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Updated: May 2, 2025
They'll convict you to the galleys. Goodbye, Ilya! You are building your steamers in vain. They'll transport you to Siberia on a government vessel." Kononov sank into a chair; his blood leaped to his face, and he shook his fist in silence. Foma said hoarsely: "Very well. Good. I shall not forget it."
The red light of the sun was reflected on the windows, the women-folk were milking the cows: it was already autumn and the daylight faded rapidly. The man with the gramophone tapped at the window and Kononov Ivan lifted the shutter. "Look, comrade, I've a gramophone here, to exchange for flour ... a gramophone, a musical instrument, and records...."
"Gentlemen of this honourable company!" exclaimed Kononov, removing his hat, and making a low bow to the guests. "As we have now rendered unto God, so to say, what is due to God, would you permit that the musicians render now unto the Emperor what is due to the Emperor?" And, without waiting for an answer from his guests, he placed his fist to his mouth, and shouted: "Musicians!
Often at night starving people from the towns brought money, clothes, foot-ware, bundles of odds-and ends in short anything they could steal from the towns and exchange for flour. They rapped on the windows like thieves. The Kononov women sat at their looms while the men went a-preying in the forest.
I entreat you humbly," said Kononov, pushing himself through the dense group of guests. There were about thirty of them, all sedate men, the cream of the local merchants. The older men among them, bald-headed and gray, wore old-fashioned frock-coats, caps and tall boots. But there were only few of these; high silk hats, shoes and stylish coats reigned supreme.
Bobrov, Kononov and several others preceded by Yakov Mayakin went to the cabin, anxiously discussing something in low tones. The steamer was sailing toward the town at full speed. The bottles on the tables trembled and rattled from the vibration of the steamer, and Foma heard this jarring, plaintive sound above everything else. Near him stood a throng of people, saying malicious, offensive things.
Overturning the chairs, jostling the tables, thus causing the dishes and the bottles to rattle and fall, the merchants, agitated, delighted, some with tears in their eyes, rushed toward Mayakin with goblets in their hands. "Ah! Do you understand what has been said here?" asked Kononov, grasping Robustov by the shoulder and shaking him. "Understand it! That was a great speech!" "Yakov Tarasovich!
The guests watched the movements of the captain silently and attentively, and, emulating his example, they also began to cross themselves, at which performance their caps and high hats flashed through the air like a flock of black birds. "Give us Thy blessing, Oh Lord!" exclaimed Kononov with emotion. "Let go astern! Forward!" ordered the captain.
Ivan Kononov did not think of death when he went to the war, for what was death when through it came birth? Were there not heat-waves and drought in summer? Did not the winter sweep the earth by blizzards? Yet in spring all began to pulsate again with life. The War came: Ivan Kononov went without understanding, without reason what concern was it of Pochinki?
But now, when they gathered around Kononov, who was triumphant and happy, they blended in one dense, dark mass, and stood and breathed as one man, concentrated and silent, surrounded by something invisible yet firm, by something which repulsed Foma from them, and which inspired him with fear of them. "Impostors!" thought he, thus encouraging himself.
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