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ThenTanya； too； came out。 Her eye~her eyes were radiant
with joy and happiness； and her lipswere smiling。 And she
walked as though in a dream； staggering； with unsteady steps。
We could not bear this quietly。 All of us at once rushed to
the door； dashed out into the yard andhissed at her； reviled
her viciously； loudly； wildly。
She started at seeing us； and stood as though rooted in the
mud under her feet。 We formed a ring round her！ and
malignantly； without restraint； abused her with vile words；
said shameful things to her。
We did this not loudly； not hurriedly； seeing that she could
not get away； that she was hemmed in by us； and we could
deride her to our hearts' content。 I don't know why； but we
did not beat her。 She stood in the midst of us； and turned
her head this way and that； as she heard our insults。 And
we…more and more violently flung at her the filth and venom
of our words。
The color had left her face。 Her blue eyes； so happy a moment
before； opened wide； her bosom heaved； and her lips quivered。
We in a ring round her avenged ourselves on her as though she
had robbed us。 She belonged to us； we had lavished on her our
best； and though that best was a beggar's crumb； still we were
twenty…six； she was one； and so there was no pain we could
give her equal to her guilt！
124 TWENTY…SIX MEN AND A GIRL
How we insulted her！ She was still mute； still gazed at us
with wild eyes； and a shiver ran all over her。
We laughed； roared； yelled。 Other people ran up from
somewhere and joined us。 One of us pulled Tanya by the sleeve
of her blouse。
Suddenly her eyes flashed； deliberately she raised her hands
to her head and straightening her hair she said loudly but
calmly； straight in our faces：
〃Ah； you miserable prisoners！〃
And she walked straight at us； walked as directly as though
we had not been before her； as though we were not blocking
her way。
And hence it was that no one did actually prevent her passing。
Walking out of our ring； without turning round； she said
loudly and with indescribable contempt：
〃Ah； you scumbrutes。〃
Andwas gone。
We were left in the middle of the yard； in the rain； under the
gray sky without the sun。
Then we went mutely away to our damp stone cellar。 As before
the sun never peeped in at our windows； and Tanya came no more！
CHELKASH
An Episode
Darkened by the dust of the dock； the blue southern sky is
murky； the burning sun looks duskily into the greenish sea； as
though through a thin gray veil。 It can find no reflection in
the water； continually cut up by the strokes of oars； the screws
of steamers； the deep； sharp keels of Turkish feluccas and other
sailing vessels； that pass in all directions； ploughing up the
crowded harbor； where the free waves of the sea； pent up within
granite walls； and crushed under the vast weights that glide
over its crests； beat upon the sides of the ships and on the
bank； beat and complain； churned up into foam and fouled with
all sorts of refuse。
The jingle of the anchor chains； the rattle of the links of the
trucks that bring down the cargoes； the metallic clank of sheets
of iron falling on the stone pavement； the dull thud of wood；
the creaking of the carts plying for hire； the whistles of the
steamers； piercingly shrill and hoarsely roaring； the shouts of
dock laborers； sailors； and customs officersall these sounds
melt into the deafening symphony of the working day； that
hovering uncertainty hangs over the harbor； as though afraid to
float upward and be lost。
125 CHELKASH
And fresh waves of sound continually rise up from the earth to
join it； deep； grumbling； sullen reverberations setting all
around quaking； shrill； menacing notes that pierce the ear and
the dusty； sultry air。
The granite； the iron； the wood； the harbor pavement； the ships
and the menall swelled the mighty strains of this frenzied；
impassioned hymn to Mercury。 But the voices of men； scarcely
audible in it； were weak and ludicrous。 And the men； too；
themselves； the first source of all that uproar； were ludicrous
and pitiable： their little figures； dusty； tattered； nimble；
bent under the weight of goods that lay on their backs； under
the weight of cares that drove them hither and thither； in the
clouds of dust； in the sea of sweltering heat and din； were so
trivial and small in comparison with the colossal iron monsters；
the mountains of bales； the thundering railway trucks and all
that they had created。 Their own creation had enslaved them；
and stolen away their individual life。
As they lay letting off steam； the heavy giant steamers
whistled or hissed； or seemed to heave deep sighs； and in every
sound that came from them could be heard the mocking note of
ironical contempt for the gray； dusty shapes of men； crawling
about their decks and filling their deep holds with the fruits
of their slavish toil。 Ludicrous and pitiable were the long
strings of dock laborers bearing on their backs thousands of
tons of bread； and casting it into the iron bellies of the
ships to gain a few pounds of that same bread to fill their
own belliesfor their worse luck not made of iron； but alive
to the pangs of hunger。
127 CHELKASH
The men； tattered； drenched with sweat； made dull by weariness；
and din and heat； and the mighty machines； created by those men；
shining； well…fed； serene； in the sunshine； machines which in
the last resort are； after all； not set in motion by steam； but
by the muscles and blood of their creatorsin this contrast
was a whole poem of cruel and frigid irony。
The clamor oppressed the spirit； the dust fretted the nostrils
and blinded the eyes； the sweltering heat baked and exhausted
the body； and everything…buildings； men； pavementseemed
strained； breaking； ready to burst； losing patience； on the
verge of exploding into some immense catastrophe； some outbreak；
after which one would be able to breathe freely and easily in
the air refreshed by it。 On the earth there would be quietness；
and that dusty uproar； deafening； fretting the nerves； driving
one to melancholy frenzy； would vanish； and in town； and sea
and sky； it would be still and clear and pleasant。 But that
was only seeming。 It seemed so because man has not yet grown
weary of hoping for better things； and the longing to feel free
is not dead in him。
Twelve times there rang out the regular musical peal of the
bell。 When the last brazen clang had died away； the savage
orchestra of toil had already lost half its volume。 A minute
later it had passed into a dull； repining grumble。 Now the
voices of men and the splash of the sea could be heard more
clearly。 The dinner…hour had come。
128 CHELKASH
CHAPTER