the witch and other stories-第26节

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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　peasant　would　understand　sauce！〃

〃Two　and　a　half；〃　said　his　father；　shaking　his　head。

〃Well；　it's　not　like　the　country　there；　you　go　into　a　restaurant
to　have　a　snack　of　something；　you　ask　for　one　thing　and　another；
others　join　till　there　is　a　party　of　us；　one　has　a　drink　　and
before　you　know　where　you　are　it　is　daylight　and　you've　three　or
four　roubles　each　to　pay。　And　when　one　is　with　Samorodov　he　likes
to　have　coffee　with　brandy　in　it　after　everything；　and　brandy　is
sixty　kopecks　for　a　little　glass。〃

〃And　he　is　making　it　all　up；〃　said　the　old　man　enthusiastically；
〃he　is　making　it　all　up；　lying！〃

〃I　am　always　with　Samorodov　now。　It　is　Samorodov　who　writes　my
letters　to　you。　He　writes　splendidly。　And　if　I　were　to　tell　you；
mamma；〃　Anisim　went　on　gaily；　addressing　Varvara；　〃the　sort　of
fellow　that　Samorodov　is；　you　would　not　believe　me。　We　call　him
Muhtar；　because　he　is　black　like　an　Armenian。　I　can　see　through
him；　I　know　all　his　affairs　like　the　five　fingers　of　my　hand；　and
he　feels　that；　and　he　always　follows　me　about；　we　are　regular
inseparables。　He　seems　not　to　like　it　in　a　way；　but　he　can't　get
on　without　me。　Where　I　go　he　goes。　I　have　a　correct；　trustworthy
eye；　mamma。　One　sees　a　peasant　selling　a　shirt　in　the　market
place。　'Stay；　that　shirt's　stolen。'　And　really　it　turns　out　it　is
so：　the　shirt　was　a　stolen　one。〃

〃What　do　you　tell　from？〃　asked　Varvara。

〃Not　from　anything；　I　have　just　an　eye　for　it。　I　know　nothing
about　the　shirt；　only　for　some　reason　I　seem　drawn　to　it：　it's
stolen；　and　that's　all　I　can　say。　Among　us　detectives　it's　come
to　their　saying；　'Oh；　Anisim　has　gone　to　shoot　snipe！'　That　means
looking　for　stolen　goods。　Yes。　。　。　。　Anybody　can　steal；　but　it　is
another　thing　to　keep！　The　earth　is　wide；　but　there　is　nowhere　to
hide　stolen　goods。〃

〃In　our　village　a　ram　and　two　ewes　were　carried　off　last　week；〃
said　Varvara；　and　she　heaved　a　sigh；　and　there　is　no　one　to　try
and　find　them。　。　。　。　Oh；　tut；　tut。　。〃

〃Well；　I　might　have　a　try。　I　don't　mind。〃

The　day　of　the　wedding　arrived。　It　was　a　cool　but　bright；
cheerful　April　day。　People　were　driving　about　Ukleevo　from　early
morning　with　pairs　or　teams　of　three　horses　decked　with
many…coloured　ribbons　on　their　yokes　and　manes；　with　a　jingle　of
bells。　The　rooks；　disturbed　by　this　activity；　were　cawing　noisily
in　the　willows；　and　the　starlings　sang　their　loudest　unceasingly
as　though　rejoicing　that　there　was　a　wedding　at　the　Tsybukins'。

Indoors　the　tables　were　already　covered　with　long　fish；　smoked
hams；　stuffed　fowls；　boxes　of　sprats；　pickled　savouries　of
various　sorts；　and　a　number　of　bottles　of　vodka　and　wine；　there
was　a　smell　of　smoked　sausage　and　of　sour　tinned　lobster。　Old
Tsybukin　walked　about　near　the　tables；　tapping　with　his　heels　and
sharpening　the　knives　against　each　other。　They　kept　calling
Varvara　and　asking　for　things；　and　she　was　constantly　with　a
distracted　face　running　breathlessly　into　the　kitchen；　where　the
man　cook　from　Kostukov's　and　the　woman　cook　from　Hrymin　Juniors'
had　been　at　work　since　early　morning。　Aksinya；　with　her　hair
curled；　in　her　stays　without　her　dress　on；　in　new　creaky　boots；
flew　about　the　yard　like　a　whirlwind　showing　glimpses　of　her　bare
knees　and　bosom。

It　was　noisy；　there　was　a　sound　of　scolding　and　oaths；　passers…by
stopped　at　the　wide…open　gates；　and　in　everything　there　was　a
feeling　that　something　extraordinary　was　happening。

〃They　have　gone　for　the　bride！〃

The　bells　began　jingling　and　died　away　far　beyond　the　village。　。
。　。　Between　two　and　three　o'clock　people　ran　up：　again　there　was
a　jingling　of　bells：　they　were　bringing　the　bride！　The　church　was
full；　the　candelabra　were　lighted；　the　choir　were　singing　from
music　books　as　old　Tsybukin　had　wished　it。　The　glare　of　the
lights　and　the　bright　coloured　dresses　dazzled　Lipa；　she　felt　as
though　the　singers　with　their　loud　voices　were　hitting　her　on　the
head　with　a　hammer。　Her　boots　and　the　stays；　which　she　had　put　on
for　the　first　time　in　her　life；　pinched　her；　and　her　face　looked
as　though　she　had　only　just　come　to　herself　after　fainting；　she
gazed　about　without　understanding。　Anisim；　in　his　black　coat　with
a　red　cord　instead　of　a　tie；　stared　at　the　same　spot　lost　in
thought；　and　when　the　singers　shouted　loudly　he　hurriedly　crossed
himself。　He　felt　touched　and　disposed　to　weep。　This　church　was
familiar　to　him　from　earliest　childhood；　at　one　time　his　dead
mother　used　to　bring　him　here　to　take　the　sacrament；　at　one　time
he　used　to　sing　in　the　choir；　every　ikon　he　remembered　so　well；
every　corner。　Here　he　was　being　married；　he　had　to　take　a　wife
for　the　sake　of　doing　the　proper　thing；　but　he　was　not　thinking
of　that　now；　he　had　forgotten　his　wedding　completely。　Tears
dimmed　his　eyes　so　that　he　could　not　see　the　ikons；　he　felt　heavy
at　heart；　he　prayed　and　besought　God　that　the　misfortunes　that
threatened　him；　that　were　ready　to　burst　upon　him　to…morrow；　if
not　to…day；　might　somehow　pass　him　by　as　storm…clouds　in　time　of
drought　pass　over　the　village　without　yielding　one　drop　of　rain。
And　so　many　sins　were　heaped　up　in　the　past；　so　many　sins；　all
getting　away　from　them　or　setting　them　right　was　so　beyond　hope
that　it　seemed　incongruous　even　to　ask　forgiveness。　But　he　did
ask　forgiveness；　and　even　gave　a　loud　sob；　but　no　one　took　any
notice　of　that；　since　they　all　supposed　he　had　had　a　drop　too
much。

There　was　a　sound　of　a　fretful　childish　wail：

〃Take　me　away；　mamma　darling！〃

〃Quiet　there！〃　cried　the　priest。

When　they　returned　from　the　church　people　ran　after　them；　there
were　crowds；　too；　round　the　shop；　round　the　gates；　and　in　the
yard　under　the　windows。　The　peasant　women　came　in　to　sing　songs
of　congratulation　to　them。　The　young　couple　had　scarcely　crossed
the　threshold　when　the　singers；　who　were　already　standing　in　the
outer　room　with　their　music　books；　broke　into　a　loud　chant　at　the
top　of　their　voices；　a　band　ordered　expressly　from　the　town　began
playing。　Foaming　Don　wine　was　brought　in　tall　wine…glasses；　and
Elizarov；　a　carpenter　who　did　jobs　by　contract；　a　tall；　gaunt　old
man　with　eyebrows　so　bushy　that　his　eyes　could　scarcely　be　seen；
said；　addressing　the　happy　pair：

〃Anisim　and　you；　my　child；　love　one　another；　live　in　God's　way；
little　children；　and　the　Heavenly　Mother　will　not　abandon　you。〃

He　leaned　his　face　on　the　old　father's　shoulder　and　gave　a　sob。

〃Grigory　Petrovitch；　let　us　weep；　let　us　weep　with　joy！〃　he　said
in　a　thin　voice；　and　then　at　once　burst　out　laughing　in　a　loud
bass　guffaw。　〃Ho…ho…ho！　This　is　a　fine　daughter…in…law　for　you
too！　Everything　is　in　its　place　in　her；　all　runs　smoothly；　no
creaking；　the　mechanism　works　well；　lots　of　screws　in　it。〃


He　was　a　native　of　the　Yegoryevsky　district；　but　had　worked　in
the　factories　in　Ukleevo　and　the　neighborhood　from　his　youth　up；
and　had　made　it　his　home。　He　had　been　a　familiar　figure　for　years
as　old　and　gaunt　and　lanky　as　now；　and　for　years　he　had　been
nicknamed　〃Crutch。〃　Perhaps　because　he　had　been　for　forty　years
occupied　in　repairing　the　factory　machinery　he　judged　everybody
and　everything　by　its　soundness　or　its　need　of　repair。　And　before
sitting　down　to　the　table　he　tried　several　chairs　to　see　whether
they　were　solid；　and　he　touched　the　smoked　fish　also。

After　the　Don　wine；　they　all　sat　down　to　the　table。　The　visitors
talked；　moving　their　chairs。　The　singers　were　singing　in　the
outer　room。　The　band　was　playing；　and　at　the　same　time　the
peasant　women　in　the　yard　were　singing　their　songs　all　in　chorus
　and　there　was　an　awful；　wild　medley　of　sounds　which　made　one
giddy。

Crutch　turned　round　in　his　chair　and　prodded　his　neighbours　with
his　elbows；　prevented　people　from　talking；　and　laughed　and　cried
alternately。

〃Little　children；　little　children；　little　children；〃　he　muttered
rapidly。　〃Aksinya　my　dear；　Varvara　darling；　we　will　live　all　in
peace　and　harmony；　my　dear　little　axes。　。　。　。〃

He　drank　little　and　was　now　only　drunk　from　one　glass　of　English
bitters。　The　revolting　bitters；　made　from　nobody　knows　what；
intoxicated　everyone　who　drank　it　as　though　it　had　stunned　them。
Their　tongues　began　to　falter。

The　local　clergy；　the　clerks　from　the　factories　with　their　wives；
the　tradesmen　and　tavern…keepers　from　the　other　villages　were
present。　The　clerk　and　the　elder　of　the　rural　district　who　had
served　together　for　fourteen　years；　and　who　had　during　all　that
time　never　signed　a　single　document　for　anybody　nor　let　a　single
person　out　of　the　local　court　without　deceiving　or　insulting　him；
were　sitting　now　side　by　side；　both　fat　and　well…fed；　and　it
seemed　as　though　they　were　so　saturated　in　injustice　and
falsehood　that　even　the　skin　of　their　faces　was　somehow　peculiar；
fraudulent。　The　clerk's　wife；　a　thin　woman　with　a　squint；　had
brought　all　her　children　with　her；　and　like　a　bird　of　prey　looked
aslant　at　the　plates　and　snatched　anything　she　could　get　hold　of
to　put　in　her　own　or　her　children's　pockets。

Lipa　sat　as　though　turned　to　stone；　still　with　the　same
expression　as　in　church。　Anisim　had　not　said