Old Izergil and other stories / Старуха Изергиль и другие рассказы. Книга для чтения на английском языке

Move on, man, or the packhouse guard may see you and then —“

“The red-headed chap I worked with on the Kostroma last time,” persisted Chelkash.

“That you thieved with, you mean. They’ve put him in hospital, that Mishka of yours – got his leg crushed by some iron. Get out of here, I tell you, get out before I throw you out by the scruff of the neck.”

“Listen to that, now! And you said you didn’t know no Mishka. What makes you so nasty, Semyonich?”

“None of your talk! Get out!”

The guard was getting angry; he glanced about him and tried to free his hand, but Chelkash held on to it as he looked at him calmly from under bushy eyebrows and went on talking:

“What’s the rush? Don’t you want to have a nice little chat with me? How you getting on? How’s the wife and kiddies? Well?” His eyes twinkled and his teeth flashed in a mocking grin as he added: “Been wanting to drop in to see you for ever so long, but just can’t seem to manage it.

“Drop it, I tell you! None of your joking, you lanky lubber.

“Why should I? There’s enough here to keep you and me busy a lifetime. Honest there is, Semyonich. But I hear you’ve snitched another two bales of cloth. Watch out, or you’ll find yourself in trouble yet!”

Semyonich trembled with indignation and the saliva flew as he tried to give voice to it. Chelkash let go of his hand and calmly strode off on his long legs to the dock gates.

Chelkash was in better spirits now; he whistled a tune through his teeth, thrust his hands into his pockets, and retarded his steps, tossing off well-aimed quips to right and left. He was paid in his own coin.

“Just see what good care of you the bosses are taking, Grishka!” called out a stevedore who was stretched out on the ground with his comrades, taking a rest after their meal.

“Semyonich’s seeing I don’t step on any nails in my bare feet,” replied Chelkash.

They got to the gates. Two soldiers ran their hands down Chelkash’s clothes and pushed him out into the street.

He crossed the road and sat down on the curbstone opposite a pub. A line of loaded carts came thundering out of the dock gates, while a line of empty ones moved in the other direction, their drivers bouncing in their seats.