the witch and other stories-第42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！


and　knees。

Two　handsome　girls　in　hats；　probably　the　student's　sisters；　came
from　the　other　side　of　the　river。　They　stood　a　little　way　off；
looking　at　the　fire。　The　beams　that　had　been　dragged　apart　were
no　longer　burning；　but　were　smoking　vigorously；　the　student；　who
was　working　the　hose；　turned　the　water；　first　on　the　beams；　then
on　the　peasants；　then　on　the　women　who　were　bringing　the　water。

〃George！〃　the　girls　called　to　him　reproachfully　in　anxiety；
〃George！〃

The　fire　was　over。　And　only　when　they　began　to　disperse　they
noticed　that　the　day　was　breaking；　that　everyone　was　pale　and
rather　dark　in　the　face；　as　it　always　seems　in　the　early　morning
when　the　last　stars　are　going　out。　As　they　separated；　the
peasants　laughed　and　made　jokes　about　General　Zhukov's　cook　and
his　cap　which　had　been　burnt；　they　already　wanted　to　turn　the
fire　into　a　joke；　and　even　seemed　sorry　that　it　had　so　soon　been
put　out。

〃How　well　you　extinguished　the　fire；　sir！〃　said　Olga　to　the
student。　〃You　ought　to　come　to　us　in　Moscow：　there　we　have　a　fire
every　day。〃

〃Why；　do　you　come　from　Moscow？〃　asked　one　of　the　young　ladies。

〃Yes；　miss。　My　husband　was　a　waiter　at　the　Slavyansky　Bazaar。　And
this　is　my　daughter；〃　she　said；　indicating　Sasha；　who　was　cold
and　huddling　up　to　her。　〃She　is　a　Moscow　girl；　too。〃

The　two　young　ladies　said　something　in　French　to　the　student；　and
he　gave　Sasha　a　twenty…kopeck　piece。

Old　Father　Osip　saw　this；　and　there　was　a　gleam　of　hope　in　his
face。

〃We　must　thank　God；　your　honour；　there　was　no　wind；〃　he　said；
addressing　the　student；　〃or　else　we　should　have　been　all　burnt　up
together。　Your　honour；　kind　gentlefolks；〃　he　added　in
embarrassment　in　a　lower　tone；　〃the　morning's　chilly　。　。　。
something　to　warm　one　。　。　。　half　a　bottle　to　your　honour's
health。〃

Nothing　was　given　him；　and　clearing　his　throat　he　slouched　home。
Olga　stood　afterwards　at　the　end　of　the　street　and　watched　the
two　carts　crossing　the　river　by　the　ford　and　the　gentlefolks
walking　across　the　meadow；　a　carriage　was　waiting　for　them　the
other　side　of　the　river。　Going　into　the　hut；　she　described　to　her
husband　with　enthusiasm：

〃Such　good　people！　And　so　beautiful！　The　young　ladies　were　like
cherubim。〃

〃Plague　take　them！〃　Fyokla；　sleepy；　said　spitefully。

VI

Marya　thought　herself　unhappy；　and　said　that　she　would　be　very
glad　to　die；　Fyokla；　on　the　other　hand；　found　all　this　life　to
her　taste：　the　poverty；　the　uncleanliness；　and　the　incessant
quarrelling。　She　ate　what　was　given　her　without　discrimination；
slept　anywhere；　on　whatever　came　to　hand。　She　would　empty　the
slops　just　at　the　porch；　would　splash　them　out　from　the　doorway；
and　then　walk　barefoot　through　the　puddle。　And　from　the　very
first　day　she　took　a　dislike　to　Olga　and　Nikolay　just　because
they　did　not　like　this　life。

〃We　shall　see　what　you'll　find　to　eat　here；　you　Moscow　gentry！〃
she　said　malignantly。　〃We　shall　see！〃

One　morning；　it　was　at　the　beginning　of　September；　Fyokla；
vigorous；　good…looking；　and　rosy　from　the　cold；　brought　up　two
pails　of　water；　Marya　and　Olga　were　sitting　meanwhile　at　the
table　drinking　tea。

〃Tea　and　sugar；〃　said　Fyokla　sarcastically。　〃The　fine　ladies！〃
she　added；　setting　down　the　pails。　〃You　have　taken　to　the　fashion
of　tea　every　day。　You　better　look　out　that　you　don't　burst　with
your　tea…drinking；〃　she　went　on；　looking　with　hatred　at　Olga。
〃That's　how　you　have　come　by　your　fat　mug；　having　a　good　time　in
Moscow；　you　lump　of　flesh！〃　She　swung　the　yoke　and　hit　Olga　such
a　blow　on　the　shoulder　that　the　two　sisters…in…law　could　only
clasp　their　hands　and　say：

〃Oh；　holy　Saints！〃

Then　Fyokla　went　down　to　the　river　to　wash　the　clothes；　swearing
all　the　time　so　loudly　that　she　could　be　heard　in　the　hut。

The　day　passed　and　was　followed　by　the　long　autumn　evening。　They
wound　silk　in　the　hut；　everyone　did　it　except　Fyokla；　she　had
gone　over　the　river。　They　got　the　silk　from　a　factory　close　by；
and　the　whole　family　working　together　earned　next　to　nothing；
twenty　kopecks　a　week。

〃Things　were　better　in　the　old　days　under　the　gentry；〃　said　the
old　father　as　he　wound　silk。　〃You　worked　and　ate　and　slept；
everything　in　its　turn。　At　dinner　you　had　cabbage…soup　and　boiled
grain；　and　at　supper　the　same　again。　Cucumbers　and　cabbage　in
plenty：　you　could　eat　to　your　heart's　content；　as　much　as　you
wanted。　And　there　was　more　strictness。　Everyone　minded　what　he
was　about。〃

The　hut　was　lighted　by　a　single　little　lamp；　which　burned　dimly
and　smoked。　When　someone　screened　the　lamp　and　a　big　shadow　fell
across　the　window；　the　bright　moonlight　could　be　seen。　Old　Osip；
speaking　slowly；　told　them　how　they　used　to　live　before　the
emancipation；　how　in　those　very　parts；　where　life　was　now　so　poor
and　so　dreary；　they　used　to　hunt　with　harriers；　greyhounds；。
retrievers；　and　when　they　went　out　as　beaters　the　peasants　were
given　vodka；　how　whole　waggonloads　of　game　used　to　be　sent　to
Moscow　for　the　young　masters；　how　the　bad　were　beaten　with　rods
or　sent　away　to　the　Tver　estate；　while　the　good　were　rewarded。
And　Granny　told　them　something；　too。　She　remembered　everything；
positively　everything。　She　described　her　mistress；　a　kind；
God…fearing　woman；　whose　husband　was　a　profligate　and　a　rake；　and
all　of　whose　daughters　made　unlucky　marriages：　one　married　a
drunkard；　another　married　a　workman；　the　other　eloped　secretly
（Granny　herself；　at　that　time　a　young　girl；　helped　in　the
elopement）；　and　they　had　all　three　as　well　as　their　mother　died
early　from　grief。　And　remembering　all　this；　Granny　positively
began　to　shed　tears。

All　at　once　someone　knocked　at　the　door；　and　they　all　started。

〃Uncle　Osip；　give　me　a　night's　lodging。〃

The　little　bald　old　man；　General　Zhukov's　cook；　the　one　whose　cap
had　been　burnt；　walked　in。　He　sat　down　and　listened；　then　he；
too；　began　telling　stories　of　all　sorts。　Nikolay；　sitting　on　the
stove　with　his　legs　hanging　down；　listened　and　asked　questions
about　the　dishes　that　were　prepared　in　the　old　days　for　the
gentry。　They　talked　of　rissoles；　cutlets；　various　soups　and
sauces；　and　the　cook；　who　remembered　everything　very　well；
mentioned　dishes　that　are　no　longer　served。　There　was　one；　for
instance　　a　dish　made　of　bulls'　eyes；　which　was　called　〃waking
up　in　the　morning。〃

〃And　used　you　to　do　cutlets　a'　la　marechal？〃　asked　Nikolay。

〃No。〃

Nikolay　shook　his　head　reproachfully　and　said：

〃Tut；　tut！　You　were　not　much　of　a　cook！〃

The　little　girls　sitting　and　lying　on　the　stove　stared　down
without　blinking；　it　seemed　as　though　there　were　a　great　many　of
them；　like　cherubim　in　the　clouds。　They　liked　the　stories：　they
were　brea　thless；　they　shuddered　and　turned　pale　with　alternate
rapture　and　terror；　and　they　listened　breathlessly；　afraid　to
stir；　to　Granny；　whose　stories　were　the　most　interesting　of　all。

They　lay　down　to　sleep　in　silence；　and　the　old　people；　troubled
and　excited　by　their　reminiscences；　thought　how　precious　was
youth；　of　which；　whatever　it　might　have　been　like；　nothing　was
left　in　the　memory　but　what　was　living；　joyful；　touching；　and　how
terribly　cold　was　death；　which　was　not　far　off；　better　not　think
of　it！　The　lamp　died　down。　And　the　dusk；　and　the　two　little
windows　sharply　defined　by　the　moonlight；　and　the　stillness　and
the　creak　of　the　cradle；　reminded　them　for　some　reason　that　life
was　over；　that　nothing　one　could　do　would　bring　it　back。　。　。　。
You　doze　off；　you　forget　yourself；　and　suddenly　someone　touches
your　shoulder　or　breathes　on　your　cheek　　and　sleep　is　gone；
your　body　feels　cramped；　and　thoughts　of　death　keep　creeping　into
your　mind。　You　turn　on　the　other　side：　death　is　forgotten；　but
old　dreary；　sickening　thoughts　of　poverty；　of　food；　of　how　dear
flour　is　getting；　stray　through　the　mind；　and　a　little　later
again　you　remember　that　life　is　over　and　you　cannot　bring　it
back。　。　。　。

〃Oh；　Lord！〃　sighed　the　cook。

Someone　gave　a　soft；　soft　tap　at　the　window。　It　must　be　Fyokla
come　back。　Olga　got　up；　and　yawning　and　whispering　a　prayer；
opened　the　door；　then　drew　the　bolt　in　the　outer　room；　but　no　one
came　in；　only　from　the　street　came　a　cold　draught　and　a　sudden
brightness　from　the　moonlight。　The　street；　still　and　deserted；
and　the　moon　itself　floating　across　the　sky；　could　be　seen　at　the
open　door。

〃Who　is　there？〃　called　Olga。

〃I；〃　she　heard　the　answer　　〃it　is　I。〃

Near　the　door；　crouching　against　the　wall；　stood　Fyokla；
absolutely　naked。　She　was　shivering　with　cold；　her　teeth　were
chattering；　and　in　the　bright　moonlight　she　looked　very　pale；
strange；　and　beautiful。　The　shadows　on　her；　and　the　bright
moonlight　on　her　skin；　stood　out　vividly；　and　her　dark　eyebrows
and　firm；　youthful　bosom　were　defined　with　peculiar　distinctness。

〃The　ruffians　over　there　undressed　me　and　turned　me　out　like
this；〃　she　said。　〃I've　come　home　without　my　clothes　。　。　。　naked
as　my　mother　bore　me。　Bring　me　something　to　put　on。〃

〃But　go　inside！〃　Olga　said　softly；　beginning　to　shiver；　too。

〃I　don't　want　the　old　folks　to　see。〃　Granny　was；　in　fact；　already
stirring　and　muttering；　and　the　old　father　asked：　〃Who　is　there？〃
Olga　brought　her　own　smock　and　skirt；　dressed　Fyokla；　and　then
both　went　softly　into