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第33节

the witch and other stories-第33节

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Old Tsybukin does not have anything to do with the business now
at all。 He does not keep any money because he cannot distinguish
between the good and the false; but he is silent; he says nothing
of this weakness。 He has become forgetful; and if they don't give
him food he does not ask for it。 They have grown used to having
dinner without him; and Varvara often says:

〃He went to bed again yesterday without any supper。〃

And she says it unconcernedly because she is used to it。 For some
reason; summer and winter alike; he wears a fur coat; and only in
very hot weather he does not go out but sits at home。 As a rule
putting on his fur coat; wrapping it round him and turning up his
collar; he walks about the village; along the road to the
station; or sits from morning till night on the seat near the
church gates。 He sits there without stirring。 Passers…by bow to
him; but he does not respond; for as of old he dislikes the
peasants。 If he is asked a question he answers quite rationally
and politely; but briefly。

There is a rumour going about in the village that his
daughter…in…law turns him out of the house and gives him nothing
to eat; and that he is fed by charity; some are glad; others are
sorry for him。

Varvara has grown even fatter and whiter; and as before she is
active in good works; and Aksinya does not interfere with her。

There is so much jam now that they have not time to eat it before
the fresh fruit comes in; it goes sugary; and Varvara almost
sheds tears; not knowing what to do with it。

They have begun to forget about Anisim。 A letter has come from
him written in verse on a big sheet of paper as though it were a
petition; all in the same splendid handwriting。 Evidently his
friend Samorodov was sharing his punishment。 Under the verses in
an ugly; scarcely legible handwriting there was a single line: 〃I
am ill here all the time; I am wretched; for Christ's sake help
me!〃

Towards evening  it was a fine autumn day  old Tsybukin was
sitting near the church gates; with the collar of his fur coat
turned up and nothing of him could be seen but his nose and the
peak of his cap。 At the other end of the long seat was sitting
Elizarov the contractor; and beside him Yakov the school
watchman; a toothless old man of seventy。 Crutch and the watchman
were talking。

〃Children ought to give food and drink to the old。 。 。 。 Honour
thy father and mother 。 。 。〃 Yakov was saying with irritation;
〃while she; this daughter…in…law; has turned her father…in…law
out of his own house; the old man has neither food nor drink;
where is he to go? He has not had a morsel for these three days。〃

〃Three days!〃 said Crutch; amazed。

〃Here he sits and does not say a word。 He has grown feeble。 And
why be silent? He ought to prosecute her; they wouldn't flatter
her in the police court。〃

〃Wouldn't flatter whom?〃 asked Crutch; not hearing。

〃What?〃

〃The woman's all right; she does her best。 In their line of
business they can't get on without that 。 。 。 without sin; I
mean。 。 。 。〃

〃From his own house;〃 Yakov went on with irritation。 〃Save up and
buy your own house; then turn people out of it! She is a nice
one; to be sure! A pla…ague!〃

Tsybukin listened and did not stir。

〃Whether it is your own house or others' it makes no difference
so long as it is warm and the women don't scold 。 。 。〃 said
Crutch; and he laughed。 〃When I was young I was very fond of my
Nastasya。 She was a quiet woman。 And she used to be always at it:
'Buy a house; Makaritch! Buy a house; Makaritch! Buy a house;
Makaritch!' She was dying and yet she kept on saying; 'Buy
yourself a racing droshky; Makaritch; that you may not have to
walk。' And I bought her nothing but gingerbread。〃

〃Her husband's deaf and stupid;〃 Yakov went on; not hearing
Crutch; 〃a regular fool; just like a goose。 He can't understand
anything。 Hit a goose on the head with a stick and even then it
does not understand。〃

Crutch got up to go home to the factory。 Yakov also got up; and
both of them went off together; still talking。 When they had gone
fifty paces old Tsybukin got up; too; and walked after them;
stepping uncertainly as though on slippery ice。

The village was already plunged in the dusk of evening and the
sun only gleamed on the upper part of the road which ran
wriggling like a snake up the slope。 Old women were coming back
from the woods and children with them; they were bringing baskets
of mushrooms。 Peasant women and girls came in a crowd from the
station where they had been loading the trucks with bricks; and
their noses and their cheeks under their eyes were covered with
red brick…dust。 They were singing。 Ahead of them all was Lipa
singing in a high voice; with her eyes turned upwards to the sky;
breaking into trills as though triumphant and ecstatic that at
last the day was over and she could rest。 In the crowd was her
mother Praskovya; who was walking with a bundle in her arms and
breathless as usual。

〃Good…evening; Makaritch! 〃 cried Lipa; seeing Crutch。
〃Good…evening; darling!〃

〃Good…evening; Lipinka;〃 cried Crutch delighted。 〃Dear girls and
women; love the rich carpenter! Ho…ho! My little children; my
little children。 (Crutch gave a gulp。) My dear little axes!〃

Crutch and Yakov went on further and could still be heard
talking。 Then after them the crowd was met by old Tsybukin and
there was a sudden hush。 Lipa and Praskovya had dropped a little
behind; and when the old man was on a level with them Lipa bowed
down low and said:

〃Good…evening; Grigory Petrovitch。〃

Her mother; too; bowed down。 The old man stopped and; saying
nothing; looked at the two in silence; his lips were quivering
and his eyes full of tears。 Lipa took out of her mother's bundle
a piece of savoury turnover and gave it him。 He took it and began
eating。

The sun had by now set: its glow died away on the road above。 It
grew dark and cool。 Lipa and Praskovya walked on and for some
time they kept crossing themselves。


THE HUNTSMAN

A SULTRY; stifling midday。 Not a cloudlet in the sky。 。 。 。 The
sun…baked grass had a disconsolate; hopeless look: even if there
were rain it could never be green again。 。 。 。 The forest stood
silent; motionless; as though it were looking at something with
its tree…tops or expecting something。

At the edge of the clearing a tall; narrow…shouldered man of
forty in a red shirt; in patched trousers that had been a
gentleman's; and in high boots; was slouching along with a lazy;
shambling step。 He was sauntering along the road。 On the right
was the green of the clearing; on the left a golden sea of ripe
rye stretched to the very horizon。 He was red and perspiring; a
white cap with a straight jockey peak; evidently a gift from some
open…handed young gentleman; perched jauntily on his handsome
flaxen head。 Across his shoulder hung a game…bag with a blackcock
lying in it。 The man held a double…barrelled gun cocked in his
hand; and screwed up his eyes in the direction of his lean old
dog who was running on ahead sniffing the bushes。 There was
stillness all round; not a sound 。 。 。 everything living was
hiding away from the heat。

〃Yegor Vlassitch!〃 the huntsman suddenly heard a soft voice。

He started and; looking round; scowled。 Beside him; as though she
had sprung out of the earth; stood a pale…faced woman of thirty
with a sickle in her hand。 She was trying to look into his face;
and was smiling diffidently。

〃Oh; it is you; Pelagea!〃 said the huntsman; stopping and
deliberately uncocking the gun。 〃H'm! 。 。 。 How have you come
here?〃

〃The women from our village are working here; so I have come with
them。 。 。 。 As a labourer; Yegor Vlassitch。〃

〃Oh 。 。 。〃 growled Yegor Vlassitch; and slowly walked on。

Pelagea followed him。 They walked in silence for twenty paces。

〃I have not seen you for a long time; Yegor Vlassitch 。 。 。〃 said
Pelagea looking tenderly at the huntsman's moving shoulders。 〃I
have not seen you since you came into our hut at Easter for a
drink of water 。 。 。 you came in at Easter for a minute and then
God knows how 。 。 。 drunk 。 。 。 you scolded and beat me and went
away 。 。 。 I have been waiting and waiting 。 。 。 I've tired my
eyes out looking for you。 Ah; Yegor Vlassitch; Yegor Vlassitch!
you might look in just once!〃

〃What is there for me to do there?〃

〃Of course there is nothing for you to do 。 。 。 though to be sure
。 。 。 there is the place to look after。 。 。 。 To see how things
are going。 。 。 。 You are the master。 。 。 。 I say; you have shot a
blackcock; Yegor Vlassitch! You ought to sit down and rest!〃

As she said all this Pelagea laughed like a silly girl and looked
up at Yegor's face。 Her face was simply radiant with happiness。

〃Sit down? If you like 。 。 。〃 said Yegor in a tone of
indifference; and he chose a spot between two fir…trees。 〃Why are
you standing? You sit down too。〃

Pelagea sat a little way off in the sun and; ashamed of her joy;
put her hand over her smiling mouth。 Two minutes passed in
silence。

〃You might come for once;〃 said Pelagea。

〃What for?〃 sighed Yegor; taking off his cap and wiping his red
forehead with his hand。 〃There is no object in my coming。 To go
for an ho

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