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downright hell such hell； may the Queen of Heaven keep us from it！ You
are a robber and treated like a robber worse than any dog。 You can't
sleep； you can't eat or even say your prayers。 But it's not like that in a
settlement。 In a settlement I shall be a member of a commune like other
people。 The authorities are bound by law to give me my share 。 。 。 ye…es！
They say the land costs nothing； no more than snow； you can take what
you like！ They will give me corn land and building land and garden。 。 。 。 I
shall plough my fields like other people； sow seed。 I shall have cattle and
stock of all sorts； bees； sheep； and dogs。 。 。 。 A Siberian cat； that rats and
mice may not devour my goods。 。 。 。 I will put up a house； I shall buy
ikons。 。 。 。 Please God； I'll get married； I shall have children。 。 。 。〃
The tramp muttered and looked； not at his listeners； but away into the
distance。 Naive as his dreams were； they were uttered in such a genuine
and heartfelt tone that it was difficult not to believe in them。 The tramp's
little mouth was screwed up in a smile。 His eyes and little nose and his
whole face were fixed and blank with blissful anticipation of happiness in
the distant future。 The constables listened and looked at him gravely； not
without sympathy。 They； too； believed in his dreams。
〃I am not afraid of Siberia；〃 the tramp went on muttering。 〃Siberia is
just as much Russia and has the same God and Tsar as here。 They are just
as orthodox Christians as you and I。 Only there is more freedom there and
people are better off。 Everything is better there。 Take the rivers there； for
instance； they are far better than those here。 There's no end of fish； and all
sorts of wild fowl。 And my greatest pleasure； brothers； is fishing。 Give me
no bread to eat； but let me sit with a fishhook。 Yes； indeed！ I fish with a
hook and with a wire line； and set creels； and when the ice comes I catch
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with a net。 I am not strong to draw up the net； so I shall hire a man for five
kopecks。 And； Lord； what a pleasure it is！ You catch an eel…pout or a roach
of some sort and are as pleased as though you had met your own brother。
And would you believe it； there's a special art for every fish： you catch one
with a live bait； you catch another with a grub； the third with a frog or a
grasshopper。 One has to understand all that； of course！ For example； take
the eel…pout。 It is not a delicate fish it will take a perch； and a pike loves
a gudgeon； the _shilishper_ likes a butterfly。 If you fish for a roach in a
rapid stream there is no greater pleasure。 You throw the line of seventy
feet without lead； with a butterfly or a beetle； so that the bait floats on the
surface； you stand in the water without your trousers and let it go with the
current； and tug！ the roach pulls at it！ Only you have got to be artful that
he doesn't carry off the b ait； the damned rascal。 As soon as he tugs at your
line you must whip it up； it's no good waiting。 It's wonderful what a lot of
fish I've caught in my time。 When we were running away the other
convicts would sleep in the forest； I could not sleep； but I was off to the
river。 The rivers there are wide and rapid； the banks are steep awfully！
It's all slumbering forests on the bank。 The trees are so tall that if you look
to the top it makes you dizzy。 Every pine would be worth ten roubles by
the prices here。〃
In the overwhelming rush of his fancies； of artistic images of the past
and sweet presentiments of happiness in the future； the poor wretch sank
into silence； merely moving his lips as though whispering to himself。 The
vacant； blissful smile never left his lips。 The constables were silent。 They
were pondering with bent heads。 In the autumn stillness； when the cold；
sullen mist that rises from the earth lies like a weight on the heart； when it
stands like a prison wall before the eyes； and reminds man of the
limitation of his freedom； it is sweet to think of the broad； rapid rivers；
with steep banks wild and luxuriant； of the impenetrable forests； of the
boundless steppes。 Slowly and quietly the fancy pictures how early in the
morning； before the flush of dawn has left the sky； a man makes his way
along the steep deserted bank like a tiny speck： the ancient； mast…like
pines rise up in terraces on both sides of the torrent； gaze sternly at the free
man and murmur menacingly； rocks； huge stones； and thorny bushes bar
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his way； but he is strong in body and bold in spirit； and has no fear of the
pine…trees； nor stones； nor of his solitude； nor of the reverberating echo
which repeats the sound of every footstep that he takes。
The peasants called up a picture of a free life such as they had never
lived； whether they vaguely recalled the images of stories heard long ago
or whether notions of a free life had been handed down to them with their
flesh and blood from far…off free ancestors； God knows！
The first to break the silence was Nikandr Sapozhnikov； who had not
till then let fall a single word。 Whether he envied the tramp's transparent
happiness； or whether he felt in his heart that dreams of happiness were
out of keeping with the grey fog and the dirty brown mud anyway； he
looked sternly at the tramp and said：
〃It's all very well； to be sure； only you won't reach those plenteous
regions； brother。 How could you？ Before you'd gone two hundred miles
you'd give up your soul to God。 Just look what a weakling you are！ Here
you've hardly gone five miles and you can't get your breath。〃
The tramp turned slowly toward Nikandr； and the blissful smile
vanished from his face。 He looked with a scared and guilty air at the
peasant's staid face； apparently remembered something； and bent his head。
A silence followed again。 。 。 。 All three were pondering。 The peasants were
racking their brains in the effort to grasp in their imagination what can be
grasped by none but God that is； the vast expanse dividing them from
the land of freedom。 Into the tramp's mind thronged clear and distinct
pictures more terrible than that expanse。 Before him rose vividly the
picture of the long legal delays and procrastinations； the temporary and
permanent prisons； the convict boats； the wearisome stoppages on the way；
the frozen winters； illnesses； deaths of companions。 。 。 。
The tramp blinked guiltily； wiped the tiny drops of sweat from his
forehead with his sleeve； drew a deep breath as though he had just leapt
out of a very hot bath； then wiped his forehead with the other sleeve and
looked round fearfully。
〃That's true； you won't get there！〃 Ptaha agreed。 〃You are not much of
a walker！ Look at you nothing but skin and bone！ You'll die； brother！〃
〃Of course he'll die！ What could he do？〃 said Nikandr。 〃He's fit for the
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hospital now。 。 。 。 For sure！〃
The man who had forgotten his name looked at the stern； unconcerned
faces of his sinister companions； and without taking off his cap； hurriedly
crossed himself； staring with wide…open eyes。 。 。 。 He trembled； his head
shook； and he began twitching all over； like a caterpillar when it is stepped
upon。 。 。 。
〃Well； it's time to go；〃 said Nikandr； getting up； 〃we've had a rest。〃
A minute later they were stepping along the muddy road。 The tramp
was more bent than ever； and he thrust his hands further up his sleeves。
Ptaha was silent。
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THE PIPE
MELITON SHISHKIN； a bailiff from the Dementyev farm； exhausted
by the sultry heat of the fir…wood and covered with spiders' webs and pine…
needles； made his way with his gun to the edge of the wood。 His Damka
a mongrel between a yard dog and a setter an extremely thin bitch heavy
with young； trailed after her master with her wet tail between her legs；
doing all she could to avoid pricking her nose。 It was a dull； overcast