the witch and other stories-第45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！


gown；　whose　face　was　covered　with　blue　veins。　There　were
outsiders　at　work　in　the　hut　at　the　time：　an　old　tailor；　in
terrible　spectacles；　was　cutting　a　waistcoat　out　of　some　rags；
and　two　young　men　were　making　felt　boots　out　of　wool；　Kiryak；　who
had　been　dismissed　from　his　place　for　drunkenness；　and　now　lived
at　home；　was　sitting　beside　the　tailor　mending　a　bridle。　And　it
was　crowded；　stifling；　and　noisome　in　the　hut。　The　converted　Jew
examined　Nikolay　and　said　that　it　was　necessary　to　try　cupping。

He　put　on　the　cups；　and　the　old　tailor；　Kiryak；　and　the　little
girls　stood　round　and　looked　on；　and　it　seemed　to　them　that　they
saw　the　disease　being　drawn　out　of　Nikolay；　and　Nikolay；　too；
watched　how　the　cups　suckling　at　his　breast　gradually　filled　with
dark　blood；　and　felt　as　though　there　really　were　something　coming
out　of　him；　and　smiled　with　pleasure。

〃It's　a　good　thing；〃　said　the　tailor。　〃Please　God；　it　will　do　you
good。〃

The　Jew　put　on　twelve　cups　and　then　another　twelve；　drank　some
tea；　and　went　away。　Nikolay　began　shivering；　his　face　looked
drawn；　and；　as　the　women　expressed　it；　shrank　up　like　a　fist；　his
fingers　turned　blue。　He　wrapped　himself　up　in　a　quilt　and　in　a
sheepskin；　but　got　colder　and　colder。　Towards　the　evening　he
began　to　be　in　great　distress；　asked　to　be　laid　on　the　ground；
asked　the　tailor　not　to　smoke；　then　he　subsided　under　the
sheepskin　and　towards　morning　he　died。

IX

Oh；　what　a　grim；　what　a　long　winter！

Their　own　grain　did　not　last　beyond　Christmas；　and　they　had　to
buy　flour。　Kiryak；　who　lived　at　home　now；　was　noisy　in　the
evenings；　inspiring　terror　in　everyone；　and　in　the　mornings　he
suffered　from　headache　and　was　ashamed；　and　he　was　a　pitiful
sight。　In　the　stall　the　starved　cows　bellowed　day　and　night　　a
heart…rending　sound　to　Granny　and　Marya。　And　as　ill…luck　would
have　it；　there　was　a　sharp　frost　all　the　winter；　the　snow　drifted
in　high　heaps；　and　the　winter　dragged　on。　At　Annunciation　there
was　a　regular　blizzard；　and　there　was　a　fall　of　snow　at　Easter。

But　in　spite　of　it　all　the　winter　did　end。　At　the　beginning　of
April　there　came　warm　days　and　frosty　nights。　Winter　would　not
give　way；　but　one　warm　day　overpowered　it　at　last；　and　the
streams　began　to　flow　and　the　birds　began　to　sing。　The　whole
meadow　and　the　bushes　near　the　river　were　drowned　in　the　spring
floods；　and　all　the　space　between　Zhukovo　and　the　further　side
was　filled　up　with　a　vast　sheet　of　water；　from　which　wild　ducks
rose　up　in　flocks　here　and　there。　The　spring　sunset；　flaming
among　gorgeous　clouds；　gave　every　evening　something　new；
extraordinary；　incredible　　just　what　one　does　not　believe　in
afterwards；　when　one　sees　those　very　colours　and　those　very
clouds　in　a　picture。

The　cranes　flew　swiftly；　swiftly；　with　mournful　cries；　as　though
they　were　calling　themselves。　Standing　on　the　edge　of　the　ravine；
Olga　looked　a　long　time　at　the　flooded　meadow；　at　the　sunshine；
at　the　bright　church；　that　looked　as　though　it　had　grown　younger；
and　her　tears　flowed　and　her　breath　came　in　gasps　from　her
passionate　longing　to　go　away；　to　go　far　away　to　the　end　of　the
world。　It　was　already　settled　that　she　should　go　back　to　Moscow
to　be　a　servant；　and　that　Kiryak　should　set　off　with　her　to　get　a
job　as　a　porter　or　something。　Oh；　to　get　away　quickly！

As　soon　as　it　dried　up　and　grew　warm　they　got　ready　to　set　off。
Olga　and　Sasha；　with　wallets　on　their　backs　and　shoes　of　plaited
bark　on　their　feet；　came　out　before　daybreak：　Marya　came　out；
too；　to　see　them　on　their　way。　Kiryak　was　not　well；　and　was　kept
at　home　for　another　week。　For　the　last　time　Olga　prayed　at　the
church　and　thought　of　her　husband；　and　though　she　did　not　shed
tears；　her　face　puckered　up　and　looked　ugly　like　an　old　woman's。
During　the　winter　she　had　grown　thinner　and　plainer；　and　her　hair
had　gone　a　little　grey；　and　instead　of　the　old　look　of　sweetness
and　the　pleasant　smile　on　her　face；　she　had　the　resigned；
mournful　expression　left　by　the　sorrows　she　had　been　through；　and
there　was　something　blank　and　irresponsive　in　her　eyes；　as　though
she　did　not　hear　what　was　said。　She　was　sorry
　to　part　from　the　village　and　the　peasants。　She　remembered　how
they　had　carried　out　Nikolay；　and　how　a　requiem　had　been　ordered
for　him　at　almost　every　hut；　and　all　had　shed　tears　in　sympathy
with　her　grief。　In　the　course　of　the　summer　and　the　winter　there
had　been　hours　and　days　when　it　seemed　as　though　these　people
lived　worse　than　the　beasts；　and　to　live　with　them　was　terrible；
they　were　coarse；　dishonest；　filthy；　and　drunken；　they　did　not
live　in　harmony；　but　quarrelled　continually；　because　they
distrusted　and　feared　and　did　not　respect　one　another。　Who　keeps
the　tavern　and　makes　the　people　drunken？　A　peasant。　Who　wastes
and　spends　on　drink　the　funds　of　the　commune；　of　the　schools；　of
the　church？　A　peasant。　Who　stole　from　his　neighbours；　set　fire　to
their　property；　gave　false　witness　at　the　court　for　a　bottle　of
vodka？　At　the　meetings　of　the　Zemstvo　and　other　local　bodies；　who
was　the　first　to　fall　foul　of　the　peasants？　A　peasant。　Yes；　to
live　with　them　was　terrible；　but　yet；　they　were　human　beings；
they　suffered　and　wept　like　human　beings；　and　there　was　nothing
in　their　lives　for　which　one　could　not　find　excuse。　Hard　labour
that　made　the　whole　body　ache　at　night；　the　cruel　winters；　the
scanty　harvests；　the　overcrowding；　and　they　had　no　help　and　none
to　whom　they　could　look　for　help。　Those　of　them　who　were　a　little
stronger　and　better　off　could　be　no　help；　as　they　were　themselves
coarse；　dishonest；　drunken；　and　abused　one　another　just　as
revoltingly；　the　paltriest　little　clerk　or　official　treated　the
peasants　as　though　they　were　tramps；　and　addressed　even　the
village　elders　and　church　wardens　as　inferiors；　and　considered
they　had　a　right　to　do　so。　And；　indeed；　can　any　sort　of　help　or
good　example　be　given　by　mercenary；　greedy；　depraved；　and　idle
persons　who　only　visit　the　village　in　order　to　insult；　to
despoil；　and　to　terrorize？　Olga　remembered　the　pitiful；
humiliated　look　of　the　old　people　when　in　the　winter　Kiryak　had
been　taken　to　be　flogged。　。　。　。　And　now　she　felt　sorry　for　all
these　people；　painfully　so；　and　as　she　walked　on　she　kept　looking
back　at　the　huts。

After　walking　two　miles　with　them　Marya　said　good…bye；　then
kneeling；　and　falling　forward　with　her　face　on　the　earth；　she
began　wailing：

〃Again　I　am　left　alone。　Alas；　for　poor　me！　poor；　unhappy！　。　。　。〃

And　she　wailed　like　this　for　a　long　time；　and　for　a　long　way　Olga
and　Sasha　could　still　see　her　on　her　knees；　bowing　down　to
someone　at　the　side　and　clutching　her　head　in　her　hands；　while
the　rooks　flew　over　her　head。

The　sun　rose　high；　it　began　to　get　hot。　Zhukovo　was　left　far
behind。　Walking　was　pleasant。　Olga　and　Sasha　soon　forgot　both　the
village　and　Marya；　they　were　gay　and　everything　entertained　them。
Now　they　came　upon　an　ancient　barrow；　now　upon　a　row　of　telegraph
posts　running　one　after　another　into　the　distance　and
disappearing　into　the　horizon；　and　the　wires　hummed　mysteriously。
Then　they　saw　a　homestead；　all　wreathed　in　green　foliage；　there
came　a　scent　from　it　of　dampness；　of　hemp；　and　it　seemed　for　some
reason　that　happy　people　lived　there。　Then　they　came　upon　a
horse's　skeleton　whitening　in　solitude　in　the　open　fields。　And
the　larks　trilled　unceasingly；　the　corncrakes　called　to　one
another；　and　the　landrail　cried　as　though　someone　were　really
scraping　at　an　old　iron　rail。

At　midday　Olga　and　Sasha　reached　a　big　village。　There　in　the
broad　street　they　met　the　little　old　man　who　was　General　Zhukov's
cook。　He　was　hot；　and　his　red；　perspiring　bald　head　shone　in　the
sunshine。　Olga　and　he　did　not　recognize　each　other；　then　looked
round　at　the　same　moment；　recognized　each　other；　and　went　their
separate　ways　without　saying　a　word。　Stopping　near　the　hut　which
looked　newest　and　most　prosperous；　Olga　bowed　down　before　the
open　windows；　and　said　in　a　loud；　thin；　chanting　voice：

〃Good　Christian　folk；　give　alms；　for　Christ's　sake；　that　God's
blessing　may　be　upon　you；　and　that　your　parents　may　be　in　the
Kingdom　of　Heaven　in　peace　eternal。〃

〃Good　Christian　folk；〃　Sasha　began　chanting；　〃give；　for　Christ's
sake；　that　God's　blessing；　the　Heavenly　Kingdom　。　。　。〃





End