street gets

are about to t

the town; if it won't give it,-go ahead and sue it! Whence does the water flow? Fro

ater comes from

from you, and gives you no voice in discussing your rights! It ruins your lives and yo

Kuválda, decided to wait until their wretched hovel

g

a man who drew up a capital and convincing

assigned to them to cart it.[8] More than this-it was recognized as indispensable that, in due course, a drain-pipe should be laid through the street. This, and many other things, created great popularity in the street for the teacher. He wrote petitions, printed remarks i

r forgotten itself ... that's so! Everybody knows that every man wants to chase as many five-kopék pieces into his pocket as possible. Well, and w

voured unheeding to the sauce of their own impressions. A very significant fact, for it not only augmented the prestige of the teacher, but it made the residents acquainted with the power of the pri

aciously free-and-easy mood. The public looked at him, in the expectation that he wo

? And were you pleas

ce laughed

r. His tone was so impressively se

it out, foreseeing that the teacher would "floor" him.-

figures on the table with his finge

om this, or have fallen into very bad health. It's unpleasant and troublesome to[Pg 232] worry over a sick wife, and it will cost you dear, for illness requires medicines, and medicines require money. But if you haven't yet killed the child, you certainly have crippled it, and perhaps it will be born deformed; lopsided, or hunchbacked. That means, that it will

audience ha

eacher.-"She's healthy ... you can't get through her to the child, can you now? For she, the devil, is an awfu

ice made itself heard again;-"you have many causes for that.... It's not your wife's character t

off,-"we really do live in darkness lik

-and suffers without being to blame toward you, simply because you are stronger than she is; she is alway

ke her! And what am I

at her cautiously: remember, that you may injure her health, or the health of the child. In general, it is never right to beat women who

dark eyes gazed at his audience, and seemed to be apolo

y of a man who had seen better days, the morality of

Yáshka, do yo

at the tru

at his wife incautiously

ng to his comrades' jee

root of the matter. She's in the nature of a chain, that has been riveted on you for life ... and both you and she are, aft

ff,-"you beat your w

g

along otherwise.... Whom have I to thump my fists aga

t's the same way wit

ours, my brethren! We haven't space anyw

they went on talking until late at night, or until they fell into a fight, which a

hese men forth from the tavern, and threatening to disperse them over the earth, like dust. Sometimes, amid its roar, a repressed, hopeless groan became audible, and then a cold, cruel laugh rang out. This music prompted to melancholy thoughts about the close approach

eir foreheads,[Pg 235] their voices became duller, their relations to one another more blunt. And all of a sudden, savage wrath blazed up among them, the exasperation of outcasts, tortured by their ha

savagely, and again, having made peace, they began to drink, drinking up ev

rance as to the outcome of their wretched existence, they passed the au

lda came to their a

ter will pass, and summer will come again ... a splendid season, when, they say, the sparrows have be

cessful. Sometimes his efforts led to the result that desperate, audacious mirth bubbled up in the tavern

he lamps and tobacco-smoke, morose, tattered, languidly chatting[Pg 236] together, listening to the triumphant h

d to each, and each concealed within h

I

, and there is for man no situation so

s wont, in his arm-chair at the door of the night lodging-house, and as he gazed at the ston

ch surrounded it, from foundation to roof. Red, as though it were smeared with blood, it resembled some cruel machine, which was not yet in working-order, but which had already opened a row of deep, yawning maws, and was ready to en

tone," in this connection, means brick, rubble, or any other substance, with an external

g

convenient and so cheap, could be found. It was a pity, it was rather sad, to move away from a place where he had been so long. But move he must, merely because a certain merchant had taken it into his h

with the architect and his son. They had measured the courtyard, and had stuck little sticks everywhere in the gro

d boots. His bony face, with high cheek-bones, with its gray, wedge-shaped beard, with a lofty brow furrowed with wrinkles, from beneath which sparkled small, narrow, gray eyes, which always

st phrase with regard to himself. The merchant had come with a member of the town court to purchase the

end himself ... tha

ths gone by-they had vied with one anoth

designated his conversation with the merchant, had taken place between them.

or of his cap so that it was not possible to understand whet

w, which caused his beard to waggle, and which a person who was not exacting might take for a bow, o

shall be put out in life, so I'm giving it circulation...." the merch

u serve the ruble,"-commented Kuválda, contending wi

it, with money, everything is agree

shamelessly-counterfeit compassion. The captain's upp

generally makes its appearance precisely at the time when a man's c

r hand, there are people who have

innocently. It was now the turn of Petúnnikoff's nose to twitch

! I was forced to r

hink

okh, how

ed up a good

mind ... they learned plenty o

he captain sharply. Petúnnikoff turned green,

, you sit, while y

n, too," Kuválda

othing to sit

the earth accepts al

scold," said Petúnnikoff, in a calm, equable voice,

tain found it pleasant to stare at Petúnnikoff's back, as he slowly left the courtyard. Then the captain watched the merchant walk around his factory, walk over the scaffoldings, upstairs and down. And he longed greatly to have the merchant fall and break his bones. How many clever combinations he had made o

hold upon the earth as though it were already sucking the juices out of it. And it seemed to be laughing coldly and gloomily at the captain

th his eye.-"Akh, you rascal, devil take you! If ..." and all startled and excited by his thought, Aristí

lunch-counter, with th

alth to You

aven cheeks,[Pg 241] and a mustache which bristled straight up, clad in a greasy leather jacke

sale and the plan of the hou

hav

and rivetted them intently on the face of the cap

banging the counter with his fist, a

his mind, on beholding Kuválda's exci

ere quick, yo

ow, and raised his eyes scr

put them, thos

commissioned officer fixed his eyes on his stomach, and with an asp

oldier to be more adapted for a thief than for a tavern-keeper. "Well, I've just called it to mind,'Ri

the plan, the deed of purchase, and[Pg 242] everything there is! Perh

of Egór (Geor

burning curiosity, and, saying that he would look and see whether he had not the documents packed away in the house, he went out of the door be

the cursed things

red pasteboard box, with the blue title-deed. Then, unfolding the papers in front of him and still further exciting the curiosity of Vavíloff, the captain began to read, scruti

don't put t

that it was locked. Then, thoughtfully rubbing his bald spot, he emerged on the porch of the tavern. There he beheld the captain, a

strained expression, then relax

ible?"-he exclaimed, when th

g

rshín[3] has been cut off. That's on the front line,

quivalent of the yard) is tw

en fathoms, twen

ht the idea, yo

n eye you have-you can see three arshíns

other in Vavíloff's room, and the captain, as he anni

'll ask to have the building tom down. This, you fool, is infringing on the boundaries of another man's property ... a very pleasant event for you! Tear away! And to tear down and remove such a huge thing is an expensive job. Effect a compromise! You just squeeze Judas! W

owly, anxiously, winking his eyes, w

n? But-see here, Egórka,[Pg 244] don't you lower your price! They'll buy you-don't

twitched convulsively. He had kindled the tavern-keeper's greed, and exhorting him

He was happy, and everyone around him was contented. The big throng of dark figures, clad in rags, lay in the courtyard, and buzzed, and exulted, being enlivened by the event. They all knew merchant Petúnnikoff, who had passed before them many a time. Scornfully screwing up his eyes, he bestowed upon them the s

up within him a half-conscious, confused sentiment of keen hostility toward all people who were well-fed and were not clad in rags, and in each one of them this sentiment was in a

uilding. They found out that he was not in town, and that the copy of the petition had not yet been served on him. Kuválda battered away at the practice of the town

he cometh not, m

Deacon Tarás, thrusting out his cheek in humoro

achman-a rosy-cheeked young fellow, in a long, checked overcoat, and dark glasses. They tied their horse to the scaffolding;-the son too

ated the captai

d out to the gate, and looked on, audibly expre

thout any desire to steal, at the risk of losing more than he steals.. condoled[Pg 24

irritated by the sneers,-" look out that I don't dra

... your own son can't testify on behalf of

allant bandit-chief, but we'll manage to

n his calculations, paid no heed to this pack of shady individuals, who were maliciously amu

The Gnawed Bone, who was minutely watching all th

tch scowled, seated himself in silence in his cart, and drove off, but his s

ief ... yes! Come now, what wi

ff...." said The Gnawed Bone confidently, and he smacked his lip

t, are you?"-inquir

r[Pg 247] reckoning," explained The Gnawed Bone with

or of the tavern. An hour and more passed in this expectant silence. Then the door of the tavern opened, and Petúnnikoff emerged from it, as calm as when he

h his eyes, and, turning to

at he has got his own way.... How much did Egórka get out of them? He got something.... He's a bird of the same feather as they. He took something, may I he thrice damned if he didn't! I arranged thi

ce between Vavíloff and Petúnnikoff had not been what they had anticipated. And all were incensed at this. The consciousness of inability t

g

..." said the captain, staring at the tavern with a scowl...." The end has come to our prosperous and peaceful life[4] under the roof of J

Years" (Long Life), which is proclaimed in church, at the end of the service,

laughed

ng at, you jail-ward

am I

or you, don't be uneasy,"-said the captain thoughtfully, as he went

while, it doesn't pay to spoil life with such thoughts.... At critical moments, a man becomes more energetic ... and if life, with all its combinations, would make the critical

e another's throats with more fury,"-e

g

y exclaimed the captain, who was not

o get anywhere more quickly, they lash the horses

the earth were suddenly to blaze up, and bum to ashes, or explode into fragments ...

e!" grinned T

to fling aside everything old ... all manners and modes of relations to folks who exist well-fed, and finely dressed, and who despise me because I've fallen behind them in the matter of enough food and of costume ... and I'm boun

e you've got!"-laug

ou understand? What do you know? Do you know how to think? But I have thought ...

per.... But though you have read books[Pg 250] and thought, and

devil!"-sho

nly spoiled the air, and were dispersed on it without bringing him either appreciation or attention; but he could not refrain from talking. And now, aft

Maxímovitch-where shall

aturedly, rubbed his nose

! I'm of no great importance: I've

imple problem,"-the

some reason or other, they could not hurt him much-perhaps, because they were sorry for him. He was a passionate lover of women, and was wont to relate, that women were the cause of all his misfortunes in life. The intimacy of his relations to women, and the character of their relations to him were confirmed, both by his frequent illnesses, and by his c

d only a short time before this had spent several months in prison for her second case of theft. She was a wet-nurse, who "

ore The Gnawed Bone, as he gazed at S

? Because I know what th

imed Kuválda, i

ssion-she'll even go so far as to cut a throat out of compassion. Weep befo

tyánoff, resolutely, grin

he Gnawed Bone, mo

. Petúnnikoff ... Egó

Kuválda, with

g

this ... mean life.... But there a fello

re, in detail,"-assented the

d-at a distance of two or three days, perhaps, and they regarded it as superfluous to bother themselves with discussions on that subject. Discussing the matter would not imp

on the other man's words as was required to keep up the conversation without a break. It was tiresome to remain silent, but it was also tiresome to listen attentively. This company of men wi

of the vegetable kingdom with the mineral and the animal. In the corners of the courtyard the grass grew luxuriantly,-tall burdocks sow

vern the following s

g

owned fastidiously, and slowly removing from his head his gray hat, he had inquire

evitch Vavílo

ned officer, resting both hands on the cou

or, is not plain "da" (yes), but "tótchno tak!" Th

ess with you,"-ann

hted.... Please

o suspended. Their vestments were brilliantly polished, and shone like new ones. In the room, closely set with trunks, and ancient furniture of various sorts, there was an odor of olive oil, tobacco, and sour cabbage. Petúnnikoff surveyed things, and again made a grimace. Vavíloff, with a sig

you can guess[Pg 254] what I am going t

me,"-said the non-commissi

es, but go straight to the point, like a man with a straig

ir...." said the

ess in a simple, straight-forward manner, in o

t so

matter of course, you will win it-that is the first

commissioned officer, winking his eyes

e acquaintance with us, your future neighbors, in

his shoulders, a

s, and arrange everything peaceably ...

t.... I did not act of my own free will ... but I was instigated to do it.... Afterw

that some lawyer or ot

g

g of that

o you wish to conclude

he soldier. Petúnnikoff paused, looked at

do you wi

nce. In his opinion, it was an absurd question, and the soldier, wi

... one must try to liv

the fact. I perceive that you do not clearly understand why

senting a rather ridiculous figure in it, talked just as company commander Rakshín had been w

e of time, more. If one hundred of them drink a glass apiece after each weekly pay-day, you will sell, in the course of a month, four hundred glasses more than you are selling now. I have put

g

." Vavíloff nodded a

"-the merchant

r ... Let's

ve furnished myself with a notification to the courts of the withd

t his interlocutor, and trembled, f

am to sign it? Wh

ame, and nothing more,"-explained Petúnnikoff, obligingly p

lking about that.... I meant to say-what comp

o use to you!" said P

t's mine!" excla

.. How much

s stated in the

n there,"-said

off laughed softly.-"Ak

t on your tearing down.... That's what I will do.... For the value of

ttle dram-shop and eating-house,-better ones than yours-and you'll be ruined, like the Swede at Poltáva.[6] You shall be ruined, my good man, we'll take care of that. We might

defeated at Poltáva by Pe

hat the visitor was the master of his fate. Vavíloff commiserated himself, in the pr

ess. We would take care of that, also. For example, I will even recommend you on the spot, to open a little

thing he could do would be to yield to his magnanimous enemy. He ought, properly, to have begun wi

athema, may the de

ed Petúnnikoff, and added, with a sigh:-"as a matter of fact, he might h

in despair. "There are two of them.... One plann

u call him a c

away, for Christ's sake! Robbers! They stir up everybody here in this street, they urge them on. There's n

t-who is he?" Petúnnik

out. He drank up all he owned,... and now he writes for t

was he, also, who wrote about the disorders in construction-he found t

He read it here, himself, and bragged-'Here

sir, so we inten

ke pe

ung his head

e exclaimed, in an injured tone, a

g

n," Petúnnikoff advised him

eprived of freedom in the movements I wish to make! And why? I'm afraid ... that spectre of a teacher writes about me in the newspapers ... he brings the sanitary inspectors down on me, I have to pay fines.... The first yo

... if we unite with yo

e?" asked Vavíloff

your t

six hundred, as sta

almly, carefully scrutinizing his interlocutor, and s

-bones, in the whole of his well-built figure, there was a great deal of strength, self-reliant and well disciplined by his brain. The way Petúnnikoff[Pg 260] had talked to him also pleased Vavíloff: simply with friendly tones in his voice, without any pretensions to superiority, as though with his own br

ou pleased to

tute. Why?" and the latter

inspiration, he exclaimed:-"We-ell! Here's education for you! In one word-science-light! But people of my sor

fered his hand to Petúnnikoff,

. five h

g that he could not give more. Petúnnikoff shrugged his shoulders, a

in great leaps, and the latter was immovably firm. And when Vavíloff had received one hundred r

ith that golden horde! They'll ridicul

g

in the suit,"-suggested Petúnnikoff, calmly emitting fr

latter smoked on, and was entirely absorbed in that occupation. He soon took his departure, after promising Vavíloff, as he said farewell, that he would destroy the nest of those restless people. Vavíloff looked aft

ws were severely contracted, and his right hand was energetically cl

descendant of Cain a

t...." said Vavíloff, sigh

many rubles did you g

er cent for the discovery, four rubles to the teacher for writing your petition, a bucket of vódka to all of

g

and stared at Kuválda w

Aristíd Fómitch! No, you'd better restrain your appetite until the next feast-

ooked at

what I demand. If you don't give it-I'll eat you alive! Did The End sell you something? Did you read in the newspaper about the robb

his for?"-wailed the retire

o you unders

ose. But now Kuválda presented himself in a new light to him: he did not talk much and hurriedly, as usual, and in what he did say in the tone of a commander, who is confident that he will be obeyed, there resounded a threat not uttered in jest. And Vaví

g

n't reap clean....' I told you a lie about myself, Aristíd Fómitch.... I wan

Kuválda fl

d, as I told you....

were lying-a while ago, or now. I get sixty-fi

! I have always shown regard for Your

talk, Egórka, g

e it....? Only, God wil

am chastised by God.... He has placed me under the necessity of seeing you, of talking with you.... I'll mash you o

h hue, and when they disappeared in his mustache, two others made their appearance to replace them. Then Vavíloff went off to his own room, took up his stan

g

t on the plain, to a certain ravine, and there, in the lap of Nature, drink up Vavíloff's vódka. But the captain an

s. At two cucumbers and a half per brother, and a pound of bread and meat apiece-it won't be so bad! We must have a bottle of vódka apiece ... there's sour cabbage, and apples,

viands and liquor, and seated themselves around them,-seated themselves sedately and in si

of the lodging-house, disfigured with scraps, and the last rays of the s

"How many cups have we? Six ... and there are thirteen of us.... A

grunted, and

e third[Pg 265] day that I haven't seen hi

ody.

istíd Kuválda, my only friend, who, all my life long, has never left me alone for a minute. Althoug

said The Gnawed

his superiority, gazed at his comrade

to the other man's words, but demonstrated his views to The Peg-top with the obduracy and heat of a man who is profoundly convinced of the justice of his views. The ingenuous face of The Meteor, who was lying on his stomach beside him, expressed emotion, as he relished the heady

d, you sorcerer, wher

...." said Ty

to snatch i

e it

g

g them a single companion worthy to listen to

teacher be?"-he

looked at h

l com

and I'll wind up as president of the states. Then I'll declare war on all Europe, and give it a sound drubbing. I'll buy an army ... in Europe, also ... I'll invite the French, the Germans, the Turks, and so forth, and with them I'll beat their own relatives ... as Ilyá

per,"-said the deacon argumentatively. "My first wife used to buy twelve arshín

ed his head toward the deacon, fixed his eyes

, had a

ody,"-remarked Kuválda.-

g

te a great deal.... And

k-eye!"-said The Gnawe

overate herself on sturgeo

oisoned her!"-reiterated T

to reiterate it, without quoting any grounds in confirmation, and though he talked, at f

stood up fo

of poisoning ... th

id poison her!"-sque

immediately began to chew it with his large, yellow teeth, so that the brine from the cucumber spattered in all directions, bedewing his cheeks. Evidently, he was not hungry, but this process of eating diverted him. Martyánoff sat motionless as a statue, in the same attitude in which he had seated himself on the[Pg 268] ground, and he, also, was staring in a concentrated, gloomy way, at a six-quart bottle of vódka, which was already half empty. Tyápa was staring at the ground, and noisily chewing meat, which did not y

and dwelt i

oman of n

eized with a

unpleasan

ced Alexéi Maxímovitch, smiling beatifically into the

rnful whistles of the steamers were wafted from the river, the door of Vavíloff's tavern opened with a creaking and crashing of gla

ou dri

an undertone, with

hat de

le, and the characteristic gurgling of[Pg 269] vódka became audible, as it w

eacon.-"Cock-eye! Let's call to mind days of

w how?" inqu

op's choir, my good fellow.... Come on,

oarse, cracked, and his friend

loating across the sky above it. Some one of the men with pasts was snoring, the rest, still not sufficiently intoxicated, were either eating and drinking in silence, or chatting in an undertone, broken with prolonged pauses. None of them were accus

he singers, raising his head from the ground, and listening

e ruts and pit-holes of the street-who was it, and why? All raised their heads and[Pg 270] listened. In the nocturnal silence the rumbling of

where

ne an

e that hou

go any fu

here!" exclaim

a tremulous mu

fool!"-said Martyá

e, and went

tching his head after

ng-house?" inquired some

boomed the dissatisfied

has Títoff the repor

e you bro

s..

ru

ll

s very drunk. Hey the

g ill in my house for two days. Grasp him under the arm-

to the gate, but The Gnawed

g

ere!" shouted

ny with a small man, led the teacher along it to the lodging-house. His head hung flabbily on his breast, his legs dragged along the ground, and his arms dangled in the air,

house, you will not incommode me ...' But he entreated me-'Take me home!' He got excited.... I thou

e?" asked Kuválda roughly, as he stared intently a

little man.... "I suppose

captain examine

lly buttoned clear up to the chin. There was fringe on the edges of his trouse

reat many of your sort here...." said the

The little man went to the door, a

g

office.... My name is Ryzhoff. I should like to write a brief obitu

to the editorial office, addressed to you. That will be more profitable to you than an obituary, It'll last you for two or t

sat down on the sleeping-shelf beside the teacher, felt the

ili

the dirty walls of the night

was hot and spasmodic, scrutinized his face, which was sunken and earthy in hue, sighed, and frowning harshly, glanced around. The lamp was a bad one: its flame f

eeping-shelf by the teacher's head, and, taking his ha

eeded," and the cap

," announced the old

g

eeded," decid

ent, gazing a

have a drink,

d h

ou hel

her, and both of them went out in

ired The Gnawed Bone, turning

The man is dying ...." the

g him?" asked The Gnaw

ply, for he was drinki

wherewith to hold a feast in commemoration of him

events, it could not be seen that it had disturbed anyone, interested anyone, or set anyone to thinking. All of them had treated the teacher as though he were a remarkable man, but now

e just re-p

e Gnawed Bone,-"what's

his ugly face!"-cou

he Funeral and Requiem

g

"When a man is dyings one should hold h

t. From time to time the snores of those who had fallen asleep, the gurgling of the vódka as it was poured out, and munching were audible. The deacon kept mutter

he knows is dying," remarked the captain, with

answe

.. the cleverest,... the most d

you cock-eyed rogue!"-blustered the deacon, punching

The Gnawed Bone in a whispe

al and Requiem Ser

,"-suggested Martyánoff, rais

ómitch, with unusual amiability.-"

trip of light which proceeded from the door and windows of the lodging

g

a drink?" sugge

es by the sense of feel

k.. said Tyápa; "perhap

ffin...." grin

hat," entreated The Gna

d. The deacon, also, attempted to rise, but

n slapped Martyánoff on the sho

more than the others.... You were ... howev

g of that sort, brother.... I've got out of the habit.... It's abominable

uely. "Well ... what of tha

ant fo-olks. I've had a dri

and began to sing

ere? Pour out a cup

drinking it, he again rolled over in a heap

silence as[Pg 276] gloomy and painful as th

e question

d fellow. Such a quiet head..

e didn't spare it for the fellow

s shout resounded ov

g his feet with forced steadine

pped him.-"Don't go. For you're dru

halted and

rth? Go to the devil!" A

l length[10] lay the teacher, rattling in the throat. His eyes were wide open, his bare chest heaved violently, froth was oozing from the comers of his mouth, and on his f

d behind his back, and stared at him for about a minute.

were for me-a man[Pg 277] ... although you were a drunkard. Akh, how you did drink vódka! Philip! It was exactly that which ha

an at the gloomy and solemn scene of its conflict with life, decided to make as speedy an end as possible of

on his legs, as he

it, Philip.... Restrain yourself, conquer yourself.... If you can't-drink! Why restrain

foot, and drew

-morrow I'll explain it all to you, and you'll be convinced that it isn't nece

y silence, and when he cam

... I don't know ... I'

wn on the ground. The Meteor, that stupid lad, began to whimper, softly and plaintively, like an affronted woman.

f that? I ... why need I know that? Why must I be told about that? The time will c

rifling matter! But we shall die-like everybody. Therein lies the goal of life, believe my words. For a man lives in order that he may die.... And he dies.... And if that i

he lodging-house paled, flickered, and suddenly vanished. Evidently, the wind had blown out the lamp or the kerosene in it had burned down. The raindrops tapped timidly, irresolutely

in it, but before the darkness could engulf its last, tremulously-sobbing note, another stroke began,

irst to awaken

sky-only in this posture did his deformed

earth. Tyápa crossed himself, and raised himself on his elbow, in order to see whether any of the vódka anywhere remained. The bottle was there, but it was empty. Crawling across his comrade

hey there! D

his head, gazing at

he police ... com

-asked the captain,

is, that h

's d

arned m

ip? Y

en-ekhma!"-grunted

with a whizzing noise, and stretched

u go and

g

't like them,"-said T

eacon yonder.... And I'll

... get u

to dealing someone a blow. The captain reflected, that if the teacher were to rise now, he would be as tall as Tarás-and-a-Half. Then he seated himself on the sleeping-shelf, at the feet of his friend, and calling to mind that they had lived together

is dead.... I sh

did,"-said the

.-"And you must die also....

s worse? How

ave to deal with God.... But with the pe

in your throat like that ..." K

d the night lodging-house an

of[Pg 281] their dead comrade, and glanced at him, now

you bur

the police

you took his money from Vavíloff for writing that pe

ney ... but I

e. I'll just tell everybody that you wan

u old devil!"-said

that isn't good, I say, no

right, anyway. G

o! And how much

.." said Kuvál

u might give me

.." and the captain swore at Tyápa, l

? Really, now

m going to build him a

good of th

millstone on the grave, and I'll fasten the ancho

u're getting

's no busine

I don't...." thre

g

, for a long time, they sat in silence, which always assumes an

iving up!"-said Tyápa, as he r

ter the other, approached the teacher, and after taking a look at him went out, rewarding Kuválda with sidelong and suspi

id he d

hink, from lack

say?"-inquired th

k of practice, because he wasn't used t

! And was h

nything in there," suggested the doctor, in

one to carry him out,"-the p

n't bother me where he is...."

shouted the policema

ing from the spot and calmly discl

e[Pg 283] captain, enraged to such a degree that his fac

merchant Petúnnikoff, in a sweet voice,

his cap, began to cross himself vehemently. Then a smile of malevolent triumph flitte

?-Can they have m

f that sort," the

, then crossed himself again,

isions-God preserve everyone from such an experience!-Many a time I have felt like turning that gentleman yonder ... the commander-in-chief of the golden

e air, then drew it across his face, gather

n there is a sort of commander over

n an extremely significant tone, as he gazed at the cavalry

g

válda, in a familiar tone.-"What a lot of bribes I've paid to y

l bear this in mind! I won't overlook this.... Ah ... ah! So that's it? Well

for the wars ... my friend,

the coroner with ominous attention, Petúnnikoff with triumph, but the

p quietly and stood behind Petúnnikoff, so that his chin was just over the merchant's crown. On one s

mething, gentlemen,"

ie latter shrieked, squatted down, and sprang to one side, almost knocking the police capt

inting at Martyánoff. "That's th

approaching the door of the night lodging-house. The[Pg 285] half-awake, bloated physiognomies, with red, swo

were many, and paying no heed to him, silent and threatening they continued to advance, exhaling an odor of stale vódka. Kuválda looked at the

rs and friends? You would? Never mind ... sooner or later, you'll be fo

ressed his lips tightly together, and the police captai

hen the men arrive, tell

n the corner.-"You will vacate my quarters to-day, sir.... I'm going to ha

yard. At the door of the night lodging-house its denizens

quaintance?... That's impolite

in[Pg 286] it, pulled out two five-kopék pieces, and,

for the burial of th

Take it away, I tell you ... you scou-oundrel! You dare to contribute your

ng the police captain by the elbow. The doctor and the

ff, com

e door, and with interest lighting up thei

es ferociously. "Scoundrel and thief! Take your money! You dirty creature ... take it

nd toward his mite, and fending off Kuvá

olice Captain, and y

ant," rang out The Gnawe

held his other hand in the air over the head of Petúnnikoff, who was wriggling ab

s the feet of this corpse, you

h he had been a kitten. The men with pasts hastily stepped aside, to make room f

olice ...

pat in Petúnnikoff's face. The merchant contracted himself into a small ball, and rolled, on all fours, into the courtyard, encouraged by a roar of

him! B

ear men!"-entre

yself, wherever it's necessary...." said Kuválda,

into the courtyard. Several dejected tatterdemalions h

r fellow ... just wait!"-the p

off venomously, excited and happy at the si

police captain, pointin

g

as he passed the teacher he bowed his head, but did not look at him. Martyánoff, wit

b-driver shook his reins

ht lodging-house, never to return there again.... Petúnnikoff, as he accompanied him with a glance, crossed himself piously, and then began with his cap to beat off the dust and rubbish which had clung to his clothing. And, in proportion as the dust disappeared from his coat, a calm expression of

th a stick in his hand and a huge sack on his shoulder, stood a terrible old man, bristling like a hedgehog with the rags which covered his long b

" shouted Petúnnik

g

ng out a dull

iced and reassured Petú

queer fellow ...

straight at him, and muttered dully: "There are various sorts of men ..

sharp little eyes. On the roof of the old house a crow sat and croaked triumphantly, as it stretched out its neck, and rocked to and fro. In the stern, gray storm-clouds, which thickly covered the sky

ype="