第54章

Yes，atsuchtimesonedesirestotastelifetothefull，andsotolivethattheancientrocksshallsmile，andthesea’swhitehorsesprancethehigher，asone’smouthacclaimstheearthinsuchapaeanthat，intoxicatedwiththelaudation，itshallunfolditsricheswithaddedbountifulnessanddisplaymoreandmoremanifestbeautyunderthespuroftheloveexpressedbyoneofitscreatures，expressedbyahumanbeingwhofeelsfortheearthwhathewouldfeelforawoman，andyearnstofertilisethesametoever-increasingsplendour。

Nevertheless，wordsareasheavyasstones，andafterfellingfancytotheground，servebuttoheaphergreycoffin-lid，andcauseone，asonestandscontemplatingthetomb，tolaughinsheerself-derision……

Suddenly，plungedindreamsasIwalkedalong，Iheardthroughtheplashofthewavesandthesizzleofthefoamtheunfamiliarwords:

“Hymen，Demon，Igamon，andZmiulan。Gooddevilsarethese，notbad。“

“HowdoesChristgetonwiththem？“Iasked。

“Christ？Hedoesnotenterintothematter。“

“IsHehostiletothem？“

“IsHeHOSTILEtothem？HowcouldHebe？Devilsofthatkindaredevilstothemselves-devilsofadecentsort。Besides，tonooneisChristhostile“

[IntheRussianthishiatusoccursasmarked。]

Asthoughunableanylongertobravetheassaultofthebillows，thepathsuddenlyswervedtowardsthebushesonourright，and，indoingso，causedthecloud-wrappedmountainstoshiftcorrespondinglytoourimmediatefront，wherethemassesofvapourweredarkeningasthoughrainwereprobable。

Kalinin’sdiscourseprovedinstructiveaswithhisstickhefromtimetotimeknockedthetrackclearofclingingtendrils。

“Thelocalityisnotwithoutitsperils，“onceheremarked。

“Forhereaboutstherelurksmalaria。ItdoessobecauselongagoMaliarofKostromabanishedhisevilsister，Fever，totheseparts。Probablyhewaspaidtodoso，buttheexactcircumstancesescapemymemory。“

Sothicklywasthesurfaceoftheseastreakedwithcloud-shadowsthatitboretheappearanceofbeinginmourning，ofbeingdeckedinthefuneralcoloursofblackandwhite。Afaroff，Gudaoutlaylashedwithfoam，whileconstantlyobjectslikesnowdriftskeptglidingtowardsit。

“Tellmemoreaboutthosedevils，“Isaidatlength。

“Well，ifyouwish。ButwhatexactlyamItotellyouaboutthem？“

“Allthatyoumayhappentoknow。“

“Oh，IknowEVERYTHINGaboutthem。“

Tothismycompanionaddedawink。Thenhecontinued:

“IsaythatIknoweverythingaboutthosedevilsforthereasonthatformymotherIhadamostremarkablewoman，awomancognisantofeachandeveryspeciesofproverb，anathema，anditemofhagiology。Youmustknowthat，afterspreadingmybedbesidethekitchenstoveeachnight，andherown

后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节