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only too well known that anyone can put many a five…kopeck piece
in his pocket in this way。 And what is the result？ It has not
been a success； I was greedy； I own； but the cleverer man has
exposed me； so we are quits。 。 。 。〃
This confession made a very good impression on the people； and
it also gave Vaviloff the opportunity of still feeding them with
herrings and cabbages which were not good； though they failed
to notice it； so much were they impressed。
This incident was very significant； because it increased not only
the teacher's popularity； but also the effect of press opinion。
It often happened； too； that the teacher read lectures on
practical morality in the eating…house。
〃I saw you；〃 he said to the painter； Yashka Tyarin； 〃I saw you；
Yakov； beating your wife。 。 。 。〃
Yashka was 〃touched with paint〃 after having two glasses of
vodki； and was in a slightly uplifted condition。
The people looked at him； expecting him to make a row； and all
were silent。
〃Did you see me？ And how did it please you？〃 asks Yashka。
The people control their laughter。
49 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃No； it did not please me；〃 replies the teacher。 His tone is
so serious that the people are silent。
〃You see I was just trying it；〃 said Yashka； with bravado；
fearing that the teacher would rebuke him。 〃The wife is
satisfied。 。 。 She has not got up yet today。 。 。 。〃
The teacher； who was drawing absently with his fingers on the
table； said； 〃Do you see； Yakov； why this did not please me？
。 。 。 Let us go into the matter thoroughly； and understand what
you are really doing； and what the result may be。 Your wife is
pregnant。 You struck her last night on her sides and breast。
That means that you beat not only her but the child too。 You
may have killed him； and your wife might have died or else have
become seriously ill。 To have the trouble of looking after a
sick woman is not pleasant。 It is wearing； and would cost you
dear； because illness requires medicine； and medicine money。
If you have not killed the child； you may have crippled him； and
he will he born deformed； lop…sided； or hunch…backed。 That
means that he will not be able to work； and it is only too
important to you that he should be a good workman。 Even if he
be born ill； it will be bad enough； because he will keep his
mother from work； and will require medicine。 Do you see what
you are doing to yourself？ Men who live by hard work must be
strong and healthy； and they should have strong and healthy
children 。 。 。 Do I speak truly？〃
〃Yes；〃 assented the listeners。
〃But all this will never happen；〃 says Yashka； becoming rather
frightened at the prospect held out to him by the teacher。
50 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃She is healthy； and I cannot have reached the child 。 。 。
She is a devila hag！〃 he shouts angrily。 〃I would 。 。 。 She
will eat me away as rust eats iron。〃
〃I understand； Yakov； that you cannot help beating your wife；〃
the teacher's sad and thoughtful voice again breaks in。 〃You
have many reasons for doing so 。 。 。 It is your wife's character
that causes you to beat her so incautiously 。 。 。 But your own
dark and sad life。 。 。 。〃
〃You are right！〃 shouts Yakov。 〃We live in darkness； like the
chimney…sweep when he is in the chimney！〃
〃You are angry with your life； but your wife is patient； the
closest relation to youyour wife； and you make her suffer
for this； simply because you are stronger than she。 She is
always with you； and cannot get away。 Don't you see how absurd
you are？〃
〃That is so 。 。 。 Devil take it！ But what shall I do？ Am I
not a man？〃
〃Just so！ You are a man。 。 。 。 I only wish to tell you that if
you cannot help beating her； then beat her carefully and always
remember that you may injure her health or that of the child。
It is not good to beat pregnant women 。 。 。 on their belly or
on their sides and chests 。 。 。 Beat her； say； on the neck
。 。 。 or else take a rope and beat her on some soft place。 。 。 。〃
The orator finished his speech and looked upon his hearers with
his dark； pathetic eyes； seeming to apologize to them for some
unknown crime。
51 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
The public understands it。 They understand the morale of the
creature who was once a man； the morale of the public…house and
much misfortune。
〃Well； brother Yashka； did you understand？ See how true it
is！〃
Yakov understood that to beat her incautiously might be
injurious to his wife。 He is silent； replying to his
companions' jokes with confused smiles。
〃Then again； what is a wife？〃 philosophizes the baker；
Mokei Anisimoff。 〃A wife 。 。 。 is a friend if we look at the
matter in that way。 She is like a chain； chained to you for
life 。 。 。 and you are both just like galley slaves。 And if
you try to get away from her； you cannot； you feel the chain。〃
〃Wait；〃 says Yakovleff； 〃but you beat your wife too。〃
〃Did I say that I did not？ I beat her 。 。 There is nothing
else handy 。 。 。 Do you expect me to beat the wall with my
fist when my patience is exhausted？〃
〃I feel just like that too 。 。 。〃 says Yakov。
〃How hard and difficult our life is； my brothers！ There is no
real rest for us anywhere！〃
〃And even you beat your wife by mistake；〃 some one remarks
humorously。 And thus they speak till far on in the night or
till they have quarrelled； the usual result of drink or of
passions engendered by such discussions。
The rain beats on the windows； and outside the cold wind is
blowing。 The eating…house is close with tobacco smoke； but
it is warm； while the street is cold and wet。 Now and then；
the wind beats threateningly on the windows of the eating…house；
as if bidding these men to come out and be scattered like dust
over the face of the earth。
52 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
Sometimes a stifled and hopeless groan is heard in its howling
which again is drowned by cold； cruel laughter。 This music
fills one with dark； sad thoughts of the approaching winter；
with its accursed short； sunless days and long nights； of the
necessity of possessing warm garments and plenty to eat。 It is
hard to sleep through the long winter nights on an empty
stomach。 Winter is approaching。 Yes； it is approaching 。 。 。
How to live？
These gloomy forebodings created a strong thirst among the
inhabitants of the main street； and the sighs of the 〃creatures
that once were men increased with the wrinkles on their brows；
their voices became thick and their behavior to each other more
blunt。 And brutal crimes were committed among them； and the
roughness of these poor unfortunate outcasts was apt to increase
at the approach of that inexorable enemy； who transformed all
their lives into one cruel farce。 But this