第47章

IthoughtofastudentofKazanwhomIhadknowninthedaysofthepast，ofayoungfellowfromViatkawho，pale-browed，andsententiousofdiction，mightalmosthavebeenbrothertotheex-

soldierhimself。AndonceagainIheardhimdeclarethat“beforeallthingsmustIlearnwhetherornotthereexistsaGod；pre-

eminentlymustImakeabeginningthere。“

AndIthought，too，ofacertainaccoucheusenamedVelikovawhohadbeenacomely，butreputedlygay，woman。AndIrememberedacertainoccasionwhen，onahilloverlookingtheriverKazanandtheArskiPlain，shehadstoodcontemplatingthemarshesbelow，andthefarbluelineoftheVolga；untilsuddenlyturningpale，shehad，withtearsofjoysparklinginherfineeyes，criedunderherbreath，butsufficientlyloudlyforallpresenttohearher:

“Ah，friends，howgraciousandhowfairisthislandofours！

Come，letussalutethatlandforhavingdeemedusworthyofresidencetherein！“

Whereuponallpresent，includingadeacon-studentfromtheEcclesiasticalSchool，aMorduinefromtheForeignCollege，astudentofveterinaryscience，andtwoofourtutors，haddoneobeisance。AtthesametimeIrecalledthefactthatsubsequentlyoneofthepartyhadgonemad，andcommittedsuicide。

Again，Irecalledhowonce，onthePianiBor[LiquorWharf]bytheriverKama，atall，sandyyoungfellowwithintelligenteyesandthefaceofane’er-do-wellhadcaughtmyattention。Thedayhadbeenahot，languorousSundayonwhichallthingshadseemedtobeexhibitingtheirbetterside，andtellingthesunthatitwasnotinvainthathewaspouringouthisbrilliantpotency，anddiffusinghislivinggold；whilethemanofwhomIspeakhad，dressedinanewsuitofblueserge，anewcapcockedawry，andapairofbrilliantlypolishedboots，beenstandingattheedgeofthewharf，andgazingatthebrownwatersoftheKama，theemeraldexpansebeyondthemandthesilver-scaledpoolsleftbehindbythetide。Until，asthesunhadbeguntosinktowardsthemarshesontheothersideoftheriver，andtobecomedissolvedintostreaks，themanhadsmiledwithincreasingrapture，andhisfacehadglowedwithcreasingeagernessanddelight；untilfinallyhehadsnatchedthecapfromhishead，flungit，withapowerfulthrowfaroutintotherussetwaters，andshouted:“Kama，Omymother，Iloveyou，andneverwilldesertyou！“

Andthelast，andalsothebest，recollectionofthingsseenbeforethenightofwhichIspeakwastherecollectionofanoccasionwhen，onelateautumn，IhadbeencrossingtheCaspianSeaonanoldtwo-mastedschoonerladenwithdriedapricots，plums，andpeaches。SailingonheralsoshehadhadsomehundredfishermenfromtheBozhiFactory，menwho，originallyforestpeasantsoftheUpperVolga，hadbeenwell-built，bearded，healthy，goodhumoured，animal-spiritedyoungfellows，youngsterstannedwiththewind，andsaltedwiththeseawater；youngsterswho，afterworkinghardattheirtrade，hadbeenrejoicingattheprospectofreturninghome。Andcareeringaboutthedecklikeyouthfulbearsaseverandanonlofty，sharp-pointedwaveshadseizedandtossedalofttheschooner，andtheyardshadcracked，andthetaut-runrigginghadwhistled，andthesailshadbelliedintoglobes，andthehowlingwindhadshavedoffthewhitecrestsofbillows，andpartiallysubmergedthevesselincloudsoffoam。

Andseatedonthedeckwithhisbroadbackrestingagainstthemainmasttherehadbe

后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节