按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
it！ There is a brew but not for you！〃
The old man laughed contemptuously and sat down on the ground。
The overseer listened with attention and agreed； but from his
silence and the expression of his figure it was evident that what
the old man told him was not new to him； that he had thought it
all over long ago； and knew much more than was known to the old
shepherd。
〃In my day； I must own； I did seek for fortune a dozen times；〃
said the old man； scratching himself nervously。 〃I looked in the
right places； but I must have come on treasures under a charm。 My
father looked for it； too； and my brother； too but not a thing
did they find； so they died without luck。 A monk revealed to my
brother Ilya the Kingdom of Heaven be his that in one place
in the fortress of Taganrog there was a treasure under three
stones； and that that treasure was under a charm； and in those
days it was； I remember； in the year '38 an Armenian used
to live at Matvyeev Barrow who sold talismans。 Ilya bought a
talisman； took two other fellows with him； and went to Taganrog。
Only when he got to the place in the fortress； brother； there was
a soldier with a gun； standing at the very spot。 。 。 。〃
A sound suddenly broke on the still air； and floated in all
directions over the steppe。 Something in the distance gave a
menacing bang； crashed against stone； and raced over the steppe；
uttering； 〃Tah！ tah！ tah！ tah！〃 When the sound had died away the
old man looked inquiringly at Panteley； who stood motionless and
unconcerned。
〃It's a bucket broken away at the pits；〃 said the young shepherd
after a moment's thought。
It was by now getting light。 The Milky Way had turned pale and
gradually melted like snow； losing its outlines； the sky was
becoming dull and dingy so that you could not make out whether it
was clear or covered thickly with clouds； and only from the
bright leaden streak in the east and from the stars that lingered
here and there could one tell what was coming。
The first noiseless breeze of morning； cautiously stirring the
spurges and the brown stalks of last year's grass； fluttered
along the road。
The overseer roused himself from his thoughts and tossed his
head。 With both hands he shook the saddle； touched the girth and；
as though he could not make up his mind to mount the horse； stood
still again； hesitating。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃your elbow is near； but you can't bite it。 There
is fortune； but there is not the wit to find it。〃
And he turned facing the shepherds。 His stern face looked sad and
mocking； as though he were a disappointed man。
〃Yes； so one dies without knowing what happiness is like 。 。 。〃
he said emphatically； lifting his left leg into the stirrup。 〃A
younger man may live to see it； but it is time for us to lay
aside all thought of it。〃
Stroking his long moustaches covered with dew； he seated himself
heavily on the horse and screwed up his eyes； looking into the
distance； as though he had forgotten something or left something
unsaid。 In the bluish distance where the furthest visible hillock
melted into the mist nothing was stirring； the ancient barrows；
once watch…mounds and tombs； which rose here and there above the
horizon and the boundless steppe had a sullen and death…like
look； there was a feeling of endless time and utter indifference
to man in their immobility and silence； another thousand years
would pass； myriads of men would die； while they would still
stand as they had stood； wit h no regret for the dead nor
interest in the living； and no soul would ever know why they
stood there； and what secret of the steppes was hidden under
them。
The rooks awakening； flew one after another in silence over the
earth。 No meaning was to be seen in the languid flight of those
long…lived birds； nor in the morning which is repeated punctually
every twenty…four hours； nor in the boundless expanse of the
steppe。
The overseer smiled and said：
〃What space； Lord have mercy upon us！ You would have a hunt to
find treasure in it！ Here；〃 he went on； dropping his voice and
making a serious face； 〃here there are two treasures buried for a
certainty。 The gentry don't know of them； but the old peasants；
particularly the soldiers； know all about them。 Here； somewhere
on that ridge ＇the overseer pointed with his whip＇ robbers one
time attacked a caravan of gold； the gold was being taken from
Petersburg to the Emperor Peter who was building a fleet at the
time at Voronezh。 The robbers killed the men with the caravan and
buried the gold； but did not find it again afterwards。 Another
treasure was buried by our Cossacks of the Don。 In the year '12
they carried off lots of plunder of all sorts from the French；
goods and gold and silver。 When they were going homewards they
heard on the way that the government wanted to take away all the
gold and silver from them。 Rather than give up their plunder like
that to the government for nothing； the brave fellows took and
buried it； so that their children； anyway； might get it； but
where they buried it no one knows。〃
〃I have heard of those treasures；〃 the old man muttered grimly。
〃Yes 。 。 。〃 Panteley pondered again。 〃So it is。 。 。 。〃
A silence followed。 The overseer looked dreamily into the
distance； gave a laugh and pulled the rein； still with the same
expression as though he had forgotten something or left something
unsaid。 The horse reluctantly started at a walking pace。 After
riding a hundred paces Panteley shook his head resolutely； roused
himself from his thoughts and； lashing his horse； set off at a
trot。
The shepherds were left alone。
〃That was Panteley from Makarov's estate；〃 said the old man。 〃He
gets a hundred and fifty a year and provisions found； too。 He is
a man of education。 。 。 。〃
The sheep； waking up there were about three thousand of them
began without zest to while away the time； nipping at the low；
half…trampled grass。 The sun had not yet risen； but by now all
the barrows could be seen and； like a cloud in the distance；
Saur's Grave with its peaked top。 If one clambered up on that
tomb one could see the plain from it； level and boundless as the
sky； one could see villages； manor…houses； the settlements of the
Germans and of the Molokani； and a long…sighted Kalmuck could
even see the town and the railway…station。 Only from there could
one see that there was something else in the world besides the
silent steppe and the ancient barrows； that there was another
life that had nothing to do with buried treasure and the thoughts
of sheep。
The old man felt beside him for his crook a long stick with a
hook at the upper end and got up。 He was silent and
thoughtful。 The young shepherd's face had not lost the look of
childish terror and curiosity。 He was still under the influence
of what he had heard in the night； and impatiently awaiting fresh
stories。
〃Grandfather；〃 he asked； getting up and taking his crook； 〃what
did your brother Ilya do with the soldier？〃
The old man did not hear the question。 He looked absent…mindedly
at the young man； and answered； mumbling with his lips：
〃I keep thinking； Sanka； about that writing that was shown to
that soldier at Iv