the witch and other stories-第44节

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Osip's　to　sit　and　have　a　talk。　They　did　not　light　the　lamp；　as　it
would　have　been　a　sin　to　work；　but　talked　in　the　darkness。　There
were　some　items　of　news；　all　rather　unpleasant。　In　two　or　three
households　hens　had　been　taken　for　the　arrears；　and　had　been　sent
to　the　district　police　station；　and　there　they　had　died　because
no　one　had　fed　them；　they　had　taken　sheep；　and　while　they　were
being　driven　away　tied　to　one　another；　shifted　into　another　cart
at　each　village；　one　of　them　had　died。　And　now　they　were
discussing　the　question；　who　was　to　blame？

〃The　Zemstvo；〃　said　Osip。　〃Who　else？〃

〃Of　course　it　is　the　Zemstvo。〃

The　Zemstvo　was　blamed　for　everything　　for　the　arrears；　and　for
the　oppressions；　and　for　the　failure　of　the　crops；　though　no　one
of　them　knew　what　was　meant　by　the　Zemstvo。　And　this　dated　from
the　time　when　well…to…do　peasants　who　had　factories；　shops；　and
inns　of　their　own　were　members　of　the　Zemstvos；　were　dissatisfied
with　them；　and　took　to　swearing　at　the　Zemstvos　in　their
factories　and　inns。

They　talked　of　God's　not　sending　the　snow；　they　had　to　bring　in
wood　for　fuel；　and　there　was　no　driving　nor　walking　in　the　frozen
ruts。　In　old　days　fifteen　to　twenty　years　ago　conversation　was
much　more　interesting　in　Zhukovo。　In　those　days　every　old　man
looked　as　though　he　were　treasuring　some　secret；　as　though　he
knew　something　and　was　expecting　something。　They　used　to　talk
about　an　edict　in　golden　letters；　about　the　division　of　lands；
about　new　land；　about　treasures；　they　hinted　at　something。　Now
the　people　of　Zhukovo　had　no　mystery　at　all；　their　whole　life　was
bare　and　open　in　the　sight　of　all；　and　they　could　talk　of　nothing
but　poverty；　food；　there　being　no　snow　yet。　。　。　。

There　was　a　pause。　Then　they　thought　again　of　the　hens；　of　the
sheep；　and　began　discussing　whose　fault　it　was。

〃The　Zemstvo；〃　said　Osip　wearily。　〃Who　else？〃

VIII

The　parish　church　was　nearly　five　miles　away　at　Kosogorovo；　and
the　peasants　only　attended　it　when　they　had　to　do　so　for
baptisms；　weddings；　or　funerals；　they　went　to　the　services　at　the
church　across　the　river。　On　holidays　in　fine　weather　the　girls
dressed　up　in　their　best　and　went　in　a　crowd　together　to　church；
and　it　was　a　cheering　sight　to　see　them　in　their　red；　yellow；　and
green　dresses　cross　the　meadow；　in　bad　weather　they　all　stayed　at
home。　They　went　for　the　sacrament　to　the　parish　church。　From　each
of　those　who　did　not　manage　in　Lent　to　go　to　confession　in
readiness　for　the　sacrament　the　parish　priest；　going　the　round　of
the　huts　with　the　cross　at　Easter；　took　fifteen　kopecks。

The　old　father　did　not　believe　in　God；　for　he　hardly　ever　thought
about　Him；　he　recognized　the　supernatural；　but　considered　it　was
entirely　the　women's　concern；　and　when　religion　or　miracles　were
discussed　before　him；　or　a　question　were　put　to　him；　he　would　say
reluctantly；　scratching　himself：

〃Who　can　tell！〃

Granny　believed；　but　her　faith　was　somewhat　hazy；　everything　was
mixed　up　in　her　memory；　and　she　could　scarcely　begin　to　think　of
sins；　of　death；　of　the　salvation　of　the　soul；　before　poverty　and
her　daily　cares　took　possession　of　her　mind；　and　she　instantly
forgot　what　she　was　thinking　about。　She　did　not　remember　the
prayers；　and　usually　in　the　evenings；　before　lying　down　to　sleep；
she　would　stand　before　the　ikons　and　whisper：

〃Holy　Mother　of　Kazan；　Holy　Mother　of　Smolensk；　Holy　Mother　of
Troerutchitsy。　。　。〃

Marya　and　Fyokla　crossed　themselves；　fasted；　and　took　the
sacrament　every　year；　but　understood　nothing。　The　children　were
not　taught　their　prayers；　nothing　was　told　them　about　God；　and　no
moral　principles　were　instilled　into　them；　they　were　only
forbidden　to　eat　meat　or　milk　in　Lent。　In　the　other　families　it
was　much　the　same：　there　were　few　who　believed；　few　who
understood。　At　the　same　time　everyone　loved　the　Holy　Scripture；
loved　it　with　a　tender；　reverent　love；　but　they　had　no　Bible；
there　was　no　one　to　read　it　and　explain　it；　and　because　Olga
sometimes　read　them　the　gospel；　they　respected　her；　and　they　all
addressed　her　and　Sasha　as　though　they　were　superior　to
themselves。

For　church　holidays　and　services　Olga　often　went　to　neighbouring
villages；　and　to　the　district　town；　in　which　there　were　two
monasteries　and　twenty…seven　churches。　She　was　dreamy；　and　when
she　was　on　these　pilgrimages　she　quite　forgot　her　family；　and
only　when　she　got　home　again　suddenly　made　the　joyful　discovery
that　she　had　a　husband　and　daughter；　and　then　would　say；　smiling
and　radiant：

〃God　has　sent　me　blessings！〃

What　went　on　in　the　village　worried　her　and　seemed　to　her
revolting。　On　Elijah's　Day　they　drank；　at　the　Assumption　they
drank；　at　the　Ascension　they　drank。　The　Feast　of　the　Intercession
was　the　parish　holiday　for　Zhukovo；　and　the　peasants　used　to
drink　then　for　three　days；　they　squandered　on　drink　fifty　roubles
of　money　belonging　to　the　Mir；　and　then　collected　more　for　vodka
from　all　the　households。　On　the　first
　day　of　the　feast　the　Tchikildyeevs　killed　a　sheep　and　ate　of　it
in　the　morning；　at　dinner…time；　and　in　the　evening；　they　ate　it
ravenously；　and　the　children　got　up　at　night　to　eat　more。　Kiryak
was　fearfully　drunk　for　three　whole　days；　he　drank　up　everything；
even　his　boots　and　cap；　and　beat　Marya　so　terribly　that　they　had
to　pour　water　over　her。　And　then　they　were　all　ashamed　and　sick。

However；　even　in　Zhukovo；　in　this　〃Slaveytown；〃　there　was　once　an
outburst　of　genuine　religious　enthusiasm。　It　was　in　August；　when
throughout　the　district　they　carried　from　village　to　village　the
Holy　Mother；　the　giver　of　life。　It　was　still　and　overcast　on　the
day　when　they　expected　_Her_　at　Zhukovo。　The　girls　set　off　in　the
morning　to　meet　the　ikon；　in　their　bright　holiday　dresses；　and
brought　Her　towards　the　evening；　in　procession　with　the　cross　and
with　singing；　while　the　bells　pealed　in　the　church　across　the
river。　An　immense　crowd　of　villagers　and　strangers　flooded　the
street；　there　was　noise；　dust；　a　great　crush。　。　。　。　And　the　old
father　and　Granny　and　Kiryak　　all　stretched　out　their　hands　to
the　ikon；　looked　eagerly　at　it　and　said；　weeping：

〃Defender！　Mother！　Defender！〃

All　seemed　suddenly　to　realize　that　there　was　not　an　empty　void
between　earth　and　heaven；　that　the　rich　and　the　powerful　had　not
taken　possession　of　everything；　that　there　was　still　a　refuge
from　injury；　from　slavish　bondage；　from　crushing；　unendurable
poverty；　from　the　terrible　vodka。

〃Defender！　Mother！〃　sobbed　Marya。　〃Mother！〃

But　the　thanksgiving　service　ended　and　the　ikon　was　carried　away；
and　everything　went　on　as　before；　and　again　there　was　a　sound　of
coarse　drunken　oaths　from　the　tavern。

Only　the　well…to…do　peasants　were　afraid　of　death；　the　richer
they　were　the　less　they　believed　in　God；　and　in　the　salvation　of
souls；　and　only　through　fear　of　the　end　of　the　world　put　up
candles　and　had　services　said　for　them；　to　be　on　the　safe　side。
The　peasants　who　were　rather　poorer　were　not　afraid　of　death。　The
old　father　and　Granny　were　told　to　their　faces　that　they　had
lived　too　long；　that　it　was　time　they　were　dead；　and　they　did　not
mind。　They　did　not　hinder　Fyokla　from　saying　in　Nikolay's
presence　that　when　Nikolay　died　her　husband　Denis　would　get
exemption　　to　return　home　from　the　army。　And　Marya；　far　from
fearing　death；　regretted　that　it　was　so　slow　in　coming；　and　was
glad　when　her　children　died。

Death　they　did　not　fear；　but　of　every　disease　they　had　an
exaggerated　terror。　The　merest　trifle　was　enough　　a　stomach
upset；　a　slight　chill；　and　Granny　would　be　wrapped　up　on　the
stove；　and　would　begin　moaning　loudly　and　incessantly：

〃I　am　dy…ing！〃

The　old　father　hurried　off　for　the　priest；　and　Granny　received
the　sacrament　and　extreme　unction。　They　often　talked　of　colds；　of
worms；　of　tumours　which　move　in　the　stomach　and　coil　round　to　the
heart。　Above　all；　they　were　afraid　of　catching　cold；　and　so　put
on　thick　clothes　even　in　the　summer　and　warmed　themselves　at　the
stove。　Granny　was　fond　of　being　doctored；　and　often　went　to　the
hospital；　where　she　used　to　say　she　was　not　seventy；　but
fifty…eight；　she　supposed　that　if　the　doctor　knew　her　real　age　he
would　not　treat　her；　but　would　say　it　was　time　she　died　instead
of　taking　medicine。　She　usually　went　to　the　hospital　early　in　the
morning；　taking　with　her　two　or　three　of　the　little　girls；　and
came　back　in　the　evening；　hungry　and　ill…tempered　　with　drops
for　herself　and　ointments　for　the　little　girls。　Once　she　took
Nikolay；　who　swallowed　drops　for　a　fortnight　afterwards；　and　said
he　felt　better。

Granny　knew　all　the　doctors　and　their　assistants　and　the　wise　men
for　twenty　miles　round；　and　not　one　of　them　she　liked。　At　the
Intercession；　when　the　priest　made　the　round　of　the　huts　with　the
cross；　the　deacon　told　her　that　in　the　town　near　the　prison　lived
an　old　man　who　had　been　a　medical　orderly　in　the　army；　and　who
made　wonderful　cures；　and　advised　her　to　try　him。　Granny　took　his
advice。　When　the　first　snow　fell　she　drove　to　the　town　and
fetched　an　old　man　with　a　big　beard；　a　converted　Jew；　in　a　long
gown；　whose　face　was　covered　with　blue　veins。　There　were
outsiders　at　work　in　the　hut　at　the　time：　an　old　tailor；　in
terrible　sp