the witch and other stories-第38节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！




PEASANTS

I

NIKOLAY　TCHIKILDYEEV；　a　waiter　in　the　Moscow　hotel；　Slavyansky
Bazaar；　was　taken　ill。　His　legs　went　numb　and　his　gait　was
affected；　so　that　on　one　occasion；　as　he　was　going　along　the
corridor；　he　tumbled　and　fell　down　with　a　tray　full　of　ham　and
peas。　He　had　to　leave　his　job。　All　his　own　savings　and　his　wife's
were　spent　on　doctors　and　medicines；　they　had　nothing　left　to
live　upon。　He　felt　dull　with　no　work　to　do；　and　he　made　up　his
mind　he　must　go　home　to　the　village。　It　is　better　to　be　ill　at
home；　and　living　there　is　cheaper；　and　it　is　a　true　saying　that
the　walls　of　home　are　a　help。

He　reached　Zhukovo　towards　evening。　In　his　memories　of　childhood
he　had　pictured　his　home　as　bright；　snug；　comfortable。　Now；　going
into　the　hut；　he　was　positively　frightened；　it　was　so　dark；　so
crowded；　so　unclean。　His　wife　Olga　and　his　daughter　Sasha；　who
had　come　with　him；　kept　looking　in　bewilderment　at　the　big　untidy
stove；　which　filled　up　almost　half　the　hut　and　was　black　with
soot　and　flies。　What　lots　of　flies！　The　stove　was　on　one　side；
the　beams　lay　slanting　on　the　walls；　and　it　looked　as　though　the
hut　were　just　going　to　fall　to　pieces。　In　the　corner；　facing　the
door；　under　the　holy　images；　bottle　labels　and　newspaper　cuttings
were　stuck　on　the　walls　instead　of　pictures。　The　poverty；　the
poverty！　Of　the　grown…up　people　there　were　none　at　home；　all　were
at　work　at　the　harvest。　On　the　stove　was　sitting　a　white…headed
girl　of　eight；　unwashed　and　apathetic；　she　did　not　even　glance　at
them　as　they　came　in。　On　the　floor　a　white　cat　was　rubbing　itself
against　the　oven　fork。

〃Puss；　puss！〃　Sasha　called　to　her。　〃Puss！〃

〃She　can't　hear；〃　said　the　little　girl；　〃she　has　gone　deaf。〃

〃How　is　that？〃

〃Oh；　she　was　beaten。〃

Nikolay　　and　Olga　realized　from　the　firs　t　glance　what　life　was
like　here；　but　said　nothing　to　one　another；　in　silence　they　put
down　their　bundles；　and　went　out　into　the　village　street。　Their
hut　was　the　third　from　the　end；　and　seemed　the　very　poorest　and
oldest…looking；　the　second　was　not　much　better；　but　the　last　one
had　an　iron　roof；　and　curtains　in　the　windows。　That　hut　stood
apart；　not　enclosed；　it　was　a　tavern。　The　huts　were　in　a　single
row；　and　the　whole　of　the　little　village　　quiet　and　dreamy；
with　willows；　elders；　and　mountain…ash　trees　peeping　out　from　the
yards　　had　an　attractive　look。

Beyond　the　peasants　homesteads　there　was　a　slope　down　to　the
river；　so　steep　and　precipitous　that　huge　stones　jutted　out　bare
here　and　there　through　the　clay。　Down　the　slope；　among　the　stones
and　holes　dug　by　the　potters；　ran　winding　paths；　bits　of　broken
pottery；　some　brown；　some　red；　lay　piled　up　in　heaps；　and　below
there　stretched　a　broad；　level；　bright　green　meadow；　from　which
the　hay　had　been　already　carried；　and　in　which　the　peasants'
cattle　were　wandering。　The　river；　three…quarters　of　a　mile　from
the　village；　ran　twisting　and　turning；　with　beautiful　leafy
banks；　beyond　it　was　again　a　broad　meadow；　a　herd　of　cattle；　long
strings　of　white　geese；　then；　just　as　on　the　near　side；　a　steep
ascent　uphill；　and　on　the　top　of　the　hill　a　hamlet；　and　a　church
with　five　domes；　and　at　a　little　distance　the　manor…house。

〃It's　lovely　here　in　your　parts！〃　said　Olga；　crossing　herself　at
the　sight　of　the　church。　〃What　space；　oh　Lord！〃

Just　at　that　moment　the　bell　began　ringing　for　service　（it　was
Saturday　evening）。　Two　little　girls；　down　below；　who　were
dragging　up　a　pail　of　water；　looked　round　at　the　church　to　listen
to　the　bell。

〃At　this　time　they　are　serving　the　dinners　at　the　Slavyansky
Bazaar；〃　said　Nikolay　dreamily。

Sitting　on　the　edge　of　the　slope；　Nikolay　and　Olga　watched　the
sun　setting；　watched　the　gold　and　crimson　sky　reflected　in　the
river；　in　the　church　windows；　and　in　the　whole　air　　which　was
soft　and　still　and　unutterably　pure　as　it　never　was　in　Moscow。
And　when　the　sun　had　set　the　flocks　and　herds　passed；　bleating
and　lowing；　geese　flew　across　from　the　further　side　of　the　river；
and　all　sank　into　silence；　the　soft　light　died　away　in　the　air；
and　the　dusk　of　evening　began　quickly　moving　down　upon　them。

Meanwhile　Nikolay's　father　and　mother；　two　gaunt；　bent；　toothless
old　people；　just　of　the　same　height；　came　back。　The　women　　the
sisters…in…law　Marya　and　Fyokla　　who　had　been　working　on　the
landowner's　estate　beyond　the　river；　arrived　home；　too。　Marya；
the　wife　of　Nikolay's　brother　Kiryak；　had　six　children；　and
Fyokla；　the　wife　of　Nikolay's　brother　Denis　　who　had　gone　for　a
soldier　　had　two；　and　when　Nikolay；　going　into　the　hut；　saw　all
the　family；　all　those　bodies　big　and　little　moving　about　on　the
lockers；　in　the　hanging　cradles　and　in　all　the　corners；　and　when
he　saw　the　greed　with　which　the　old　father　and　the　women　ate　the
black　bread；　dipping　it　in　water；　he　realized　he　had　made　a
mistake　in　coming　here；　sick；　penniless；　and　with　a　family；　too
　a　great　mistake！

〃And　where　is　Kiryak？〃　he　asked　after　they　had　exchanged
greetings。

〃He　is　in　service　at　the　merchant's；〃　answered　his　father；　〃a
keeper　in　the　woods。　He　is　not　a　bad　peasant；　but　too　fond　of　his
glass。〃

〃He　is　no　great　help！〃　said　the　old　woman　tearfully。　〃Our　men　are
a　grievous　lot；　they　bring　nothing　into　the　house；　but　take
plenty　out。　Kiryak　drinks；　and　so　does　the　old　man；　it　is　no　use
hiding　a　sin；　he　knows　his　way　to　the　tavern。　The　Heavenly　Mother
is　wroth。〃

In　honour　of　the　visitors　they　brought　out　the　samovar。　The　tea
smelt　of　fish；　the　sugar　was　grey　and　looked　as　though　it　had
been　nibbled；　cockroaches　ran　to　and　fro　over　the　bread　and　among
the　crockery。　It　was　disgusting　to　drink；　and　the　conversation
was　disgusting；　too　　about　nothing　but　poverty　and　illnesses。
But　before　they　had　time　to　empty　their　first　cups　there　came　a
loud；　prolonged；　drunken　shout　from　the　yard：

〃Ma…arya！〃

〃It　looks　as　though　Kiryak　were　coming；〃　said　the　old　man。　〃Speak
of　the　devil。〃

All　were　hushed。　And　again；　soon　afterwards；　the　same　shout；
coarse　and　drawn…out　as　though　it　came　out　of　the　earth：

〃Ma…arya！〃

Marya；　the　elder　sister…in…law；　turned　pale　and　huddled　against
the　stove；　and　it　was　strange　to　see　the　look　of　terror　on　the
face　of　the　strong；　broad…shouldered；　ugly　woman。　Her　daughter；
the　child　who　had　been　sitting　on　the　stove　and　looked　so
apathetic；　suddenly　broke　into　loud　weeping。

〃What　are　you　howling　for；　you　plague？〃　Fyokla；　a　handsome　woman；
also　strong　and　broad…shouldered；　shouted　to　her。　〃He　won't　kill
you；　no　fear！〃

From　his　old　father　Nikolay　learned　that　Marya　was　afraid　to　live
in　the　forest　with　Kiryak；　and　that　when　he　was　drunk　he　always
came　for　her；　made　a　row；　and　beat　her　mercilessly。

〃Ma…arya！〃　the　shout　sounded　close　to　the　door。

〃Protect　me；　for　Christ's　sake；　good　people！〃　faltered　Marya；
breathing　as　though　she　had　been　plunged　into　very　cold　water。
〃Protect　me；　kind　people。　。　。　。〃

All　the　children　in　the　hut　began　crying；　and　looking　at　them；
Sasha；　too；　began　to　cry。　They　heard　a　drunken　cough；　and　a　tall；
black…bearded　peasant　wearing　a　winter　cap　came　into　the　hut；　and
was　the　more　terrible　because　his　face　could　not　be　seen　in　the
dim　light　of　the　little　lamp。　It　was　Kiryak。　Going　up　to　his
wife；　he　swung　his　arm　and　punched　her　in　the　face　with　his　fist。
Stunned　by　the　blow；　she　did　not　utter　a　sound；　but　sat　down；　and
her　nose　instantly　began　bleeding。

〃What　a　disgrace！　What　a　disgrace！〃　muttered　the　old　man；
clambering　up　on　to　the　stove。　〃Before　visitors；　too！　It's　a
sin！〃

The　old　mother　sat　silent；　bowed；　lost　in　thought；　Fyokla　rocked
the　cradle。

Evidently　conscious　of　inspiring　fear；　and　pleased　at　doing　so；
Kiryak　seized　Marya　by　the　arm；　dragged　her　towards　the　door；　and
bellowed　like　an　animal　in　order　to　seem　still　more　terrible；　but
at　that　moment　he　suddenly　caught　sight　of　the　visitors　and
stopped。

〃Oh；　they　have　come；　。　。　。〃　he　said；　letting　his　wife　go；　〃my　own
brother　and　his　family。　。　。　。〃

Staggering　and　opening　wide　his　red；　drunken　eyes；　he　said　his
prayer　before　the　image　and　went　on：

〃My　brother　and　his　family　have　come　to　the　parental　home　。　。　。
from　Moscow；　I　suppose。　The　great　capital　Moscow；　to　be　sure；　the
mother　of　cities。　。　。　。　Excuse　me。〃

He　sank　down　on　the　bench　near　the　samovar　and　began　drinking
tea；　sipping　it　loudly　from　the　saucer　in　the　midst　of　general
silence。　。　。　。　He　drank　off　a　dozen　cups；　then　reclined　on　the
bench　and　began　snoring。

They　began　going　to　bed。　Nikolay；　as　an　invalid；　was　put　on　the
stove　with　his　old　father；　Sasha　lay　down　on　the　floor；　while
Olga　went　with　the　other　women　into　the　barn。

〃Aye；　aye；　dearie；〃　she　said；　lying　down　on　the　hay　beside　Marya；
〃you　won't　mend　your　trouble　with　tears。　Bear　it　in　patience；
that　is　all。　It　is　written　in　the　Scriptures：　'If　anyone　smite
thee　on　the　right　cheek；　offer　him　the　left　one　also。'　。　。　。　Aye；
aye；　dearie。〃

Then　in　a　low　singsong　murmur　she　told　them　about　Moscow；　about
her　own　life；　how　she　had　been　a　servant　in　furnished　lodgings。

〃And　in　Moscow　the　houses　are　big；　built　of　brick；〃　she　said；
〃and　there　are　ever　so　many　churches；　forty　times　forty；　dearie；
and　they　are　all　gentry　in　the　houses；　so　h