the witch and other stories-第4节

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Varvara　to　bring　in　the　samovar　and　make　their　beds。

One　June　evening　when　the　sun　was　setting　and　the　air　was　full　of
the　smell　of　hay；　of　steaming　dung…heaps　and　new　milk；　a
plain…looking　cart　drove　into　Dyudya's　yard　with　three　people　in
it：　a　man　of　about　thirty　in　a　canvas　suit；　beside　him　a　little
boy　of　seven　or　eight　in　a　long　black　coat　with　big　bone　buttons；
and　on　the　driver's　seat　a　young　fellow　in　a　red　shirt。

The　young　fellow　took　out　the　horses　and　led　them　out　into　the
street　to　walk　them　up　and　down　a　bit；　while　the　traveller
washed；　said　a　prayer；　turning　towards　the　church；　then　spread　a
rug　near　the　cart　and　sat　down　with　the　boy　to　supper。　He　ate
without　haste；　sedately；　and　Dyudya；　who　had　seen　a　good　many
travellers　in　his　time；　knew　him　from　his　manners　for　a
businesslike　man；　serious　and　aware　of　his　own　value。

Dyudya　was　sitting　on　the　step　in　his　waistcoat　without　a　cap　on；
waiting　for　the　visitor　to　speak　first。　He　was　used　to　hearing
all　kinds　of　stories　from　the　travellers　in　the　evening；　and　he
liked　listening　to　them　before　going　to　bed。　His　old　wife；
Afanasyevna；　and　his　daughter…in…law　Sofya；　were　milking　in　the
cowshed。　The　other　daughter…in…law；　Varvara；　was　sitting　at　the
open　window　of　the　upper　storey；　eating　sunflower　seeds。

〃The　little　chap　will　be　your　son；　I'm　thinking？〃　Dyudya　asked
the　traveller。

〃No；　adopted。　An　orphan。　I　took　him　for　my　soul's　salvation。〃

They　got　into　conversation。　The　stranger　seemed　to　be　a　man　fond
of　talking　and　ready　of　speech；　and　Dyudya　learned　from　him　that
he　was　from　the　town；　was　of　the　tradesman　class；　and　had　a　house
of　his　own；　that　his　name　was　Matvey　Savitch；　that　he　was　on　his
way　now　to　look　at　some　gardens　that　he　was　renting　from　some
German　colonists；　and　that　the　boy's　name　was　Kuzka。　The　evening
was　hot　and　close；　no　one　felt　inclined　for　sleep。　When　it　was
getting　dark　and　pale　stars　began　to　twinkle　here　and　there　in
the　sky；　Matvey　Savitch　began　to　tell　how　he　had　come　by　Kuzka。
Afanasyevna　and　Sofya　stood　a　little　way　off；　listening。　Kuzka
had　gone　to　the　gate。

〃It's　a　complicated　story；　old　man；〃　began　Matvey　Savitch；　〃and
if　I　were　to　tell　you　all　just　as　it　happened；　it　would　take　all
night　and　more。　Ten　years　ago　in　a　little　house　in　our　street；
next　door　to　me；　where　now　there's　a　tallow　and　oil　factory；
there　was　living　an　old　widow；　Marfa　Semyonovna　Kapluntsev；　and
she　had　two　sons：　one　was　a　guard　on　the　railway；　but　the　other；
Vasya；　who　was　just　my　own　age；　lived　at　home　with　his　mother。
Old　Kapluntsev　had　kept　five　pair　of　horses　and　sent　carriers　all
over　the　town；　his　widow　had　not　given　up　the　business；　but
managed　the　carriers　as　well　as　her　husband　had　done；　so　that
some　days　they　would　bring　in　as　much　as　five　roubles　from　their
rounds。

〃The　young　fellow；　too；　made　a　trifle　on　his　own　account。　He　used
to　breed　fancy　pigeons　and　sell　them　to　fanciers；　at　times　he
would　stand　for　hours　on　the　roof；　waving　a　broom　in　the　air　and
whistling；　his　pigeons　were　right　up　in　the　clouds；　but　it　wasn't
enough　for　him；　and　he'd　want　them　to　go　higher　yet。　Siskins　and
starlings；　too；　he　used　to　catch；　and　he　made　cages　for　sale。　All
trifles；　but；　mind　you；　he'd　pick　up　some　ten　roubles　a　month
over　such　trifles。　Well；　as　time　went　on；　the　old　lady　lost　the
use　of　her　legs　and　took　to　her　bed。　In　consequence　of　which
event　the　house　was　left　without　a　woman　to　look　after　it；　and
that's　for　all　the　world　like　a　man　without　an　eye。　The　old　lady
bestirred　herself　and　made　up　her　mind　to　marry　Vasya。　They
called　in　a　matchmaker　at　once；　the　women　got　to　talking　of　one
thing　and　another；　and　Vasya　went　off　to　have　a　look　at　the
girls。　He　picked　out　Mashenka；　a　widow's　daughter。　They　made　up
their　minds　without　loss　of　time　and　in　a　week　it　was　all
settled。　The　girl　was　a　little　slip　of　a　thing；　seventeen；　but
fair…skinned　and　pretty…looking；　and　like　a　lady　in　all　her　ways；
and　a　decent　dowry　with　her；　five　hundred　roubles；　a　cow；　a　bed。
。　。　。　Well；　the　old　lady　　it　seemed　as　though　she　had　known　it
was　coming　　three　days　after　the　wedding；　departed　to　the
Heavenly　Jerusalem　where　is　neither　sickness　nor　sighing。　The
young　people　gave　her　a　good　funeral　and　began　their　life
together。　For　just　six　months　they　got　on　splendidly；　and　then
all　of　a　sudden　another　misfortune。　It　never　rains　but　it　pours：
Vasya　was　summoned　to　the　recruiting　office　to　draw　lots　for　the
service。　He　was　taken；　poor　chap；　for　a　soldier；　and　not　even
granted　exemption。　They　shaved　his　head　and　packed　him　off　to
Poland。　It　was　God's　will；　there　was　nothing　to　be　done。　When　he
said　good…bye　to　his　wife　in　the　yard；　he　bore　it　all　right；　but
as　he　glanced　up　at　the　hay…loft　and　his　pigeons　for　the　last
time；　he　burst　out　crying。　It　was　pitiful　to　see　him。

〃At　first　Mashenka　got　her　mother　to　stay　with　her；　that　she
mightn't　be　dull　all　alone；　she　stayed　till　the　baby　　this　very
Kuzka　here　　was　born；　and　then　she　went　off　to　Oboyan　to
another　married　daughter's　and　left　Mashenka　alone　with　the　baby。
There　were　five　peasants　　the　carriers　　a　drunken　saucy　lot；
horses；　too；　and　dray…carts　to　see　to；　and　then　the　fence　would
be　broken　or　the　soot　afire　in　the　chimney　　jobs　beyond　a
woman；　and　through　our　being　neighbours；　she　got　into　the　way　of
turning　to　me　for　every　little　thing。　。　。　。　Well；　I'd　go　over；
set　things　to　rights；　and　give　advice。　。　。　。　Naturally；　not
without　going　indoors；　drinking　a　cup　of　tea　and　having　a　little
chat　with　her。　I　was　a　young　fellow；　intellectual；　and　fond　of
talking　on　all　sorts　of　subjects；　she；　too；　was　well…bred　and
　educated。　She　was　always　neatly　dressed；　and　in　summer　she
walked　out　with　a　sunshade。　Sometimes　I　would　begin　upon　religion
or　politics　with　her；　and　she　was　flattered　and　would　entertain
me　with　tea　and　jam。　。　。　。　In　a　word；　not　to　make　a　long　story　of
it；　I　must　tell　you；　old　man；　a　year　had　not　passed　before　the
Evil　One；　the　enemy　of　all　mankind；　confounded　me。　I　began　to
notice　that　any　day　I　didn't　go　to　see　her；　I　seemed　out　of　sorts
and　dull。　And　I'd　be　continually　making　up　something　that　I　must
see　her　about：　'It's　high　time；'　I'd　say　to　myself；　'to　put　the
double　windows　in　for　the　winter；'　and　the　whole　day　I'd　idle
away　over　at　her　place　putting　in　the　windows　and　take　good　care
to　leave　a　couple　of　them　over　for　the　next　day　too。

〃　'I　ought　to　count　over　Vasya's　pigeons；　to　see　none　of　them
have　strayed；'　and　so　on。　I　used　always　to　be　talking　to　her
across　the　fence；　and　in　the　end　I　made　a　little　gate　in　the
fence　so　as　not　to　have　to　go　so　far　round。　From　womankind　comes
much　evil　into　the　world　and　every　kind　of　abomination。　Not　we
sinners　only；　even　the　saints　themselves　have　been　led　astray　by
them。　Mashenka　did　not　try　to　keep　me　at　a　distance。　Instead　of
thinking　of　her　husband　and　being　on　her　guard；　she　fell　in　love
with　me。　I　began　to　notice　that　she　was　dull　without　me；　and　was
always　walking　to　and　fro　by　the　fence　looking　into　my　yard
through　the　cracks。

〃My　brains　were　going　round　in　my　head　in　a　sort　of　frenzy。　On
Thursday　in　Holy　Week　I　was　going　early　in　the　morning　　it　was
scarcely　light　　to　market。　I　passed　close　by　her　gate；　and　the
Evil　One　was　by　me　　at　my　elbow。　I　looked　　she　had　a　gate
with　open　trellis　work　at　the　top　　and　there　she　was；　up
already；　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　yard；　feeding　the　ducks。　I
could　not　restrain　myself；　and　I　called　her　name。　She　came　up　and
looked　at　me　through　the　trellis。　。　。　。　Her　little　face　was
white；　her　eyes　soft　and　sleepy…looking。　。　。　。　I　liked　her　looks
immensely；　and　I　began　paying　her　compliments；　as　though　we　were
not　at　the　gate；　but　just　as　one　does　on　namedays；　while　she
blushed；　and　laughed；　and　kept　looking　straight　into　my　eyes
without　winking。　。　。　。　I　lost　all　sense　and　began　to　declare　my
love　to　her。　。　。　。　She　opened　the　gate；　and　from　that　morning　we
began　to　live　as　man　and　wife。　。　。　。〃

The　hunchback　Alyoshka　came　into　the　yard　from　the　street　and　ran
out　of　breath　into　the　house；　not　looking　at　any　one。　A　minute
later　he　ran　out　of　the　house　with　a　concertina。　Jingling　some
coppers　in　his　pocket；　and　cracking　sunflower　seeds　as　he　ran；　he
went　out　at　the　gate。

〃And　who's　that；　pray？〃　asked　Matvey　Savitch。

〃My　son　Alexey；〃　answered　Dyudya。　〃He's　off　on　a　spree；　the
rascal。　God　has　afflicted　him　with　a　hump；　so　we　are　not　very
hard　on　him。〃

〃And　he's　always　drinking　with　the　other　fellows；　always
drinking；〃　sighed　Afanasyevna。　〃Before　Carnival　we　married　him；
thinking　he'd　be　steadier；　but　there！　he's　worse　than　ever。〃

〃It's　been　no　use。　Simply　keeping　another　man's　daughter　for
nothing；〃　said　Dyudya。

Somewhere　behind　the　church　they　began　to　sing　a　glorious；
mournful　song。　The　words　they　could　not　catch　and　only　the　voices
could　be　heard　　two　tenors　and　a　bass。　All　were　listening；
there　was　complete　stillness　in　the　yard。　。　。　。　Two　voices
suddenly　broke　off　with　a　loud　roar　of　laughter；　but　the　third；　a
tenor；　still　sang　on；　and　took　so　high　a　note　that　every　one
instinctively　looked　upwards；　as　though　the　voice　had　soared　to
heaven　itself。

Varvara　came　out