第17章 A Chameleon (第1/2页)
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Chekhov
TheolicesuerintendentOtchumyeloviswalkingacrossthemarketsquarewearinganewovercoatandcarryingaarcelunderhisarm.Ared-hairedolicemanstridesafterhimwithasievefullofconfiscatedgooseberriesinhishands.Thereissilenceallaround.Notasoulinthesquare...TheoendoorsoftheshosandtavernslookoutuonGod&aos;sworlddisconsolately,likehungrymouths;thereisnotevenabeggarnearthem.
"Soyoubite,youdamnedbrute?
"Otchumyelovhearssuddenly.
"Lads,don&aos;tlethimgo!Bitingisrohibitednowadays!Holdhim!ah...ah!
"
Thereisthesoundofadogyeling.Otchumyelovlooksinthedirectionofthesoundandseesadog,hoingonthreelegsandlookingabouther,runoutofPitchugin&aos;stimber-yard.Amaninastarchedcottonshirt,withhiswaistcoatunbuttoned,ischasingher.Herunsafterher,andthrowinghisbodyforwardfallsdownandseizesthedogbyherhindlegs.Oncemorethereisayelingandashoutof
"Don&aos;tletgo!
"Sleeycountenancesarerotrudedfromtheshos,andsoonacrowd,whichseemstohavesrungoutoftheearth,isgatheredroundthetimber-yard.
"Itlookslikearow,yourhonour...
"saystheoliceman.
Otchumyelovmakesahalfturntotheleftandstridestowardsthecrowd.Heseestheaforementionedmanintheunbuttonedwaistcoatstandingclosebythegateofthetimber-yard,holdinghisrighthandintheairanddislayingableedingfingertothecrowd.Onhishalf-drunkenfacethereislainlywritten:
"I&aos;llayyouout,yourogue!
"andindeedtheveryfingerhasthelookofaflagofvictory.InthismanOtchumyelovrecognisesHryukin,thegoldsmith.Theculritwhohascausedthesensation,awhiteborzoyuywithasharmuzzleandayellowatchonherback,issittingonthegroundwithherfore-awsoutstretchedinthemiddleofthecrowd,tremblingallover.Thereisanexressionofmiseryandterrorinhertearfuleyes.
"What&aos;sitallabout?
"Otchumyelovinquires,ushinghiswaythroughthecrowd.
"Whatareyouherefor?Whyareyouwavingyourfinger?Whowasitshouted?
"
"Iwaswalkingalonghere,notinterferingwithanyone,yourhonour,
"Hryukinbegins,coughingintohisfist.
"IwastalkingaboutfirewoodtoMitryMitritch,whenthislowbrutefornorhymeorreasonbitmyfinger...Youmustexcuseme,Iamaworkingman...Mineisfinework.Imusthavedamages,forIshan&aos;tbeabletousethisfingerforaweek,maybe...It&aos;snoteventhelaw,yourhonour,thatoneshouldutuwithitfromabeast...Ifeveryoneisgoingtobebitten,lifewon&aos;tbeworthliving...
"
"H&aos;m.Verygood,
"saysOtchumyelovsternly,coughingandraisinghiseyebrows.
"Verygood.Whosedogisit?Iwon&aos;tletthisass!I&aos;llteachthemtolettheirdogsrunalloverthelace!It&aos;stimethesegentrywerelookedafter,iftheywon&aos;tobeytheregulations!Whenhe&aos;sfined,theblackguard,I&aos;llteachhimwhatitmeanstokeedogsandsuchstraycattle!I&aos;llgivehimalesson!...Yeldyrin,
"criesthesuerintendent,addressingtheoliceman,
"findoutwhosedogthisisanddrawuareort!Andthedogmustbestrangled.Withoutdelay!It&aos;ssuretobemad...Whosedogisit,Iask?
"
"Ifancyit&aos;sGeneralZhigalov&aos;s,
"sayssomeoneinthecrowd.
"GeneralZhigalov&aos;s,h&aos;m...Helmeoffwithmycoat,Yeldyrin...it&aos;sfrightfullyhot!Itmustbeasignofrain...There&aos;sonethingIcan&aos;tmakeout,howitcametobiteyou?
"OtchumyelovturnstoHryukin,
"Surelyitcouldn&aos;treachyourfinger.It&aos;salittledog,andyouareagreathulkingfellow!Youmusthavescratchedyourfingerwithanail,andthentheideastruckyoutogetdamagesforit.Weallknow...yoursort!Iknowyoudevils!
"
"Heutacigaretteinherface,yourhonour,forajoke,andshehadthesensetosnaathim...Heisanonsensicalfellow,yourhonour!
"
"That&aos;salie,Squinteye!Youdidn&aos;tsee,sowhytellliesaboutit?Hishonourisawisegentleman,andwillseewhoistellingliesandwhoistellingthetruth,asinGod&aos;ssight...AndifIamlyingletthecourtdecide.It&aos;swritteninthelaw...Weareallequalnowadays.Myownbrotherisinthegendarmes...letmetellyou...
"
"Don&aos;targue!
"
"No,that&aos;snottheGeneral&aos;sdog,
