The willow bushes on the
shore bent low to the ground--trembling, they now were about to
lie down on the ground, now, frightened, they thrust themselves
away from it, driven by the blows of the wind. In the air rang a
whistling, a howling, and a deep groaning sound, that burst from
dozens of human breasts:
"It goes--it goes--it goes!"
This exclamation, abrupt as a blow, and heavy as the breath from
an enormous breast, which is suffocating from exertion, was
soaring over the river, falling upon the waves, as if encouraging
their mad play with the wind, and they struck the shores with
might.
Two empty barges lay anchored by the mountainous shore, and their
tall masts, rising skyward, rocked in commotion from side to
side, as though describing some invisible pattern in the air. The
decks of both barges were encumbered with scaffolds, built of
thick brown beams; huge sheaves were hanging everywhere; chains
and ropes were fastened to them, and rocking in the air; the
links of the chains were faintly clanging. A throng of peasants
in blue and in red blouses pulled a large beam across the dock
and, heavily stamping their feet, groaned with full chest:
"It goes--it goes--it goes!"
Here and there human figures clung to the scaffoldings, like big
lumps of blue and red; the wind, blowing their blouses and their
trousers, gave the men odd forms, making them appear now hump-
backed, now round and puffed up like bladders.
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