Equinox I (04).pdf
Equinox I (04).pdf Equinox I (04).pdf
300 THE EQUINOX and was almost a genius in disgrace—“terribly clever” the old men said—once told the little Piotr what it was to be blind. Fortunately for the child's mental equilibrium, he also spoke of the compensation. “What they mean, boy, when they call you blind, is that you cannot see,” he said; “that is, your eyes have been given unto you by the devil, and not by God. Your father must have been rather a bad fellow, you know. When you hear the women singing at the dance, it is that God has given you your ears; if you didn't enjoy the sounds it would mean that the devil has given you your ears, as the Book says, which God wrote in Russian for our people: “They have ears and they hear not.” However, you hear well, and smell well, and your two other senses are all right. What you miss, it’s the colour of things. I cannot explain it to you, and it would do you no good if I did. Your compensation is that you do not see that which is ugly, ugly like old Ivan Semenovich, and also that you hear and feel and smell with more accuracy than we do. Of course, it is nice to see as well, and I will pray Christ for you, especially if you can give me a few coppers with which to buy tapers. You must have plenty of them; people seem to give you very freely.” Thus the tiresome brute, who had but a few chances of getting drunk in the place. Happily, Piotr and little Ljubov taught one another a simpler and more natural theory. She was now twelve, and the boy fourteen years old. And I chanced to be staying in the neighbourhood. I met them, as hand in hand they cautiously crossed a lane, close to the spot where I was meditating. The girl I had seen before the accident, and only
THE EYES OF ST. LJUBOV by her golden voice did I recognize her. I listened to their childish talk, and joined in it, and heard it all from her lips. Then, a few days later, something happened. A lady entered. There Elphénor became silent, for the door was violently shaken from the outside. “Come in,” he said. The door was pushed open, then shut again, but no one had entered. The disciples exchanged a glance of amusement; one of them said: “Has a lady entered?” They were all made merry by that exhibition of Neptunian spirit of apropos. But Elphénor Pistouillat, like the French Southerner he was, missed the courteous element in life, and began to curse the twelve young men. He was a badtempered man, and a very theatrical one. He rose and walked to him who had caused them all to laugh. “I know you, sir," Elphénor said, purple in the face, “I know you, unwholesome monkey. Your father was a dealer in pork sausages and cooked ham, a trader in swine. Nothing better could be expected from you than your pig-like groans.” His blood was boiling already, and these few words he uttered were but a preliminary letting out of steam. He walked in the dark to a large cupboard at the far end of his room and took from a shelf twelve little wax figures which he stood on a small table. Rapidly he mumbled an invocation, an incantation, and a depreciation. Then he walked to the fireplace, took the red-hot poker which he kept ever ready for the purpose of lighting his charcoal, and returned with it to the table. 301
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THE EYES OF ST. LJUBOV<br />
by her golden voice did I recognize her. I listened to their<br />
childish talk, and joined in it, and heard it all from her lips.<br />
Then, a few days later, something happened. A lady entered.<br />
There Elphénor became silent, for the door was violently<br />
shaken from the outside.<br />
“Come in,” he said.<br />
The door was pushed open, then shut again, but no one<br />
had entered. The disciples exchanged a glance of<br />
amusement; one of them said:<br />
“Has a lady entered?”<br />
They were all made merry by that exhibition of Neptunian<br />
spirit of apropos. But Elphénor Pistouillat, like the French<br />
Southerner he was, missed the courteous element in life, and<br />
began to curse the twelve young men. He was a badtempered<br />
man, and a very theatrical one.<br />
He rose and walked to him who had caused them all to<br />
laugh.<br />
“I know you, sir," Elphénor said, purple in the face, “I<br />
know you, unwholesome monkey. Your father was a dealer in<br />
pork sausages and cooked ham, a trader in swine. Nothing<br />
better could be expected from you than your pig-like groans.”<br />
His blood was boiling already, and these few words he<br />
uttered were but a preliminary letting out of steam. He<br />
walked in the dark to a large cupboard at the far end of his<br />
room and took from a shelf twelve little wax figures which he<br />
stood on a small table. Rapidly he mumbled an invocation, an<br />
incantation, and a depreciation. Then he walked to the<br />
fireplace, took the red-hot poker which he kept ever ready for<br />
the purpose of lighting his charcoal, and returned with it to<br />
the table.<br />
301