under western eyes-第3部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



nothing　strange　in　the　student　Razumov's　wish　for

distinction。　　A　man's　real　life　is　that　accorded　to　him　in　the

thoughts　of　other　men　by　reason　of　respect　or　natural　love。

Returning　home　on　the　day　of　the　attempt　on　Mr。　de　P…'s　life

Razumov　resolved　to　have　a　good　try　for　the　silver　medal。



Climbing　slowly　the　four　flights　of　the　dark；　dirty　staircase　in

the　house　where　he　had　his　lodgings；　he　felt　confident　of

success。　　The　winner's　name　would　be　published　in　the　papers　on

New　Year's　Day。　　And　at　the　thought　that　〃He〃　would　most　probably

read　it　there；　Razumov　stopped　short　on　the　stairs　for　an　instant；

then　went　on　smiling　faintly　at　his　own　emotion。　　〃This　is　but

a　shadow；〃　he　said　to　himself；〃　but　the　medal　is　a　solid　beginning。〃



With　those　ideas　of　industry　in　his　head　the　warmth　of　his　room

was　agreeable　and　encouraging。　　〃I　shall　put　in　four　hours　of

good　work；〃　he　thought。　　But　no　sooner　had　he　closed　the　door

than　he　was　horribly　startled。　　All　black　against　the　usual　tall

stove　of　white　tiles　gleaming　in　the　dusk；　stood　a　strange

figure；　wearing　a　skirted；　close…fitting；　brown　cloth　coat

strapped　round　the　waist；　in　long　boots；　and　with　a　little

Astrakhan　cap　on　its　head。　　It　loomed　lithe　and　martial。　Razumov

was　utterly　confounded。　　It　was　only　when　the　figure　advancing

two　paces　asked　in　an　untroubled；　grave　voice　if　the　outer　door

was　closed　that　he　regained　his　power　of　speech。



〃Haldin！。　。　。Victor　Victorovitch！。　。　。Is　that　you？　。　。　。Yes。　　The

outer　door　is　shut　all　right。　　But　this　is　indeed　unexpected。〃



Victor　Haldin；　a　student　older　than　most　of　his　contemporaries　at

the　University；　was　not　one　of　the　industrious　set。　　He　was

hardly　ever　seen　at　lectures；　the　authorities　had　marked　him　as

〃restless〃　and　〃unsound　〃very　bad　notes。　　But　he　had　a

great　personal　prestige　with　his　comrades　and　influenced　their

thoughts。　　Razumov　had　never　been　intimate　with　him。　　They　had

met　from　time　to　time　at　gatherings　in　other　students'　houses。

They　had　even　had　a　discussion　togetherone　of　those　discussions

on　first　principles　dear　to　the　sanguine　minds　of　youth。



Razumov　wished　the　man　had　chosen　some　other　time　to　come　for　a

chat。　　He　felt　in　good　trim　to　tackle　the　prize　essay。　　But　as

Haldin　could　not　be　slightingly　dismissed　Razumov　adopted　the

tone　of　hospitality；　asking　him　to　sit　down　and　smoke。



〃Kirylo　Sidorovitch；〃　said　the　other；　flinging　off　his　cap；　〃we

are　not　perhaps　in　exactly　the　same　camp。　　Your　judgment　is　more

philosophical。　　You　are　a　man　of　few　words；　but　I　haven't　met

anybody　who　dared　to　doubt　the　generosity　of　your　sentiments。

There　is　a　solidity　about　your　character　which　cannot　exist

without　courage。



Razumov　felt　flattered　and　began　to　murmur　shyly　something　about

being　very　glad　of　his　good　opinion；　when　Haldin　raised　his　hand。



〃That　is　what　I　was　saying　to　myself；〃　he　continued；　〃as　I　dodged

in　the　woodyard　down　by　the　river…side。　　'He　has　a　strong

character　this　young　man；'　I　said　to　myself。　　'He　does　not　throw

his　soul　to　the　winds。'　　Your　reserve　has　always　fascinated　me；

Kirylo　Siderovitch。　　So　I　tried　to　remember　your　address。　　But

look　hereit　was　a　piece　of　luck。　　Your　dvornik　was　away　from

the　gate　talking　to　a　sleigh…driver　on　the　other　side　of　the

street。　　I　met　no　one　on　the　stairs；　not　a　soul。　　As　I　came　up

to　your　floor　I　caught　sight　of　your　landlady　coming　out　of　your

rooms。　　But　she　did　not　see　me。　　She　crossed　the　landing　to　her

own　side；　and　then　I　slipped　in。　　I　have　been　here　two　hours

expecting　you　to　come　in　every　moment。



Razumov　had　listened　in　astonishment；　but　before　he　could

open　his　mouth　Haldin　added；　speaking　deliberately；〃　　It　was　I

who　removed　de　P…　this　morning。〃　Razumov　kept　down　a　cry　of

dismay。　　The　sentiment　of　his　life　being　utterly　ruined　by　this

contact　with　such　a　crime　expressed　itself　quaintly　by　a　sort　of

half…derisive　mental　exclamation；　　〃There　goes　my　silver　medal！〃



Haldin　continued　after　waiting　a　while



〃You　say　nothing；　Kirylo　Sidorovitch！　　I　understand　your　silence。

To　be　sure；　I　cannot　expect　you　with　your　frigid　English　manner

to　embrace　me。　　But　never　mind　your　manners。　　You　have　enough

heart　to　have　heard　the　sound　of　weeping　and　gnashing　of　teeth

this　man　raised　in　the　land。　　That　would　be　enough　to　get　over

any　philosophical　hopes。　　He　was　uprooting　the　tender　plant。　　He

had　to　be　stopped。　　He　was　a　dangerous　mana　convinced　man。

Three　more　years　of　his　work　would　have　put　us　back　fifty　years

into　bondageand　look　at　all　the　lives　wasted；　at　all　the　souls

lost　in　that　time。〃



His　curt；　self…confident　voice　suddenly　lost　its　ring　and　it　was

in　a　dull　tone　that　he　added；　〃Yes；　brother；　I　have　killed　him。

It's　weary　work。〃



Razumov　had　sunk　into　a　chair。　　Every　moment　he　expected　a　crowd

of　policemen　to　rush　in。　　There　must　have　been　thousands　of　them

out　looking　for　that　man　walking　up　and　down　in　his　room。　　Haldin

was　talking　again　in　a　restrained；　steady　voice。　　Now　and　then　he

flourished　an　arm；　slowly；　without　excitement。



He　told　Razumov　how　he　had　brooded　for　a　year；　how　he　had　not

slept　properly　for　weeks。　He　and　〃Another〃　had　a　warning　of　the

Minister's　movements　from　〃a　certain　person〃　late　the　evening

before。　　He　and　　that　Another〃　prepared　their　〃engines〃　and

〃resolved　to　have　no　sleep　till　〃the　deed〃　was　done。　They

walked　the　streets　under　the　falling　snow　with　the　〃engines〃

on　them；　exchanging　not　a　word　the　livelong　night。　　When　they

happened　to　meet　a　police　patrol　they　took　each　other　by　the

arm　and　pretended　to　be　a　couple　of　peasants　on　the　spree。

They　reeled　and　talked　in　drunken　hoarse　voices。　　Except　for

these　strange　outbreaks　they　kept　silence；　moving　on　ceaselessly。

Their　plans　had　been　previously　arranged。　　At　daybreak　they　made

their　way　to　the　spot　which　they　knew　the　sledge　must　pass。

When　it　appeared　in　sight　they　exchanged　a　muttered　good…bye

and　separated。　　The　〃other〃　remained　at　the　corner；　Haldin

took　up　a　position　a　little　farther　up　the　street。　。　。　。



After　throwing　his　〃engine〃　he　ran　off　and　in　a　moment　was

overtaken　by　the　panic…struck　people　flying　away　from　the　spot

after　the　second　explosion。　　They　were　wild　with　terror。　　He　was

jostled　once　or　twice。　He　slowed　down　for　the　rush　to　pass　him　and

then　turned　to　the　left　into　a　narrow　street。　　There　he　was　alone。



He　marvelled　at　this　immediate　escape。　　The　work　was　done。　　He

could　hardly　believe　it。　　He　fought　with　an　almost　irresistible

longing　to　lie　down　on　the　pavement　and　sleep。　　But　this　sort　of

faintnessa　drowsy　faintnesspassed　off　quickly。　　He　walked

faster；　making　his　way　to　one　of　the　poorer　parts　of　the　town　in

order　to　look　up　Ziemianitch。



This　Ziemianitch；　Razumov　understood；　was　a　sort　of　town…peasant

who　had　got　on；　owner　of　a　small　number　of　sledges　and　horses　for

hire。　　Haldin　paused　in　his　narrative　to　exclaim



〃A　bright　spirit　！　A　hardy　soul！　The　best　driver　in　St。　Petersburg。

He　has　a　team　of　three　horses　there。　。　。　。　　Ah！　　He's　a　fellow！〃



This　man　had　declared　himself　willing　to　take　out　safely；　at

any　time；　one　or　two　persons　to　the　second　or　third　railway

station　on　one　of　the　southern　lines。　　But　there　had　been　no　time

to　warn　him　the　night　before。　His　usual　haunt　seemed　to　be　a

low…class　eating…house　on　the　outskirts　of　the　town。　　When　Haldin

got　there　the　man　was　not　to　be　found。　　He　was　not　expected　to

turn　up　again　till　the　evening。　　Haldin　wandered　away　restlessly。



He　saw　the　gate　of　a　woodyard　open　and　went　in　to　get　out　of　the

wind　which　swept　the　bleak　broad　thoroughfare。　　The　great

rectangular　piles　of　cut　wood　loaded　with　snow　resembled　the　huts

of　a　village。　　At　first　the　watchman　who　discovered　him　crouching

amongst　them　talked　in　a　friendly　manner。　　He　was　a　dried…up　old

man　wearing　two　ragged　army　coats　one　over　the　other；　his　wizened

little　face；　tied　up　under　the　jaw　and　over　the　ears　in　a　dirty

red　handkerchief；　looked　comical。　Presently　he　grew　sulky；　and

then　all　at　once　without　rhyme　or　reason　began　to　shout　furiously。



〃Aren't　you　ever　going　to　clear　out　of　this；　you　loafer？　　We　know

all　about　factory　hands　of　your　sort。　　A　big；　strong；　young　chap！

You　aren't　even　drunk。　　What　do　you　want　here？　　You　don't　frighten　us。

Take　yourself　and　your　ugly　eyes　away。〃



Haldin　stopped　before　the　sitting　Razumov。　　His　supple　figure；

with　the　white　forehead　above　which　the　fair　hair　stood　straight

up；　had　an　aspect　of　lofty　daring。



〃He　did　not　like　my　eyes；〃　he　said。　〃And　so。　。　。here　I　am。〃



Razumov　made　an　effort　to　speak　calmly。



〃But　pardon　me；　Victor　Victorovitch。　　We　know　each　other　so

little。　。　。　。　　I　don't　see　why　you　。　。　。〃



〃Confidence；〃　said　Haldin。



This　word　sealed　Razumov's　lips　as　if　a　hand　had　been　clapped

on　his　mouth。　　His　brain　seethed　with　arguments



〃And　sohere　you　are；〃　he　muttered　through　his　teeth。



The　other　did　not　detect　the　tone　of　anger。　　Never　suspected　it。



〃Yes。　　And　nobody　knows　I　am　here。　　You　are　the　last　person　that

could　be　suspectedshould　I　get　caught。　　That's　an　advantage；

you　see。　　And　thenspeaking　to　a　superior　mind　like　yours　I　can

well　say　all　the　truth。　　It　occurred　to　me　that　youyou　have　no

one　belonging　to　youno　ties；　no　one　to　suffer　for　it　if　this

came　out　by　some　means。　　There　have　been　enough　ruined　Russian

homes　as　it　is。　　But　I　don't　see　how　my　passage　through　your

rooms　can　be　ever　known。　　If　I　should　be　got　hold　of；　I'll　know

how　to　keep　silentno　matter　what　they　may　be　pleased　to　do　to　me；〃

he　added　grimly。



He　began　to　walk　again　while　Razumov　sat　still　appalled。



〃You　thought　that〃　he　faltered　out　almost　sick　with　indignation。



〃Yes；　Razumov。　　Yes；　brother。　　Some　day　you　shall　help　to　build。

You　suppose　that　I　am　a　terrorist；　now　a　destructor　of　what　is；

But　consider　that　the　true　destroyers　are　they　who