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literary man。 I shall go to him and say； 'Come； old man； put
aside your horrid subjects； ladies' amours and the beauties of
nature； and show up human depravity。' 〃
For a minute he pondered； then said：
〃Gusev； do you know how I took them in？〃
〃Took in whom； Pavel Ivanitch？〃
〃Why； these fellows。 。 。 。 You know that on this steamer there is
only a first…class and a third…class； and they only allow
peasants that is the rift…raft to go in the third。 If you
have got on a reefer jacket and have the faintest resemblance to
a gentleman or a bourgeois you must go first…class； if you
please。 You must fork out five hundred roubles if you die for it。
Why； I ask； have you made such a rule？ Do you want to raise the
prestige of educated Russians thereby？ Not a bit of it。 We don't
let you go third…class simply because a decent person can't go
third…class； it is very horrible and disgusting。 Yes； indeed。 I
am very grateful for such solicitude for decent people's welfare。
But in any case； whether it is nasty there or nice； five hundred
roubles I haven't got。 I haven't pilfered government money。 I
haven't exploited the natives； I haven't trafficked in
contraband； I have flogged no one to death； so judge whether I
have the right to travel first…class and even less to reckon
myself of the educated class？ But you won't catch them with
logic。 。 。 。 One has to resort to deception。 I put on a workman's
coat and high boots； I assumed a drunken； servile mug and went to
the agents： 'Give us a little ticket； your honour；' said I。 。 。
。〃
〃Why； what class do you belong to？〃 asked a sailor。
〃Clerical。 My father was an honest priest； he always told the
great ones of the world the truth to their faces； and he had a
great deal to put up with in consequence。〃
Pavel Ivanitch was exhausted with talking and gasped for breath；
but still went on：
〃Yes； I always tell people the truth to their faces。 I am not
afraid of anyone or anything。 There is a vast difference between
me and all of you in that respect。 You are in darkness； you are
blind； crushed； you see nothing and what you do see you don't
understand。 。 。 。 You are told the wind breaks loose from its
chain； that you are beasts； Petchenyegs； and you believe it； they
punch you in the neck； you kiss their hands； some animal in a
sable…lined coat robs you and then tips you fifteen kopecks and
you： 'Let me kiss your hand； sir。' You are pariahs； pitiful
people。 。 。 。 I am a different sort。 My eyes are open； I see it
all as clearly as a hawk or an eagle when it floats over the
earth； and I understand it all。 I am a living protest。 I see
irresponsible tyranny I protest。 I see cant and hypocrisy I
protest。 I see swine triumphant I protest。 And I cannot be
suppressed； no Spanish Inquisition can make me hold my tongue。
No。 。 。 。 Cut out my tongue and I would protest in dumb show；
shut me up in a cellar I will shout from it to be heard half a
mile away； or I will starve myself to death that they may have
another weight on their black consciences。 Kill me and I will
haunt them with my ghost。 All my acquaintances say to me： 'You
are a most insufferable person； Pavel Ivanitch。' I am proud of
such a reputation。 I have served three years in the far East； and
I shall be remembered there for a hundred years： I had rows with
everyone。 My friends write to me from Russia； 'Don't come back；'
but here I am going back to spite them 。 。 。 yes。 。 。 。 That is
life as I understand it。 That is what one can call life。〃
Gusev was looking at the little window and was not listening。 A
boat was swaying on the transparent； soft； turquoise water all
bathed in hot； dazzling sunshine。 In it there were naked Chinamen
holding up cages with canaries and calling out：
〃It sings； it sings！〃
Another boat knocked against the first； the steam cutter darted
by。 And then there came another boat with a fat Chinaman sitting
in it； eating rice with little sticks。
Languidly the water heaved； languidly the white seagulls floated
over it。
〃I should like to give that fat fellow one in the neck；〃 thought
Gusev； gazing at the stout Chinaman； with a yawn。
He dozed off； and it seemed to him that all nature was dozing；
too。 Time flew swiftly by； imperceptibly the day passed；
imperceptibly the darkness came on。 。 。 。 The steamer was no
longer standing still； but moving on further。
IV
Two days passed； Pavel Ivanitch lay down instead of sitting up；
his eyes were closed； his nose seemed to have grown sharper。
〃Pavel Ivanitch；〃 Gusev called to him。 〃Hey； Pavel Ivanitch。〃
Pavel Ivanitch opened his eyes and moved his lips。
〃Are you feeling bad？〃
〃No 。 。 。 it's nothing 。 。 。〃 answered Pavel Ivanitch； gasping。
〃Nothing； on the contrary I am rather better。 。 。 。 You see I
can lie down。 I am a little easier。 。 。 。〃
〃Well； thank God for that； Pavel Ivanitch。〃
〃When I compare myself with you I am sorry for you 。 。 。 poor
fellow。 My lungs are all right； it is only a stomach cough。 。 。 。
I can stand hell； let alone the Red Sea。 Besides I take a
critical attitude to my illness and to the medicines they give me
for it。 While you 。 。 。 you are in darkness。 。 。 。 It's hard for
you； very； very hard！〃
The ship was not rolling； it was calm； but as hot and stifling as
a bath…house； it was not only hard to speak but even hard to
listen。 Gusev hugged his knees； laid his head on them and thought
of his home。 Good heavens； what a relief it was to think of snow
and cold in that stifling heat！ You drive in a sledge； all at
once the horses take fright at something and bolt。 。 。 。
Regardless of the road； the ditches； the ravines； they dash like
mad things； right through the village； over the pond by the
pottery works； out across the open fields。 〃Hold on；〃 the pottery
hands and the peasants sho ut； meeting them。 〃Hold on。〃 But why？
Let the keen； cold wind beat in one's face and bite one's hands；
let the lumps of snow； kicked up by the horses' hoofs； fall on
one's cap； on one's back； down one's collar； on one's chest； let
the runners ring on the snow； and the traces and the sledge be
smashed； deuce take them one and all！ And how delightful when the
sledge upsets and you go flying full tilt into a drift； face
downwards in the snow； and then you get up white all over with
icicles on your moustaches； no cap； no gloves； your belt undone。
。 。 。 People laugh； the dogs bark。 。 。 。
Pavel Ivanitch half opened one eye； looked at Gusev with it； and
asked softly：
〃Gusev； did your commanding officer steal？〃
〃Who can tell； Pavel Ivanitch！ We can't say； it didn't reach us。〃
And after that a long time passed in silence。 Gusev brooded；
muttered something in delirium； and kept drinking water； it was
hard for him to talk and hard to listen； and he was afraid of
being talked to。 An hour passed； a second； a third； evening came
on； then night； but he did not notice it。 He still sat dreaming
of the frost。
There was a sound as though someone came into the hospital； and
voices were audible； but a few minutes passed and all was still
again。
〃The Kingdom of Heaven and eternal peace；〃 said the soldier with
his arm in a sling。 〃He was an uncomfortable