the witch and other stories-第35节

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will　be　rich。　Where　has　God　brought　you　from？〃

〃From　the　Kovylyevsky　fields。〃

〃That's　a　good　way。　Are　you　letting　the　land　on　the　part…crop
system？〃

〃Part　of　it。　Some　like　that；　and　some　we　are　letting　on　lease；
and　some　for　raising　melons　and　cucumbers。　I　have　just　come　from
the　mill。〃

A　big　shaggy　old　sheep…dog　of　a　dirty　white　colour　with　woolly
tufts　about　its　nose　and　eyes　walked　three　times　quietly　round
the　horse；　trying　to　seem　unconcerned　in　the　presence　of
strangers；　then　all　at　once　dashed　suddenly　from　behind　at　the
overseer　with　an　angry　aged　growl；　the　other　dogs　could　not
refrain　from　leaping　up　too。

〃Lie　down；　you　damned　brute；〃　cried　the　old　man；　raising　himself
on　his　elbow；　〃blast　you；　you　devil's　creature。〃

When　the　dogs　were　quiet　again；　the　old　man　resumed　his　former
attitude　and　said　quietly：

〃It　was　at　Kovyli　on　Ascension　Day　that　Yefim　Zhmenya　died。　Don't
speak　of　it　in　the　dark；　it　is　a　sin　to　mention　such　people。　He
was　a　wicked　old　man。　I　dare　say　you　have　heard。〃

〃No；　I　haven't〃

〃Yefim　Zhmenya；　the　uncle　of　Styopka；　the　blacksmith。　The　whole
district　round　knew　him。　Aye；　he　was　a　cursed　old　man；　he　was！　I
knew　him　for　sixty　years；　ever　since　Tsar　Alexander　who　beat　the
French　was　brought　from　Taganrog　to　Moscow。　We　went　together　to
meet　the　dead　Tsar；　and　in　those　days　the　great　highway　did　not
run　to　Bahmut；　but　from　Esaulovka　to　Gorodishtche；　and　where
Kovyli　is　now；　there　were　bustards'　nests　　there　was　a
bustard's　nest　at　every　step。　Even　then　I　had　noticed　that　Yefim
had　given　his　soul　to　damnation；　and　that　the　Evil　One　was　in
him。　I　have　observed　that　if　any　man　of　the　peasant　class　is　apt
to　be　silent；　takes　up　with　old　women's　jobs；　and　tries　to　live
in　solitude；　there　is　no　good　in　it；　and　Yefim　from　his　youth　up
was　always　one　to　hold　his　tongue　and　look　at　you　sideways；　he
always　seemed　to　be　sulky　and　bristling　like　a　cock　before　a　hen。
To　go　to　church　or　to　the　tavern　or　to　lark　in　the　street　with
the　lads　was　not　his　fashion；　he　would　rather　sit　alone　or　be
whispering　with　old　women。　When　he　was　still　young　he　took　jobs
to　look　after　the　bees　and　the　market　gardens。　Good　folks　would
come　to　his　market　garden　sometimes　and　his　melons　were
whistling。　One　day　he　caught　a　pike；　when　folks　were　looking　on；
and　it　laughed　aloud；　'Ho…ho…ho…ho！'　〃

〃It　does　happen；〃　said　Panteley。

The　young　shepherd　turned　on　his　side　and；　lifting　his　black
eyebrows；　stared　intently　at　the　old　man。

〃Did　you　hear　the　melons　whistling？〃　he　asked。

〃Hear　them　I　didn't；　the　Lord　spared　me；〃　sighed　the　old　man；
〃but　folks　told　me　so。　It　is　no　great　wonder　。　。　。　the　Evil　One
will　begin　whistling　in　a　stone　if　he　wants　to。　Before　the　Day　of
Freedom　a　rock　was　humming　for　three　days　and　three　nights　in　our
parts。　I　heard　it　myself。　The　pike　laughed　because　Yefim　caught　a
devil　instead　of　a　pike。〃

The　old　man　remembered　something。　He　got　up　quickly　on　to　his
knees　and；　shrinking　as　though　from　the　cold；　nervously　thrusting
his　hands　into　his　sleeves；　he　muttered　in　a　rapid　womanish
gabble：

〃Lord　save　us　and　have　mercy　upon　us！　I　was　walking　along　the
river　bank　one　day　to　Novopavlovka。　A　storm　was　gathering；　such　a
tempest　it　was；　preserve　us　Holy　Mother；　Queen　of　Heaven。　。　。　。　I
was　hurrying　on　as　best　I　could；　I　looked；　and　beside　the　path
between　the　thorn　bushes　　the　thorn　was　in　flower　at　the　time
　there　was　a　white　bullock　coming　along。　I　wondered　whose
bullock　it　was；　and　what　the　devil　had　sent　it　there　for。　It　was
coming　along　and　swinging　its　tail　and　moo…oo…oo！　but　would　you
believe　it；　friends；　I　overtake　it；　I　come　up　close　　and　it's
not　a　bullock；　but　Yefim　　holy；　holy；　holy！　I　make　the　sign　of
the　cross　while　he　stares　at　me　and　mutters；　showing　the　whites
of　his　eyes；　wasn't　I　frightened！　We　came　alongside；　I　was　afraid
to　say　a　word　to　him　　the　thunder　was　crashing；　the　sky　was
streaked　with　lightning；　the　willows　were　bent　right　down　to　the
water　　all　at　once；　my　friends；　God　strike　me　dead　that　I　die
impenitent；　a　hare　ran　across　the　path　。　。　。　it　ran　and　stopped；
and　said　like　a　man：　'Good…evening；　peasants。'　Lie　down；　you
brute！　〃　the　old　man　cried　to　the　shaggy　dog；　who　was　moving
round　the　horse　again。　〃Plague　take　you！〃

〃It　does　happen；〃　said　the　overseer；　still　leaning　on　the　saddle
and　not　stirring；　he　said　this　in　the　hollow；　toneless　voice　in
which　men　speak　when　they　are　plunged　in　thought。

〃It　does　happen；〃　he　repeated；　in　a　tone　of　profundity　and
conviction。

〃Ugh；　he　was　a　nasty　old　fellow；〃　the　old　shepherd　went　on　with
somewhat　less　fervour。　〃Five　years　after　the　Freedom　he　was
flogged　by　the　commune　at　the　office；　so　to　show　his　spite　he
took　and　sent　the　throat　illness　upon　all　Kovyli。　Folks　died　out
of　number；　lots　and　lots　of　them；　just　as　in　cholera。　。　。　。〃

〃How　did　he　send　the　illness？〃　asked　the　young　shepherd　after　a
brief　silence。

〃We　all　know　how；　there　is　no　great　cleverness　needed　where　there
is　a　will　to　it。　Yefim　murdered　people　with　viper's　fat。　That　is
such　a　poison　that　folks　will　die　from　the　mere　smell　of　it；　let
alone　the　fat。〃

〃That's　true；〃　Panteley　agreed。

〃The　lads　wanted　to　kill　him　at　the　time；　but　the　old　people
would　not　let　them。　It　would　never　have　done　to　kill　him；　he　knew
the　place　where　the　treasure　is　hidden；　and　not　another　soul　did
know。　The　treasures　about　here　are　charmed　so　that　you　may　find
them　and　not　see　them；　but　he　did　see　them。　At　times　he　would
walk　along　the　river　bank　or　in　the　forest；　and　under　the　bushes
and　under　the　rocks　there　would　be　little　flames；　little　flames。
。　。　little　flames　as　though　from　brimstone。　I　have　seen　them
myself。　Everyone　expected　that　Yefim　would　show　people　the　places
or　dig　the　treasure　up　himself；　but　he　　as　the　saying　is；　like
a　dog　in　the　manger　　so　he　died　without　digging　it　up　himself
or　showing　other　people。〃

The　overseer　lit　a　pipe；　and　for　an　instant　lighted　up　his　big
moustaches　and　his　sharp；　stern…looking；　and　dignified　nose。
Little　circles　of　light　danced　from　his　hands　to　his　cap；　raced
over　the　saddle　along　the　horse's　back；　and　vanished　in　its　mane
near　its　ears。

〃There　are　lots　of　hidden　treasures　in　these　parts；〃　he　said。

And　slowly　stretching；　he　looked　round　him；　resting　his　eyes　on
the　whitening　east　and　added：

〃There　must　be　treasures。〃

〃To　be　sure；〃　sighed　the　old　man；　〃one　can　see　from　every　sign
there　are　treasures；　only　there　is　no　one　to　dig　them；　brother。
No　one　knows　the　real　places；　besides；　nowadays；　you　must
remember；　all　the　treasures　are　under　a　charm。　To　find　them　and
see　them　you　must　have　a　talisman；　and　without　a　talisman　you　can
do　nothing；　lad。　Yefim　had　talismans；　but　there　was　no　getting
anything　out　of　him；　the　bald　devil。　He　kept　them；　so　that　no　one
could　get　them。〃

The　young　shepherd　crept　two　paces　nearer　to　he　old　man　and；
propping　his　head　on　his　fists；　fastened　his　fixed　stare　upon
him。　A　childish　expression　of　terror　and　curiosity　gleamed　in　his
dark　eyes；　and　seemed　in　the　twilight　to　stretch　and　flatten　out
the　large　features　of　his　coarse　young　face。　He　was　listening
intently。

〃It　is　even　written　in　the　Scriptures　that　there　are　lots　of
treasures　hidden　here；〃　the　old　man　went　on；　〃it　is　so　for　sure。
。　。　and　no　mistake　about　it。　An　old　soldier　of　Novopavlovka　was
shown　at　Ivanovka　a　writing；　and　in　this　writing　it　was　printed
about　the　place　of　the　treasure　and　even　how　many　pounds　of　gold
was　in　it　and　the　sort　of　vessel　it　was　in；　they　would　have　found
the　treasures　long　ago　by　that　writing；　only　the　treasure　is
under　a　spell；　you　can't　get　at　it。〃

〃Why　can't　you　get　at　it；　grandfather？〃　asked　the　young　man。

I　suppose　there　is　some　reason；　the　soldier　didn't　say。　It　is
under　a　spell　。　。　。　you　need　a　talisman。〃

The　old　man　spoke　with　warmth；　as　though　he　were　pouring　out　his
soul　before　the　overseer。　He　talked　through　his　nose　and；　being
unaccustomed　to　talk　much　and　rapidly；　stuttered；　and；　conscious
of　his　defects；　he　tried　to　adorn　his　speech　with　gesticulations
of　the　hands　and　head　and　thin　shoulders；　and　at　every　movement
his　hempen　shirt　crumpled　into　folds；　slipped　upwards　and
displayed　his　back；　black　with　age　and　sunburn。　He　kept　pulling
it　down；　but　it　slipped　up　again　at　once。　At　last；　as　though
driven　out　of　all　patience　by　the　rebellious　shirt；　the　old　man
leaped　up　and　said　bitterly：

〃There　is　fortune；　but　what　is　the　good　of　it　if　it　is　buried　in
the　earth？　It　is　just　riches　wasted　with　no　profit　to　anyone；
like　chaff　or　sheep's　dung；　and　yet　there　are　riches　there；　lad；
fortune　enough　for　all　the　country　round；　but　not　a　soul　sees　it！
It　will　come　to　this；　that　the　gentry　will　dig　it　up　or　the
government　will　take　it　away。　The　gentry　have　begun　digging　the
barrows。　。　。　。　They　scented　something！　They　are　envious　of　the
peasants'　luck！　The　government；　too；　is　looking　after　itself。　It
is　written　in　the　law　that　if　any　peasant　finds　the　treasure　he
is　to　take　it　to　the　authorities！　I　dare　say；　wait　till　you　get
it！　There　is　a　brew　but　not　for　you！〃

The　old　man　laughed　contemptuously　and　sat　down　on　the　ground。
The　overseer　listened　w