第9章

“Byyourleave，wearegoingtobedrowned，“theMorduinemurmuredasheglancedattheblueshadowofeventideonourleft。 Andsimultaneously，asthoughcompassionatingourlot，alargefloegroundeduponthebank，glidedupwardswithacrackingandacrashing，andthereheldfast！ “Run，allofyou！“cameafuriousshoutfromOssip。 “Hurryup，now！Putyourverybestlegsforemost！“ Formyself，asIspranguponthefloeIlostmyfooting，and，fallingheadlongandremainingseatedonthehitherendofthefloeamidashowerofspray，sawfiveofmysevencomradesrushpast，pushingandjostling，astheymadefortheshore。ButpresentlytheMorduineturnedandhaltedbesideme，withtheintentionofrenderingOssipassistance。 “Run，youyoungfools！“thelatterexclaimed。“Come！Beoffwithyou！“ Somehowinhisfacetherewasnowalivid，uncertainair，whilehiseyeshadlosttheirfire，andhismouthwascuriouslyagape。 “No，mate。DoYOUgetup，“wasmycounter-adjuration。 “Unfortunately，Ihavehurtmyleg，“herepliedwithhisheadbentdown。“Infact，IamnotsurethatIcangetup。“ However，wecontrivedtoraisehimandcarryhimashorewithanarmofhisrestingoneachofournecks。Meanwhilehegrowledwithchatteringteeth: “Aha，youriverdevils！Drownmeifyoucan！ButI’venotgivenyouachance，theLordbethanked！Hi，lookout！Theicewon’tbearthethreeofus。Mindhowyoustep，andchooseplaceswheretheiceisbareofsnow。Thereit’sfirmer。No，abetterplanstillwouldbetoleavemewhereIam。“ Next，withafrowningscrutinyofmyface，heinquired: “Thatnotebookofourmisdeeds——hasn’tithadawettingandgotdonefor？“ Thatverymoment，aswesteppedfromthestrandedfloe(ingrounding，ithadcrushedandshatteredasmallboat)，suchpartofitaslayinthewatergavealoudcrack，and，swayingtoandfro，andemittingagurglingsound，floatedclearoftherest。 “Ah！“wastheMorduine’squizzicalcomment。“YOUknewwellenoughwhatneededtobedone。“ Wet，andchilledtothebone，thoughrelievedinspirit，westeppedashoretofindacrowdoftownspeopleinconversationwithBoevandtheoldsoldier。Andaswedepositedourchargeundertheleaofapileoflogsheshoutedcheerfully: “Mates，Makarei’snotebookisdonefor，soakedthrough！“Andsincethenotebookinquestionwasweighinguponmybreastlikeabrick，Ipulleditoutunseen，andhurleditfarintotheriverwithaploplikethatofafrog。 AsfortheDiatlovs，theylostnotimeinsettingoutinsearchofvodkainthetavernonthehill，andslappedoneanotheronthebackastheyran，andcouldbeheardshouting，“Hurrah，hurrah！“ Uponthis，atalloldmanwiththebeardofanapostleandtheeyesofabrigandmuttered: “Infidels，whydisturbpeacefulfolklikethis？Yououghttobethrashed！“ WhereuponBoev，whowaschanginghisclothes，retorted: “Whatdoyoumeanby’disturb’？“ “Besides，“putintheoldsoldier，“eventhoughweareChristianslikeyourself，wemightaswellhavebeendrownedforallthatyoudidtohelpus。“ “Whatcouldwehavedone？“ MeanwhileOssiphadremainedlyingonthegroundwithonelegstretchedoutatfulllength，andtremuloushandsfumblingathisgreatcoatasunderhisbreathhemuttered: “HolyMother，howwetIam！Myclothes，thoughIhaveonlywornthemayear，areruinedforever！“ Moreover，heseemednowtohaveshrunkenagaininstature——tohavebecomecrumpleduplikeamanrunover。Indeed，ashelayheseemedactuallytobemelting，socontinuouslywashisbulkdecreasinginsize。 Butsuddenlyheraisedhimselftoasittingposture，groaned，andexclaimedinhigh-pitched，wrathfulaccents: “Maythedeviltakeyouall！Beoffwithyoutoyourwashhousesandchurches！Yes，beoff，foritseemsthat，asGodcouldn’tkeepHisholyfestivalwithoutyou，I’vehadtostandwithinanaceofdeathandtospoilmyclothes-yes，allthatyoufellowsshouldbegotoutofyourfix！“ Nevertheless，themenmerelycontinuedtakingofftheirboots，andwringingouttheirclothes，andconversingwithsundrygaspsandgruntswiththebystanders。SopresentlyOssipresumed: “Whatareyouthinkingof，youfools？Thewashhouseisthebestplaceforyou，forifthepolicegetyou，they’llsoonfindyoualodging，andnomistake！“ Oneofthetownspeopleputinofficiously: “Aye，aye。Thepolicehavebeensentfor。“ AndthisledBoevtoexclaimtoOssip: “Whypretendlikethat？“ “Pretend？I？“ “Yes——you。“ “Whatdoyoumean？“ “Imeanthatitwasyouwhoeggedusontocrosstheriver。“ “YousaythatitwasI？“ “Ido。“ “Indeed？“ “Aye，“putinBudirinquietly，butincisively。AndhimtheMorduinesupportedbysayinginasullenundertone: “Itwasyou，mate。ByGoditwas。Itwouldseemthatyouhaveforgotten。“ “Yes，youstartedallthisbusiness，“theoldsoldiercorroborated，indour，ponderousaccents。 “Forgotten，indeed？HE？“wasBoev’sheatedexclamation。 “Howcanyousaysuchathing？Well，lethimnottrytoshifttheresponsibilityontoothers——that’sall！WE’LLsee，rightenough，thathegoesthroughwithit！“ TothisOssipmadenoreply，butgazedfrowninglyathisdripping，half-cladmen。 Allatonce，withacuriousoutburstofmingledsmilesandtears(itwouldbehardtosaywhich)，heshruggedhisshoulders，threwuphishands，andmuttered: “Yes，itIStrue。Ifitpleaseyou，itwasIthatcontrivedtheidea。“ “OfCOURSEitwas！“theoldsoldiercriedtriumphantly。 Ossipturnedhiseyesagaintowheretheriverwasseethinglikeabowlofporridge，and，lettinghiseyesfallwithafrown，continued: “InamomentofforgetfulnessIdidit。Yethowisitthatwewerenotalldrowned？Well，youwouldn’tunderstandevenifI weretotellyou。No，byGod，youwouldn’t！……Don’tbeangrywithme，mates。Pardonmeforthefestival’ssake，forIamfeelinguneasyofmind。Yes，Iitwasthateggedyouontocrosstheriver，theoldfoolthatIwas！“ “Aha！“exclaimedBoev。“But，hadIbeendrowned，whatshouldyouhavesaidTHEN？“ Infact，bythistimeOssipseemedconscioustothefullofthefutilityandthesenselessnessofwhathehaddone:andinhisstateofsliminess，ashesatnoddinghishead，pickingatthesand，lookingatnoone，andemittingatorrentofremorsefulwords，heremindedmestronglyofanew-borncalf。 AndasIwatchedhimIthoughttomyself: “Wherenowistheleaderofmenwhocoulddrawhisfellowsinhistrainwithsomuchcareandskillandauthority？“ Andintomysoultheretrickledanuneasysenseofsomethinglacking。SeatingmyselfbesideOssip(forIdesiredstilltoretainameasureofmylateimpressionofhim)，Isaidtohiminanundertone: “Soonyouwillbeallrightagain。“ Withasidewaysglancehemutteredinreply，ashecombedhisbeard: “Well，yousawwhathappenedjustnow。Alwaysdothingssohappen。“ Whileforthebenefitofthemenheadded: “Thatwasagoodjestofmine，eh？“ Thesummitofthehillwhichlaycrouching，likeagreatbeast，onthebrinkoftheriverwasstandingoutclearlyagainstthefastdarkeningsky；whileaclumpoftreesthereonhadgrownblack，andeverywhereblueshadowsofthespringeventidewerecomingintoview，andloomingbetweenthehousetopswherethehouseslaypressedlikescabsagainstthehill’sopaquesurface，andpeeringfromthemoist，redjawsoftheravinewhich，gapingtowardstheriver，seemedasthoughitwerestretchingforthforadraughtofwater。 Also，bynowtherustlingandcrunchingoftheiceonthesimilarlydarkeningriverwasbeginningtoassumeadeepernote，andattimesafloewouldthrustoneofitsextremitiesintothebankasapigthrustsitssnoutintotheearth，andthereremainmotionlessbeforeoncemorebeginningtosway，tearingitselffree，andfloatingawaydowntheriverasanothersuchfloeglidedintoitsplace。