The Spy: The Story of a Superfluous Man — John Shaqi
The Spy: The Story of a Superfluous ManGorky, Maksim
History
The Spy: The Story of a Superfluous Man
Gorky, Maksim
Russia -- History -- Revolution, 1905-1907 -- Fiction; Russian fiction -- Translations into English; Spy stories
Nikolay came out of the shed with the little trampled body of the
glazier's boy hanging limply over his arm. The furrier laid him on the
ground then he straightened himself and shouted:
"Water, women, you rotten carrion!"
Zina and the cook ran off for water.
Kuzin lolling his head back snorted dully.
"Murder! Police!"
Nikolay turned to him, and gave him a kick on the breast which laid him
flat on his back.
"You dirty dogs!" he shouted, the whites of his black eyes flashing.
"You dirty dogs! A child is being killed, and it's a show to you! I'll
smash every one of your ugly mugs!"
Oaths from all sides answered him, but nobody dared to approach him.
"Let's go," said the master, taking Yevsey by the hand.
As they walked away they saw Kuzin run noiselessly in a stooping
position to the gates.
"To call the police," the master explained to Yevsey.
When Yevsey was alone he felt that his jealousy of Anatol had left him.
He strained his slow mind to explain to himself what he had seen. It
merely _seemed_ that the people liked Anatol, who amused them. In
reality it was not so. All people enjoyed fighting, enjoyed looking on
while others fought, enjoyed being cruel. Nikolay had interceded for
Anatol because he liked to beat Kuzin, and actually did beat him on
almost every holiday. Very bold and strong he could lick any man in the
house. In his turn he was beaten by the police. So to sum up, whether
you are quiet or daring, you'll be beaten and insulted all the same.
Several days passed. The tenants talking in the yard, said that the
glazier boy, who had been taken to the hospital, had gone insane. Then
Yevsey remembered how the boy's eyes had burned when he gave his
performances, how vehement his gestures and motions had been, and how
quickly the expression of his face had changed. He thought with dread
that perhaps Anatol had always been insane. He soon forgot the glazier
boy.
CHAPTER VI
In the rainy nights of autumn short broken sounds came from the roof
under Yevsey's window. They disquieted him and prevented him from
sleeping. On one such night he heard the angry exclamations of his
master:
"You vile woman!"
Rayisa Petrovna answered as always in a low singing voice:
"I cannot permit you, Matvey Matveyevich."
"You low creature! Look at the money I am paying you!"
The door to the master's room was open, and the voices came in clearly
to Yevsey. The fine rain sang a tearful song outside the window. The
wind crept over the roof, panting like a large homeless bird fatigued by
the bad weather and softly flapping its wet wings against the panes. The
boy sat up in bed, put his hands around his knees, and listened
shivering.
"Give me back the twenty-five rubles, you thief!"
"I do not deny it. Dorimedont Lukin gave me the money."
"Aha! You see, you hussy!"
"No, permit me--when you asked me to spy on the man--"
"Hush! What are you screaming for?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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