the witch and other stories-第44章

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woman；　with　a　rapid；　anxious　step。　Every　day　she　read　the　gospel；
read　it　aloud　like　a　deacon；　a　great　deal　of　it　she　did　not
understand；　but　the　words　of　the　gospel　moved　her　to　tears；　and
words　like　〃forasmuch　as〃　and　〃verily〃　she　pronounced　with　a
sweet　flutter　at　her　heart。　She　believed　in　God；　in　the　Holy
Mother；　in　the　Saints；　she　believed　one　must　not　offend　anyone　in
the　world　　not　simple　folks；　nor　Germans；　nor　gypsies；　nor　Jews
　and　woe　even　to　those　who　have　no　compassion　on　the　beasts。
She　believed　this　was　written　in　the　Holy　Scriptures；　and　so；
when　she　pronounced　phrases　from　Holy　Writ；　even　though　she　did
not　understand　them；　her　face　grew　softened；　compassionate；　and
radiant。

〃What　part　do　you　come　from？〃　Marya　asked　her。

〃I　am　from　Vladimir。　Only　I　was　taken　to　Moscow　long　ago；　when　I
was　eight　years　old。〃

They　reached　the　river。　On　the　further　side　a　woman　was　standing
at　the　water's　edge；　undressing。

〃It's　our　Fyokla；〃　said　Marya；　recognizing　her。　〃She　has　been
over　the　river　to　the　manor　yard。　To　the　stewards。　She　is　a
shameless　hussy　and　foul…mouthed　　fearfully！〃

Fyokla；　young　and　vigorous　as　a　girl；　with　her　black　eyebrows　and
her　loose　hair；　jumped　off　the　bank　and　began　splashing　the　water
with　her　feet；　and　waves　ran　in　all　directions　from　her。

〃Shameless　　dreadfully！　〃　repeated　Marya。

The　river　was　crossed　by　a　rickety　little　bridge　of　logs；　and
exactly　below　it　in　the　clear；　limpid　water　was　a　shoal　of
broad…headed　mullets。　The　dew　was　glistening　on　the　green　bushes
that　looked　into　the　water。　There　was　a　feeling　of　warmth；　it　was
comforting！　What　a　lovely　morning！　And　how　lovely　life　would　have
been　in　this　world；　in　all　likelihood；　if　it　were　not　for
poverty；　horrible；　hopeless　poverty；　from　which　one　can　find　no
refuge！　One　had　only　to　look　round　at　the　village　to　remember
vividly　all　that　had　happened　the　day　before；　and　the　illusion　of
happiness　which　seemed　to　surround　them　vanished　instantly。

They　reached　the　church。　Marya　stood　at　the　entrance；　and　did　not
dare　to　go　farther。　She　did　not　dare　to　sit　down　either。　Though
they　only　began　ringing　for　mass　between　eight　and　nine；　she
remained　standing　the　whole　time。

While　the　gospel　was　being　read　the　crowd　suddenly　parted　to　make
way　for　the　family　from　the　great　house。　Two　young　girls　in　white
frocks　and　wide…brimmed　hats　walked　in；　with　them　a　chubby；　rosy
boy　in　a　sailor　suit。　Their　appearance　touched　Olga；　she　made　up
her　mind　from　the　first　glance　that　they　were　refined；
well…educated；　handsome　people。　Marya　looked　at　them　from　under
her　brows；　sullenly；　dejectedly；　as　though　they　were　not　human
beings　coming　in；　but　monsters　who　might　crush　her　if　she　did　not
make　way　for　them。

And　every　time　the　deacon　boomed　out　something　in　his　bass　voice
she　fancied　she　heard　〃Ma…arya！〃　and　she　shuddered。

III

The　arrival　of　the　visitors　was　already　known　in　the　village；　and
directly　after　mass　a　number　of　people　gathered　together　in　the
hut。　The　Leonytchevs　and　Matvyeitchevs　and　the　Ilyitchovs　came　to
inquire　about　their　relations　who　were　in　service　in　Moscow。　All
the　lads　of　Zhukovo　who　could　read　and　write　were　packed　off　to
Moscow　and　hired　out　as　butlers　or　waiters　（while　from　the
village　on　the　other　side　of　the　river　the　boys　all　became
bakers）；　and　that　had　been　the　custom　from　the　days　of　serfdom
long　ago　when　a　certain　Luka　Ivanitch；　a　peasant　from　Zhukovo；
now　a　legendary　figure；　who　had　been　a　waiter　in　one　of　the
Moscow　clubs；　would　take　none　but　his　fellow…villagers　into　his
service；　and　found　jobs　for　them　in　taverns　and　restaurants；　and
from　that　time　the　village　of　Zhukovo　was　always　called　among　the
inhabitants　of　the　surrounding　districts　Slaveytown。　Nikolay　had
been　taken　to　Moscow　when　he　was　eleven；　and　Ivan　Makaritch；　one
of　the　Matvyeitchevs；　at　that　time　a　headwaiter　in　the
〃Hermitage〃　garden；　had　put　him　into　a　situation。　And　now；
addressing　the　Matvyeitchevs；　Nikolay　said　emphatically：

〃Ivan　Makaritch　was　my　benefactor；　and　I　am　bound　to　pray　for　him
day　and　night；　as　it　is　owing　to　him　I　have　become　a　good　man。〃

〃My　good　soul！〃　a　tall　old　woman；　the　sister　of　Ivan　Makaritch；
said　tearfully；　〃and　not　a　word　have　we　heard　about　him；　poor
dear。〃

〃In　the　winter　he　was　in　service　at　Omon's；　and　this　season　there
was　a　rumour　he　was　somewhere　out　of　town；　in　gardens。　。　。　。　He
has　aged！　In　old　days　he　would　bring　home　as　much　as　ten　roubles
a　day　in　the　summer…time；　but　now　things　are　very　quiet
everywhere。　The　old　man　frets。〃

The　women　looked　at　Nikolay's　feet；　shod　in　felt　boots；　and　at
his　pale　face；　and　said　mournfully：

〃You　are　not　one　to　get　on；　Nikolay　Osipitch；　you　are　not　one　to
get　on！　No；　indeed！〃

And　they　all　made　much　of　Sasha。　She　was　ten　years　old；　but　she
was　little　and　very　thin；　and　might　have　been　taken　for　no　more
than　seven。　Among　the　other　little　girls；　with　their　sunburnt
faces　and　roughly　cropped　hair；　dressed　in　long　faded　smocks；　she
with　her　white　little　face；　with　her　big　dark　eyes；　with　a　red
ribbon　in　her　hair；　looked　funny；　as　though　she　were　some　little
wild　creature　that　had　been　caught　and　brought　into　the　hut。

〃She　can　read；　too；〃　Olga　said　in　her　praise；　looking　tenderly　at
her　daughter。　〃Read　a　little；　child！〃　she　said；　taking　the　gospel
from　the　corner。　〃You　read；　and　the　good　Christian　people　will
listen。〃

The　testament　was　an　old　and　heavy　one　in　leather　binding；　with
dog's…eared　edges；　and　it　exhaled　a　smell　as　though　monks　had
come　into　the　hut。　Sasha　raised　her　eyebrows　and　began　in　a　loud
rhythmic　chant：

〃　'And　the　angel　of　the　Lord　。　。　。　appeared　unto　Joseph；　saying
unto　him：　Rise　up；　and　take　the　Babe　and　His　mother。'　〃

〃The　Babe　and　His　mother；〃　Olga　repeated；　and　flushed　all　over
with　emotion。

〃　'And　flee　into　Egypt；　。　。　。　and　tarry　there　until　such　time　as
。　。　。'　〃

At　the　word　〃tarry〃　Olga　could　not　refrain　from　tears。　Looking　at
her；　Marya　began　to　whimper；　and　after　her　Ivan　Makaritch's
sister。　The　old　father　cleared　his　throat；　and　bustled　about　to
find　something　to　give　his　grand…daughter；　but；　finding　nothing；
gave　it　up　with　a　wave　of　his　hand。　And　when　the　reading　was　over
the　neighbours　dispersed　to　their　homes；　feeling　touched　and　very
much　pleased　with　Olga　and　Sasha。

As　it　was　a　holiday；　the　family　spent　the　whole　day　at　home。　The
old　woman；　whom　her　husband；　her　daughters…in…law；　her
grandchildren　all　alike　called　Granny；　tried　to　do　everything
herself；　she　heated　the　stove　and　set　the　samovar　with　her　own
hands；　even　waited　at　the　midday　meal；　and　then　complained　that
she　was　worn　out　with　work。　And　all　the　time　she　was　uneasy　for
fear　someone　should　eat　a　piece　too　much；　or　that　her　husband　and
daughters…in…law　would　sit　idle。　At　one　time　she　would　hear　the
tavern…keeper's　geese　going　at　the　back　of　the　huts　to　her
kitchen…garden；　and　she　would　run　out　of　the　hut　with　a　long
stick　and　spend　half　an　hour　screaming　shrilly　by　her　cabbages；
which　were　as　gaunt　and　scraggy　as　herself；　at　another　time　she
fancied　that　a　crow　had　designs　on　her　chickens；　and　she　rushed
to　attack　it　wi　th　loud　words　of　abuse。　She　was　cross　and
grumbling　from　morning　till　night。　And　often　she　raised　such　an
outcry　that　passers…by　stopped　in　the　street。

She　was　not　affectionate　towards　the　old　man；　reviling　him　as　a
lazy…bones　and　a　plague。　He　was　not　a　responsible；　reliable
peasant；　and　perhaps　if　she　had　not　been　continually　nagging　at
him　he　would　not　have　worked　at　all；　but　would　have　simply　sat　on
the　stove　and　talked。　He　talked　to　his　son　at　great　length　about
certain　enemies　of　his；　complained　of　the　insults　he　said　he　had
to　put　up　with　every　day　from　the　neighbours；　and　it　was　tedious
to　listen　to　him。

〃Yes；〃　he　would　say；　standing　with　his　arms　akimbo；　〃yes。　。　。　。　A
week　after　the　Exaltation　of　the　Cross　I　sold　my　hay　willingly　at
thirty　kopecks　a　pood。　。　。　。　Well　and　good。　。　。　。　So　you　see　I
was　taking　the　hay　in　the　morning　with　a　good　will；　I　was
interfering　with　no　one。　In　an　unlucky　hour　I　see　the　village
elder；　Antip　Syedelnikov；　coming　out　of　the　tavern。　'Where　are
you　taking　it；　you　ruffian？'　s