按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
reply？ What？〃
〃She said； 'What shall I do now？' and then she began to cry。
'What have you got against me？ Am I so dreadfully ugly？' She
is shameless； Sergei； and wicked！ 'With all this health and
strength of mine； must I go to my father…in…law？' And I
answered： 'If you likego where you wish； but I can't act
against my soul。 If I had love for you； well and good； but
being as it is； how is it possible？ Father Ivan says it's
the deadliest sin。 We are not beasts； are we？' She went on
crying： 'You have ruined my chances in life！' And I pitied her
very much。 'It's nothing；' I said； 'things will come all right。
Or；' I continued； 'you can go into a convent。' And she began
to insult me。 'You are a stupid fool； Mitia！ a coward！'〃
235 ON A RAFT
〃Well； I'm blest！〃 exclaims Sergei； in a delighted whisper。
〃So you told her straight to go into a convent？〃
〃Yes； I told her to go；〃 answers Mitia simply。
〃And she told you you were a fool？〃 queried Sergei； raising
his voice。
〃Yes； she insulted me。〃
〃And she was right； my friend； yes； indeed； she was right！
You deserve a proper hammering。〃 And Sergei； changing
suddenly his tone； continued with severity and authority：
〃Have you any right to go against the law？ But you did go
against it！ Things are arranged in a certain way； and it's
no use going against them！ You mustn't even discuss them。
But what did you do？ You got some maggot into your head。 A
convent； indeed！ Silly fool！ What did the girl want？ Did
she want your convent？ What a set of muddle…headed fools
there seems to be now！ Just think what's happened！ You；
you're neither fish nor fowl； nor good red…herring。 And the
girl's done for！ She's living with an old man！ And you drove
the old man into sin！ How many laws have you broken？ You
clever head！〃
〃Law； Sergei； is in the soul。 There is one law for everyone。
Don't do things that are against your soul； and you will do
no evil on the earth；〃 answered Mitia； in a slow； conciliatory
tone； and nodding his head。
236 ON A RAFT
〃But you did do evil；〃 answered Sergei； energetically。 〃In
the soul！ A fine idea！ There are many things in the soul。
Certain things must be forbidden。 The soul； the soul！ You
must first understand it； my friend； and then〃
〃No； it's not so； Sergei；〃 replied Mitia with warmth； and he
seemed to be inspired。 〃The soul； my friend； is always as
clear as dew。 It's true； its voice lies deep down within us；
and is difficult to hear； but if we listen； we can never be
mistaken。 If we act according to what is in our soul； we
shall always act according to the will of God。 God is in the
soul； and； therefore； the law must be in it。 The soul was
created by God； and breathed by God into man。 We have only
to learn to look into itand we must look into it without
sparing our own feelings。〃
〃You sleepy devils！ Look ahead there！〃 The voice thundered
from the forward part of the raft； and swept back down the
river。 In the strength of the sound one could recognize that
the owner of the voice was healthy； energetic； and pleased
with himself。 A man with large and conscious vitality。 He
shouted； not because he had to give a necessary order to the
steersmen； but because his soul was full of life and strength；
and this life and strength wanted to find free expression； so
it rushed forth in that thunderous and forceful sound。
〃Listen to the old blackguard shouting；〃 continued Sergei with
delight； looking ahead with a piercing glance； and smiling。
〃Look at them billing and cooing like a pair of doves！ Don't
you ever envy them； Mitia？〃
237 ON A RAFT
Mitia watched with indifference the working of the two forward
oars； held by two figures who moved backward and forward；
forming sometimes as they touched each other one compact and
dark mass。
〃So you say you don't envy them？〃 repeated Sergei。
〃What is it to me？ It's their sin； and they must answer for
it；〃 replied Mitia quietly。
〃Hm！〃 ironically interjected Sergei； while he filled his pipe。
Once more the small red patch of light glowed in the darkness；
and the night grew thicker； and the gray clouds sank lower
toward the swollen river。
〃Where did you get hold of that fine stuff； or does it come to
you naturally？ But you don't take after your father； my lad！
Your father's a fine old chap。 Look at him！ He's fifty…two
now； and see what a strapping wench he's carrying on with！
She's as fine a woman as ever wore shoe…leather。 And she loves
him； it's no use denying it！ She loves him； my lad！ One can't
help admiring him； he's such a trump； your fatherhe's the
king of trumps！ When he's at work； it's worth while watching
him。 And then； he's rich！ And then； look how he's respected！
And his head's screwed on the right way。 Yes。 And you？
You're not a bit like either your father or your mother？ What
would your father have done； Mitia； do you think； if old Anfisa
had lived？ That would have been a good joke！ I should have
liked to have seen how she's have settled him！ She was the
right sort of woman； your mother！ a real plucky one； she was！
They were well matched！〃
Mitia remained silent； leaning on the pole； and staring at the
water。
238 ON A RAFT
Sergei ceased talking。 Forward on the raft was heard a woman's
shrill laugh； followed by the deeper laugh of a man。 Their
figures； blurred by the mist； were nearly invisible to Sergei；
who； however； watched them curiously。 The man appeared as a
tall figure； standing with legs wide apart； holding a pole； and
half turned toward a shorter woman's figure； leaning on another
pole； and standing a few paces away。 She shook her forefinger
at the man； and giggled provokingly。
Sergei turned away his head with a sigh； and after a few
moment's silence began to speak again。
〃Confound it all； but how jolly they seem together； it's good
to see！ Why can't I have something like that？ I； a waif and
a stray！ I'd never leave such a woman！ I'd always have my
arms round her； and there'd be no mistake about my loving the
little devil！ I've never had any luck with women！ They don't
like ginger hairwomen don't。 No。 She's a woman with fancies；
she is！ She's a sly little devil！ She wants to see life！ Are
you asleep； Mitia？〃
〃No；〃 answered Mitia quietly。
〃Well； how are you going to live？ To tell the truth； you're
as solitary as a post！ That seems pretty hard！ Where can you
go？ You can't earn your living among strangers。 You're too
absurd！ What's the use of a man who can't stand up for
himself？ A man's got to have teeth and claws in this world！
They'll all have a go at you。 Can you stick up for yourself？
How would you set about it？ Damn it all； where the devil could
you go？〃
239 O