登陆注册
5382300000016

第16章 CHAPTER II(4)

But all this time I am neglecting my new acquaintance on the top of the stove. In reality I did not neglect him, but listened most attentively to every word of the long tale that he recited. What it was all about I could only vaguely guess, for I did not understand more than ten per cent of the words used, but I assumed from the tone and gestures that he was relating to me all the incidents and symptoms of his illness. And a very severe illness it must have been, for it requires a very considerable amount of physical suffering to make the patient Russian peasant groan.

Before he had finished his tale a woman entered, apparently his wife.

To her I explained that I had a strong desire to eat and drink, and that I wished to know what she would give me. By a good deal of laborious explanation I was made to understand that I could have eggs, black bread, and milk, and we agreed that there should be a division of labour: my hostess should prepare the samovar for boiling water, whilst I should fry the eggs to my own satisfaction.

In a few minutes the repast was ready, and, though not very delicate, was highly acceptable. The tea and sugar I had of course brought with me; the eggs were not very highly flavoured; and the black rye-bread, strongly intermixed with sand, could be eaten by a peculiar and easily-acquired method of mastication, in which the upper molars are never allowed to touch those of the lower jaw. In this way the grating of the sand between the teeth is avoided.

Eggs, black bread, milk, and tea--these formed my ordinary articles of food during all my wanderings in Northern Russia. Occasionally potatoes could be got, and afforded the possibility of varying the bill of fare. The favourite materials employed in the native cookery are sour cabbage, cucumbers, and kvass--a kind of very small beer made from black bread. None of these can be recommended to the traveller who is not already accustomed to them.

The remainder of the journey was accomplished at a rather more rapid pace than the preceding part, for the road was decidedly better, though it was traversed by numerous half-buried roots, which produced violent jolts. From the conversation of the driver I gathered that wolves, bears, and elks were found in the forest through which we were passing.

The sun had long since set when we reached our destination, and I

found to my dismay that the priest's house was closed for the night. To rouse the reverend personage from his slumbers, and endeavour to explain to him with my limited vocabulary the object of my visit, was not to be thought of. On the other hand, there was no inn of any kind in the vicinity. When I consulted the driver as to what was to be done, he meditated for a little, and then pointed to a large house at some distance where there were still lights. It turned out to be the country-house of the gentleman who had advised me to undertake the journey, and here, after a short explanation, though the owner was not at home, I was hospitably received.

It had been my intention to live in the priest's house, but a short interview with him on the following day convinced me that that part of my plan could not be carried out. The preliminary objections that I should find but poor fare in his humble household, and much more of the same kind, were at once put aside by my assurance, made partly by pantomime, that, as an old traveller, I was well accustomed to simple fare, and could always accommodate myself to the habits of people among whom my lot happened to be cast. But there was a more serious difficulty. The priest's family had, as is generally the case with priests' families, been rapidly increasing during the last few years, and his house had not been growing with equal rapidity. The natural consequence of this was that he had not a room or a bed to spare. The little room which he had formerly kept for occasional visitors was now occupied by his eldest daughter, who had returned from a "school for the daughters of the clergy," where she had been for the last two years. Under these circumstances, I was constrained to accept the kind proposal made to me by the representative of my absent friend, that I should take up my quarters in one of the numerous unoccupied rooms in the manor-house. This arrangement, I was reminded, would not at all interfere with my proposed studies, for the priest lived close at hand, and I might spend with him as much time as I liked.

And now let me introduce the reader to my reverend teacher and one or two other personages whose acquaintance I made during my voluntary exile.

同类推荐
  • 紫金光耀大仙修真演义

    紫金光耀大仙修真演义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说给孤长者女得度因缘经

    佛说给孤长者女得度因缘经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 陈清端公年谱

    陈清端公年谱

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • ROBINSON CRUSOE

    ROBINSON CRUSOE

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 北山酒经

    北山酒经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 剑破灵界天

    剑破灵界天

    剑心之无上,破碎顶穹苍,灵气幻化罡,界域亦沧桑,天道却昭彰……
  • 光与暗之黑传

    光与暗之黑传

    自从那位大帝消失于世间之时,世界开始分裂。世界被一分为二,两大位界战争不断,而在这背后,一个巨大的阴谋在酝酿着,世界将迎来的是毁灭还是和平,而这个选择权在两个男孩身上。
  • 枢言

    枢言

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 译语

    译语

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 皇家幼儿园

    皇家幼儿园

    各位朝中的大叔大哥们,把你家的儿子女儿都交给本公主教育吧!保证师资力量雄厚,宰相大人教历史,状元郎教诗书,还有将军大人负责兵法,连女孩子的女工都是太后亲自教导。哪里去找这么厉害的幼儿园?快来速速报名!
  • 穿越之烈焰女皇

    穿越之烈焰女皇

    她是法律界的“东方不败”,却一觉醒来成为皇帝,好在表哥表妹和自己一起穿越,统一五国,好,她接受。
  • 学好关系学,事半功倍效

    学好关系学,事半功倍效

    众所周知,要想取得事业的成功,必须处理好各种各样的关系,对于想要成功的人来说,关系是一门艰深的学问。本书讲到了社会各方各面的关系,如处理朋友之间的关系、与客户的关系,如何借贵人之力,拉近与陌生人的关系,维护人际关系等等。本书每一个章节都通过具体的例子来分析,让读者在较短的时间抓住核心内容,快速学好关系学。
  • 议处安南事宜

    议处安南事宜

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 我有一只临摹眼

    我有一只临摹眼

    春秋孕育十二载,一朝觉醒右眼,拥有临摹之力。【神通术法】【炼丹炼器】【天赋传承】【过去记忆】统统轻松获取。然后苍寒发现了一堆穿越者超凡者和气运者……你是剑仙转世?很好,剑仙传承到手。你的戒指里面有老爷爷?太棒了,老爷爷在手,天下我有。什么?你是气运之子,命运宠儿,来自华夏,诸天万界唯一主角?没事,马上这些都将属于我。ps1:原书名《一眼超脱》ps2:看完三章,不好看来打我 ps3:书友群:961714988
  • 重生之逆天狂少

    重生之逆天狂少

    重生醒来,却发现自己来到了一个陌生的武者世界,且看修仙狂少林亦然逆天而行,碾压一切。