the witch and other stories-第21章
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tavern kitchen Yegor was sitting at the table； holding the pen
in his hand。 Vasilisa was standing before him； pondering with an
expression of anxiety and woe on her face。 Pyotr； her husband； a
very thin old man with a brownish bald patch； had come with her；
he stood looking straight before him like a blind man。 On the
stove a piece of pork was being braised in a saucepan； it was
spurting and hissing； and seemed to be actually saying：
〃Flu…flu…flu。〃 It was stifling。
〃What am I to write？〃 Yegor asked again。
〃What？〃 asked Vasilisa； looking at him angrily and suspiciously。
〃Don't worry me！ You are not writing for nothing； no fear； you'll
be paid for it。 Come； write： 'To our dear son…in…law； Andrey
Hrisanfitch； and to our only beloved daughter； Yefimya Petrovna；
with our love we send a low bow and our parental blessing abiding
for ever。' 〃
〃Written； fire away。〃
〃 'And we wish them a happy Christmas； we are alive and well； and
I wish you the same； please the Lord 。 。 。 the Heavenly King。' 〃
Vasilisa pondered and exchanged glances with the old man。
〃 'And I wish you the same； please the Lord the Heavenly King；' 〃
she repeated； beginning to cry。
She could say nothing more。 And yet before； when she lay awake
thinking at night； it had seemed to her that she could not get
all she had to say into a dozen letters。 Since the time when her
daughter had gone away with her husband much water had flowed
into the sea； the old people had lived feeling bereaved； and
sighed heavily at night as though they had buried their daughter。
And how many events had occurred in the village since then； how
many marriages and deaths！ How long the winters had been！ How
long the nights！
〃It's hot；〃 said Yegor； unbuttoning his waistcoat。 〃It must be
seventy degrees。 What more？〃 he asked。
The old people were silent。
〃What does your son…in…law do in Petersburg？〃 asked Yegor。
〃He was a soldier； my good friend；〃 the old man answered in a
weak voice。 〃 He left the service at the same time as you did。 He
was a soldier； and now； to be sure； he is at Petersburg at a
hydropathic establishment。 The doctor treats the sick with water。
So he； to be sure； is house…porter at the doctor's。〃
〃Here it is written down；〃 said the old woman； taking a letter
out of her pocket。 〃We got it from Yefimya； goodness knows when。
Maybe they are no longer in this world。〃
Yegor thought a little and began writing rapidly：
〃At the present time〃 he wrote 〃since your destiny through
your own doing allotted you to the Military Career； we counsel
you to look into the Code of Disciplinary Offences and
Fundamental Laws of the War Office； and you will see in that law
the Civilization of the Officials of the War Office。〃
He wrote and kept reading aloud what was written； while Vasilisa
considered what she ought to write： how great had been their want
the year before； how their corn had not lasted even till
Christmas； how they had to sell their cow。 She ought to ask for
money； ought to write that the old father was often ailing and
would soon no doubt give up his soul to God 。 。 。 but how to
express this in words？ What must be said first and what
afterwards？
〃Take note；〃 Yegor went on writing； 〃in volume five of the Army
Regulations soldier
is a common noun and a proper one； a soldier of the first rank
is called a general； and of the last a private。 。 。 。〃
The old man stirred his lips and said softly：
〃It would be all right to have a look at the grandchildren。〃
〃What grandchildren？〃 asked the old woman； and she looked angrily
at him； 〃perhaps there are none。〃
〃Well； but perhaps there are。 Who knows？〃
〃And thereby you can judge；〃 Yegor hurried on； 〃what is the enemy
without and what is the enemy within。 The foremost of our enemies
within is Bacchus。〃 The pen squeaked； executing upon the paper
flourishes like fish…hooks。 Yegor hastened and read over every
line several times。 He sat on a stool sprawling his broad feet
under the table； well…fed； bursting with health； with a coarse
animal face and a red bull neck。 He was vulgarity itself： coarse；
conceited； invincible； proud of having been born and bred in a
pot…house； and Vasilisa quite understood the vulgarity； but could
not express it in words； and could only look angrily and
suspiciously at Yegor。 Her head was beginning to ache； and her
thoughts were in confusion from the sound of his voice and his
unintelligible words； from the heat and the stuffiness； and she
said nothing and thought nothing； but simply waited for him to
finish scribbling。 But the old man looked with full confidence。
He believed in his old woman who had brought him there； and in
Yegor； and when he had mentioned the hydropathic establishment it
could be seen that he believed in the establishment and the
healing efficacy of water。
Having finished the letter； Yegor got up and read the whole of it
through from the beginning。 The old man did not understand； but
he nodded his head trustfully。
〃That's all right； it is smooth 。 。 。〃 he said。 〃God give you
health。 That's all right。 。 。 。〃
They laid on the table three five…kopeck pieces and went out of
the tavern； the old man looked immovably straight before him as
though he were blind； and perfect trustfulness was written on his
face； but as Vasilisa came out of the tavern she waved angrily at
the dog； and said angrily：
〃Ugh； the plague。〃
The old woman did not sleep all night； she was disturbed by
thoughts； and at daybreak she got up； said her prayers； and went
to the station to send off the letter。
It was between eight and nine miles to the station。
II
Dr。 B。 O。 Mozelweiser's hydropathic establishment worked on New
Year's Day exactly as on ordinary days； the only difference was
that the porter； Andrey Hrisanfitch； had on a uniform with new
braiding； his boots had an extra polish； and he greeted every
visitor with 〃A Happy New Year to you！〃
It was the morning； Andrey Hrisanfitch was standing at the door；
reading the newspaper。 Just at ten o'clock there arrived a
general； one of the habitual visitors； and directly after him the
postman； Andrey Hrisanfitch helped the general off with his
great…coat； and said：
〃A Happy New Year to your Excellency！〃
〃Thank you； my good fellow； the same to you。〃
And at the top of the stairs the general asked； nodding towards
the door （he asked the same question every day and always forgot
the answer）：
〃And what is there in that room？〃
〃The massage room； your Excellency。〃
When the general's steps had died away Andrey Hrisanfitch looked
at the post that had come； and found one addressed to himself。 He
tore it open； read several lines； then； looking at the newspaper；
he walked without haste to his own room； which was downstairs
close by at the end of the passage。 His wife Yefimya was sitting
on the bed； feeding her baby； another child； the eldest； was
standing by； laying its curly head on her knee； a third was
asleep on the bed。
Going into the room； Andrey gave his wife the letter and said：
〃From the country； I suppose。〃
Then he walked out again without taking his eyes from the paper。
He could hear Yefimya with a shaking voice reading the first
lines。 She read them and could read no more； these lines were
enough for her。 She burst into tears； and hugging her eldest
child； kissing him； she began saying and it was hard to say
whether she were laughing or crying：
〃It's from granny； from grandfather；〃 she said。 〃From the
country。 。 。 。 The Heavenly Mother； Saints and Martyrs！ The snow
lies heaped up under the roofs now 。 。 。 the trees are as white
as white。 The boys slide on little sledges 。 。 。 and dear old
bald grandfather is on the stove 。 。 。 and there is a little
yellow dog。 。 。 。 My own darlings！〃
Andrey Hrisanfitch； hearing this； recalled that his wife had on
three or four occasions given him letters and asked him to send
them to the country； but some important business had always
prevented him； he had not sent them； and the letters somehow got
lost。
〃And little hares run about in the fields；〃 Yefimya went on
chanting； kissing her boy and shedding tears。 〃Grandfather is
kind and gentle； granny is
