the moscow census-第2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！


they　always　said　to　me：　　〃Oh；　all　that　you　have　seen　is　nothing。　　You
ought　to　see　the　Khitroff　market…place；　and　the　lodging…houses　for
the　night　there。　　There　you　would　see　a　regular　'golden　company。'〃
｛1｝　　One　jester　told　me　that　this　was　no　longer　a　company；　but　a
GOLDEN　REGIMENT：　　so　greatly　had　their　numbers　increased。　　The　jester
was　right；　but　he　would　have　been　still　more　accurate　if　he　had　said
that　these　people　now　form　in　Moscow　neither　a　company　nor　a
regiment；　but　an　entire　army；　almost　fifty　thousand　in　number；　I
think。　　＇The　old　inhabitants；　when　they　spoke　to　me　about　the　poverty
in　town；　always　referred　to　it　with　a　certain　satisfaction；　as　though
pluming　themselves　over　me；　because　they　knew　it。　　I　remember　that
when　I　was　in　London；　the　old　inhabitants　there　also　rather　boasted
when　they　spoke　of　the　poverty　of　London。　　The　case　is　the　same　with
us。＇　｛2｝

And　I　wanted　to　have　a　sight　of　this　poverty　of　which　I　had　been
told。　　Several　times　I　set　out　in　the　direction　of　the　Khitroff
market…place；　but　on　every　occasion　I　began　to　feel　uncomfortable　and
ashamed。　　〃Why　am　I　going　to　gaze　on　the　sufferings　of　people　whom　I
cannot　help？〃　said　one　voice。　　〃No；　if　you　live　here；　and　see　all　the
charms　of　city　life；　go　and　view　this　also；〃　said　another　voice。　　In
December　three　years　ago；　therefore；　on　a　cold　and　windy　day；　I
betook　myself　to　that　centre　of　poverty；　the　Khitroff　market…place。
This　was　at　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　of　a　week…day。　　As　I　passed
through　the　Solyanka；　I　already　began　to　see　more　and　more　people　in
old　garments　which　had　not　originally　belonged　to　them；　and　in　still
stranger　foot…gear；　people　with　a　peculiar；　unhealthy　hue　of
countenance；　and　especially　with　a　singular　indifference　to　every
thing　around　them；　which　was　peculiar　to　them　all。　　A　man　in　the
strangest　of　all　possible　attire；　which　was　utterly　unlike　any　thing
else；　walked　along　with　perfect　unconcern；　evidently　without　a
thought　of　the　appearance　which　he　must　present　to　the　eyes　of
others。　　All　these　people　were　making　their　way　towards　a　single
point。　　Without　inquiring　the　way；　with　which　I　was　not　acquainted；　I
followed　them；　and　came　out　on　the　Khitroff　market…place。　　On　the
market…place；　women　both　old　and　young；　of　the　same　description；　in
tattered　cloaks　and　jackets　of　various　shapes；　in　ragged　shoes　and
overshoes；　and　equally　unconcerned；　notwithstanding　the　hideousness
of　their　attire；　sat；　bargained　for　something；　strolled　about；　and
scolded。　　There　were　not　many　people　in　the　market　itself。　　Evidently
market…hours　were　over；　and　the　majority　of　the　people　were　ascending
the　rise　beyond　the　market　and　through　the　place；　all　still
proceeding　in　one　direction。　　I　followed　them。　　The　farther　I
advanced；　the　greater　in　numbers　were　the　people　of　this　sort　who
flowed　together　on　one　road。　　Passing　through　the　market…place　and
proceeding　along　the　street；　I　overtook　two　women；　one　was　old；　the
other　young。　　Both　wore　something　ragged　and　gray。　　As　they　walked
they　were　discussing　some　matter。　　After　every　necessary　word；　they
uttered　one　or　two　unnecessary　ones；　of　the　most　improper　character。
They　were　not　intoxicated；　but　merely　troubled　about　something；　and
neither　the　men　who　met　them；　nor　those　who　walked　in　front　of　them
and　behind　them；　paid　any　attention　to　the　language　which　was　so
strange　to　me。　　In　these　quarters；　evidently；　people　always　talked
so。　　Ascending　the　rise；　we　reached　a　large　house　on　a　corner。　　The
greater　part　of　the　people　who　were　walking　along　with　me　halted　at
this　house。　　They　stood　all　over　the　sidewalk　of　this　house；　and　sat
on　the　curbstone；　and　even　the　snow　in　the　street　was　thronged　with
the　same　kind　of　people。　　On　the　right　side　of　the　entrance　door　were
the　women；　on　the　left　the　men。　　I　walked　past　the　women；　past　the
men　（there　were　several　hundred　of　them　in　all）　and　halted　where　the
line　came　to　an　end。　　The　house　before　which　these　people　were
waiting　was　the　Lyapinsky　free　lodging…house　for　the　night。　　The
throng　of　people　consisted　of　night　lodgers；　who　were　waiting　to　be
let　in。　　At　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　the　house　is　opened；　and
the　people　permitted　to　enter。　　Hither　had　come　nearly　all　the　people
whom　I　had　passed　on　my　way。

I　halted　where　the　line　of　men　ended。　　Those　nearest　me　began　to
stare　at　me；　and　attracted　my　attention　to　them　by　their　glances。
The　fragments　of　garments　which　covered　these　bodies　were　of　the　most
varied　sorts。　　But　the　expression　of　all　the　glances　directed　towards
me　by　these　people　was　identical。　　In　all　eyes　the　question　was
expressed：　　〃Why　have　you；　a　man　from　another　world；　halted　here
beside　us？　　Who　are　you？　　Are　you　a　self…satisfied　rich　man　who　wants
to　enjoy　our　wretchedness；　to　get　rid　of　his　tedium；　and　to　torment
us　still　more？　or　are　you　that　thing　which　does　not　and　can　not
exist；a　man　who　pities　us？〃　　This　query　was　on　every　face。　　You
glance　about；　encounter　some　one's　eye；　and　turn　away。　　I　wished　to
talk　with　some　one　of　them；　but　for　a　long　time　I　could　not　make　up
my　mind　to　it。　　But　our　glances　had　drawn　us　together　already　while
our　tongues　remained　silent。　　Greatly　as　our　lives　had　separated　us；
after　the　interchange　of　two　or　three　glances　we　felt　that　we　were
both　men；　and　we　ceased　to　fear　each　other。　　The　nearest　of　all　to　me
was　a　peasant　with　a　swollen　face　and　a　red　beard；　in　a　tattered
caftan；　and　patched　overshoes　on　his　bare　feet。　　And　the　weather　was
eight　degrees　below　zero。　｛3｝　　For　the　third　or　fourth　time　I
encountered　his　eyes；　and　I　felt　so　near　to　him　that　I　was　no　longer
ashamed　to　accost　him；　but　ashamed　not　to　say　something　to　him。　　I
inquired　where　he　came　from？　he　answered　readily；　and　we　began　to
talk；　others　approached。　　He　was　from　Smolensk；　and　had　come　to　seek
employment　that　he　might　earn　his　bread　and　taxes。　　〃There　is　no
work；〃　said　he：　　〃the　soldiers　have　taken　it　all　away。　　So　now　I　am
loafing　about；　as　true　as　I　believe　in　God；　I　have　had　nothing　to　eat
for　two　days。〃　　He　spoke　modestly；　with　an　effort　at　a　smile。　　A
sbiten｛4｝…seller；　an　old　soldier；　stood　near　by。　　I　called　him　up。
He　poured　out　his　sbiten。　　The　peasant　took　a　boiling…hot　glassful　in
his　hands；　and　as　he　tried　before　drinking　not　to　let　any　of　the　heat
escape　in　vain；　and　warmed　his　hands　over　it；　he　related　his
adventures　to　me。　　These　adventures；　or　the　histories　of　them；　are
almost　always　identical：　　the　man　has　been　a　laborer；　then　he　has
changed　his　residence；　then　his　purse　containing　his　money　and　ticket
has　been　stolen　from　him　in　the　night　lodging…house；　now　it　is
impossible　to　get　away　from　Moscow。　　He　told　me　that　he　kept　himself
warm　by　day　in　the　dram…shops；　that　he　nourished　himself　on　the　bits
of　bread　in　these　drinking　places；　when　they　were　given　to　him；　and
when　he　was　driven　out　of　them；　he　came　hither　to　the　Lyapinsky　house
for　a　free　lodging。　　He　was　only　waiting　for　the　police　to　make　their
rounds；　when；　as　he　had　no　passport；　he　would　be　taken　to　jail；　and
then　despatched　by　stages　to　his　place　of　settlement。　　〃They　say　that
the　inspection　will　be　made　on　Friday；〃　said　he；　〃then　they　will
arrest　me。　　If　I　can　only　get　along　until　Friday。〃　　（The　jail；　and
the　journey　by　stages；　represent　the　Promised　Land　to　him。）

As　he　told　his　story；　three　men　from　among　the　throng　corroborated
his　statements；　and　said　that　they　were　in　the　same　predicament。　　A
gaunt；　pale；　long…nosed　youth；　with　merely　a　shirt　on　the　upper
portion　of　his　body；　and　that　torn　on　the　shoulders；　and　a　cap
without　a　visor；　forced　his　way　sidelong　through　the　crowd。　　He
shivered　violently　and　incessantly；　but　tried　to　smile　disdainfully
at　the　peasants'　remarks；　thinking　by　this　means　to　adopt　the　proper
tone　with　me；　and　he　stared　at　me。　　I　offered　him　some　sbiten；　he
also；　on　taking　the　glass；　warmed　his　hands　over　it；　but　no　sooner
had　he　begun　to　speak；　than　he　was　thrust　aside　by　a　big；　black；
hook…nosed　individual；　in　a　chintz　shirt　and　waistcoat；　without　a
hat。　　The　hook…nosed　man　asked　for　some　sbiten　also。　　Then　came　a
tall　old　man；　with　a　mass　of　beard；　clad　in　a　great…coat　girded　with
a　rope；　and　in　bast　shoes；　who　was　drunk。　　Then　a　small　man　with　a
swollen　face　and　tearful　eyes；　in　a　brown　nankeen　round…jacket；　with
his　bare　knees　protruding　from　the　holes　in　his　summer　trousers；　and
knocking　together　with　cold。　　He　shivered　so　that　he　could　not　hold
his　glass；　and　spilled　it　over　himself。　　The　men　began　to　reproach
him。　　He　only　smiled　in　a　woe…begone　way；　and　went　on　shivering。
Then　came　a　crooked　monster　in　rags；　with　pattens　on　his　bare　feet；
then　some　sort　of　an　officer；　then　something　in　the　ecclesiastical
line；　then　something　strange　and　nose…less；all　hungry　and　cold；
beseeching　and　submissive；　thronged　round　me；　and　pressed　close　to
the　sbiten。　　They　drank　up　all　the　sbiten。　　One　asked　for　money；　and
I　gave　it。　　Then　another　asked；　then　a　third；　and　the　whole　crowd
besieged　me。　　Confusion　and　a　press　resulted。　　The　porter　of　the
adjoining　house　shouted　to　the　crowd　to　clear　the　sidewalk　in　front
of　his　house；　and　the　crowd　submissively　obeyed　his　orders。　　Some
managers　stepped　out　of　the　throng；　and　took　me　under　their
protection；　and　wanted　to　lead　me　forth　out　of　the　press；　but　the
crowd；　which　had　at　first　been　scattered　over　the　sidewalk；　now
became　disorderly；　and　hustled　me。　　All　stared　at　me　and　begged；　and
each　face　was　more　pitiful　and　suffering　and　humble　than　the　last。　　I
distributed　all　that　I　had　with　me。　　I　had　not　much　money；　something
like　twenty　rubles；　and　in　company　with　the　crowd；　I　entered　the
Lyapinsky　lodging…house。　　This　house　is　huge。　　It　consists　of　four
sections。　　In　the　upper　stories　are　the　men's　quarters；　in　the　lower；
the　women's。　　I　first　entered　the　women's　place；　a　vast　room　all
occupied　with　bunks；　resembling　the　third…class　bunks　on　the　railway。
These　bunks　were　arranged　in　two　rows；　one　above　the　other。　　The
women；　strange；　tattered　creatures；　both　old　and　young；　wearing
nothing　over　their　dresses；　entered　and　took　their　places；　some　below
and　some　above。　　Some　of　the　old　ones　crossed　themselves；　and　uttered
a　petition　for　the　f