the witch and other stories-第17章

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Freedom　I　was　shepherd　of　the　master's　herds。　I　have　watched　them
in　this　very　spot；　and　I　can't　remember　a　summer　day　in　all　my
life　that　I　have　not　been　here。　And　all　the　time　I　have　been
observing　the　works　of　God。　I　have　looked　at　them　in　my　time　till
I　know　them；　and　it　is　my　opinion　that　all　things　growing　are　on
the　decline。　Whether　you　take　the　rye；　or　the　vegetables；　or
flowers　of　any　sort；　they　are　all　going　the　same　way。〃

〃But　people　have　grown　better；〃　observed　the　bailiff。

〃In　what　way　better？〃

〃Cleverer。〃

〃Cleverer；　maybe；　that's　true；　young　man；　but　what's　the　use　of
that？　What　earthly　good　is　cleverness　to　people　on　the　brink　of
ruin？　One　can　perish　without　cleverness。　What's　the　good　of
cleverness　to　a　huntsman　if　there　is　no　game？　What　I　think　is
that　God　has　given　men　brains　and　taken　away　their　strength。
People　have　grown　weak；　exceedingly　weak。　Take　me；　for　instance　。
。　。　I　am　not　worth　a　halfpenny；　I　am　the　humblest　peasant　in　the
whole　village；　and　yet；　young　man；　I　have　strength。　Mind　you；　I
am　in　my　seventies；　and　I　tend　my　herd　day　in　and　day　out；　and
keep　the　night　watch；　too；　for　twenty　kopecks；　and　I　don't　sleep；
and　I　don't　feel　the　cold；　my　son　is　cleverer　than　I　am；　but　put
him　in　my　place　and　he　would　ask　for　a　raise　next　day；　or　would
be　going　to　the　doctors。　There　it　is。　I　eat　nothing　but　bread；
for　'Give　us　this　day　our　daily　bread；'　and　my　father　ate　nothing
but　bread；　and　my　grandfather；　but　the　peasant　nowadays　must　have
tea　and　vodka　and　white　loaves；　and　must　sleep　from　sunset　to
dawn；　and　he　goes　to　the　doctor　and　pampers　himself　in　all　sorts
of　ways。　And　why　is　it？　He　has　grown　weak；　he　has　not　the
strength　to　endure。　If　he　wants　to　stay　awake；　his　eyes　close　
there　is　no　doing　anything。〃

〃That's　true；〃　Meliton　agreed；　〃the　peasant　is　good　for　nothing
nowadays。〃

〃It's　no　good　hiding　what　is　wrong；　we　get　worse　from　year　to
year。　And　if　you　take　the　gentry　into　consideration；　they've
grown　feebler　even　more　than　the　peasants　have。　The　gentleman
nowadays　has　mastered　everything；　he　knows　what　he　ought　not　to
know；　and　what　is　the　sense　of　it？　It　makes　you　feel　pitiful　to
look　at　him。　。　。　。　He　is　a　thin；　puny　little　fellow；　like　some
Hungarian　or　Frenchman；　there　is　no　dignity　nor　air　about　him；
it's　only　in　name　he　is　a　gentleman。　There　is　no　place　for　him；
poor　dear；　and　nothing　for　him　to　do；　and　there　is　no　making　out
what　he　wants。　Either　he　sits　with　a　hook　catching　fish；　or　he
lolls　on　his　back　reading；　or　trots　about　among　the　peasants
saying　all　sorts　of　th　ings　to　them；　and　those　that　are　hungry　go
in　for　being　clerks。　So　he　spends　his　life　in　vain。　And　he　has　no
notion　of　doing　something　real　and　useful。　The　gentry　in　old　days
were　half　of　them　generals；　but　nowadays　they　are　　a　poor　lot。〃

〃They　are　badly　off　nowadays；〃　said　Meliton。

〃They　are　poorer　because　God　has　taken　away　their　strength。　You
can't　go　against　God。〃

Meliton　stared　at　a　fixed　point　again。　After　thinking　a　little　he
heaved　a　sigh　as　staid；　reasonable　people　do　sigh；　shook　his
head；　and　said：

〃And　all　because　of　what？　We　have　sinned　greatly；　we　have
forgotten　God　。　。　and　it　seems　that　the　time　has　come　for　all　to
end。　And；　after　all；　the　world　can't　last　for　ever　　it's　time
to　know　when　to　take　leave。〃

The　shepherd　sighed　and；　as　though　wishing　to　cut　short　an
unpleasant　conversation；　he　walked　away　from　the　birch…tree　and
began　silently　reckoning　over　the　cows。

〃Hey…hey…hey！〃　he　shouted。　〃Hey…hey…hey！　Bother　you；　the　plague
take　you！　The　devil　has　taken　you　into　the　thicket。　Tu…lu…lu！〃

With　an　angry　face　he　went　into　the　bushes　to　collect　his　herd。
Meliton　got　up　and　sauntered　slowly　along　the　edge　of　the　wood。
He　looked　at　the　ground　at　his　feet　and　pondered；　he　still　wanted
to　think　of　something　which　had　not　yet　been　touched　by　death。
Patches　of　light　crept　upon　the　slanting　streaks　of　rain　again；
they　danced　on　the　tops　of　the　trees　and　died　away　among　the　wet
leaves。　Damka　found　a　hedgehog　under　a　bush；　and　wanting　to
attract　her　master's　attention　to　it；　barked　and　howled。

〃Did　you　have　an　eclipse　or　not？〃　the　shepherd　called　from　the
bushes。

〃Yes；　we　had；〃　answered　Meliton。

〃Ah！　Folks　are　complaining　all　about　that　there　was　one。　It　shows
there　is　disorder　even　in　the　heavens！　It's　not　for　nothing。　。　。
。　Hey…hey…hey！　Hey！〃

Driving　his　herd　together　to　the　edge　of　the　wood；　the　shepherd
leaned　against　the　birch…tree；　looked　up　at　the　sky；　without
haste　took　his　pipe　from　his　bosom　and　began　playing。　As　before；
he　played　mechanically　and　took　no　more　than　five　or　six　notes；
as　though　the　pipe　had　come　into　his　hands　for　the　first　time；
the　sounds　floated　from　it　uncertainly；　with　no　regularity；　not
blending　into　a　tune；　but　to　Meliton；　brooding　on　the　destruction
of　the　world；　there　was　a　sound　in　it　of　something　very
depressing　and　revolting　which　he　would　much　rather　not　have
heard。　The　highest；　shrillest　notes；　which　quivered　and　broke；
seemed　to　be　weeping　disconsolately；　as　though　the　pipe　were　sick
and　frightened；　while　the　lowest　notes　for　some　reason　reminded
him　of　the　mist；　the　dejected　trees；　the　grey　sky。　Such　music
seemed　in　keeping　with　the　weather；　the　old　man　and　his　sayings。

Meliton　wanted　to　complain。　He　went　up　to　the　old　man　and；
looking　at　his　mournful；　mocking　face　and　at　the　pipe；　muttered：

〃And　life　has　grown　worse；　grandfather。　It　is　utterly　impossible
to　live。　Bad　crops；　want。　。　。　。　Cattle　plague　continually；
diseases　of　all　sorts。　。　。　。　We　are　crushed　by　poverty。〃

The　bailiff's　puffy　face　turned　crimson　and　took　a　dejected；
womanish　expression。　He　twirled　his　fingers　as　though　seeking
words　to　convey　his　vague　feeling　and　went　on：

〃Eight　children；　a　wife　。　。　。　and　my　mother　still　living；　and　my
whole　salary　ten　roubles　a　month　and　to　board　myself。　My　wife　has
become　a　Satan　from　poverty。　。　。　。　I　go　off　drinking　myself。　I　am
a　sensible；　steady　man；　I　have　education。　I　ought　to　sit　at　home
in　peace；　but　I　stray　about　all　day　with　my　gun　like　a　dog
because　it　is　more　than　I　can　stand；　my　home　is　hateful　to　me！〃

Feeling　that　his　tongue　was　uttering　something　quite　different
from　what　he　wanted　to　say；　the　bailiff　waved　his　hand　and　said
bitterly：

〃If　the　world's　going　to　end　I　wish　it　would　make　haste　about　it。
There's　no　need　to　drag　it　out　and　make　folks　miserable　for
nothing。　。　。　。〃

The　old　man　took　the　pipe　from　his　lips　and；　screwing　up　one　eye；
looked　into　its　little　opening。　His　face　was　sad　and　covered　with
thick　drops　like　tears。　He　smiled　and　said：

〃It's　a　pity；　my　friend！　My　goodness；　what　a　pity！　The　earth；　the
forest；　the　sky；　the　beasts　of　all　sorts　　all　this　has　been
created；　you　know；　adapted；　they　all　have　their　intelligence。　It
is　all　going　to　ruin。　And　most　of　all　I　am　sorry　for　people。〃

There　was　the　sound　in　the　wood　of　heavy　rain　coming　nearer。
Meliton　looked　in　the　direction　of　the　sound；　did　up　all　his
buttons；　and　said：

〃I　am　going　to　the　village。　Good…bye；　grandfather。　What　is　your
name？〃

〃Luka　the　Poor。〃

〃Well；　good…bye；　Luka！　Thank　you　for　your　good　words。　Damka；
ici！〃

After　parting　from　the　shepherd　Meliton　made　his　way　along　the
edge　of　the　wood；　and　then　down　hill　to　a　meadow　which　by　degrees
turned　into　a　marsh。　There　was　a　squelch　of　water　under　his　feet；
and　the　rusty　marsh　sedge；　still　green　and　juicy；　drooped　down　to
the　earth　as　though　afraid　of　being　trampled　underfoot。　Beyond
the　marsh；　on　the　bank　of　the　Pestchanka；　of　which　the　old　man
had　spoken；　stood　a　row　of　willows；　and　beyond　the　willows　a　barn
looked　dark　blue　in　the　mist。　One　could　feel　the　approach　of　that
miserable；　utterly　inevitable　season；　when　the　fields　grow　dark
and　the　earth　is　muddy　and　cold；　when　the　weeping　willow　seems
still　more　mournful　and　tears　trickle　down　its　stem；　and　only　the
cranes　fly　away　from　the　general　misery；　and　even　they；　as　though
afraid　of　insulting　dispirited　nature　by　the　expression　of　their
happiness；　fill　the　air　with　their　mournful；　dreary　notes。

Meliton　plodded　along　to　the　river；　and　heard　the　sounds　of　the
pipe　gradually　dying　away　behind　him。　He　still　w