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Text A Gooseberries excerpted（第1页）

TextAGooseberries（excerpted）

AntonChekhov

TranslatedbyIvyLitvinov

[1]Theywentbacktothehouse。Andohelampwaslitidrawingroomontheupperfloor，andBurkinandIvanIvanisilkdressing-goers，wereseatedinarm-chairs，whileAlekhin，washedandbed，painhisnewfrock-joyih，theess，hisdrydfortableslippers，whilethefairPelageya，smilily，steppednoiselesslyoverthecarpetwithhertrayofteaandpreserves，didIvanIvanichembarkuponhisyardames，youngladies，andmilitarygentlemenlookingdownatthemseverelyfromthegildedframes，asifthey，too，werelistening。

[2]“Thereweretwoofusbrothers，”hebegan。“IvanIvanich（me），andmybrotherNikolaiIvanich，twerthainfaeriNikolaistartedwioffihewasoeen。Ourfather，Chimsha-Himalaisky，waseduaschoolforthesonsofprivatesoldiers，butromotedtooffik，andwasmadeahereditarynoblemanandgivenasmallestate。Afterhisdeaththeestatehadtobesoldfordebts，butatleastourchildhoodassedihetryside，whereweroamedthefieldsandthewoodslikepeasaakiograze，peelingbarkfromthetrunksoflimetrees，fishing，andallthatsortofthing。Andanyonewhohasonhislifefishedforperch，orwatchedthethrushesflysouthiumn，risinghighoverthevillageonclear，cooldays，isspoiltfortownlife，andwilllorysidefortherestofhisdays。Mybrotherpinedioffice。Theyearspassedahesameplaceeveryday，writingoutthesamedodthinkiimeofthesamething—howtogetbacktothedtheselongingsofhisgraduallyturoadefioadreamalittleestatesomewhereonthebankofariverortheshoreofalake。

[3]“Hewasameek，good-naturedchap，Iwasfondofhim，butcouldfeelnosympathywiththedesiretoloeselfupforlifeieofoheysaymanonlyneedssixfeetofearth。Butitisadnotman，whieedsthesesixfeet。Anduallysayingthatitisagoodsignforourioyearnforthelandandtrytoobtaintry-dwelliheseestatesarenothingbutthosesamesixfeetofearth。Toesthetowruggle，forthenoiseoflife，toesdhideone’sheadonatry-estate，isegoism，idleisasortofrenun，butrenunwithoutfaith。Itisofearth，notatry-estate，thatmahewholeglobe，thewholeofodisplayhisqualitiesandtheindividualcharacteristicsofhissoul。

[4]“MybrotherNikolaisatathisoffice-desk，dreamiingsoupmadefromhisowncabbages，whichwouldspreadadeliellalloverhisownyard，ofeatingoutofdoors，rass，ofsleepitingforhoursosidehisgate，andgazingatthefieldsandwoods。Booksonagriculture，andallthosehintsprintedondarswerehisdelight，hisfavoritespiritual。Hewasfoo，butallhereadinthemwasadvertisementsofthesaleofsomanyacresofarableandmeadowland，withresideached，ariver，anorchard，amill，andpondsfedbysprings。Hisheadwasfullofvisionsofgardenpaths，flowers，fruit，ing-boxes，ds，andallthatsortofthing。Thesevisionsdifferedagtotheadvertisementshecameacross，butfooseberrybushesinvariablyfiguredinthem。Heotpiselfasieorpicturesquenookthatdidnothavegooseberrybushesinit。

[5]“‘trylifehasitsces，’hewouldsay，‘yousitontheverandah，drihyourownducksfloatingonthepohingsmellssonid。。。andthegooseberriesripenonthebushes。’

[6]“Hedrewupplansforhisestate，andeveryplahesamefeatures:a）themaiheservant’swi-garden，d）gooseberrybushes。Helivedthriftily，eordrankhisfill，dressedanyhow，likeabeggar，andsavedupallhismohebaerriblystingy。Icouldhardlybeartolookathim，andwheneverIgavehimalittlemohimapresentonsomeholiday，heputthatway，too。Ongetsaohishead，there’snodoinganythingwithhim。

[7]“Theyearspassed，hewassenttubernia，hewasoverforty，andwasstillreadisinthepapers，andsavingup。AtlastIheardhehadmarried。Allforthesamepurpose，tobuyhimselfahgooseberrybushesonit，hemarriedanuglyelderlyhomhehadestaffe，justbecauseshehadsomemoerhismarriagehewentonlivingasthriftilyasever，half-starvinghisuttinghermoneyinhisownbankat。Herfirsthusbamaster，andshewasusedtopiesandcordials，butwithhersedhusbaeveenoughblackbreadtoeat。Shebegantolanguishundersucharegime，andthreeyearslateryieldeduphersoultoGod。Ofybrotherdidnotforamomentsiderhimselfguiltyofherdeath。Money，likevodka，makesamaherewasamerourtownwhoaskedforaplateofhoneyohbedandateupallhisbateryticketswiththehohatnooneelseshouldgetit。AndonedaywhenIwasexaminingaentofcattleatarailwaystation，adroverfelluheengineandhislegwasseveredfromhisbody。Wecarriedhimallbloodyiing-rht，ahi，wallthetime—thereweretweheboot，andhewasafraidtheywouldbelost。”

[8]“Ythethread，”putinBurkin。

[9]IvanIvanichpausedforamomeon:“Afterhiswife’sdeathmybrantolookaboutforae。Yousearchforfiveyears，ofdintheeake，andbuysomethingquitedifferentfromwhatyoudreamedof。MybrotherNikolaiboughtthreehundredapletewithgentlemas’quarters，andapark，aswellasametobepaidthroughaherewereheranooseberrybushes，norapondwithduit。Therewasariver，butitwasasdarkascoffee，owihattherewasabrick-worksoheestate，andbone-kilher，nothingdaunted，however，mybrotherNikolaiIvawodozengooseberrybushesaleddorietor。

[10]“LastyearIpaidhimavisit。IthoughtIwouldgoandseehowhewasgettingonthere。IersmybravehisaddressasChumbaroklovaPustoshorHimalaiskoye。IarrivedatHimalaiskoyeiwasveryhot。Everywherewereditces，hedges，rowsoffir-trees，anditwashardtodriveintotheyardandfioleavee。AsIwentafatginger-c，remarkablylikeapig，eetme。Itlookedasifitwouldhavebarkedifitwerenotsolazy。Thecook，whowasalsofatandlikeapig，cameoutofthekit，barefoot，aerwashavinghisafter-di。Imademywaytomybrother’sroom，andfoundhimsittingupinbed，hiskneescoveredbyabla。Hehadaged，andgrownstoutandflabby。Hisose，andlipsprotruded—Ialmostexpectedhimtogrunti。

[11]“Weembradwept—tearsofjoy，mihmelancholy—becausewehadonyoungahgrey-hairedandapproagthegrave。Heputonhisdwentouttoshowmeoverhisestate。

[12]“‘Well，hettingonhere?’Iasked。

[13]“‘Allright，thanksbe，I’menjoyingmyself。’

[14]“Hewashepoor，timidclerk，butatruepreleddown，aeriotrylife。Heatealot，washedihhouse，andputonflesh。Hehadalreadygotintolitigationwiththevillageuhebrick-works，andthebone-kilns，andtookoffesfailedtocallhim‘YourHoinfioninasolid，gentlemanlyway，ahingcasualabouthispretentiousgoodwords。Ahesegoodwords?Hetreatedallthediseasesofthepeasantswithbiateofsodaandcastor-oil，andhadaspeksgivingservie-day，afterwhichheprovidedhalfapailofvodka，supposingthatthiswastherightthingtodo。Oh，thoseterriblehalfpails!TodaythefatlandlordhaulsthepeasaheZemstvorepreseingtheirsheepgrazeonhisland，tomorrow，ontheday，hetreatsthemtohalfapailofvodka，andtheydrinkandsingandshouthurrah，prthemselvesbeforehimwhentheyaredrunk。Ainhiss，anythiyoridleomostiplaRussian。NikolaiIvanich，whohadbeenafraidofhavinganopinionofhisoasiserviowuallyingoutwithaxioms，iministerialmaioial，butthepeoplearenotreadyforityet’，‘corporalpuisaiaiisbenefidindispensable’。

[15]“‘IknowthepeopleandIknowhowtotreatthem，’hesaid。‘Thepeopleloveme。IomylittlefihepeoplewilldowhateverI>

[16]“Andallthis，markyou，withawise，ismile。Overandaied:‘Wethegentry’，or‘speakilemaohavequitefottenthatrandfathereasant，andourfatheraonsoldier。Ourverysurname—Chimsha-Himalaisky—iysoabsurd，，distinguished，andeuphoniousname。

[17]“Butitisofmyself，andnotofhim，thatIwishtospeak。IshouldliketodescribetoyouthegewhieinthosefewhoursIspentonmybrother’sestate。Asweweredriheevening，thechtusafullplateofgooseberries。Thesewerenotghtformoheyhisowngardehefirstfruitsofthebusheshehadplanted。NikolaiIvaoalaughahegooseberries，intearfulsileleastfiveminutes。Speechlesswithemotion，hepoppedasiohismouth，dartedatmethetriumphantglanceofachildwhohasatlastgainedpossessionofalooy，andsaid:

[18]“‘Delicious!’

[19]“Ahemgreedily，repeatingoverandain:

[20]“‘Simplydelicious!Youtrythem。’

[21]“Theywerehardandsour，but，asPushkinsays:‘Theliewhichelatesusisdearerthanathousahs。’Isawbeforemeareallyhappyman，owishhadetrue，whohadachievedhisaimiwhathewanted，andwastwithhislotandwithhimself。Therehadalwaysbeenatingeofmelanyanhappiness，andnow，tedbyahappyman，Iwasoverebyafeelingofsadnessbohisfeeliroofalli。Abedformeintheroomomybrother’sbedroom，andIcouldhearhimmovingaboutrestlessly，everynowainguptotakeagooseberryfromaplate。Hoy，satisfiedpeoplethereare，afterall，Isaidtomyself!Whatanforce!Justsiderthislife—theinsolendidlehestrong，theigialityoftheweak，allaroundiy，crampeddwellings，degenerakenness，hypocrisy，lying。。。。Apeadorderapparentlyprevailinallthosehomesas。Ofthefiftythousandinhabitantsofatown，notoocryout，toproclaimhisindignatiohosewhogotothemarkettobuyfood，whoeatiimeanight，whoprattleaway，marry，growold，carrytheirdeadtothecemeteries。Butweherhearhosewhosuffer，ahingsinlifeareplayedoutbehindtheses。Allisdquiet，onlystatistics，whicharedumb，protest:somanyhavegonemad，somanybarrelsofdrinkhavebeened，somanydiedofmalnutrition。。。。Ahisisasitshouldbe。Apparentlythoseylyenjoythemselvesbecausetheuheirburdensiforthissilenesswouldbeimpossible。Itisakindofuniversalhyptobeamanwithahammerbehindthedoorofeveryhappyman，toremindhimbyhistknocksthatthereareunhappypeople，andthathappyashehimselfmaybe，lifewillsooershowhimitsclahewillovertakehim—siess，poverty，loss—andnobodywillseeit，justasheherseeshemisfortuhers。Butthereisnomanwithahammer，thehappymangoesonliviyvicissitudesoflifetouchhimlightly，liketheen-tree，andalliswell。

[22]“ThatnightIuhatI，too，yainuedIvanIvaingup。“I，too，whileouthunting，oratthediable，haveheldforthhtwaytolive，toworship，tomahepeople。I，too，havedeclaredthatwithoutkhereolight，thateduisessential，butthatbareliteracyissuffimonpeople。Freedomisablessing，Ihavesaid，ogetonwithoutit，ahoutair，butwemustwait。Yes，thatiswhatIsaid，andnowIask:Imustwewait?”HereIvanIvanichlookedangrilyatBurkin。“Imustwewait，Iaskyou。Whatistheretobesidered?Don’tbeinsuchahurry，theytellme，everyideamaterializesgradually，initsowwhoaretheywhosaythis?Whatistheproofthatitisjust?Yourefertothenaturals，tothelogicoffacts，butagtowhatorder，whatlogicdoI，aliving，thinkingindividual，standodwaitforittobegraduallyfilledup，orchokedwithsilt，whenImightleapacrossitorbuildabridgeoverit?Andagain，imusthehestrengthtolive，thoughlivewemustandtolivewedesire!

[23]“Ileftmybrotherearlym，andeversiowolerable。Thepeadhonmyspirits，andIamafraidtolookintowihereisnoeethanahappyfamilyseatedarouable。Iamoldandunfitfle，Iamevenincapableoffeelinghatred。Ilysufferinwardly，aoirritationandanightmyheadburnsfromtherushofthoughts，andIamuosleep。。。。Oh，if!”

[24]IvanIvanipagbadf:

[25]“Ifstill!”

[26]SuddeoAlekhinandbeganpressingfirstoneofhishands，aher。

[27]“PavelKonstantinich，”hesaidinimplats。“Don’tyoufallintoapathy，doyourcebelulledtosleep!Whileyouarestilly，active，donotbewearyofwell-doing。Thereisnosugashappiness，nhttheretobe，butifthereisanysenseorpurposeihissenseaobefoundnotinouroiihieraional。Dogood!”

[28]IvanIvanichsaidallthisiteous，implsmile，asifhewereaskingforsomethingforhimself。