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I sawthe moneythinks II'll give it himyouwith the
oarone blow！ the money's mine； and into the sea with him
you； that iseh！ Who'll miss him？ said I。 And if they do
find him； they won't be inquisitive howand who it was killed
him。 He's not a man； thinks I； that there'd be much fuss about！
He's of no use in the world！ Who'd stand up for him？ No；
indeedeh？〃
〃Give the money here！〃 growled Chelkash； clutching Gavrilo by
the throat。
Gavrilo struggled away once； twice。 Chelkash's other arm
twisted like a snake about himthere was the sound of a shirt
tearingand Gavrilo lay on the sand； with his eyes staring
wildly； his fingers clutching at the air and his legs waving。
Chelkash； erect； frigid； rapaciouslooking； grinned
maliciously； laughed a broken； biting laugh； and his mustaches
twitched nervously in his sharp； angular face。
Never in all his life had he been so cruelly wounded； and never
had he felt so vindictive。
〃Well； are you happy now？〃 he asked Gavrilo through his
laughter； and turning his back on him he walked away in the
direction of the town。 But he had hardly taken two steps when
Gavrilo； crouched like a cat on one knee； and with a wide sweep
of his arm； flung a round stone at him； viciously； shouting：
173 CHELKASH
〃Oone！〃
Chelkash uttered a cry； clapped his hands to the nape of his
neck； staggered forward； turned round to Gavrilo； and fell on
his face on the sand。 Gavrilo's heart failed him as he watched
him。 He saw him stir one leg； try to lift his head； and then
stretch out； quivering like a bowstring。 Then Gavrilo rushed
fleeing away into the distance； where a shaggy black cloud hung
over the foggy steppe； and it was dark。 The waves whispered；
racing up the sand； melting into it and racing back。 The foam
hissed and the spray floated in the air。
It began to rain； at first slightly； but soon a steady； heavy
downpour was falling in streams from the sky； weaving a regular
network of fine threads of water that at once hid the steppe
and the sea。 Gavrilo vanished behind it。 For a long while
nothing was to be seen but the rain and the long figure of the
man stretched on the sand by the sea。 But suddenly Gavrilo ran
back out of the rain。 Like a bird he flew up to Chelkash；
dropped down beside him； and began to turn him over on the
ground。 His hand dipped into a warm； red stickiness。 He
shuddered and staggered back with a face pale and distraught。
〃Brother； get up！〃 he whispered through the patter of the lain
into Chelkash's ear。
Revived by the water on his face； Chelkash came to himself；
and pushed Gavrilo away； saying hoarsely：
〃Getaway！〃
〃Brother！ Forgive meit was the devil tempted me；〃 Gavrilo
whispered； faltering； as he kissed Chelkash's band。
174 CHELKASH
〃Go along。 Get away！〃 he croaked。
〃Take the sin from off my soul！ Brother！ Forgive me！〃
〃Forgo away； do！ Go to the devil！〃 Chelkash screamed
suddenly； and he sat up on the sand。 His face was pale and
angry； his eyes were glazed； and kept closing； as though he
were very sleepy。 〃What moredo you want？ You've doneyour
joband go away！ Be off！〃 And he tried to kick Gavrilo away；
as he knelt； overwhelmed； beside him； but he could not； and
would have rolled over again if Gavrilo had not held him up；
putting his arms round his shoulders。 Chelkash's face was
now on a level with Gavrilo's。 Both were pale； piteous； and
terrible…looking。
〃Tfoo！〃 Chelkash spat into the wide； open eyes of his companion。
Meekly Gavrilo wiped his face with his sleeve； and murmured：
〃Do as you will。 I won't say a word。 For Christ's sake；
forgive me！〃
〃Snivelling idiot！ Even stealing's more than you can do！〃
Chelkash cried scornfully； tearing a piece of his shirt under
his jacket； and without a word； clenching his teeth now and
then； he began binding up his head。 〃Did you take the notes？〃
he filtered through his teeth。
〃I didn't touch them； brother！ I didn't want them！ there's
ill…luck from them！〃
Chelkash thrust his hand into his jacket pocket； drew out a
bundle of notes； put one rainbow…colored note back in his
pocket； and handed all the rest to Gavrilo。
175 CHELKASH
〃Take them and go！〃
〃I won't take them； brother。 I can't！ Forgive me！〃
〃T…take them； I say！〃 bellowed Chelkash； glaring horribly。
〃Forgive me！ Then I'll take them；〃 said Gavrilo； timidly；
and he fell at Chelkash's feet on the damp sand； that was
being liberally drenched by the rain。
〃You lie； you'll take them； sniveller！〃 Chelkash said with
conviction； and with an effort； pulling Gavrilo's head up by
the hair； he thrust the notes in his face。
〃Take them！ take them！ You didn't do your job for nothing；
I suppose。 Take it； don't be frightened！ Don't be ashamed
of having nearly killed a man！ For people like me； no one
will make much inquiry。 They'll say thank you； indeed； when
they know of it。 There； take it！ No one will ever know what
you've done； and it deserves a reward。 Come； now！〃
Gavrilo saw that Chelkash was laughing； and he felt relieved。
He crushed the notes up tight in his hand。
〃Brother！ You forgive me？ Won't you？ Eh？〃 he asked tearfully。
〃Brother of mine！〃 Chelkash mimicked him as he got； reeling；
on to his legs。 〃What for？ There's nothing to forgive。
To…day you do for me； to…morrow I'll do for you。〃
〃Oh； brother； brother！〃 Gavrilo sighed mournfully； shaking
his head。
Chelkash stood facing him； he smiled strangely； and the rag
on his head； growing gradually redder； began to look like a
Turkish fez。
176 CHELKASH
The rain streamed in bucketsful。 The sea moaned with a hollow
sound； and the waves beat on the shore； lashing furiously and
wrathfully against it。
The two men were silent。
〃Come； good…bye！〃 Chelkash said； coldly and sarcastically。
He reeled； his legs shook； and he held his head queerly； as
though he were afraid of losing it。
〃Forgive me； brother！〃 Gavrilo besought him once more。
〃All right！〃 Chelkash answered； coldly； setting off on his way。
He walked away； staggering； and still holding his head in his
left hand； while he slowly tugged at his brown mustache with
the right。
〃Gavrilo looked after him a long while； till the had
disappeared in the rain； which still poured down in fine；
countless streams； and wrapped everything in an impenetrable
steel…gray mist。
Then Gavrilo took off his soaked cap； made the sign of the
cross； looked at the notes crushed up in his hand； heaved a
deep sigh of relief； thrust them into his bosom； and with long；
firm strides went along the shore； in the opposite direction
from that Chelkash had taken。
The sea howled； flinging heavy； breaking billows on the sand
of the shore； and dashing them int