The mother counted them, and mentally gathered them together into a group around Pavel. In that throng11 he became invisible to the eyes of the enemy.
One day a vivacious12, curly-haired girl appeared from the city, bringing some parcel for Andrey; and on leaving she said to Vlasova, with a gleam in her merry eyes:
“Good-by, comrade!”
“Good-by!” the mother answered, restraining a smile. After seeing the girl to the door, she walked to the window and, smiling, looked out on the street to watch her comrade as she trotted13 away, nimbly raising and dropping her little feet, fresh as a spring flower and light as a butterfly.
“Comrade!” said the mother when her guest had disappeared from her view. “Oh, you dear! God grant you a comrade for all your life!”
She often noticed in all the people from the city a certain childishness, for which she had the indulgent smile of an elderly person; but at the same time she was touched and joyously14 surprised by their faith, the profundity15 of which she began to realize more and more clearly. Their visions of the triumph of justice captivated her and warmed her heart. As she listened to their recital16 of future victories, she involuntarily sighed with an unknown sorrow. But what touched her above all was their simplicity17, their beautiful, grand, generous unconcern for themselves.
She had already come to understand a great deal of what was said about life. She felt they had in reality discovered the true source of the people’s misfortune, and it became a habit with her to agree with their thoughts. But at the bottom of her heart she did not believe that they could remake the whole of life according to their idea, or that they would have strength enough to gather all the working people about their fire. Everyone, she knew, wants to fill his stomach to-day, and no one wants to put his dinner off even for a week, if he can eat it up at once. Not many would consent to travel the long and difficult road; and not all eyes could see at the end the promised kingdom where all men are brothers. That’s why all these good people, despite their beards and worn faces, seemed to her mere18 children.
“My dear ones!” she thought, shaking her head.
But they all now lived a good, earnest, and sensible life; they all spoke19 of the common weal; and in their desire to teach other people what they knew, they did not spare themselves. She understood that it was possible to love such a life, despite its dangers; and with a sigh she looked back to bygone days in which her past dragged along flatly and monotonously21, a thin, black thread. Imperceptibly she grew conscious of her usefulness in this new life — a consciousness that gave her poise22 and assurance. She had never before felt herself necessary to anybody. When she had lived with her husband, she knew that if she died he would marry another woman. It was all the same to him whether a dark-haired or a red-haired woman lived with him and prepared his meals. When Pavel grew up and began to run about in the street, she saw that she was not needed by him. But now she felt that she was helping23 a good work. It was new to her and pleasant. It set her head erect24 on her shoulders.
She considered it her duty to carry the books regularly to the factory. Indeed, she elaborated a number of devices for escaping detection. The spies, grown accustomed to her presence on the factory premises25, ceased to pay attention to her. She was searched several times, but always the day after the appearance of the leaflets in the factory. When she had no literature about her, she knew how to arouse the suspicion of the guards and spies. They would halt her, and she would pretend to feel insulted, and would remonstrate26 with them, and then walk off blushing, proud of her clever ruse27. She began to enjoy the fun of the game.
Vyesovshchikov was not taken back to the factory, and went to work for a lumberman. The whole day long he drove about the village with a pair of black horses pulling planks28 and beams after them. The mother saw him almost daily with the horses as they plodded29 along the road, their feet trembling under the strain and dropping heavily upon the ground. They were both old and bare-boned, their heads shook wearily and sadly, and their dull, jaded30 eyes blinked heavily. Behind them jerkingly trailed a long beam, or a pile of boards clattering31 loudly. And by their side Nikolay trudged32 along, holding the slackened reins33 in his hand, ragged20, dirty, with heavy boots, his hat thrust back, uncouth34 as a stump35 just turned up from the ground. He, too, shook his head and looked down at his feet, refusing to see anything. His horses blindly ran into the people and wagons36 going the opposite direction. Angry oaths buzzed about him like hornets, and sinister37 shouts rent the air. He did not raise his head, did not answer them, but went on, whistling a sharp, shrill38 whistle, mumbling39 dully to the horses.
Every time that Andrey’s comrades gathered at the mother’s house to read pamphlets or the new issue of the foreign papers, Nikolay came also, sat down in a corner, and listened in silence for an hour or two. When the reading was over the young people entered into long discussions; but Vyesovshchikov took no part in the arguments. He remained longer than the rest, and when alone, face to face with Andrey, he glumly40 put to him the question:
“And who is the most to blame? The Czar?”
“The one to blame is he who first said: ‘This is mine.’ That man has now been dead some several thousand years, and it’s not worth the while to bear him a grudge,” said the Little Russian, jesting. His eyes, however, had a perturbed41 expression.
“And how about the rich, and those who stand up for them? Are they right?”
The Little Russian clapped his hands to his head; then pulled his mustache, and spoke for a long time in simple language about life and about the people. But from his talk it always appeared as if all the people were to blame, and this did not satisfy Nikolay. Compressing his thick lips tightly, he shook his head in demur42, and declared that he could not believe it was so, and that he did not understand it. He left dissatisfied and gloomy. Once he said:
“No, there must be people to blame! I’m sure there are! I tell you, we must plow43 over the whole of life like a weedy field, showing no mercy!”
“That’s what Isay, the record clerk, once said about us!” the mother said. For a while the two were silent.
“Isay?”
“Yes, he’s a bad man. He spies after everybody, fishes about everywhere for information. He has begun to frequent this street, and peers into our windows.”
“Peers into your windows?”
The mother was already in bed and did not see his face. But she understood that she had said too much, because the Little Russian hastened to interpose in order to conciliate Nikolay.
“Let him peer! He has leisure. That’s his way of killing44 time.”
“No hold on!” said Nikolay. “THERE! He is to blame!”
“To blame for what?” the Little Russian asked brusquely. “Because he’s a fool?”
But Vyesovshchikov did not stop to answer and walked away.
The Little Russian began to pace up and down the room, slowly and languidly. He had taken off his boots as he always did when the mother was in bed in order not to disturb her. But she was not asleep, and when Nikolay had left she said anxiously:
“I’m so afraid of that man. He’s just like an overheated oven. He does not warm things, but scorches45 them.”
“Yes, yes!” the Little Russian drawled. “He’s an irascible boy. I wouldn’t talk to him about Isay, mother. That fellow Isay is really spying and getting paid for it, too.”
“What’s so strange in that? His godfather is a gendarme,” observed the mother.
“Well, Nikolay will give him a dressing46. What of it?” the Little Russian continued uneasily. “See what hard feelings the rulers of our life have produced in the rank and file? When such people as Nikolay come to recognize their wrong and lose their patience, what will happen then? The sky will be sprinkled with blood, and the earth will froth and foam47 with it like the suds of soap water.”
“It’s terrible, Andriusha!” the mother exclaimed in a low voice.
“They have swallowed flies, and have to vomit48 them now!” said Andrey after a pause. “And after all, mother, every drop of their blood that may be shed will have been washed in seas of the people’s tears.”
Suddenly he broke into a low laugh and added:
“That’s true; but it’s no comfort!”
Once on a holiday the mother, on returning home from a store, opened the door of the porch, and remained fixed49 to the spot, suddenly bathed in the sunshine of joy. From the room she heard the sound of Pavel’s voice.
“There she is!” cried the Little Russian.
The mother saw Pavel turn about quickly, and saw how his face lighted up with a feeling that held out the promise of something great to her.
“There you are — come home!” she mumbled50, staggered by the unexpectedness of the event. She sat down.
He bent51 down to her with a pale face, little tears glistened52 brightly in the corners of his eyes, and his lips trembled. For a moment he was silent. The mother looked at him, and was silent also.
The Little Russian, whistling softly, passed by them with bent head and walked out into the yard.
“Thank you, mother,” said Pavel in a deep, low voice, pressing her hand with his trembling fingers. “Thank you, my dear, my own mother!”
Rejoiced at the agitated53 expression of her son’s face and the touching54 sound of his voice, she stroked his hair and tried to restrain the palpitation of her heart. She murmured softly:
“Christ be with you! What have I done for you? It isn’t I who have made you what you are. It’s you yourself ——”
“Thank you for helping our great cause!” he said. “When a man can call his mother his own in spirit also — that’s rare fortune!”
She said nothing, and greedily swallowed his words. She admired her son as he stood before her so radiant and so near.
“I was silent, mother dear. I saw that many things in my life hurt you. I was sorry for you, and yet I could not help it. I was powerless! I thought you could never get reconciled to us, that you could never adopt our ideas as yours, but that you would suffer in silence as you had suffered all your life long. It was hard.”
“Andriusha made me understand many things!” she declared, in her desire to turn her son’s attention to his comrade.
“Yes, he told me about you,” said Pavel, laughing.
“And Yegor, too! He is a countryman of mine, you know. Andriusha wanted to teach me to read, also.”
“And you got offended, and began to study by yourself in secret.”
“Oh, so he found me out!” she exclaimed in embarrassment55. Then troubled by this abundance of joy which filled her heart she again suggested to Pavel:
“Shan’t we call him in? He went out on purpose, so as not to disturb us. He has no mother.”
“Andrey!” shouted Pavel, opening the door to the porch. “Where are you?”
“Here. I want to chop some wood.”
“Never mind! There’s time enough! Come here!”
“All right! I’m coming!”
But he did not come at once; and on entering the kitchen he said in a housekeeper-like fashion:
“We must tell Nikolay to bring us wood. We have very little wood left. You see, mother, how well Pavel looks? Instead of punishing the rebels, the government only fattens56 them.”
The mother laughed. Her heart was still leaping with joy. She was fairly intoxicated57 with happiness. But a certain, cautious, chary58 feeling already called forth59 in her the wish to see her son calm as he always was. She wanted this first joy in her life to remain fixed in her heart forever as live and strong as at first. In order to guard against the diminution60 of her happiness; she hastened to hide it, as a fowler secrets some rare bird that has happened to fall into his hands.
“Let’s have dinner! Pasha, haven’t you had anything to eat yet?” she asked with anxious haste.
“No. I learned yesterday from the warden61 that I was to be released, and I couldn’t eat or drink anything to-day.”
“The first person I met here was Sizov,” Pavel communicated to Andrey. “He caught sight of me and crossed the street to greet me. I told him that he ought to be more careful now, as I was a dangerous man under the surveillance of the police. But he said: ‘Never mind!’ and you ought to have heard him inquire about his nephew! ‘Did Fedor conduct himself properly in prison?’ I wanted to know what is meant by proper behavior in prison, and he declared: ‘Well, did he blab anything he shouldn’t have against his comrades?’ And when I told him that Fedya was an honest and wise young man, he stroked his beard and declared proudly: ‘We, the Sizovs, have no trash in our family.’”
“He’s a brainy old man!” said the Little Russian, nodding his head. “We often have talks with him. He’s a fine peasant. Will they let Fedya out soon?”
“Yes, one of these days, I suppose. They’ll let out all, I think. They have no evidence except Isay’s, and what can he say?”
The mother walked up and down the room, and looked at her son. Andrey stood at the window with his hands clasped behind his back, listening to Pavel’s narrative62. Pavel also paced up and down the room. His beard had grown, and small ringlets of thin, dark hair curled in a dense63 growth around his cheeks, softening64 the swarthy color of his face. His dark eyes had their stern expression.
“Sit down!” said the mother, serving a hot dish.
At dinner Andrey told Pavel about Rybin. When he had concluded Pavel exclaimed regretfully:
“If I had been home, I would not have let him go that way. What did he take along with him? A feeling of discontent and a muddle65 in his head!”
“Well,” said Andrey, laughing, “when a man’s grown to the age of forty and has fought so long with the bears in his heart, it’s hard to make him over.”
Pavel looked at him sternly and asked:
“Do you think it’s impossible for enlightenment to destroy all the rubbish that’s been crammed66 into a man’s brains?”
“Don’t fly up into the air at once, Pavel! Your flight will knock you up against the belfry tower and break your wings,” said the Little Russian in admonition.
And they started one of those discussions in which words were used that were unintelligible67 to the mother. The dinner was already at an end, but they still continued a vehement68 debate, flinging at each other veritable rattling69 hailstones of big words. Sometimes their language was simpler:
“We must keep straight on our path, turning neither to the right nor to the left!” Pavel asserted firmly.
“And run headlong into millions of people who will regard us as their enemies!”
“You can’t avoid that!”
“And what, my dear sir, becomes of your enlightenment?”
The mother listened to the dispute, and understood that Pavel did not care for the peasants, but that the Little Russian stood up for them, and tried to show that the peasants, too, must be taught to comprehend the good. She understood Andrey better, and he seemed to her to be in the right; but every time he spoke she waited with strained ears and bated breath for her son’s answer to find out whether the Little Russian had offended Pavel. But although they shouted at the top of their voices, they gave each other no offense70.
Occasionally the mother asked:
“Is it so, Pavel?”
And he answered with a smile:
“Yes, it’s so.”
“Say, my dear sir,” the Little Russian said with a good-natured sneer71, “you have eaten well, but you have chewed your food up badly, and a piece has remained sticking in your throat. You had better gargle.”
“Don’t go fooling now!” said Pavel.
“I am as solemn as a funeral.”
The mother laughed quietly and shook her head.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
diversified
|
|
| adj.多样化的，多种经营的v.使多样化，多样化( diversify的过去式和过去分词 )；进入新的商业领域 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
subdued
|
|
| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
engrossed
|
|
| adj.全神贯注的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
feverish
|
|
| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
jovial
|
|
| adj.快乐的，好交际的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
effervescing
|
|
| v.冒气泡，起泡沫( effervesce的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
persistent
|
|
| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
peculiar
|
|
| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
countenance
|
|
| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
resolute
|
|
| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
throng
|
|
| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
vivacious
|
|
| adj.活泼的，快活的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
trotted
|
|
| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
joyously
|
|
| ad.快乐地, 高兴地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
profundity
|
|
| n.渊博；深奥，深刻 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
recital
|
|
| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
simplicity
|
|
| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
mere
|
|
| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
ragged
|
|
| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
monotonously
|
|
| adv.单调地，无变化地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
poise
|
|
| vt./vi. 平衡，保持平衡；n.泰然自若，自信 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
helping
|
|
| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
erect
|
|
| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
premises
|
|
| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
remonstrate
|
|
| v.抗议，规劝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
ruse
|
|
| n.诡计，计策；诡计 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
planks
|
|
| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
plodded
|
|
| v.沉重缓慢地走（路）( plod的过去式和过去分词 )；努力从事；沉闷地苦干；缓慢进行（尤指艰难枯燥的工作） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
jaded
|
|
| adj.精疲力竭的；厌倦的；（因过饱或过多而）腻烦的；迟钝的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
clattering
|
|
| 发出咔哒声（clatter的现在分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
trudged
|
|
| vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
reins
|
|
| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
uncouth
|
|
| adj.无教养的，粗鲁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
stump
|
|
| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
wagons
|
|
| n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
sinister
|
|
| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
shrill
|
|
| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
mumbling
|
|
| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
glumly
|
|
| adv.忧郁地，闷闷不乐地；阴郁地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
perturbed
|
|
| adj.烦燥不安的v.使（某人）烦恼，不安( perturb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
demur
|
|
| v．表示异议，反对 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
plow
|
|
| n.犁，耕地，犁过的地；v.犁，费力地前进[英]plough | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
killing
|
|
| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
scorches
|
|
| 烧焦，烤焦( scorch的第三人称单数 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
dressing
|
|
| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
foam
|
|
| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
vomit
|
|
| v.呕吐，作呕；n.呕吐物，吐出物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
mumbled
|
|
| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
bent
|
|
| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
glistened
|
|
| v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
agitated
|
|
| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
touching
|
|
| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
embarrassment
|
|
| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
fattens
|
|
| v.喂肥( fatten的第三人称单数 )；养肥（牲畜）；使（钱）增多；使（公司）升值 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
intoxicated
|
|
| 喝醉的，极其兴奋的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
chary
|
|
| adj.谨慎的，细心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
diminution
|
|
| n.减少；变小 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
warden
|
|
| n.监察员，监狱长，看守人，监护人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
narrative
|
|
| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
dense
|
|
| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
softening
|
|
| 变软，软化 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
muddle
|
|
| n.困惑，混浊状态；vt.使混乱，使糊涂，使惊呆；vi.胡乱应付，混乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
crammed
|
|
| adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
unintelligible
|
|
| adj.无法了解的，难解的，莫明其妙的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
vehement
|
|
| adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
rattling
|
|
| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
offense
|
|
| n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
sneer
|
|
| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |