第48章

Getbacktowork，there！“Indeed，he，theforeman，hadoutdoneallinhismanifestationsofdislikeforourfriendship，andasmonotonouslyasthoughhehadbeenmindedtorivaltherivuletasasongster，hehadhummedhispiousditties，orelseraisedhissnufflingvoicetosingthemwithanever-importunatemeasureofinsistence，sothatalldaylongthosedittieshadbeencoursingtheirwayinamurky，melancholy-compellingflood。Indeed，astheforemanhadsteppedcautiouslyonthinlegsfromstonetostoneduringhisceaselessinspectionoftheworkofhismen，hehadcometoseemtohaveforhisobjectthedescribingofaninvisible，circularpath，asameansofsegregatingusmoresecurelythaneverfromthesocietyofthecarpenters。

Personally，however，Ihadnodesiretoconversewithhim，forhisfrozeneyeschilledandrepelledmeandfromthemomentwhenIhadapproachedhim，andseenhimfoldhishandsbehindhim，andrecoilastepasheinquiredwithsuppressedsternness，“Whatdoyouwant？“therehadfallenawayfrommeallfurtherambitiontolearnthenatureofthesongswhichhesang。

Theex-soldiergazedathimresentfully，thensaidwithanoath:

“Theoldwizardandpilferer！Takemywordforitthatalumpofpietylikethathasgotaprettystoreputawaysomewhere。“

Whereafter，ashelithispipeandsquintedinthedirectionofthecarpenters，headdedwithstifledwrath:

“Theairsthatthe’elect’givethemselves——thesonsofbitches！“

“Itisalwaysso，“commentedVasiliwitharesentmentequaltothelastspeaker’s。“Yes，nosooner，withus，doesamanaccumulatealittlemoneythanhestickshisnoseintheair，andfallstothinkinghimselfarealbarin。“

“Whyisitthatyoualwayssay’Withus，’and’Amongus，’andsoon？“

“AmongusRussians，then，ifyoulikeitbetter。“

“Idolikeitbetter。ForyouarenotaGerman，areyou，noraTartar？“

“No。ItismerelythatIcanseethefaultsinourRussianfolk。“

Uponthat(notforthefirsttime)thepairplungedintoadiscussionwhichhadcomesotowearythemthatnowtheyspokeonlyindifferently，withouteffort。

“Theword’faults’is，Iconsider，aninsult，“begantheex-

soldierashepuffedathispipe。“Besides，youdon’tspeakconsistently。OnlythismomentIobservedachangeinyourterms。“

“Towhat？“

“Totheterm’Russians。’“

“Whatshouldyouprefer？“

AnewsoundfloatedintothedefileasfromsomepointonthesteppethesoundofabellsummoningfolktotheusualSaturdayvigilservice。Removinghispipefromhismouth，theex-soldierlistenedforamomentortwo。Then，atthethirdandlaststrokeofthebell，hedoffedhiscap，crossedhimselfwithpunctiliouspiety，andsaid:

“Therearenotverymanychurchesintheseparts。“

Whereafterhethrewaglanceacrosstheriver，andaddedvenomously:

“ThosedevilsTHEREdon’tcrossthemselves，theaccursedSerbs！“

Vasililookedathim，twistedaleft-handmoustache，smootheditagain，regardedforamomenttheskyandthedefile，andsankhishe

后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节