The Naked Year by Boris Pilnyak Read Free Book Online Page B

wearing only an undershirt, torn and filthy, and is barefoot. Behind Yegor stands Marfusha–a distant relative of house-serf descent. A rancid smell emanates from Yegor–of methanol and perspiration. His reply to his brother’s enthusiastic embraces is unsure and embarrassed.
    â€œYegorushka, my dear!…” says Gleb, embracing his brother. Yegor is silent.
    â€œWhy don’t you speak? Aren’t you glad?”
    â€œI’m ashamed, brother,” says Gleb with difficulty. “I’m very ashamed, that you and I should meet like this. Brother, you find it repulsive to kiss me, don’t! I won’t blame you, brother!”
    But Gleb without words hugs Yegor’s bony chest harder and kisses his lips and forehead.
    â€œI’m glad to see you, Yegor!…”
    â€œBrother! I stole Natalya’s coat and drank it away. I stole it!… I didn’t want to come at all, but Marfusha found me. I’m ashamed.. Is mother asleep?… And Boris? I hate him, I despise him!… Marfusha found me… I was there with a prostitute…”
    Gleb, virgin, interrupts Yegor, embarrassed.
    â€œYegor, what are you saying? You shouldn’t talk like that!” he says, as only virgins can, and, apologizing for his brother, looks guiltily at Marfusha.
    And Marfusha the dishonored virgin understands him; and a look of anguish comes over her pale eyes. She speaks very tiredly and for this reason speaks well:
    â€œHeavens, Gleb Yevgrafovich!… Here’s the jacket which was taken from Natalya Yevgrafovna!… How can it be, eh?… I would give away my own and I don’t know where to buy it back… You could have a talk with Natalya Yevgrafovna and tell her not to tell Arina Davidovna… Arina Davidovna–will suffer.”
    Gleb answers quickly:
    â€œOf course, I’ll have a word with her. Of course…”
    â€œGleb, is mother asleep?”
    â€œShe is, yes.”
    â€œI’m scared of her, oh yes!”
    Yegor leans on his brother’s shoulder. A slight chill shudder shakes his rickety body. The candle burns.
    â€œGleb, I was there… there’s vice there!… You stopped me just now. Do you think I didn’t understand? You are a pure man. But I, too, know what purity is,” says Yegor and quietly adds:–“Now I feel like playing…”
    By his father’s room Yegor stops for a minute, looks around and whispers half smiling, half penitently:
    â€œI couldn’t resist it! I couldn’t resist the depravity! We used to drink together. I only drank then, but I was pure. Understand?”
    But by his mother’s room he bristles and glides noiselessly past. In the hall Gleb gives him his own coat. The candle burns, illuminating the image of the Virgin on an easel, the ikon-image face of Gleb and the naked body of Yegor. –Gleb–consciously?–hides the Virgin from Yegor. Yegor leans on the door, lowers his head meekly, remains silent, thinking; then says quietly:
    â€œThank you, brother! You really are my brother!… Boris–he’s no brother! You know, he dishonored Marfusha… Don’t tell anyone, mind… We had been drinking together. Then he locked me in and went off to Marfusha’s. Downstairs. I heard everything.”
    Again he is silent. Again he speaks:
    â€œI feel like playing the piano… But–they’re asleep!… Sleep, brother, a saintly sleep! I can’t anymore!”
    And again, silence. Again Gleb’s cigarette smolders. June moves beyond the house, but inside, winter has settled.
    Yegor goes quietly down the narrow staircase, its broken rungs and banister creaking, into the semi-basement where the wide and heavy stone walls are saturated and the windows are dimly visible through iron grilles. The narrow corridor with a stone floor is cluttered with empty chests, and on the empty chests there are forty-pound locks, and the keys