the witch and other stories-第31节

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eyes　full　of　tears；　vindictive；　squinting　with　wrath；　her　face
and　neck　were　red　and　tense；　and　she　was　shouting　at　the　top　of
her　voice。

〃I　don't　mean　to　go　on　being　a　slave！〃　she　went　on。　〃I　am　worn
out。　When　it　is　work；　when　it　is　sitting　in　the　shop　day　in　and
day　out；　scurrying　out　at　night　for　vodka　　then　it　is　my　share；
but　when　it　is　giving　away　the　land　then　it　is　for　that　convict's
wife　and　her　imp。　She　is　mistress　here；　and　I　am　her　servant。
Give　her　everything；　the　convict's　wife；　and　may　it　choke　her！　I
am　going　home！　Find　yourselves　some　other　fool；　you　damned
Herods！〃

Tsybukin　had　never　in　his　life　scolded　or　punished　his　children；
and　had　never　dreamed　that　one　of　his　family　could　speak　to　him
rudely　or　behave　disrespectfully；　and　now　he　was　very　much
frightened；　he　ran　into　the　house　and　there　hid　behind　the
cupboard。　And　Varvara　was　so　much　flustered　that　she　could　not
get　up　from　her　seat；　and　only　waved　her　hands　before　her　as
though　she　were　warding　off　a　bee。

〃Oh；　Holy　Saints！　what's　the　meaning　of　it？〃　she　muttered　in
horror。　〃What　is　she　shouting？　Oh；　dear；　dear！　。　。　。　People　will
hear！　Hush。　Oh；　hush！〃

〃He　has　given　Butyokino　to　the　convict's　wife；〃　Aksinya　went　on
bawling。　〃Give　her　everything　now；　I　don't　want　anything　from
you！　Let　me　alone！　You　are　all　a　gang　of　thieves　here！　I　have
seen　my　fill　of　it；　I　have　had　enough！　You　have　robbed　folks
coming　in　and　going　out；　you　have　robbed　old　and　young　alike；　you
brigands！　And　who　has　been　selling　vodka　without　a　licence？　And
false　money？　You've　filled　boxes　full　of　false　coins；　and　now　I
am　no　more　use！〃

A　crowd　had　by　now　collected　at　the　open　gate　and　was　staring
into　the　yard。

〃Let　the　people　look；〃　bawled　Aksinya。　〃I　will　shame　you　all！　You
shall　burn　with　shame！　You　shall　grovel　at　my　feet。　Hey！　Stepan；〃
she　called　to　the　deaf　man；　〃let　us　go　home　this　minute！　Let　us
go　to　my　father　and　mother；　I　don't　want　to　live　with　convicts。
Get　ready！〃

Clothes　were　hanging　on　lines　stretched　across　the　yard；　she
snatched　off　her　petticoats　and　blouses　still　wet　and　flung　them
into　the　deaf　man's　arms。　Then　in　her　fury　she　dashed　about　the
yard　by　the　linen；　tore　down　all　of　it；　and　what　was　not　hers　she
threw　on　the　ground　and　trampled　upon。

〃Holy　Saints；　take　her　away；〃　moaned　Varvara。　〃What　a　woman！　Give
her　Butyokino！　Give　it　her；　for　the　Lord's　sake！

〃Well！　Wha…at　a　woman！〃　people　were　saying　at　the　gate。　〃She's　a
wo…oman！　She's　going　it　　something　like！〃

Aksinya　ran　into　the　kitchen　where　washing　was　going　on。　Lipa　was
washing　alone；　the　cook　had　gone　to　the　river　to　rinse　the
clothes。　Steam　was　rising　from　the　trough　and　from　the　caldron　on
the　side　of　the　stove；　and　the　kitchen　was　thick　and　stifling
from　the　steam。　On　the　floor　was　a　heap　of　unwashed　clothes；　and
Nikifor；　kicking　up　his　little　red　legs；　had　been　put　down　on　a
bench　near　them；　so　that　if　he　fell　he　should　not　hurt　himself。
Just　as　Aksinya　went　in　Lipa　took　the　former's　chemise　out　of　the
heap　and　put　it　in　the　trough；　and　was　just　stretching　out　her
hand　to　a　big　ladle　of　boiling　water　which　was　standing　on　the
table。

〃Give　it　here；〃　said　Aksinya；　looking　at　her　with　hatred；　and
snatching　the　chemise　out　of　the　trough；　〃it　is　not　your　business
to　touch　my　linen！　You　are　a　convict's　wife；　and　ought　to　know
your　place　and　who　you　are。〃

Lipa　gazed　at　her；　taken　aback；　and　did　not　understand；　but
suddenly　she　caught　the　look　Aksinya　turned　upon　the　child；　and
at　once　she　understood　and　went　numb　all　over。

〃You've　taken　my　land；　so　here　you　are！〃　Saying　this　Aksinya
snatched　up　the　ladle　with　the　boiling　water　and　flung　it　over
Nikifor。

After　this　there　was　heard　a　scream　such　as　had　never　been　heard
before　in　Ukleevo；　and　no　one　would　have　believed　that　a　little
weak　creature　like　Lipa　could　scream　like　that。　And　it　was
suddenly　silent　in　the　yard。

Aksinya　walked　into　the　house　with　her　old　naive　smile。　。　。　。　The
deaf　man　kept　moving　about　the　yard　with　his　arms　full　of　linen；
then　he　began　hanging　it　up　again；　in　silence；　without　haste。　And
until　the　cook　came　back　from　the　river　no　one　ventured　to　go
into　the　kitchen　and　see　what　was　there。

VIII

Nikifor　was　taken　to　the　district　hospital；　and　towards　evening
he　died　there。　Lipa　did　not　wait　for　them　to　come　for　her；　but
wrapped　the　dead　baby　in　its　little　quilt　and　carried　it　home。

The　hospital；　a　new　one　recently　built；　with　big　windows；　stood
high　up　on　a　hill；　it　was　glittering　from　the　setting　sun　and
looked　as　though　it　were　on　fire　from　inside。　There　was　a　little
village　below。　Lipa　went　down　along　the　road；　and　before　reaching
the　village　sat　down　by　a　pond。　A　woman　brought　a　horse　down　to
drink　and　the　horse　did　not　drink。

〃What　more　do　you　want？〃　said　the　woman　to　it　softly。　〃What　do
you　want？〃

A　boy　in　a　red　shirt；　sitting　at　the　water's　edge；　was　washing
his　father's　boots。　And　not　another　soul　was　in　sight　either　in
the　village　or　on　the　hill。

〃It's　not　drinking；〃　said　Lipa；　looking　at　the　horse。

Then　the　woman　with　the　horse　and　the　boy　with　the　boots　walked
away；　and　there　was　no　one　left　at　all。　The　sun　went　to　bed
wrapped　in　cloth　of　gold　and　purple；　and　long　clouds；　red　and
lilac；　stretched　across　the　sky；　guarded　its　slumbers。　Somewhere
far　away　a　bittern　cried；　a　hollow；　melancholy　sound　like　a　cow
shut　up　in　a　barn。　The　cry　of　that　mysterious　bird　was　heard
every　spring；　but　no　one　knew　what　it　was　like　or　where　it　lived。
At　the　top　of　the　hill　by　the　hospital；　in　the　bushes　close　to
the　pond；　and　in　the　fields　the　nightingales　were　trilling。　The
cuckoo　kept　reckoning　someone's　years　and　losing　count　and
beginning　again。　In　the　pond　the　frogs　called　angrily　to　one
another；　straining　themselves　to　bursting；　and　one　could　even
make　out　the　words：　〃That's　what　you　are！　That's　what　you　are！　〃
What　a　noise　there　was！　It　seemed　as　though　all　these　creatures
were　singing　and　shouting　so　that　no　one　might　sleep　on　that
spring　night；　so　that　all；　even　the　angry　frogs；　might　appreciate
and　enjoy　every　minute：　life　is　given　only　once。

A　silver　half…moon　was　shining　in　the　sky；　there　were　many　stars。
Lipa　had　no　idea　how　long　she　sat　by　the　pond；　but　when　she　got
up　and　walked　on　everybody　was　asleep　in　the　little　village；　and
there　was　not　a　single　light。　It　was　probably　about　nine　miles'
walk　home；　but　she　had　not　the　strength；　she　had　not　the　power　to
think　how　to　go：　the　moon　gleamed　now　in　front；　now　on　the　right；
and　the　same　cuckoo　kept　calling　in　a　voice　grown　husky；　with　a
chuckle　as　though　gibing　at　her：　〃Oy；　look　out；　you'll　lose　your
way！〃　Lipa　walked　rapidly；　she　lost　the　kerchief　from　her　head　。
。　。　she　looked　at　the　sky　and　wondered　where　her　baby's　soul　was
now：　was　it　following　her；　or　floating　aloft　yonder　among　the
stars　and　thinking　nothing　now　of　his　mother？　Oh；　how　lonely　it
was　in　the　open　country　at　night；　in　the　midst　of　that　singing
when　one　cannot　sing　oneself；　in　the　midst　of　the　incessant　cries
of　joy　when　one　cannot　oneself　be　joyful；　when　the　moon；　which
cares　not　whether　it　is　spring　or　winter；　whether　men　are　alive
or　dead；　looks　down　as　lonely；　too。　。　。　。　When　there　is　grief　in
the　heart　it　is　hard　to　be　without　people。　If　only　her　mother；
Praskovya；　had　been　with　her；　or　Crutch；　or　the　cook；　or　some
peasant！

〃Boo…oo！〃　cried　the　bittern。　〃Boo…oo！〃

And　suddenly　she　heard　clearly　the　sound　of　human　speech：　〃Put
the　horses　in；　Vavila！〃

By　the　wayside　a　camp　fire　was　burning　ahead　of　her：　the　flames
had　died　down；　there　were　only　　red　embers。　She　could　hear
　the　horses　munching。　In　the　darkness　she　could　see　the　outlines
of　two　carts；　one　with　a　barrel；　the　other；　a　lower　one　with
sacks　in　it；　and　the　figures　of　two　men；　one　was　leading　a　horse
to　put　it　into　the　shafts；　the　other　was　standing　motionless　by
the　fire　with　his　hands　behind　his　back。　A　dog　growled　by　the
carts。　The　one　who　was　leading　the　horse　stopped　and　said：

〃It　seems　as　though　someone　were　coming　along　the　road。〃

〃Sharik；　be　quiet！　〃　the　other　called　to　the　dog。

And　from　the　voice　one　could　tell　that　the　second　was　an　old　man。
Lipa　stopped　and　said：

〃God　help　you。〃

The　old　man　went　up　to　her　and　answered　not　immediately：

〃Good…evening！〃

〃Your　dog　does　not　bite；　grandfather？〃

〃No；　come　along；　he　won't　touch　you。〃

〃I　have　been　at　the　hospital；〃　said　Lipa　after　a　pause。　〃My
little　son　died　there。　Here　I　am　carrying　him　home。〃

It　must　have　been　unpleasant　for　the　old　man　to　hear　this；　for　he
moved　away　and　said　hurriedly：

〃Never　mind；　my　dear。　It's　God's　will。　You　are　very　slow；　lad；〃
he　added；　addressing　his　companion；　〃look　alive！

〃Your　yoke's　nowhere；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃it　is　not　to　be
seen。〃

〃You　are　a　regular　Vavila。〃

The　old　man　picked　up　an　ember；　blew　on　it　　only　his　eyes　and
nose　were　lighted　up　　then；　when　they　had　found　the　yoke；　he
went　with　the　light　to　Lipa　and　looked　at　her；　and　his　look
expressed　compassion　and　tenderness。

〃You　are　a　mother；〃　he　said；　〃every　mother　grieves　for　her
child。〃

And　he　sighed　and　shook　his　head　as　he　said　it。　Vavila　threw
something　on　the　fire；　stamped　on　it