the witch and other stories-第48章
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left in the memory but what was living； joyful； touching； and how
terribly cold was death； which was not far off； better not think
of it！ The lamp died down。 And the dusk； and the two little
windows sharply defined by the moonlight； and the stillness and
the creak of the cradle； reminded them for some reason that life
was over； that nothing one could do would bring it back。 。 。 。
You doze off； you forget yourself； and suddenly someone touches
your shoulder or breathes on your cheek and sleep is gone；
your body feels cramped； and thoughts of death keep creeping into
your mind。 You turn on the other side： death is forgotten； but
old dreary； sickening thoughts of poverty； of food； of how dear
flour is getting； stray through the mind； and a little later
again you remember that life is over and you cannot bring it
back。 。 。 。
〃Oh； Lord！〃 sighed the cook。
Someone gave a soft； soft tap at the window。 It must be Fyokla
come back。 Olga got up； and yawning and whispering a prayer；
opened the door； then drew the bolt in the outer room； but no one
came in； only from the street came a cold draught and a sudden
brightness from the moonlight。 The street； still and deserted；
and the moon itself floating across the sky； could be seen at the
open door。
〃Who is there？〃 called Olga。
〃I；〃 she heard the answer 〃it is I。〃
Near the door； crouching against the wall； stood Fyokla；
absolutely naked。 She was shivering with cold； her teeth were
chattering； and in the bright moonlight she looked very pale；
strange； and beautiful。 The shadows on her； and the bright
moonlight on her skin； stood out vividly； and her dark eyebrows
and firm； youthful bosom were defined with peculiar distinctness。
〃The ruffians over there undressed me and turned me out like
this；〃 she said。 〃I've come home without my clothes 。 。 。 naked
as my mother bore me。 Bring me something to put on。〃
〃But go inside！〃 Olga said softly； beginning to shiver； too。
〃I don't want the old folks to see。〃 Granny was； in fact； already
stirring and muttering； and the old father asked： 〃Who is there？〃
Olga brought her own smock and skirt； dressed Fyokla； and then
both went softly into the inner room； trying not to make a noise
with the door。
〃Is that you； you sleek one？〃 Granny grumbled angrily； guessing
who it was。 〃Fie upon you； nightwalker！ 。 。 。 Bad luck to you！〃
〃It's all right； it's all right；〃 whispered Olga； wrapping Fyokla
up； 〃it's all right； dearie。〃
All was stillness again。 They always slept badly； everyone was
kept awake by something worrying and persistent： the old man by
the pain in his back； Granny by anxiety and anger； Marya by
terror； the children by itch and hunger。 Now； too； their sleep
was troubled； they kept turning over from one side to the other；
talking in their sleep； getting up for a drink。
Fyokla suddenly broke into a loud； coarse howl； but immediately
checked herself； and only uttered sobs from time to time； growing
softer and on a lower note； until she relapsed into silence。 From
time to time from the other side of the river there floated the
sound of the beating of the hours； but the time seemed somehow
strange five was struck and then three。
〃Oh Lord！〃 sighed the cook。
Looking at the windows； it was difficult to tell whether it was
still moonlight or whether the dawn had begun。 Marya got up and
went out； and she could be heard milking the cows and saying；
〃Stea…dy！〃 Granny went out； too。 It was still dark in the hut；
but all the objects in it could be discerned。
Nikolay； who had not slept all night； got down from the stove。 He
took his dress…coat out of a green box； put it on； and going to
the window； stroked the sleeves and took hold of the coat…tails
and smiled。 Then he carefully took off the coat； put it away
in his box； and lay down again。
Marya came in again and began lighting the stove。 She was
evidently hardly awake； and seemed dropping asleep as she walked。
Probably she had had some dream； or the stories of the night
before came into her mind as； stretching luxuriously before the
stove； she said：
〃No； freedom is better。〃
VII
The master arrived that was what they called the police
inspector。 When he would come and what he was coming for had been
known for the last week。 There were only forty households in
Zhukovo； but more than two thousand roubles of arrears of rates
and taxes had accumulated。
The police inspector stopped at the tavern。 He drank there two
glasses of tea； and then went on foot to the village elder's hut；
near which a crowd of those who were in debt stood waiting。 The
elder； Antip Syedelnikov； was； in spite of his youth he was
only a little over thirty strict and always on the side of the
authorities； though he himself was poor and did not pay his taxes
regularly。 Evidently he enjoyed being elder； and liked the sense
of authority； which he could only display by strictness。 In the
village council the peasants were afraid of him and obeyed him。
It would sometimes happen that he would pounce on a drunken man
in the street or near the tavern； tie his hands behind him； and
put him in the lock…up。 On one occasion he even put Granny in the
lock…up because she went to the village council instead of Osip；
and began swearing； and he kept her there for a whole day and
night。 He had never lived in a town or read a book； but somewhere
or other had picked up various learned expressions； and loved to
make use of them in conversation； and he was respected for this
though he was not always understood。
When Osip came into the village elder's hut with his tax book；
the police inspector； a lean old man with a long grey beard； in a
grey tunic； was sitting at a table in the passage； writing
something。 It was clean in the hut； all the walls were dotted
with pictures cut out of the illustrated papers； and in the most
conspicuous place near the ikon there was a portrait of the
Battenburg who was the Prince of Bulgaria。 By the table stood
Antip Syedelnikov with his arms folded。
〃There is one hundred and nineteen roubles standing against him；〃
he said when it came to Osip's turn。 〃Before Easter he paid a
rouble； and he has not paid a kopeck since。〃
The police inspector raised his eyes to Osip and asked：
〃Why is this； brother？〃
〃Show Divine mercy； your honour；〃 Osip began； growing agitated。
〃Allow me to say last year the gentleman at Lutorydsky said to
me； 'Osip；' he said； 'sell your hay 。 。 。 you sell it；' he said。
Well； I had a hundred poods for sale； the women mowed it on the
water…meadow。 Well； we struck a bargain all right； willingly。 。 。
。〃
He complained of the elder； and kept turning round to the
peasants as though inviting them to bear witness； his face
flushed red and perspired； and his eyes grew sharp and angry。
〃I don't know why you are saying all this；〃 said the police
inspector。 〃I am asking you 。 。 。 I am asking you why you don't
pay your arrears。 You don't pay； any of you； and am I to be
responsible for you？〃
〃I can't do it。〃
〃His words have no sequel； your honour；〃 said the elder。 〃The
Tchikildyeevs certainly are of a defective class； but if you will
just ask the others； the root of it all is vodka； and they are a
very bad lot。 With no sort of understanding。〃
The police inspector wrote something down； and said to Osip
quietly； in an even tone； as though he were asking him for water：
〃Be off。〃
Soon he went away； and when he got into his cheap chaise and
cleared his throat； it could be seen from the very expression of
his long thin back that he was no longer thinking of Osip or of
the village elder； nor of the Zhukovo arrears； but was thinking
of his own affairs。 Before he had gone three…quarters of a mile
Antip was already carrying off the samovar from the
Tchikildyeevs' cottage； followed by Granny； screaming shrilly and
straining her throat：
〃I won't let
you have it； I won't let you have it； damn you！〃
He walked rapidly with long steps； and she pursued him panting；
almost falling over； a bent； ferocious figure； her kerchief
slipped on to her shoulders； her grey hair with greenish lights
on it was blown about in the wind。 She suddenly stopped short；
and
