the witch and other stories-第41节

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mournful　look　on　their　faces；　gazed　at　Nikolay　and　thought　that
he　was　soon　to　die；　and　they　wanted　to　cry　and　to　say　something
friendly　and　compassionate　to　him。

He　pressed　close　to　Olga；　as　though　seeking　protection；　and　said
to　her　softly　in　a　quavering　voice：

〃Olya　darling；　I　can't　stay　here　longer。　It's　more　than　I　can
bear。　For　God's　sake；　for　Christ's　sake；　write　to　your　sister
Klavdia　Abramovna。　Let　her　sell　and　pawn　everything　she　has；　let
her　send　us　the　money。　We　will　go　away　from　here。　Oh；　Lord；〃　he
went　on　miserably；　〃to　have　one　peep　at　Moscow！　If　I　could　see　it
in　my　dreams；　the　dear　place！

And　when　the　evening　came　on；　and　it　was　dark　in　the　hut；　it　was
so　dismal　that　it　was　hard　to　utter　a　word。　Granny；　very
ill…tempered；　soaked　some　crusts　of　rye　bread　in　a　cup；　and　was　a
long　time；　a　whole　hour；　sucking　at　them。　Marya；　after　milking
the　cow；　brought　in　a　pail　of　milk　and　set　it　on　a　bench；　then
Granny　poured　it　from　the　pail　into　a　jug　just　as　slowly　and
deliberately；　evidently　pleased　that　it　was　now　the　Fast　of　the
Assumption；　so　that　no　one　would　drink　milk　and　it　would　be　left
untouched。　And　she　only　poured　out　a　very　little　in　a　saucer　for
Fyokla's　baby。　When　Marya　and　she　carried　the　jug　down　to　the
cellar　Motka　suddenly　stirred；　clambered　down　from　the　stove；　and
going　to　the　bench　where　stood　the　wooden　cup　full　of　crusts；
sprinkled　into　it　some　milk　from　the　saucer。

Granny；　coming　back　into　the　hut；　sat　down　to　her　soaked　crusts
again；　while　Sasha　and　Motka；　sitting　on　the　stove；　gazed　at　her；
and　they　were　glad　that　she　had　broken　her　fast　and　now　would　go
to　hell。　They　were　comforted　and　lay　down　to　sleep；　and　Sasha　as
she　dozed　off　to　sleep　imagined　the　Day　of　Judgment：　a　huge　fire
was　burning；　somewhat　like　a　potter's　kiln；　and　the　Evil　One；
with　horns　like　a　cow's；　and　black　all　over；　was　driving　Granny
into　the　fire　with　a　long　stick；　just　as　Granny　herself　had　been
driving　the　geese。


V

On　the　day　of　the　Feast　of　the　Assumption；　between　ten　and　eleven
in　the　evening；　the　girls　and　lads　who　were　merrymaking　in　the
meadow　suddenly　raised　a　clamour　and　outcry；　and　ran　in　the
direction　of　the　village；　and　those　who　were　above　on　the　edge　of
the　ravine　could　not　for　the　first　moment　make　out　what　was　the
matter。

〃Fire！　Fire！〃　they　heard　desperate　shouts　from　below。　〃The
village　is　on　fire！〃

Those　who　were　sitting　above　looked　round；　and　a　terrible　and
extraordinary　spectacle　met　their　eyes。　On　the　thatched　roof　of
one　of　the　end　cottages　stood　a　column　of　flame；　seven　feet　high；
which　curled　round　and　scattered　sparks　in　all　directions　as
though　it　were　a　fountain。　And　all　at　once　the　whole　roof　burst
into　bright　flame；　and　the　crackling　of　the　fire　was　audible。

The　light　of　the　moon　was　dimmed；　and　the　whole　village　was　by
now　bathed　in　a　red　quivering　glow：　black　shadows　moved　over　the
ground；　there　was　a　smell　of　burning；　and　those　who　ran　up　from
below　were　all　gasping　and　could　not　speak　for　trembling；　they
jostled　against　each　other；　fell　down；　and　they　could　hardly　see
in　the　unaccustomed　light；　and　did　not　recognize　each　other。　It
was　terrible。　What　seemed　particularly　dreadful　was　that　doves
were　flying　over　the　fire　in　the　smoke；　and　in　the　tavern；　where
they　did　not　yet　know　of　the　fire；　they　were　still　singing　and
playing　the　concertina　as　though　there　were　nothing　the　matter。

〃Uncle　Semyon's　on　fire；〃　shouted　a　loud；　coarse　voice。

Marya　was　fussing　about　round　her　hut；　weeping　and　wringing　her
hands；　while　her　teeth　chattered；　though　the　fire　was　a　long　way
off　at　the　other　end　of　the　village。　Nikolay　came　out　in　high
felt　boots；　the　children　ran　out　in　their　little　smocks。　Near　the
village　constable's　hut　an　iron　sheet　was　struck。　Boom；　boom；
boom！　。　。　。　floated　through　the　air；　and　this　repeated；
persistent　sound　sent　a　pang　to　the　heart　and　turned　one　cold。
The　old　women　stood　with　the　holy　ikons。　Sheep；　calves；　cows　were
driven　out　of　the　back…yards　into　the　street；　boxes；　sheepskins；
tubs　were　carried　out。　A　black　stallion；　who　was　kept　apart　from
the　drove　of　horses　because　he　kicked　and　injured　them；　on　being
set　free　ran　once　or　twice　up　and　down　the　village；　neighing　and
pawing　the　ground；　then　suddenly　stopped　short　near　a　cart　and
began　kicking　it　with　his　hind…legs。

They　began　ringing　the　bells　in　the　church　on　the　other　side　of
the　river。

Near　the　burning　hut　it　was　hot　and　so　light　that　one　could
distinctly　see　every　blade　of　grass。　Semyon；　a　red…haired　peasant
with　a　long　nose；　wearing　a　reefer…jacket　and　a　cap　pulled　down
right　over　his　ears；　sat　on　one　of　the　boxes　which　they　had
succeeded　in　bringing　out：　his　wife　was　lying　on　her　face；
moaning　and　unconscious。　A　little　old　man　of　eighty；　with　a　big
beard；　who　looked　like　a　gnome　　not　one　of　the　villagers；
though　obviously　connected　in　some　way　with　the　fire　　walked
about　bareheaded；　with　a　white　bundle　in　his　arms。　The　glare　was
reflected　on　his　bald　head。　The　village　elder；　Antip　Syedelnikov；
as　swarthy　and　black…haired　as　a　gypsy；　went　up　to　the　hut　with
an　axe；　and　hacked　out　the　windows　one　after　another　　no　one
knew　why　　then　began　chopping　up　the　roof。

〃Women；　water！〃　he　shouted。　〃Bring　the　engine！　Look　sharp！〃

The　peasants；　who　had　been　drinking　in　the　tavern　just　before；
dragged　the　engine　up。　They　were　all　drunk；　they　kept　stumbling
and　falling　down；　and　all　had　a　helpless　expression　and　tears　in
their　eyes。

〃Wenches；　water！　〃　shouted　the　elder；　who　was　drunk；　too。　〃Look
sharp；　wenches！〃

The　women　and　the　girls　ran　downhill　to　where　there　was　a　spring；
and　kept　hauling　pails　and　buckets　of　water　up　the　hill；　and；
pouring　it　into　the　engine；　ran　down　again。　Olga　and　Marya　and
Sasha　and　Motka　all　brought　water。　The　women　and　the　boys　pumped
the　water；　the　pipe　hissed；　and　the　elder；　directing　it　now　at
the　door；　now　at　the　windows；　held　back　the　stream　with　his
finger；　which　made　it　hiss　more　sharply　still。

〃Bravo；　Antip！〃　voices　shouted　approvingly。　〃Do　your　best。〃

Antip　went　inside　the　hut　into　the　fire　and　shouted　from　within。

〃Pump！　Bestir　yourselves；　good　Christian　folk；　in　such　a　terrible
mischance！〃

The　peasants　stood　round　in　a　crowd；　doing　nothing　but　staring　at
the　fire。　No　one　knew　what　to　do；　no　one　had　the　sense　to　do
anything；　though　there　were　stacks　of　wheat；　hay；　barns；　and
piles　of　faggots　standing　all　round。　Kiryak　and　old　Osip；　his
father；　both　tipsy；　were　standing　there；　too。　And　as　though　to
justify　his　doing　nothing；　old　Osip　said；　addressing　the　woman
who　lay　on　the　ground：

〃What　is　there　to　trouble　about；　old　girl！　The　hut　is　insured　
why　are　you　taking　on？〃

Semyon；　addressing　himself　first　to　one　person　and　then　to
another；　kept　describing　how　the　fire　had　started。

〃That　old　man；　the　one　with　the　bundle；　a　house…serf　of　General
Zhukov's。　。　。　。　He　was　cook　at　our　general's；　God　rest　his　soul！
He　came　over　this　evening：　'Let　me　stay　the　night；'　says　he。　。　。
。　Well；　we　had　a　glass；　to　be　sure。　。　。　。　The　wife　got　the
samovar　　she　was　going　to　give　the　old　fellow　a　cup　of　tea；　and
in　an　unlucky　hour　she　set　the　samovar　in　the　entrance。　The
sparks　from　the　chimney　must　have　blown　straight　up　to　the
thatch；　that's　how　it　was。　We　were　almost　burnt　ourselves。　And
the　old　fellow's　cap　has　been　burnt；　what　a　shame！〃

And　the　sheet　of　iron　was　struck　indefatigably；　and　the　bells
kept　ringing　in　the　church　the　other　side　of　the　river。　In　the
glow　of　the　fir　e　Olga；　breathless；　looking　with　horror　at　the
red　sheep　and　the　pink　doves　flying　in　the　smoke；　kept　running
down　the　hill　and　up　again。　It　seemed　to　her　that　the　ringing
went　to　her　heart　with　a　sharp　stab；　that　the　fire　would　never　be
over；　that　Sasha　was　lost。　。　。　。　And　when　the　ceiling　of　the　hut
fell　in　with　a　crash；　the　thought　that　now　the　whole　village
would　be　burnt　made　her　weak　and　faint；　and　she　could　not　go　on
fetching　water；　but　sat　down　on　the　ravine；　setting　the　pail　down
near　her；　beside　her　and　below　her；　the　peasant　women　sat　wailing
as　though　at　a　funeral。

Then　the　stewards　and　watchmen　from　the　estate　the　other　side　of
the　river　arrived　in　two　carts；　bringing　with　them　a　fire…engine。
A　very　young　student　in　an　unbuttoned　white　tunic　rode　up　on
horseback。　There　was　the　thud　of　axes。　They　put　a　ladder　to　the
burning　framework　of　the　house；　and　five　men　ran　up　it　at　once。
Foremost　of　them　all　was　the　student；　who　was　red　in　the　face　and
shouting　in　a　harsh　hoarse　voice；　and　in　a　tone　as　though　putting
out　fires　was　a　thing　he　was　used　to。　They　pulled　the　house　to
pieces；　a　beam　at　a　time；　they　dragged　away　the　corn；　the
hurdles；　and　the　stacks　that　were　near。

〃Don't　let　them　break　it　up！　〃　cried　stern　voices　in　the　crowd。
〃Don't　let　them。〃

Kiryak　made　his　way　up　to　the　hut　with　a　resolute　air；　as　though
he　meant　to　prevent　the　newcomers　from　breaking　up　the　hut；　but
one　of　the　workmen　turned　him　back　with　a　blow　in　his　neck。　There
was　the　sound　of　laughter；　the　workman　dealt　him　another　blow；
Kiryak　fell　down；　and　crawled　back　into　the　crowd　on　his　hands
and　knees。

Two　handsome　girls　in　hats；　probably　the　student's　sisters；　ca