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that they may have another weight on their black consciences。 Kill me and
I will haunt them with my ghost。 All my acquaintances say to me： 'You are
a most insufferable person； Pavel Ivanitch。' I am proud of such a
reputation。 I have served three years in the far East； and I shall be
remembered there for a hundred years： I had rows with everyone。 My
friends write to me from Russia； 'Don't come back；' but here I am going
back to spite them 。 。 。 yes。 。 。 。 That is life as I understand it。 That is what
one can call life。〃
Gusev was looking at the little window and was not listening。 A boat
was swaying on the transparent； soft； turquoise water all bathed in hot；
dazzling sunshine。 In it there were naked Chinamen holding up cages with
canaries and calling out：
〃It sings； it sings！〃
Another boat knocked against the first； the steam cutter darted by。 And
then there came another boat with a fat Chinaman sitting in it； eating rice
with little sticks。
Languidly the water heaved； languidly the white seagulls floated over
it。
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〃I should like to give that fat fellow one in the neck；〃 thought Gusev；
gazing at the stout Chinaman； with a yawn。
He dozed off； and it seemed to him that all nature was dozing； too。
Time flew swiftly by； imperceptibly the day passed； imperceptibly the
darkness came on。 。 。 。 The steamer was no longer standing still； but
moving on further。
IV
Two days passed； Pavel Ivanitch lay down instead of sitting up； his
eyes were closed； his nose seemed to have grown sharper。
〃Pavel Ivanitch；〃 Gusev called to him。 〃Hey； Pavel Ivanitch。〃
Pavel Ivanitch opened his eyes and moved his lips。
〃Are you feeling bad？〃
〃No 。 。 。 it's nothing 。 。 。〃 answered Pavel Ivanitch； gasping。 〃Nothing；
on the contrary I am rather better。 。 。 。 You see I can lie down。 I am a
little easier。 。 。 。〃
〃Well； thank God for that； Pavel Ivanitch。〃
〃When I compare myself with you I am sorry for you 。 。 。 poor fellow。
My lungs are all right； it is only a stomach cough。 。 。 。 I can stand hell； let
alone the Red Sea。 Besides I take a critical attitude to my illness and to the
medicines they give me for it。 While you 。 。 。 you are in darkness。 。 。 。 It's
hard for you； very； very hard！〃
The ship was not rolling； it was calm； but as hot and stifling as a bath…
house； it was not only hard to speak but even hard to listen。 Gusev hugged
his knees； laid his head on them and thought of his home。 Good heavens；
what a relief it was to think of snow and cold in that stifling heat！ You
drive in a sledge； all at once the horses take fright at something and
bolt。 。 。 。 Regardless of the road； the ditches； the ravines； they dash like
mad things； right through the village； over the pond by the pottery works；
out across the open fields。 〃Hold on；〃 the pottery hands and the peasants
sho ut； meeting them。 〃Hold on。〃 But why？ Let the keen； cold wind beat in
one's face and bite one's hands； let the lumps of snow； kicked up by the
horses' hoofs； fall on one's cap； on one's back； down one's collar； on one's
chest； let the runners ring on the snow； and the traces and the sledge be
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smashed； deuce take them one and all！ And how delightful when the
sledge upsets and you go flying full tilt into a drift； face downwards in the
snow； and then you get up white all over with icicles on your moustaches；
no cap； no gloves； your belt undone。 。 。 。 People laugh； the dogs bark。 。 。 。
Pavel Ivanitch half opened one eye； looked at Gusev with it； and asked
softly：
〃Gusev； did your commanding officer steal？〃
〃Who can tell； Pavel Ivanitch！ We can't say； it didn't reach us。〃
And after that a long time passed in silence。 Gusev brooded； muttered
something in delirium； and kept drinking water； it was hard for him to talk
and hard to listen； and he was afraid of being talked to。 An hour passed； a
second； a third； evening came on； then night； but he did not notice it。 He
still sat dreaming of the frost。
There was a sound as though someone came into the hospital； and
voices were audible； but a few minutes passed and all was still again。
〃The Kingdom of Heaven and eternal peace；〃 said the soldier with his
arm in a sling。 〃He was an uncomfortable man。〃
〃What？〃 asked Gusev。 〃Who？〃
〃He is dead； they have just carried him up。〃
〃Oh； well；〃 muttered Gusev； yawning； 〃the Kingdom of Heaven be
his。〃
〃What do you think？〃 the soldier with his arm in a sling asked Gusev。
〃Will he be in the Kingdom of Heaven or not？〃
〃Who is it you are talking about？〃
〃Pavel Ivanitch。〃
〃He will be 。 。 。 he suffered so long。 And there is another thing； he
belonged to the clergy； and the priests always have a lot of relations。 Their
prayers will save him。〃
The soldier with the sling sat down on a hammock near Gusev and
said in an undertone：
〃And you； Gusev； are not long for this world。 You will never get to
Russia。〃
〃Did the doctor or his assistant say so？〃 asked Gusev。
〃It isn't that they said so； but one can see it。 。 。 。 One can see directly
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when a man's going to die。 You don't eat； you don't drink； it's dreadful to
see how thin you've got。 It's consumption； in fact。 I say it； not to upset you；
but because maybe you would like to have the sacrament and extreme
unction。 And if you have any money you had better give it to the senior
officer。〃
〃I haven't written home 。 。 。〃 Gusev sighed。 〃I shall die and they won't
know。〃
〃They'll hear of it；〃 the sick sailor brought out in a bass voice。 〃When
you die they will put it down in the _Gazette；_ at Odessa they will send in
a report to the commanding officer there and he will send it to the parish
or somewhere。 。
Gusev began to be uneasy after such a conversation and to feel a vague
yearning。 He drank water it was not that； he dragged himself to the
window and breathed the hot； moist air it was not that； he tried to think
of home； of the frost it was