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sailcloth and should soon be flying into the sea。 Was it possible
that such a thing might happen to anyone？
The priest strewed earth upon Gusev and bowed down。 They sang
〃Eternal Memory。〃
The man on watch duty tilted up the end of the plank； Gusev slid
off and flew head foremost； turned a somersault in the air and
splashed into the sea。 He was covered with foam and for a moment
looked as though he were wrapped in lace； but the minute passed
and he disappeared in the waves。
He went rapidly towards the bottom。 Did he reach it？ It was said
to be three miles to the bottom。 After sinking sixty or seventy
feet； he began moving more and more slowly； swaying rhythmically；
as though he were hesitating and； carried along by the current；
moved more rapidly sideways than downwards。
Then he was met by a shoal of the fish called harbour pilots。
Seeing the dark body the fish stopped as though petrified； and
suddenly turned round and disappeared。 In less than a minute they
flew back swift as an arrow to Gusev； and began zig…zagging round
him in the water。
After that another dark body appeared。 It was a shark。 It swam
under Gusev with dignity and no show of interest； as though it
did not notice him； and sank down upon its back； then it turned
belly upwards； basking in the warm； transparent water and
languidly opened its jaws with two rows of teeth。 The harbour
pilots are delighted； they stop to see what will come next。 After
playing a little with the body the shark nonchalantly puts its
jaws under it； cautiously touches it with its teeth； and the
sailcloth is rent its full length from head to foot； one of the
weights falls out and frightens the harbour pilots； and striking
the shark on the ribs goes rapidly to the bottom。
Overhead at this time the clouds are massed together on the side
where the sun is setting； one cloud like a triumphal arch；
another like a lion； a third like a pair of scissors。 。 。 。 From
behind the clouds a broad； green shaft of light pierces through
and stretches to the middle of the sky； a little later another；
violet…coloured； lies beside it； next that； one of gold； then one
rose…coloured。 。 。 。 The sky turns a soft lilac。 Looking at this
gorgeous； enchanted sky； at first the ocean scowls； but soon it；
too； takes tender； joyous； passionate colours for which it is
hard to find a name in human speech。
THE STUDENT
AT first the weather was fine and still。 The thrushes were
calling； and in the swamps close by something alive droned
pitifully with a sound like blowing into an empty bottle。 A snipe
flew by； and the shot aimed at it rang out with a gay； resounding
note in the spring air。 But when it began to get dark in the
forest a cold； penetrating wind blew inappropriately from the
east； and everything sank into silence。 Needles of ice stretched
across the pools； and it felt cheerless； remote； and lonely in
the forest。 There was a whiff of winter。
Ivan Velikopolsky； the son of a sacristan； and a student of the
clerical academy； returning home from shooting； walked all the
time by the path in the water…side meadow。 His fingers were numb
and his face was burning with the wind。 It seemed to him that the
cold that had suddenly come on had destroyed the order and
harmony of things； that nature itself felt ill at ease； and that
was why the evening darkness was falling more rapidly than usual。
All around it was deserted and peculiarly gloomy。 The only light
was one gleaming in the widows' gardens near the river； the
village； over three miles away； and everything in the distance
all round was plunged in the cold evening mist。 The student
remembered that； as he went out from the house； his mother was
sitting barefoot on the floor in the entry； cleaning the samovar；
while his father lay on the stove coughing； as it was Good Friday
nothing had been cooked； and the student was terribly hungry。 And
now； shrinking from the cold； he thought that just such a wind
had blown in the days of Rurik and in the time of Ivan the
Terrible and Peter； and in their time there had been just the
same desperate poverty and hunger； the same thatched roofs with
holes in them； ignorance； misery； the same desolation around； the
same darkness； the same feeling of oppression all these had
existed； did exist； and would exist； and the lapse of a thousand
years would make life no better。 And he did not want to go home。
The gardens were called the widows' because they were kept by two
widows； mother and daughter。 A camp fire was burning brightly
with a crackling sound； throwing out light far around on the
ploughed earth。 The widow Vasilisa； a tall； fat old woman in a
man's coat； was standing by and looking thoughtfully into the
fire； her daughter Lukerya； a little pock…marked woman with a
stupid…looking face； was sitting on the ground； washing a caldron
and spoons。 Apparently they had just had supper。 There was a
sound of men's voices； it was the labourers watering their horses
at the river。
〃Here you have winter back again；〃 said the student； going up to
the camp fire。 〃Good evening。〃
Vasilisa started； but at once recognized him and smiled
cordially。
〃I did not know you； God bless you；〃 she said。
〃You'll be rich。〃
They talked。 Vasilisa； a woman of experience； who had been in
service with the gentry； first as a wet…nurse； afterwards as a
children's nurse； expressed herself with refinement； and a soft；
sedate smile never left her face； her daughter Lukerya； a village
peasant woman； who had been beaten by her husband； simply screwed
up her eyes at the student and said nothing； and she had a
strange expression like that of a deaf mute。
〃At just such a fire the Apostle Peter warmed himself；〃 said the
student； stretching out his hands to the fire； 〃so it must have
been cold then； too。 Ah； what a terrible night it must have been；
granny！ An utterly dismal long night！〃
He looked round at the darkness； shook his head abruptly and
asked：
〃No doubt you have been at the reading of the Twelve Gospels？〃
〃Yes； I have；〃 answered Vasilisa。
〃If you remember at the Last Supper Peter said to Jesus； 'I am
ready to go with Thee into darkness and unto death。' And our Lord
answered him thus： 'I say unto thee； Peter； before the cock
croweth thou wilt have denied Me thrice。' After the supper Jesus
went through the agony of death in the garden and prayed； and
poor Peter was weary in spirit and faint； his eyelids were heavy
and he could not struggle against sleep。 He fell asleep。 Then you
heard how Judas the same night kissed Jesus and betrayed Him to
His tormentors。 They took Him bound to the high priest and beat
Him； while Peter； exhausted； worn out with misery and alarm；
hardly awake； you know； feeling that something awful was just
going to happen on earth； followed behind。 。 。 。 He loved Jesus
passionately； intensely； and now he saw from far off how He was
beaten。 。 。〃
Lukerya left the spoons and fixed an immovable stare upon the
student。
〃They came to the high priest's；〃 he went on； 〃they began to
question Jesus； and meantime the labourers made a fire in the
yard as it was cold； and warmed themselves。 Peter； too； stood
with