the wife and other stories-第3部分

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Ivan　Ivanitch　kissed　her　hand　while　she　kissed　his　forehead；　then；　when　we　all　sat　down　to　the　table；　he；　looking　at　her　tearfully　and　blissfully；　craned　forward　to　her　and　kissed　her　hand　again。　She　was　dressed　in　black；　her　hair　was　carefully　arranged；　and　she　smelt　of　fresh　scent。　She　had　evidently　dressed　to　go　out　or　was　expecting　somebody。　Coming　into　the　dining…room；　she　held　out　her　hand　to　me　with　simple　friendliness；　and　smiled　to　me　as　graciously　as　she　did　to　Ivan　Ivanitch　　that　pleased　me；　but　as　she　talked　she　moved　her　fingers；　often　and　abruptly　leaned　back　in　her　chair　and　talked　rapidly；　and　this　jerkiness　in　her　words　and　movements　irritated　me　and　reminded　me　of　her　native　town　　Odessa；　where　the　society；　men　and　women　alike；　had　wearied　me　by　its　bad　taste。

〃I　want　to　do　something　for　the　famine…stricken　peasants；〃　I　began；　and　after　a　brief　pause　I　went　on：　〃　Money；　of　course；　is　a　great　thing；　but　to　confine　oneself　to　subscribing　money；　and　with　that　to　be　satisfied；　would　be　evading　the　worst　of　the　trouble。　Help　must　take　the　form　of　money；　but　the　most　important　thing　is　a　proper　and　sound　organization。　Let　us　think　it　over；　my　friends；　and　do　something。〃

Natalya　Gavrilovna　looked　at　me　inquiringly　and　shrugged　her　shoulders　as　though　to　say；　〃What　do　I　know　about　it？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　famine　。　。　。〃　muttered　Ivan　Ivanitch。　〃Certainly　。　。　。　yes。〃

〃It's　a　serious　position；〃　I　said；　〃and　assistance　is　needed　as　soon　as　possible。　I　imagine　the　first　point　among　the　principles　which　we　must　work　out　ought　to　be　promptitude。　We　must　act　on　the　military　principles　of　judgment；　promptitude；　and　energy。〃

〃Yes；　promptitude　。　。　。〃　repeated　Ivan　Ivanitch　in　a　drowsy　and　listless　voice；　as　though　he　were　dropping　asleep。　〃Only　one　can't　do　anything。　The　crops　have　failed；　and　so　what's　the　use　of　all　your　judgment　and　energy？　。　。　。　It's　the　elements。　。　。　。　You　can't　go　against　God　and　fate。〃

〃Yes；　but　that's　what　man　has　a　head　for；　to　conten　d　against　the　elements。〃

〃Eh？　Yes　。　。　。　that's　so；　to　be　sure。　。　。　。　Yes。〃

Ivan　Ivanitch　sneezed　into　his　handkerchief；　brightened　up；　and　as　though　he　had　just　woken　up；　looked　round　at　my　wife　and　me。

〃My　crops　have　failed；　too。〃　He　laughed　a　thin　little　laugh　and　gave　a　sly　wink　as　though　this　were　really　funny。　〃No　money；　no　corn；　and　a　yard　full　of　labourers　like　Count　Sheremetyev's。　I　want　to　kick　them　out；　but　I　haven't　the　heart　to。〃

Natalya　Gavrilovna　laughed；　and　began　questioning　him　about　his　private　affairs。　Her　presence　gave　me　a　pleasure　such　as　I　had　not　felt　for　a　long　time；　and　I　was　afraid　to　look　at　her　for　fear　my　eyes　would　betray　my　secret　feeling。　Our　relations　were　such　that　that　feeling　might　seem　surprising　and　ridiculous。

She　laughed　and　talked　with　Ivan　Ivanitch　without　being　in　the　least　disturbed　that　she　was　in　my　room　and　that　I　was　not　laughing。

〃And　so；　my　friends；　what　are　we　to　do？〃　I　asked　after　waiting　for　a　pause。　〃I　suppose　before　we　do　anything　else　we　had　better　immediately　open　a　subscription…list。　We　will　write　to　our　friends　in　the　capitals　and　in　Odessa；　Natalie；　and　ask　them　to　subscribe。　When　we　have　got　together　a　little　sum　we　will　begin　buying　corn　and　fodder　for　the　cattle；　and　you；　Ivan　Ivanitch；　will　you　be　so　kind　as　to　undertake　distributing　the　relief？　Entirely　relying　on　your　characteristic　tact　and　efficiency；　we　will　only　venture　to　express　a　desire　that　before　you　give　any　relief　you　make　acquaintance　with　the　details　of　the　case　on　the　spot；　and　also；　which　is　very　important；　you　should　be　careful　that　corn　should　be　distributed　only　to　those　who　are　in　genuine　need；　and　not　to　the　drunken；　the　idle；　or　the　dishonest。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　yes　。　。　。〃　muttered　Ivan　Ivanitch。　〃To　be　sure；　to　be　sure。〃

〃Well；　one　won't　get　much　done　with　that　slobbering　wreck；〃　I　thought；　and　I　felt　irritated。

〃I　am　sick　of　these　famine…stricken　peasants；　bother　them！　It's　nothing　but　grievances　with　them！〃　Ivan　Ivanitch　went　on；　sucking　the　rind　of　the　lemon。　〃The　hungry　have　a　grievance　against　those　who　have　enough；　and　those　who　have　enough　have　a　grievance　against　the　hungry。　Yes　。　。　。　hunger　stupefies　and　maddens　a　man　and　makes　him　savage；　hunger　is　not　a　potato。　When　a　man　is　starving　he　uses　bad　language；　and　steals；　and　may　do　worse。　。　。　。　One　must　realize　that。〃

Ivan　Ivanitch　choked　over　his　tea；　coughed；　and　shook　all　over　with　a　squeaky；　smothered　laughter。

〃　'There　was　a　battle　at　Pol　。　。　。　Poltava；'　〃　he　brought　out；　gesticulating　with　both　hands　in　protest　against　the　laughter　and　coughing　which　prevented　him　from　speaking。　〃　'There　was　a　battle　at　Poltava！'　When　three　years　after　the　Emancipation　we　had　famine　in　two　districts　here；　Fyodor　Fyodoritch　came　and　invited　me　to　go　to　him。　'Come　along；　come　along；'　he　persisted；　and　nothing　else　would　satisfy　him。　'Very　well；　let　us　go；'　I　said。　And；　so　we　set　off。　It　was　in　the　evening；　there　was　snow　falling。　Towards　night　we　were　getting　near　his　place；　and　suddenly　from　the　wood　came　'bang！'　and　another　time　'bang！'　'Oh；　damn　it　all！'　。　。　。　I　jumped　out　of　the　sledge；　and　I　saw　in　the　darkness　a　man　running　up　to　me；　knee…deep　in　the　snow。　I　put　my　arm　round　his　shoulder；　like　this；　and　knocked　the　gun　out　of　his　hand。　Then　another　one　turned　up；　I　fetched　him　a　knock　on　the　back　of　his　head　so　that　he　grunted　and　flopped　with　his　nose　in　the　snow。　I　was　a　sturdy　chap　then；　my　fist　was　heavy；　I　disposed　of　two　of　them；　and　when　I　turned　round　Fyodor　was　sitting　astride　of　a　third。　We　did　not　let　our　three　fine　fellows　go；　we　tied　their　hands　behind　their　backs　so　that　they　might　not　do　us　or　themselves　any　harm；　and　took　the　fools　into　the　kitchen。　We　were　angry　with　them　and　at　the　same　time　ashamed　to　look　at　them；　they　were　peasants　we　knew；　and　were　good　fellows；　we　were　sorry　for　them。　They　were　quite　stupid　with　terror。　One　was　crying　and　begging　our　pardon；　the　second　looked　like　a　wild　beast　and　kept　swearing；　the　third　knelt　down　and　began　to　pray。　I　said　to　Fedya：　'Don't　bear　them　a　grudge；　let　them　go；　the　rascals！'　He　fed　them；　gave　them　a　bushel　of　flour　each；　and　let　them　go：　'Get　along　with　you；'　he　said。　So　that's　what　he　did。。　。　。　The　Kingdom　of　Heaven　be　his　and　everlasting　peace！　He　understood　and　did　not　bear　them　a　grudge；　but　there　were　some　who　did；　and　how　many　people　they　ruined！　Yes。　。　。　Why；　over　the　affair　at　the　Klotchkovs'　tavern　eleven　men　were　sent　to　the　disciplinary　battalion。　Yes。　。　。　。　And　now；　look；　it's　the　same　thing。　Anisyin；　the　investigating　magistrate；　stayed　the　night　with　me　last　Thursday；　and　he　told　me　about　some　landowner。　。　。　。　Yes。　。　。　。　They　took　the　wall　of　his　barn　to　pieces　at　night　and　carried　off　twenty　sacks　of　rye。　When　the　gentleman　heard　that　such　a　crime　had　been　committed；　he　sent　a　telegram　to　the　Governor　and　another　to　the　police　captain；　another　to　the　investigating　magistrate！　。　。　。　Of　course；　every　one　is　afraid　of　a　man　who　is　fond　of　litigation。　The　authorities　were　in　a　flutter　and　there　was　a　general　hubbub。　Two　villages　were　searched。〃

〃Excuse　me；　Ivan　Ivanitch；〃　I　said。　〃Twenty　sacks　of　rye　were　stolen　from　me；　and　it　was　I　who　telegraphed　to　the　Governor。　I　t