the wife and other stories-第12部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


m　on　my　plate　and　I　ate　it　submissively。

〃_Repetitia　est　mater　studiorum_；〃　said　Sobol；　hastening　to　drink　off　another　wineglassful。　〃Would　you　believe　it；　the　joy　of　seeing　good　people　has　driven　away　my　sleepiness？　I　have　turned　into　a　peasant；　a　savage　in　the　wilds；　I've　grown　coarse；　but　I　am　still　an　educated　man；　and　I　tell　you　in　good　earnest；　it's　tedious　without　company。〃

They　served　first　for　a　cold　course　white　sucking…pig　with　horse…radish　cream；　then　a　rich　and　very　hot　cabbage　soup　with　pork　on　it；　with　boiled　buckwheat；　from　which　rose　a　column　of　steam。　The　doctor　went　on　talking；　and　I　was　soon　convinced　that　he　was　a　weak；　unfortunate　man；　disorderly　in　external　life。　Three　glasses　of　vodka　made　him　drunk；　he　grew　unnaturally　lively；　ate　a　great　deal；　kept　clearing　his　throat　and　smacking　his　lips；　and　already　addressed　me　in　Italian；　〃Eccellenza。〃　Looking　naively　at　me　as　though　he　were　convinced　that　I　was　very　glad　to　see　and　hear　him；　he　informed　me　that　he　had　long　been　separated　from　his　wife　and　gave　her　three…quarters　of　his　salary；　that　she　lived　in　the　town　with　his　children；　a　boy　and　a　girl；　whom　he　adored；　that　he　loved　another　woman；　a　widow；　well　educated；　with　an　estate　in　the　country；　but　was　rarely　able　to　see　her；　as　he　was　busy　with　his　work　from　morning　till　night　and　had　not　a　free　moment。

〃The　whole　day　long；　first　at　the　hospital；　then　on　my　rounds；〃　he　told　us；　〃and　I　assure　you；　Eccellenza；　I　have　not　time　to　read　a　book；　let　alone　going　to　see　the　woman　I　love。　I've　read　nothing　for　ten　years！　For　ten　years；　Eccellenza。　As　for　the　financial　side　of　the　question；　ask　Ivan　Ivanitch：　I　have　often　no　money　to　buy　tobacco。〃

〃On　the　other　hand；　you　have　the　moral　satisfaction　of　your　work；〃　I　said。

〃What？〃　he　asked；　and　he　winked。　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃better　let　us　drink。〃

I　listened　to　the　doctor；　and；　after　my　invariable　habit；　tried　to　take　his　measure　by　my　usual　classification　　materialist；　idealist；　filthy　lucre；　gregarious　instincts；　and　so　on；　but　no　classification　fitted　him　even　approximately；　and　strange　to　say；　while　I　simply　listened　and　looked　at　him；　he　seemed　perfectly　clear　to　me　as　a　person；　but　as　soon　as　I　began　trying　to　classify　him　he　became　an　exceptionally　complex；　intricate；　and　incomprehensible　character　in　spite　of　all　his　candour　and　simplicity。　〃Is　that　man；〃　I　asked　myself；　〃capable　of　wasting　other　people's　money；　abusing　their　confidence；　being　disposed　to　sponge　on　them？〃　And　now　this　question；　which　had　once　seemed　to　me　grave　and　important；　struck　me　as　crude；　petty；　and　coarse。

Pie　was　served；　then；　I　remember；　with　long　intervals　between；　during　which　we　drank　home…made　liquors；　they　gave　us　a　stew　of　pigeons；　some　dish　of　giblets；　roast　sucking…pig；　partridges；　cauliflower；　curd　dumplings；　curd　cheese　and　milk；　jelly；　and　finally　pancakes　and　jam。　At　first　I　ate　with　great　relish；　especially　the　cabbage　soup　and　the　buckwheat；　but　afterwards　I　munched　and　swallowed　mechanically；　smiling　helplessly　and　unconscious　of　the　taste　of　anything。　My　face　was　burning　from　the　hot　cabbage　soup　and　the　heat　of　the　room。　Ivan　Ivanitch　and　Sobol；　too；　were　crimson。

〃To　the　health　of　your　wife；〃　said　Sobol。　〃She　likes　me。　Tell　her　her　doctor　sends　her　his　respects。〃

〃She's　fortunate；　upon　my　word；〃　sighed　Ivan　Ivanitch。　〃Though　she　takes　no　trouble；　does　not　fuss　　or　worry　　herself；　she　has　become　the　most　important　person　in　the　whole　district。　Almost　the　whole　business　is　in　her　hands；　and　they　all　gather　round　her；　the　doctor；　the　District　Captains；　and　the　ladies。　With　people　of　the　right　sort　that　happens　of　itself。　Yes。　。　。　。　The　apple…tree　need　take　no　thought　for　the　apple　to　grow　on　it；　it　will　grow　of　itself。〃

〃It's　only　people　who　don't　care　who　take　no　thought；〃　said　I。

〃Eh？　Yes　。　。　。　〃　muttered　Ivan　Ivanitch；　not　catching　what　I　said；　〃that's　true。　。　。　。　One　must　not　worry　oneself。　Just　so；　just　so。　。　。　。　Only　do　your　duty　towards　God　and　your　neighbour；　and　then　never　mind　what　happens。〃

〃Eccellenza；〃　said　Sobol　solemnly；　〃just　look　at　nature　about　us：　if　you　poke　your　nose　or　your　ear　out　of　your　fur　collar　it　will　be　frost…bitten；　stay　in　the　fields　for　one　hour；　you'll　be　buried　in　the　snow；　while　the　village　is　just　the　same　as　in　the　days　of　Rurik；　the　same　Petchenyegs　and　Polovtsi。　It's　nothing　but　being　burnt　down；　starving；　and　struggling　against　nature　in　every　way。　What　was　I　saying？　Yes！　If　one　thinks　about　it；　you　know；　looks　into　it　and　analyses　all　this　hotchpotch；　if　you　will　allow　me　to　call　it　so；　it's　not　life　but　more　like　a　fire　in　a　theatre！　Any　one　who　falls　down　or　screams　with　terror；　or　rushes　about；　is　the　worst　enemy　of　good　order；　one　must　stand　up　and　look　sharp；　and　not　stir　a　hair！　There's　no　time　for　whimpering　and　busying　oneself　with　trifles。　When　you　have　to　deal　with　elemental　forces　you　must　put　out　force　against　them；　be　firm　and　as　unyielding　as　a　stone。　Isn't　that　right；　grandfather？〃　He　turned　to　Ivan　Ivanitch　and　laughed。　〃I　am　no　better　than　a　woman　myself；　I　am　a　limp　rag；　a　flabby　creature；　so　I　hate　flabbiness。　I　can't　endure　petty　feelings！　One　mopes；　another　is　frightened；　a　third　will　come　straight　in　here　and　say：　'Fie　on　you！　Here　you've　guzzled　a　dozen　courses　and　you　talk　about　the　starving！'　That's　petty　and　stupid！　A　fourth　will　reproach　you；　Eccellenza；　for　being　rich。　Excuse　me；　Eccellenza；〃　he　went　on　in　a　loud　voice；　laying　his　hand　on　his　heart；　〃but　your　having　set　our　magistrate　the　task　of　hunting　day　and　night　for　your　thieves　　excuse　me；　that's　also　petty　on　your　part。　I　am　a　little　drunk；　so　that's　why　I　say　this　now；　but　you　know；　it　is　petty！〃

〃Who's　asking　him　to　worry　himself？　I　don't　understand！〃　I　said；　getting　up。

I　suddenly　felt　unbearably　ashamed　and　mortified；　and　I　walked　round　the　table。

〃Who　asks　him　to　worry　himself？　I　didn't　ask　him　to。　。　。　。　Damn　him！〃

〃They　have　arrested　three　men　and　let　them　go　again。　They　turned　out　not　to　be　the　right　ones；　and　now　they　are　looking　for　a　fresh　lot；〃　said　Sobol；　laughing。　〃It's　too　bad！〃

〃I　did　not　ask　him　to　worry　himself；〃　said　I；　almost　crying　with　excitement。　〃What's　it　all　for？　What's　it　all　for？　Well；　supposing　I　was　wrong；　supposing　I　have　done　wrong；　why　do　they　try　to　put　me　more　in　the　wrong？〃

〃Come；　come；　come；　come！〃　said　Sobol；　trying　to　soothe　me。　〃Come！　I　have　had　a　drop；　that　is　why　I　said　it。　My　tongue　is　my　enemy。　Come；〃　he　sighed；　〃we　have　eaten　and　drunk　wine；　and　now　for　a　nap。〃

He　got　up　from　the　table；　kissed　Ivan　Ivanitch　on　the　head；　and　staggering　from　repletion；　went　out　of　the　dining…room。　Ivan　Ivanitch　and　I　smoked　in　silence。

I　don't　sleep　after　dinner；　my　dear；〃　said　Ivan　Ivanitch；　〃but　you　have　a　rest　in　the　lounge…room。〃

I　agreed。　In　the　half…dark　and　warmly　heated　room　they　called　the　lounge…room；　there　stood　against　the　walls　long；　wide　sofas；　solid　and　heavy；　the　work　of　Butyga　the　cabinet　maker；　on　them　lay　high；　soft；　white　beds；　probably　made　by　the　old　woman　in　spectacles。　On　one　of　them　Sobol；　without　his　coat　and　boots；　already　lay　asleep　with　his　face　to　the　back　of　the　sofa；　another　bed　was　awaiting　me。　I　took　off　my　coat　and　boots；　and