United States or Brazil ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"Hey! Where are we going?" suddenly asked Gavrilo. Tchelkache started and turned around with the uneasy glance of a wild beast. "Oh! the devil! Never mind. . . Row more cautiously. . . We're almost there." "Were you dreaming?" asked Gavrilo, smiling. Tchelkache looked searchingly at him. The lad was entirely himself again; calm, gay, he even seemed complacent.
He began to talk brokenly and rapidly, as though pursuing an idea, and seizing the words on the wing, of life in the country with and without money. "Respect, ease, liberty, gaiety. . ." Tchelkache listened attentively with a serious countenance and inscrutable eyes. Occasionally, he smiled in a pleased manner. "Here we are!" he said at last.
Tchelkache continued on his way, greeted in a friendly manner by all. But he, usually so ready with merry word or biting jest, was evidently out of sorts to-day, and answered all questions briefly. Behind a bale of merchandise appeared a custom-house officer, standing in his dark-green, dusty uniform with military erectness.
He jumped up, pulling his moustache with his left hand and doubling his right fist all furrowed with knotted veins and hard as iron; his eyes flashed. The lad was afraid. He glanced quickly around him and, blinking timidly, also jumped up on his feet. They measured each other with their eyes in silence. "Well?" sternly demanded Tchelkache.
When they had entered the dirty and smoky ale-house Tchelkache went up to the bar and ordered, in the familiar tone of a regular customer, a bottle of brandy, cabbage soup, roast beef and tea, and, after enumerating the order, said briefly: "to be charged!" To which the boy responded by a silent nod.
"Let us get out of here!" said Tchelkache rising. Gavrilo tried to rise, but not succeeding, uttered a formidable oath and burst out into an idiotic, drunken laugh. "See how fresh you are!" said Tchelkache, sitting down again. Gavrilo continued to laugh, stupidly contemplating his master. The other looked at him lucidly and penetratingly. He saw before him a man whose life he held in his hands.
I haven't seen you for a long time," quietly replied Tchelkache, extending his hand. "I could get along without ever seeing you! Go about your business!" However, Semenitch shook the hand that was extended to him. "You're just the one I want to see," pursued Tchelkache, without loosening the hold of his hooked fingers on Semenitch's hand, and shaking it familiarly. "Have you seen Michka?"
The foam as it melted sighed and the air was filled with harmonious sounds and the plashing of water. The darkness seemed to be alive. "Well! tell me . . ." began Tchelkache. "You'll return to the village, you'll marry, you'll set to work to plough and sow, your wife'll present you with many children, you'll not have enough bread and you'll just manage to keep soul and body together all your life!
From the wall descended a solid, square, heavy object. Gavrilo put it in the boat, then another one like it. Across the wall stretched Tchelkache's long figure. The oars reappeared mysteriously, then Gavrilo's bag fell at his feet and Tchelkache out of breath seated himself at the tiller. Gavrilo looked at him with a timid and glad smile. "Are you tired?" said he. "A little, naturally, simpleton!
In this rain, besides. . . It couldn't have rained before! Eh! You vermin, there! Eh!" "Is that you Selkache?" came softly from above. "Lower the ladder, will you!" "Good-day, Selkache." "Lower the ladder, smoky devil!" roared Tchelkache. "Oh! Isn't he ill-natured to-day. . . Eh! Oh!" "Go up, Gavrilo!" commanded Tchelkache to his companion.
Word Of The Day