“Christ go with you! Good-bye.”
Jakoff and our coachman (for we had our own horses) lifted their caps in answer, and also made the sign of the cross.
“Amen. God go with us!”
The carriages began to roll away, and the birch-trees of the great avenue filed out of sight.
I was not in the least depressed3 on this occasion, for my mind was not so much turned upon what I had left as upon what was awaiting me. In proportion as the various objects connected with the sad recollections which had recently filled my imagination receded4 behind me, those recollections lost their power, and gave place to a consolatory5 feeling of life, youthful vigour6, freshness, and hope.
Seldom have I spent four days more—well, I will not say gaily7, since I should still have shrunk from appearing gay—but more agreeably and pleasantly than those occupied by our journey.
No longer were my eyes confronted with the closed door of Mamma’s room (which I had never been able to pass without a pang), nor with the covered piano (which nobody opened now, and at which I could never look without trembling), nor with mourning dresses (we had each of us on our ordinary travelling clothes), nor with all those other objects which recalled to me so vividly8 our irreparable loss, and forced me to abstain9 from any manifestation10 of merriment lest I should unwittingly offend against HER memory.
On the contrary, a continual succession of new and exciting objects and places now caught and held my attention, and the charms of spring awakened11 in my soul a soothing12 sense of satisfaction with the present and of blissful hope for the future.
Very early next morning the merciless Vassili (who had only just entered our service, and was therefore, like most people in such a position, zealous13 to a fault) came and stripped off my counterpane, affirming that it was time for me to get up, since everything was in readiness for us to continue our journey. Though I felt inclined to stretch myself and rebel—though I would gladly have spent another quarter of an hour in sweet enjoyment14 of my morning slumber—Vassili’s inexorable face showed that he would grant me no respite15, but that he was ready to tear away the counterpane twenty times more if necessary. Accordingly I submitted myself to the inevitable16 and ran down into the courtyard to wash myself at the fountain.
In the coffee-room, a tea-kettle was already surmounting17 the fire which Milka the ostler, as red in the face as a crab18, was blowing with a pair of bellows19. All was grey and misty20 in the courtyard, like steam from a smoking dunghill, but in the eastern sky the sun was diffusing21 a clear, cheerful radiance, and making the straw roofs of the sheds around the courtyard sparkle with the night dew. Beneath them stood our horses, tied to mangers, and I could hear the ceaseless sound of their chewing. A curly-haired dog which had been spending the night on a dry dunghill now rose in lazy fashion and, wagging its tail, walked slowly across the courtyard.
The bustling22 landlady23 opened the creaking gates, turned her meditative24 cows into the street (whence came the lowing and bellowing25 of other cattle), and exchanged a word or two with a sleepy neighbour. Philip, with his shirt-sleeves rolled up, was working the windlass of a draw-well, and sending sparkling fresh water coursing into an oaken trough, while in the pool beneath it some early-rising ducks were taking a bath. It gave me pleasure to watch his strongly-marked, bearded face, and the veins26 and muscles as they stood out upon his great powerful hands whenever he made an extra effort. In the room behind the partition-wall where Mimi and the girls had slept (yet so near to ourselves that we had exchanged confidences overnight) movements now became audible, their maid kept passing in and out with clothes, and, at last the door opened and we were summoned to breakfast. Woloda, however, remained in a state of bustle27 throughout as he ran to fetch first one article and then another and urged the maid to hasten her preparations.
The horses were put to, and showed their impatience28 by tinkling29 their bells. Parcels, trunks, dressing-cases, and boxes were replaced, and we set about taking our seats. Yet, every time that we got in, the mountain of luggage in the britchka seemed to have grown larger than before, and we had much ado to understand how things had been arranged yesterday, and how we should sit now. A tea-chest, in particular, greatly inconvenienced me, but Vassili declared that “things will soon right themselves,” and I had no choice but to believe him.
The sun was just rising, covered with dense30 white clouds, and every object around us was standing out in a cheerful, calm sort of radiance. The whole was beautiful to look at, and I felt comfortable and light of heart.
Before us the road ran like a broad, sinuous31 ribbon through cornfields glittering with dew. Here and there a dark bush or young birch-tree cast a long shadow over the ruts and scattered32 grass-tufts of the track. Yet even the monotonous33 din2 of our carriage-wheels and collar-bells could not drown the joyous34 song of soaring larks35, nor the combined odour of moth-eaten cloth, dust, and sourness peculiar36 to our britchka overpower the fresh scents37 of the morning. I felt in my heart that delightful38 impulse to be up and doing which is a sign of sincere enjoyment.
As I had not been able to say my prayers in the courtyard of the inn, but had nevertheless been assured once that on the very first day when I omitted to perform that ceremony some misfortune would overtake me, I now hastened to rectify39 the omission40. Taking off my cap, and stooping down in a corner of the britchka, I duly recited my orisons, and unobtrusively signed the sign of the cross beneath my coat. Yet all the while a thousand different objects were distracting my attention, and more than once I inadvertently repeated a prayer twice over.
Soon on the little footpath41 beside the road became visible some slowly moving figures. They were pilgrims. On their heads they had dirty handkerchiefs, on their backs wallets of birch-bark, and on their feet bundles of soiled rags and heavy bast shoes. Moving their staffs in regular rhythm, and scarcely throwing us a glance, they pressed onwards with heavy tread and in single file.
“Where have they come from?” I wondered to myself, “and whither are they bound? Is it a long pilgrimage they are making?” But soon the shadows they cast on the road became indistinguishable from the shadows of the bushes which they passed.
Next a carriage-and-four could be seen approaching us. In two seconds the faces which looked out at us from it with smiling curiosity had vanished. How strange it seemed that those faces should have nothing in common with me, and that in all probability they would never meet my eyes again!
Next came a pair of post-horses, with the traces looped up to their collars. On one of them a young postillion-his lamb’s wool cap cocked to one side-was negligently42 kicking his booted legs against the flanks of his steed as he sang a melancholy43 ditty. Yet his face and attitude seemed to me to express such perfect carelessness and indolent ease that I imagined it to be the height of happiness to be a postillion and to sing melancholy songs.
Far off, through a cutting in the road, there soon stood out against the light-blue sky, the green roof of a village church. Presently the village itself became visible, together with the roof of the manor-house and the garden attached to it. Who lived in that house? Children, parents, teachers? Why should we not call there and make the acquaintance of its inmates44?
Next we overtook a file of loaded waggons—a procession to which our vehicles had to yield the road.
“What have you got in there?” asked Vassili of one waggoner who was dangling45 his legs lazily over the splashboard of his conveyance46 and flicking47 his whip about as he gazed at us with a stolid48, vacant look; but he only made answer when we were too far off to catch what he said.
“And what have YOU got?” asked Vassili of a second waggoner who was lying at full length under a new rug on the driving-seat of his vehicle. The red poll and red face beneath it lifted themselves up for a second from the folds of the rug, measured our britchka with a cold, contemptuous look, and lay down again; whereupon I concluded that the driver was wondering to himself who we were, whence we had come, and whither we were going.
These various objects of interest had absorbed so much of my time that, as yet, I had paid no attention to the crooked49 figures on the verst posts as we passed them in rapid succession; but in time the sun began to burn my head and back, the road to become increasingly dusty, the impedimenta in the carriage to grow more and more uncomfortable, and myself to feel more and more cramped50. Consequently, I relapsed into devoting my whole faculties51 to the distance-posts and their numerals, and to solving difficult mathematical problems for reckoning the time when we should arrive at the next posting-house.
“Twelve versts are a third of thirty-six, and in all there are forty-one to Lipetz. We have done a third and how much, then?”, and so forth52, and so forth.
“Vassili,” was my next remark, on observing that he was beginning to nod on the box-seat, “suppose we change seats? Will you?” Vassili agreed, and had no sooner stretched himself out in the body of the vehicle than he began to snore. To me on my new perch53, however, a most interesting spectacle now became visible—namely, our horses, all of which were familiar to me down to the smallest detail.
“Why is Diashak on the right today, Philip, not on the left?” I asked knowingly. “And Nerusinka is not doing her proper share of the pulling.”
“One could not put Diashak on the left,” replied Philip, altogether ignoring my last remark. “He is not the kind of horse to put there at all. A horse like the one on the left now is the right kind of one for the job.”
After this fragment of eloquence54, Philip turned towards Diashak and began to do his best to worry the poor animal by jogging at the reins55, in spite of the fact that Diashak was doing well and dragging the vehicle almost unaided. This Philip continued to do until he found it convenient to breathe and rest himself awhile and to settle his cap askew56, though it had looked well enough before.
I profited by the opportunity to ask him to let me have the reins to hold, until, the whole six in my hand, as well as the whip, I had attained57 complete happiness. Several times I asked whether I was doing things right, but, as usual, Philip was never satisfied, and soon destroyed my felicity.
The heat increased until a hand showed itself at the carriage window, and waved a bottle and a parcel of eatables; whereupon Vassili leapt briskly from the britchka, and ran forward to get us something to eat and drink.
When we arrived at a steep descent, we all got out and ran down it to a little bridge, while Vassili and Jakoff followed, supporting the carriage on either side, as though to hold it up in the event of its threatening to upset.
After that, Mimi gave permission for a change of seats, and sometimes Woloda or myself would ride in the carriage, and Lubotshka or Katenka in the britchka. This arrangement greatly pleased the girls, since much more fun went on in the britchka. Just when the day was at its hottest, we got out at a wood, and, breaking off a quantity of branches, transformed our vehicle into a bower58. This travelling arbour then bustled59 on to catch the carriage up, and had the effect of exciting Lubotshka to one of those piercing shrieks60 of delight which she was in the habit of occasionally emitting.
At last we drew near the village where we were to halt and dine. Already we could perceive the smell of the place—the smell of smoke and tar61 and sheep-and distinguish the sound of voices, footsteps, and carts. The bells on our horses began to ring less clearly than they had done in the open country, and on both sides the road became lined with huts—dwellings with straw roofs, carved porches, and small red or green painted shutters62 to the windows, through which, here and there, was a woman’s face looking inquisitively63 out. Peasant children clad in smocks only stood staring open-eyed or, stretching out their arms to us, ran barefooted through the dust to climb on to the luggage behind, despite Philip’s menacing gestures. Likewise, red-haired waiters came darting64 around the carriages to invite us, with words and signs, to select their several hostelries as our halting-place.
Presently a gate creaked, and we entered a courtyard. Four hours of rest and liberty now awaited us.
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1
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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din
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| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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receded
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的过去式和过去分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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consolatory
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| adj.慰问的，可藉慰的 | |
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vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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vividly
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| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
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abstain
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| v.自制，戒绝，弃权，避免 | |
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manifestation
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| n.表现形式；表明；现象 | |
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awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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12
soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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zealous
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| adj.狂热的，热心的 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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respite
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| n.休息，中止，暂缓 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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surmounting
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| 战胜( surmount的现在分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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18
crab
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| n.螃蟹，偏航，脾气乖戾的人，酸苹果；vi.捕蟹，偏航，发牢骚；vt.使偏航，发脾气 | |
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19
bellows
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| n.风箱；发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的名词复数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的第三人称单数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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20
misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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21
diffusing
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| （使光）模糊，漫射，漫散( diffuse的现在分词 )； （使）扩散； （使）弥漫； （使）传播 | |
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22
bustling
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| adj.喧闹的 | |
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landlady
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| n.女房东，女地主 | |
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meditative
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| adj.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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bellowing
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的现在分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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26
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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27
bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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29
tinkling
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| n.丁当作响声 | |
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dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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sinuous
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| adj.蜿蜒的，迂回的 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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larks
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| n.百灵科鸟（尤指云雀）( lark的名词复数 )；一大早就起床；鸡鸣即起；（因太费力而不想干时说）算了v.百灵科鸟（尤指云雀）( lark的第三人称单数 )；一大早就起床；鸡鸣即起；（因太费力而不想干时说）算了 | |
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36
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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37
scents
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| n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉 | |
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38
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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rectify
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| v.订正，矫正，改正 | |
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40
omission
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| n.省略，删节；遗漏或省略的事物，冗长 | |
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41
footpath
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| n.小路，人行道 | |
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42
negligently
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43
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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44
inmates
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| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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45
dangling
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| 悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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46
conveyance
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| n.(不动产等的)转让，让与；转让证书；传送；运送；表达；（正）运输工具 | |
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47
flicking
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| （尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的现在分词 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等） | |
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48
stolid
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| adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的 | |
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49
crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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50
cramped
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| a.狭窄的 | |
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51
faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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52
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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53
perch
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| n.栖木，高位，杆；v.栖息，就位，位于 | |
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54
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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55
reins
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| 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 | |
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56
askew
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| adv.斜地；adj.歪斜的 | |
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57
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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58
bower
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| n.凉亭，树荫下凉快之处；闺房；v.荫蔽 | |
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59
bustled
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| 闹哄哄地忙乱，奔忙( bustle的过去式和过去分词 )； 催促 | |
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60
shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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61
tar
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| n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于 | |
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62
shutters
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| 百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门 | |
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63
inquisitively
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| 过分好奇地； 好问地 | |
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64
darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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