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He took him by the foot and drew him closer to himself。
〃Are you dozing； Philip？ Well； then； sleep Good…night 。 。 。
To…morrow I shall explain all this to you； and you will
understand that it is not really necessary to deny yourself
anything 。 。 。 But go on sleeping now 。 。 。 if you are not
dead。〃
He went out to his friends； followed by the deep silence； and
informed them：
〃Whether he is sleeping or dead； I do not know I am a little
drunk。〃
Tyapa bent further forward than usual and crossed himself
respectfully。 Martyanoff dropped to the ground and lay there。
Abyedok moved quietly； and said in a low and wicked tone：
〃May you all go to the Devil！ Dead？ What of that？ Why should
I care？ Why should I speak about it？ It will be time enough
when I come to die myself 。 。 。 I am not worse than other
people。〃
〃That is true；〃 said the Captain； loudly； and fell to the
ground。 〃The time will come when we shall all die like others
。 。 。 Ha！ ha！ How shall we live？ That is nothing 。 。 。
But we shall die like everyone else； and this is the whole end
of life； take my word for it。 A man lives only to die； and he
dies 。 。 。 and if this be so what does it matter how or where
he died or how he lived？ Am I right； Martyanoff？ Let us
therefore drink 。 。 。 while we still have life！〃
93 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
The rain began to fall。 Thick； close darkness covered the
figures that lay scattered over the ground； half drunk； half
asleep。 The light in the windows of the dosshouse flickered；
paled； and suddenly disappeared。 Probably the wind blew it
out or else the oil was exhausted。 The drops of rain sounded
strangely on the iron roof of the dosshouse。 Above the
mountain where the town lay the ringing of bells was heard；
rung by the watchers in the churches。 The brazen sound
coming from the belfry rang out into the dark and died away；
and before its last indistinct note was drowned another stroke
was heard and the monotonous silence was again broken by the
melancholy clang of bells。
* * * * * * * * * *
The next morning Tyapa was the first to wake up。 Lying on his
back he looked up into the sky。 Only in such a position did
his deformed neck permit him to see the clouds above his head。
This morning the sky was of a uniform gray。 Up there hung the
damp； cold mist 0？ dawn； almost extinguishing the sun； hiding
the unknown vastness behind and pouring despondency over the
earth。 Tyapa crossed himself； and leaning on his elbow；
looked round to see whether there was any vodki left。 The
bottle was there； but it was empty。 Crossing over his
companions he looked into the glasses from which they had
drunk； found one of them almost full； emptied it； wiped his
lips with his sleeve； and began to shake the Captain。
The Captain raised his head and looked at him with sad eyes。
94 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃We must inform the police 。 。 。 Get up！〃
〃Of what？〃 asked the Captain； sleepily and angrily。
〃What； is he not dead？〃
〃Who？〃
〃The learned one。〃 。
〃Philip？ Ye…es！〃
〃Did you forget？ 。 。 。 Alas！〃 said Tyapa； hoarsely。
The Captain rose to his feet； yawned and stretched himself
till all his bones cracked。
〃Well； then！ Go and give information。
〃I will not go 。 。 。 I do not like them；〃 said the Captain
morosely。
〃Well； then； wake up the Deacon 。 。 。 I shall go； at any
rate。〃
〃All right！ 。 。 。 Deacon； get up！〃
The Captain entered the dosshouse； and stood at the teacher's
feet。 The dead man lay at full length； his left hand on his
breast； the right hand held as if ready to strike some one。
The Captain thought that if the teacher got up now； he would
be as tall as Paltara Taras。 Then he sat by the side of the
dead man and sighed； as he remembered that they had lived
together for the last three years。 Tyapa entered holding his
head like a goat which is ready to butt。
He sat down quietly and seriously on the opposite side of the
teacher's body； looked into the dark； silent face； and began
to sob。
〃So 。 。 。 he is dead 。 。 。 I too shall die soon。 。 。 。〃
〃It is quite time for that！〃 said the Captain； gloomily。
95 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃It is；〃 Tyapa agreed。 〃You ought to die too。 Anything is
better than this。 。 。 。〃
〃But perhaps death might be worse？ How do you know？〃
〃It could not be worse。 When you die you have only God to
deal with 。 。 。 but here you have to deal with men 。 。 。 and
menwhat are they？〃
〃Enough！ 。 。 。 Be quiet！〃 interrupted Kuvalda angrily。
And in the dawn； which filled the dosshouse； a solemn stillness
reigned over all。 Long and silently they sat at the feet of
their dead companion； seldom looking at him； and both plunged
in thought。 Then Tyapa asked：
〃Will you bury him？〃
〃I？ No； let the police bury him！〃
〃You took money from Vaviloff for this petition 。 。 。 and I
will give you some if you have not enough。〃 。
〃Though I have his money 。 。 。 still I shall not bury him。〃
〃That is not right。 You are robbing the dead。 I will tell
them all that you want to keep his money。〃 。 。 。 Tyapa
threatened him。
〃You are a fool； you old devil！〃 said Kuvalda； contemptuously。
〃I am not a fool 。 。 。 but it is not right nor friendly。〃
〃Enough！ Be off！〃
〃How much money is there？〃
〃Twenty…five roubles；〃 。 。 。 said Kuvalda； absently。
〃So！ 。 。 。 You might gain a five…rouble note。 。 。 。〃
96 CREATURES THAT ONCE WERE MEN
〃You old scoundrel！ 。 。 。〃 And looking into Tyapa's face the
Captain swore。
〃Well； what？ Give。 。 。 。〃
〃Go to the Devil！ 。 。 。 I am going to spend this money in
erecting a monument to him。〃
〃What does he want that for？〃
〃I will buy a stone and an anchor。 I shall place the stone
on the grass； and attach the anchor to it with a very heavy
chain。〃
〃Why？ You are playing tricks。 。 。 。〃
〃Well 。 。 。 It is no business of yours。〃
〃Look out！ I shall tell 。 。 。〃 again threatened Tyapa。
Aristid Fomich looked at him sullenly and said nothing。 Again
they sat there in that silence which； in the presence of the
dead； is so full of mystery。
〃Listen 。 。 。 They are coming！〃 Tyapa got up and went out of
the dosshouse。
Then there appeared at the door the Doctor； the Police
Inspector of the district； and the examining Magistrate or
Coroner。 All three came in turn； looked at the dead teacher；
and then went out； throwing suspicious glances at Kuvalda。
He sat there； without taking any notice of them； until the
Police Inspector asked him：
〃Of what did he die？〃
〃Ask him 。 。 。 I think his evil life hastened his end。〃
〃What？〃 asked the Coroner。
〃I say t