the witch and other stories-第30节

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witnesses；　and　old　Tsybukin　was　worn　out　with　worry。

He　often　went　to　see　his　son；　hired　somebody；　handed　in　a
petition　to　somebody　else；　presented　a　holy　banner　to　some
church。　He　presented　the　governor　of　th　e　prison　in　which　Anisim
was　confined　with　a　silver　glass　stand　with　a　long　spoon　and　the
inscription：　〃The　soul　knows　its　right　measure。〃

〃There　is　no　one　to　look　after　things　for　us；〃　said　Varvara。
〃Tut；　tut。　。　。　。　You　ought　to　ask　someone　of　the　gentlefolks；
they　would　write　to　the　head　officials。　。　。　。　At　least　they　might
let　him　out　on　bail！　Why　wear　the　poor　fellow　out？〃

She；　too；　was　grieved；　but　had　grown　stouter　and　whiter；　she
lighted　the　lamps　before　the　ikons　as　before；　and　saw　that
everything　in　the　house　was　clean；　and　regaled　the　guests　with
jam　and　apple　cheese。　The　deaf　man　and　Aksinya　looked　after　the
shop。　A　new　project　was　in　progress　　a　brickyard　in　Butyokino
　and　Aksinya　went　there　almost　every　day　in　the　chaise。　She
drove　herself；　and　when　she　met　acquaintances　she　stretched　out
her　neck　like　a　snake　out　of　the　young　rye；　and　smiled　naively
and　enigmatically。　Lipa　spent　her　time　playing　with　the　baby
which　had　been　born　to　her　before　Lent。　It　was　a　tiny；　thin；
pitiful　little　baby；　and　it　was　strange　that　it　should　cry　and
gaze　about　and　be　considered　a　human　being；　and　even　be　called
Nikifor。　He　lay　in　his　swinging　cradle；　and　Lipa　would　walk　away
towards　the　door　and　say；　bowing　to　him：

〃Good…day；　Nikifor　Anisimitch！〃

And　she　would　rush　at　him　and　kiss　him。　Then　she　would　walk　away
to　the　door；　bow　again；　and　say：

'Good…day；　Nikifor　Anisimitch！

And　he　kicked　up　his　little　red　legs；　and　his　crying　was　mixed
with　laughter　like　the　carpenter　Elizarov's。

At　last　the　day　of　the　trial　was　fixed。　Tsybukin　went　away　five
days　before。　Then　they　heard　that　the　peasants　called　as
witnesses　had　been　fetched；　their　old　workman　who　had　received　a
notice　to　appear　went　too。

The　trial　was　on　a　Thursday。　But　Sunday　had　passed；　and　Tsybukin
was　still　not　back；　and　there　was　no　news。　Towards　the　evening　on
Tuesday　Varvara　was　sitting　at　the　open　window；　listening　for　her
husband　to　come。　In　the　next　room　Lipa　was　playing　with　her　baby。
She　was　tossing　him　up　in　her　arms　and　saying　enthusiastically：

〃You　will　grow　up　ever　so　big；　ever　so　big。　You　will　be　a
peasant；　we　shall　go　out　to　work　together！　We　shall　go　out　to
work　together！〃

〃Come；　come；〃　said　Varvara；　offended。　〃Go　out　to　work；　what　an
idea；　you　silly　girl！　He　will　be　a　merchant　。　。　。！〃

Lipa　sang　softly；　but　a　minute　later　she　forgot　and　again：

〃You　will　grow　ever　so　big；　ever　so　big。　You　will　be　a　peasant；
we'll　go　out　to　work　together。〃

〃There　she　is　at　it　again！〃

Lipa；　with　Nikifor　in　her　arms；　stood　still　in　the　doorway　and
asked：

〃Why　do　I　love　him　so　much；　mamma？　Why　do　I　feel　so　sorry　for
him？〃　she　went　on　in　a　quivering　voice；　and　her　eyes　glistened
with　tears。　〃Who　is　he？　What　is　he　like？　As　light　as　a　little
feather；　as　a　little　crumb；　but　I　love　him；　I　love　him　like　a
real　person。　Here　he　can　do　nothing；　he　can't　talk；　and　yet　I
know　what　he　wants　with　his　little　eyes。〃

Varvara　was　listening；　the　sound　of　the　evening　train　coming　in
to　the　station　reached　her。　Had　her　husband　come？　She　did　not
hear　and　she　did　not　heed　what　Lipa　was　saying；　she　had　no　idea
how　the　time　passed；　but　only　trembled　all　over　　not　from
dread；　but　intense　curiosity。　She　saw　a　cart　full　of　peasants
roll　quickly　by　with　a　rattle。　It　was　the　witnesses　coming　back
from　the　station。　When　the　cart　passed　the　shop　the　old　workman
jumped　out　and　walked　into　the　yard。　She　could　hear　him　being
greeted　in　the　yard　and　being　asked　some　questions。　。　。　。

〃Deprivation　of　rights　and　all　his　property；〃　he　said　loudly；
〃and　six　years'　penal　servitude　in　Siberia。〃

She　could　see　Aksinya　come　out　of　the　shop　by　the　back　way；　she
had　just　been　selling　kerosene；　and　in　one　hand　held　a　bottle　and
in　the　other　a　can；　and　in　her　mouth　she　had　some　silver　coins。

〃Where　is　father？〃　she　asked；　lisping。

〃At　the　station；〃　answered　the　labourer。　〃　'When　it　gets　a　little
darker；'　he　said；　'then　I　shall　come。'　〃

And　when　it　became　known　all　through　the　household　that　Anisim
was　sentenced　to　penal　servitude；　the　cook　in　the　kitchen
suddenly　broke　into　a　wail　as　though　at　a　funeral；　imagining　that
this　was　demanded　by　the　proprieties：

〃There　is　no　one　to　care　for　us　now　you　have　gone；　Anisim
Grigoritch；　our　bright　falcon。　。　。　。〃

The　dogs　began　barking　in　alarm。　Varvara　ran　to　the　window；　and
rushing　about　in　distress；　shouted　to　the　cook　with　all　her
might；　straining　her　voice：

〃Sto…op；　Stepanida；　sto…op！　Don't　harrow　us；　for　Christ's　sake！〃

They　forgot　to　set　the　samovar；　they　could　think　of　nothing。　Only
Lipa　could　not　make　out　what　it　was　all　about　and　went　on　playing
with　her　baby。

When　the　old　father　arrived　from　the　station　they　asked　him　no
questions。　He　greeted　them　and　walked　through　all　the　rooms　in
silence；　he　had　no　supper。

〃There　was　no　one　to　see　about　things　。　。　。〃　Varvara　began　when
they　were　alone。　〃I　said　you　should　have　asked　some　of　the
gentry；　you　would　not　heed　me　at　the　time。　。　。　。　A　petition　would
。　。　。〃

〃I　saw　to　things；〃　said　her　husband　with　a　wave　of　his　hand。
〃When　Anisim　was　condemned　I　went　to　the　gentleman　who　was
defending　him。　'It's　no　use　now；'　he　said；　'it's　too　late'；　and
Anisim　said　the　same；　it's　too　late。　But　all　the　same　as　I　came
out　of　the　court　I　made　an　agreement　with　a　lawyer；　I　paid　him
something　in　advance。　I'll　wait　a　week　and　then　I　will　go　again。
It　is　as　God　wills。〃

Again　the　old　man　walked　through　all　the　rooms；　and　when　he　went
back　to　Varvara　he　said：

〃I　must　be　ill。　My　head's　in　a　sort　of　。　。　。　fog。　My　thoughts　are
in　a　maze。〃

He　closed　the　door　that　Lipa　might　not　hear；　and　went　on　softly：

〃I　am　unhappy　about　my　money。　Do　you　remember　on　Low　Sunday
before　his　wedding　Anisim's　bringing　me　some　new　roubles　and
half…roubles？　One　parcel　I　put　away　at　the　time；　but　the　others　I
mixed　with　my　own　money。　When　my　uncle　Dmitri　Filatitch　　the
kingdom　of　heaven　be　his　　was　alive；　he　used　constantly　to　go
journeys　to　Moscow　and　to　the　Crimea　to　buy　goods。　He　had　a　wife；
and　this　same　wife；　when　he　was　away　buying　goods；　used　to　take
up　with　other　men。　She　had　half　a　dozen　children。　And　when　uncle
was　in　his　cups　he　would　laugh　and　say：　'I　never　can　make　out；'
he　used　to　say；　'which　are　my　children　and　which　are　other
people's。'　An　easy…going　disposition；　to　be　sure；　and　so　I　now
can't　distinguish　which　are　genuine　roubles　and　which　are　false
ones。　And　it　seems　to　me　that　they　are　all　false。〃

〃Nonsense；　God　bless　you。〃

〃I　take　a　ticket　at　the　station；　I　give　the　man　three　roubles；
and　I　keep　fancying　they　are　false。　And　I　am　frightened。　I　must
be　ill。〃

〃There's　no　denying　it；　we　are　all　in　God's　hands。　。　。　。　Oh　dear；
dear　。　。　。〃　said　Varvara；　and　she　shook　her　head。　〃You　ought　to
think　about　this；　Grigory　Petrovitch：　you　never　know；　anything
may　happen；　you　are　not　a　young　man。　See　they　don't　wrong　your
grandchild　when　you　are　dead　and　gone。　Oy；　I　am　afraid　they　will
be　unfair　to　Nikifor！　He　has　as　good　as　no　father；　his　mother's
young　and　foolish　。　。　。　you　ought　to　secure　something　for　him；
poor　little　boy；　at　least　the　land；　Butyokino；　Grigory
Petrovitch；　really！　Think　it　over！〃　Varvara　went　on　persuading
him。　〃The　pretty　boy；　one　is　sorry　for　him！　You　go　to…morrow　and
make　out　a　deed；　why　put　it　off？〃

〃I'd　forgotten　about　my　grandson；〃　said　Tsybukin。　〃I　must　go　and
have　a　look　at　him。　So　you　say　the　boy　is　all　right？　Well；　let
him　grow　up；　please　God。〃

He　opened　the　door　and；　crooking　his　finger；　beckoned　to　Lipa。
She　went　up　to　him　with　the　baby　in　her　arms。

〃If　there　is　anything　you　want；　Lipinka；　you　ask　for　it；〃　he
said。　〃And　eat　anything　you　like；　we　don't　grudge　it；　so　long　as
it　does　you　good。　。　。　。〃　He　made　the　sign　of　the　cross　over　the
baby。　〃And　take　care　of　my　grandchild。　My　son　is　gone；　but　my
grandson　is　left。〃

Tears　rolled　down　his　cheeks；　he　gave　a　sob　and　went　away。　Soon
afterwards　he　went　to　bed　and　slept　soundly　after　seven　sleepless
nights。

VII

Old　Tsybukin　went　to　the　town　for　a　short　time。　Someone　told
Aksinya　that　he　had　gone　to　the　notary　to　make　his　will　and　that
he　was　leaving　Butyokino；　the　very　place　where　she　had　set　up　a
brickyard；　to　Nikifor；　his　grandson。　She　was　informed　of　this　in
the　morning
　when　old　Tsybukin　and　Varvara　were　sitting　near　the　steps　under
the　birch…tree；　drinking　their　tea。　She　closed　the　shop　in　the
front　and　at　the　back；　gathered　together　all　the　keys　she　had；
and　flung　them　at　her　father…in…law's　feet。

〃I　am　not　going　on　working　for　you；〃　she　began　in　a　loud　voice；
and　suddenly　broke　into　sobs。　〃It　seems　I　am　not　your
daughter…in…law；　but　a　servant！　Everybody's　jeering　and　saying；
'See　what　a　servant　the　Tsybukins　have　got　hold　of！'　I　did　not
come　to　you　for　wages！　I　am　not　a　beggar；　I　am　not　a　slave；　I
have　a　father　and　mother。〃

She　did　not　wipe　away　her　tears；　she　fixed　upon　her　father…in…law
eyes　full　of　tears；　vindictive；　squinting　with　wrath；　her　face
and　neck　were