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〃I will never interfere with you again。 Truly！ Never！〃 He
shook his head emphatically。 〃I know you are a quiet fellow。
You work hard； and do not force me to do the same。 I used to
wonder why； but； of course； it's because you are foolish as
a sheep！〃
That was his way of consoling me！ That was his idea of asking
for forgiveness！ After such consolation； and such excuses；
what was there left for me to do but forgive； not only for the
past； but for the future！
195 MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER
Half an hour later he was sound asleep； while I sat beside him；
watching him。 During sleep； every one； be he ever so strong；
looks helpless and weak； but Shakro looked a pitiful creature。
His thick； half…parted lips； and his arched eyebrows； gave to
his face a childish look of timidity and of wonder。 His
breathing was quiet and regular； though at times he moved
restlessly； and muttered rapidly in the Georgian language； the
words seemed those of entreaty。 All around us reigned that
intense calm which always makes one somehow expectant； and
which； were it to last long； might drive one mad by its
absolute stillness and the absence of soundthe vivid shadow
of motion； for sound and motion seem ever allied。
The soft splash of the waves did not reach us。 We were resting
in a hollow gorge that was overgrown with bushes； and looked
like the shaggy mouth of some petrified monster。 I still
watched Shakro； and thought： 〃This is my fellow traveler。
I might leave him here； but I could never get away from him；
or the like of him； their name is legion。 This is my life
companion。 He will leave me only at death's door。〃
CHAPTER V。
At Feodosia we were sorely disappointed。 All work there was
already apportioned among Turks； Greeks； Georgians； tramps；
and Russian peasants from Poltava and Smolensk； who had all
arrived before us。 Already； more than four hundred men had；
like ourselves； come in the hopes of finding employment； and
were also； like ourselves； destined to remain silent spectators
of the busy work going on in the port。
196 MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER
In the town； and outside also； we met groups of famished
peasants； gray and careworn； wandering miserably about。 Of
tramps there were also plenty； roving around like hungry wolves。
At first these tramps took us for famished peasants； and tried
to make what they could out of us。 They tore from Shakro's
back the overcoat which I had bought him； and they snatched my
knapsack from my shoulders。 After several discussions； they
recognized our intellectual and social kinship with them； and
they returned all our belongings。 Tramps are men of honor；
though they may be great rogues。
Seeing that there was no work for us； and that the construction
of the harbor was going on very well without our help； we moved
on resentfully toward Kertch。
My friend kept his word； and never again molested me； but he
was terribly famished； his countenance was as black as thunder。
He ground his teeth together； as does a wolf； whenever he saw
someone else eating； and he terrified me by the marvellous
accounts of the quantity of food he was prepared to consume。
Of late he had begun to talk about women； at first only
casually； with sighs of regret。 But by degrees he came to
talk more and more often on the subject； with the lascivious
smile of 〃an Oriental。〃 At length his state became such； that
he could not see any person of the other sex； whatever her age
or appearance； without letting fall some obscene remark about
her looks or her figure。
197 MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER
He spoke of women so freely； with so wide a knowledge of the
sex； and his point of view； when discussing women； was so
astoundingly direct； that his conversation filled me with
disgust。 Once I tried to prove to him that a woman was a
being in no way inferior to him。 I saw that he was not merely
mortified by my words； but was on the point of violently
resenting them as a personal insult。 So I postponed my
arguments till such time as Shakro should be well fed once
more。
In order to shorten our road to Kertch we left the coast； and
tramped across the steppes。 There was nothing in my knapsack
but a three…pound loaf of barley bread； which we had bought
of a Tartar with our last five…kopeck piece。 Owing to this
painful circumstance； when； at last we reached Kertch； we
could hardly move our legs； so seeking therefore work was out
of the question。 Shakro's attempts to beg by the way had proved
unsuccessful； everywhere he had received the curt refusal：
〃There are so many of you。〃
This was only too true； for the number of people； who； during
that bitter year； were in want of bread； was appalling。 The
famished peasants roamed about the country in groups； from
three to twenty or more together。 Some carried babies in their
arms； some had young children dragging by the hand。 The
children looked almost transparent； with a bluish skin； under
which flowed； instead of pure blood； some sort of thick
unwholesome fluid。 The way their small sharp bones projected
from under the wasted flesh spoke more eloquently than could
any words。 The sight of them made one's heart ache； while a
constant intolerable pain seemed to gnaw one's very soul。
198 MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER
These hungry； naked； worn…out children did not even cry。 But
they looked about them with sharp eyes that flashed greedily
whenever they saw a garden； or a field； from which the corn
had not yet been carried。 Then they would glance sadly at
their elders； as if asking 〃Why was I brought into this world？〃
Sometimes they had a cart driven by a dried…up skeleton of an
old woman； and full of children； whose little heads peeped out；
gazing with mournful eyes in expressive silence at the new land
into which they had been brought。 The rough； bony horse
dragged itself along； shaking its head and its tumbled mane
wearily from side to side。
Following the cart； or clustering round it； came the grown…up
people； with heads sunk low on their breasts； and arms hanging
helplessly at their sides。 Their dim； vacant eyes had not even
the feverish glitter of hunger； but were full of an
indescribable； impressive mournfulness。 Cast out of their
homes by misfortune； these processions of peasants moved
silently； slowly； stealthily through the strange land； as if
afraid that their presence might disturb the peace of the more
fortunate inhabitants。 Many and many a time we came across
these processions； and every time they reminded me of a funeral
without the corpse。
Sometimes； when they overtook us； or when we passed them； they
would timidly and quietly ask us： 〃Is it much farther to the
village？〃 And when we answered； they would sigh； and gaze
dumbly at us。