the witch and other stories-第25节

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over　calves。　Aksinya；　rustling　her　starched　petticoats；　used　to
promenade　in　a　low…necked　dress　up　and　down　the　street　near　her
shop；　the　Juniors　used　to　snatch　her　up　and　carry　her　off　as
though　by　force。　Then　old　Tsybukin　would　drive　out　to　show　his
new　horse　and　take　Varvara　with　him。

In　the　evening；　after　the　races；　when　people　were　going　to　bed；
an　expensive　concertina　was　played　in　the　Juniors'　yard　and；　if
it　were　a　moonlight　night；　those　sounds　sent　a　thrill　of　delight
to　the　heart；　and　Ukleevo　no　longer　seemed　a　wretched　hole。

II

The　elder　son　Anisim　came　home　very　rarely；　only　on　great
holidays；　but　he　often　sent　by　a　returning　villager　presents　and
letters　written　in　very　good　writing　by　some　other　hand；　always
on　a　sheet　of　foolscap　in　the　form　of　a　petition。　The　letters
were　full　of　expressions　that　Anisim　never　made　use　of　in
conversation：　〃Dear　papa　and　mamma；　I　send　you　a　pound　of　flower
tea　for　the　satisfaction　of　your　physical　needs。〃

At　the　bottom　of　every　letter　was　scratched；　as　though　with　a
broken　pen：　〃Anisim　Tsybukin；〃　and　again　in　the　same　excellent
hand：　〃Agent。〃

The　letters　were　read　aloud　several　times；　and　the　old　father；
touched；　red　with　emotion；　would　say：

〃Here　he　did　not　care　to　stay　at　home；　he　has　gone　in　for　an
intellectual　line。　Well；　let　him！　Every　man　to　his　own　job！

It　happened　just　before　Carnival　there　was　a　heavy　storm　of　rain
mixed　with　hail；　the　old　man　and　Varvara　went　to　the　window　to
look　at　it；　and　lo　and　behold！　Anisim　drove　up　in　a　sledge　from
the　station。　He　was　quite　unexpected。　He　came　indoors；　looking
anxious　and　troubled　about　something；　and　he　remained　the　same
all　the　time；　there　was　something　free　and　easy　in　his　manner。　He
was　in　no　haste　to　go　away；　it　seemed；　as　though　he　had　been
dismissed　from　the　service。　Varvara　was　pleased　at　his　arrival；
she　looked　at　him　with　a　sly　expression；　sighed；　and　shook　her
head。

〃How　is　this；　my　friends？〃　she　said。　〃Tut；　tut；　the　lad's　in　his
twenty…eighth　year；　and　he　is　still　leading　a　gay　bachelor　life；
tut；　tut；　tut。　。　。　。〃

From　the　other　room　her　soft；　even　speech　sounded　like　tut；　tut；
tut。　She　began　whispering　with　her　husband　and　Aksinya；　and　their
faces　wore　the　same　sly　and　mysterious　expression　as　though　they
were　conspirators。

It　was　decided　to　marry　Anisim。

〃Oh；　tut；　tut　。　。　。　the　younger　brother　has　been　married　long
ago；〃　said　Varvara；　〃and　you　are　still　without　a　helpmate　like　a
cock　at　a　fair。　What　is　the　meaning　of　it？　Tut；　tut；　you　will　be
married；　please　God；　then　as　you　choose　　you　will　go　into　the
service　and　your　wife　will　remain　here　at　home　to　help　us。　There
is　no　order　in　your　life；　young　man；　and　I　see　you　have　forgotten
how　to　live　properly。　Tut；　tut；　it's　the　same　trouble　with　all
you　townspeople。〃

When　the　Tsybukins　married；　the　most　handsome　girls　were　chosen
as　brides　for　them　as　rich　men。　For　Anisim；　too；　they　found　a
handsome　one。　He　was　himself　of　an　uninteresting　and
inconspicuous　appearance；　of　a　feeble；　sickly　build　and　short
stature；　he　had　full；　puffy　cheeks　which　looked　as　though　he　were
blowing　them　out；　his　eyes　looked　with　a　keen；　unblinking　stare；
his　beard　was　red　and　scanty；　and　when　he　was　thinking　he　always
put　it　into　his　mouth　and　bit　it；　moreover　he　often　drank　too
much；　and　that　was　noticeable　from　his　face　and　his　walk。　But
when　he　was　informed　that　they　had　found　a　very　beautiful　bride
for　him；　he　said：

〃Oh　well；　I　am　not　a　fright　myself。　All　of　us　Tsybukins　are
handsome；　I　may　say。〃

The　village　of　Torguevo　was　near　the　town。　Half　of　it　had　lately
been　incorporated　into　the　town；　the　other　half　remained　a
village。　In　the　first　　the　town　half　　there　was　a　widow
living　in　her　own　little　house；　she　had　a　sister　living　with　her
who　was　quite　poor　and　went　out　to　work　by　the　day；　and　this
sister　had　a　daughter　called　Lipa；　a　girl　who　went　out　to　work；
too。　People　in　Torguevo　were　already　talking　about　Lipa's　good
looks；　but　her　terrible　poverty　put　everyone　off；　people　opined
that　some　widower　or　elderly　man　would　marry　her　regardless　of
her　poverty；　or　would　perhaps　take　her　to　himself　without
marriage；　and　that　her　mother　would　get　enough　to　eat　living　with
her。　Varvara　heard　about　Lipa　from　the　matchmakers；　and　she　drove
over　to　Torguevo。

Then　a　visit　of　inspection　was　arranged　at　the　aunt's；　with　lunch
and　wine　all　in　due　order；　and　Lipa　wore　a　new　pink
　dress　made　on　purpose　for　this　occasion；　and　a　crimson　ribbon
like　a　flame　gleamed　in　her　hair。　She　was　pale…faced；　thin；　and
frail；　with　soft；　delicate　features　sunburnt　from　working　in　the
open　air；　a　shy；　mournful　smile　always　hovered　about　her　face；
and　there　was　a　childlike　look　in　her　eyes；　trustful　and　curious。

She　was　young；　quite　a　little　girl；　her　bosom　still　scarcely
perceptible；　but　she　could　be　married　because　she　had　reached　the
legal　age。　She　really　was　beautiful；　and　the　only　thing　that
might　be　thought　unattractive　was　her　big　masculine　hands　which
hung　idle　now　like　two　big　claws。

〃There　is　no　dowry　　and　we　don't　think　much　of　that；〃　said
Tsybukin　to　the　aunt。　〃We　took　a　wife　from　a　poor　family　for　our
son　Stepan；　too；　and　now　we　can't　say　too　much　for　her。　In　house
and　in　business　alike　she　has　hands　of　gold。〃

Lipa　stood　in　the　doorway　and　looked　as　though　she　would　say：　〃Do
with　me　as　you　will；　I　trust　you；〃　while　her　mother　Praskovya　the
work…woman　hid　herself　in　the　kitchen　numb　with　shyness。　At　one
time　in　her　youth　a　merchant　whose　floors　she　was　scrubbing
stamped　at　her　in　a　rage；　she　went　chill　with　terror　and　there
always　was　a　feeling　of　fear　at　the　bottom　of　her　heart。　When　she
was　frightened　her　arms　and　legs　trembled　and　her　cheeks
twitched。　Sitting　in　the　kitchen　she　tried　to　hear　what　the
visitors　were　saying；　and　she　kept　crossing　herself；　pressing　her
fingers　to　her　forehead；　and　gazing　at　the　ikons。　Anisim；
slightly　drunk；　opened　the　door　into　the　kitchen　and　said　in　a
free…and…easy　way：

〃Why　are　you　sitting　in　here；　precious　mamma？　We　are　dull　without
you。〃

And　Praskovya；　overcome　with　timidity；　pressing　her　hands　to　her
lean；　wasted　bosom；　said：

〃Oh；　not　at　all。　。　。　。　It's　very　kind　of　you。〃

After　the　visit　of　inspection　the　wedding　day　was　fixed。　Then
Anisim　walked　about　the　rooms　at　home　whistling；　or　suddenly
thinking　of　something；　would　fall　to　brooding　and　would　look　at
the　floor　fixedly；　silently；　as　though　he　would　probe　to　the
depths　of　the　earth。　He　expressed　neither　pleasure　that　he　was　to
be　married；　married　so　soon；　on　Low　Sunday；　nor　a　desire　to　see
his　bride；　but　simply　went　on　whistling。　And　it　was　evident　he
was　only　getting　married　because　his　father　and　stepmother　wished
him　to；　and　because　it　was　the　custom　in　the　village　to　marry　the
son　in　order　to　have　a　woman　to　help　in　the　house。　When　he　went
away　he　seemed　in　no　haste；　and　behaved　altogether　not　as　he　had
done　on　previous　visits　　was　particularly　free　and　easy；　and
talked　inappropriately。

III

In　the　village　Shikalovo　lived　two　dressmakers；　sisters；
belonging　to　the　Flagellant　sect。　The　new　clothes　for　the　wedding
were　ordered　from　them；　and　they　often　came　to　try　them　on；　and
stayed　a　long　while　drinking　tea。　They　were　making　Varvara　a
brown　dress　with　black　lace　and　bugles　on　it；　and　Aksinya　a　light
green　dress　with　a　yellow　front；　with　a　train。　When　the
dressmakers　had　finished　their　work　Tsybukin　paid　them　not　in
money　but　in　goods　from　the　shop；　and　they　went　away　depressed；
carrying　parcels　of　tallow　candles　and　tins　of　sardines　which
they　did　not　in　the　least　need；　and　when　they　got　out　of　the
village　into　the　open　country　they　sat　down　on　a　hillock　and
cried。

Anisim　arrived　three　days　before　the　wedding；　rigged　out　in　new
clothes　from　top　to　toe。　He　had　dazzling　india…rubber　goloshes；
and　instead　of　a　cravat　wore　a　red　cord　with　little　balls　on　it；
and　over　his　shoulder　he　had　hung　an　overcoat；　also　new；　without
putting　his　arms　into　the　sleeves。

After　crossing　himself　sedately　before　the　ikon；　he　greeted　his
father　and　gave　him　ten　silver　roubles　and　ten　half…roubles；　to
Varvara　he　gave　as　much；　and　to　Aksinya　twenty　quarter…roubles。
The　chief　charm　of　the　present　lay　in　the　fact　that　all　the
coins；　as　though　carefully　matched；　were　new　and　glittered　in　the
sun。　Trying　to　seem　grave　and　sedate　he　pursed　up　his　face　and
puffed　out　his　cheeks；　and　he　smelt　of　spirits。　Probably　he　had
visited　the　refreshment　bar　at　every　station。　And　again　there　was
a　free…and…easiness　about　the　man　　something　superfluous　and
out　of　place。　Then　Anisim　had　lunch　and　drank　tea　with　the　old
man；　and　Varvara　turned　the　new　coins　over　in　her　hand　and
inquired　about　villagers　who　had　gone　to　live　in　the　town。

〃They　are　all　right；　thank　God；　they　get　on　quite　well；〃　said
Anisim。　〃Only　something　has　happened　to　Ivan　Yegorov：　his　old
wife　Sofya　Nikiforovna　is　dead。　From　consumption。　They　ordered
the　memorial　dinner　for　the　peace　of　her　soul　at　the
confectioner's　at　two　and　a　half　roubles　a　head。　And　there　was
real　wine。　Those　who　were　peasants　from　our　village　　they　paid
two　and　a　half　roubles　for　them；　too。　They　ate　nothing；　as　though
a　pe