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she put it in on purpose； God knows！ I was young then； and did not
understand it all 。 。 。 now I remember that our master had taken another
mistress and mamma was greatly disturbed。 Our trial lasted nearly two
years。 。 。 。 Mamma was condemned to penal servitude for twenty years；
and I； on account of my youth； only to seven。〃
〃And why were you sentenced？〃
〃As an accomplice。 I handed the glass to the master。 That was always
the custom。 Mamma prepared the soda and I handed it to him。 Only I tell
you all this as a Christian； brothers； as I would say it before God。 Don't
you tell anybody。 。 。 。〃
〃Oh； nobody's going to ask us；〃 said Ptaha。 〃So you've run away from
prison； have you？〃
〃I have； dear friend。 Fourteen of us ran away。 Some folks； God bless
them！ ran away and took me with them。 Now you tell me； on your
conscience； good man； what reason have I to disclose my name？ They will
send me back to penal servitude； you know！ And I am not fit for penal
servitude！ I am a refined man in delicate health。 I like to sleep and eat in
cleanliness。 When I pray to God I like to light a little lamp or a candle； and
not to have a noise around me。 When I bow down to the ground I like the
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floor not to be dirty or spat upon。 And I bow down forty times every
morning and evening； praying for mamma。〃
The tramp took off his cap and crossed himself。
〃And let them send me to Eastern Siberia；〃 he said； 〃I am not afraid of
that。〃
〃Surely that's no better？〃
〃It is quite a different thing。 In penal servitude you are like a crab in a
basket： crowding； crushing； jostling； there's no room to breathe； it's
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 b