the witch and other stories-第5节
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instinctively looked upwards； as though the voice had soared to
heaven itself。
Varvara came out of the house； and screening her eyes with her
hand； as though from the sun； she looked towards the church。
〃It's the priest's sons with the schoolmaster；〃 she said。
Again all the three voices began to sing together。 Matvey Savitch
sighed and went on：
〃Well； that's how it was； old man。 Two years later we got a
letter from Vasya from Warsaw。 He wrote that he was being sent
home sick。 He was ill。 By that time I had put all that
foolishness out of my head； and I had a fine match picked out all
ready for me； only I didn't know how to break it off with my
sweetheart。 Every day I'd make up my mind to have it out with
Mashenka； but I didn't know how to approach her so as not to have
a woman's screeching about my ears。 The letter freed my hands。 I
read it through with Mashenka； she turned white as a sheet； while
I said to her： 'Thank God； now；' says I； 'you'll be a married
woman again。' But says she： 'I'm not going to live with him。'
'Why； isn't he your husband？' said I。 'Is it an easy thing？ 。 。 。
I never loved him and I married him not of my own free will。 My
mother made me。' 'Don't try to get out of it； silly；' said I；
'but tell me this： were you married to him in church or not？' 'I
was married；' she said； 'but it's you that I love； and I will
stay with you to the day of my death。 Folks may jeer。 I don't
care。 。 。 。' 'You're a Christian woman；' said I； 'and have read
the Scriptures； what is written there？'
〃Once married； with her husband she must live；〃 said Dyudya。
〃 'Man and wife are one flesh。 We have sinned；' I said； 'you and
I； and it is enough； we must repent and fear God。 We must confess
it all to Vasya；' said I； 'he's a quiet fellow and soft he
won't kill you。 And indeed；' said I； 'better to suffer torments
in this world at the hands of your lawful master than to gnash
your teeth at the dread Seat of Judgment。' The wench wouldn't
listen； she stuck to her silly； 'It's you I love！' and nothing
more could I get out of her。
〃Vasya came back on the Saturday before Trinity； early in the
morning。 From my fence I could see everything； he ran into the
house； and came back a minute later with Kuzka in his arms； and
he was laughing and crying all at once； he was kissing Kuzka and
looking up at the hay…loft； and hadn't the heart to put the child
down； and yet he was longing to go to his pigeons。 He was always
a soft sort of chap sentimental。 That day passed off very
well； all quiet and proper。 They had begun ringing the church
bells for the evening service； when the thought struck me：
'To…morrow's Trinity Sunday； how is it they are not decking the
gates and the fence with green？ Something's wrong；' I thought。 I
went over to them。 I peeped in； and there he was； sitting on the
floor in the middle of the room； his eyes staring like a drunken
man's； the tears streaming down his cheeks and his hands shaking；
he was pulling cracknels； necklaces； gingerbread nuts； and all
sorts of little presents out of his bundle and flinging them on
the floor。 Kuzka he was three years old was crawling on the
floor； munching the gingerbreads； while Mashenka stood by the
stove； white and shivering all over； muttering： 'I'm not your
wife； I can't live with you；' and all sorts of foolishness。 I
bowed down at Vasya's feet； and said： 'We have sinned against
you； Vassily Maximitch； forgive us； for Christ's sake！' Then I
got up and spoke to Mashenka： 'You； Marya Semyonovna； ought now
to wash Vassily Maximitch's feet and drink the water。 Do you be
an obedient wife to him； and pray to God for me； that He in His
mercy may forgive my transgression。' It came to me like an
inspiration from an angel of Heaven； I gave her solemn counsel
and spoke with such feeling that my own tears flowed too。 And so
two days later Vasya comes to me： 'Matyusha；' says he； 'I forgive
you and my wife； God have mercy on you！ She was a soldier's wife；
a young thing all alone； it was hard for her to be on her guard。
She's not the first； nor will she be the last。 Only；' he says； 'I
beg you to behave as though there had never been anything between
you； and to make no sign； while I；' says he； 'will do my best to
please her in every way； so that she may come to love me again。'
He gave me his hand on it； drank a cup of tea； and went away more
cheerful。
〃 'Well；' thought I； 'thank God！' and I did feel glad that
everything had gone off so well。 But no sooner had Vasya gone out
of the yard； when in came Mashenka。 Ah！ What I had to suffer！ She
hung on my neck； weeping and praying： 'For God's sake； don't cast
me off； I can't live without you！' 〃
〃The vile hussy！〃 sighed Dyudya。
〃I swore at her； stamped my foot； and dragging her
into the passage； I fastened the door with the hook。 'Go to your
husband；' I cried。 'Don't shame me before folks。 Fear God！' And
every day there was a scene of that sort。
〃One morning I was standing in my yard near the stable cleaning a
bridle。 All at once I saw her running through the little gate
into my yard； with bare feet； in her petticoat； and straight
towards me； she clutched at the bridle； getting all smeared with
the pitch； and shaking and weeping； she cried： 'I can't stand
him； I loathe him； I can't bear it！ If you don't love me； better
kill me！' I was angry； and I struck her twice with the bridle；
but at that instant Vasya ran in at the gate； and in a despairing
voice he shouted： 'Don't beat her！ Don't beat her！' But he ran up
himself； and waving his arms； as though he were mad； he let fly
with his fists at her with all his might； then flung her on the
ground and kicked her。 I tried to defend her； but he snatched up
the reins and thrashed her with them； and all the while； like a
colt's whinny； he went： 'He he he！' 〃
〃I'd take the reins and let you feel them；〃 muttered Varvara；
moving away； 〃murdering our sister； the damned brutes！ 。 。 。〃
〃Hold your tongue； you jade！〃 Dyudya shouted at her。
〃 'He he he！' 〃 Matvey Savitch went on。 〃A carrier ran out
of his yard； I called to my workman； and the three of us got
Mashenka away from him and carried her home in our arms。 The
disgrace of it！ The same day I went over in the evening to see
how things were。 She was lying in bed； all wrapped up in
bandages； nothing but her eyes and nose to be seen； she was
looking at the ceiling。 I said： 'Good…evening； Marya Semyonovna！'
She did not speak。 And Vasya was sitting in the next room； his
head in his hands； crying and saying： 'Brute that I am！ I've
ruined my life！ O God； let me die！' I sat for half an hour by
Mashenka and gave her a good talking…to。 I tried to frighten her
a bit。 'The righteous；' said I； 'after this life go to Paradise；
but you will go to a Gehenna of fire； like all adulteresses。
Don't strive against your husband； go and lay yourself at his
feet。' But never a word from her； she didn't so much as blink an
eyelid； for all the world as though I were talking to a post。 The
next day Vasya fell ill with something like cholera； and in the
evening I heard that he was dead。 Well； so they buried him； and
Mashenka did not go to the funeral； she didn't care to show her
shameless face and her bruises。 And soon there began to be talk
all over the district that Vasya had not died a natural death；
that Mashenka had made away with him。 It got to the ears of the
police； they had Vasya dug up and cut open； and in his stomach
they found arsenic。 It was clear he had been poisoned； the police
came and took Mashenka away； and with her the innocent Kuzka。
They were put in prison。 。 。 。 The woman had gone too far God
punished her。 。 。 。 Eight months later they tried her。 She sat； I
remember； on a low stool； with a little white kerchief on her
head； wearing a grey gown； and she was so thin； so pale； so
sharp…eyed it made one sad to look at her。 Behind her stood a
soldier with a gun。 She would not confess her guilt。 Some in the
court said she had poisoned her husband and others declared he
had poisoned himself for grief。 I was one of the witnesses。 When
they questioned me； I told the whole truth according to my oath。
'Hers；' said I； 'is the guilt。 It's no good to conceal it； she
did not love her husband； and she had a will of her own。 。 。 。'
The trial began in the morning and towards night they passed this
sentence： to send her to hard labour in Siberia for thirteen
years。 After that sentence Mashenka remained three months longer
in prison。 I went to see her； and from Christian charity I took
her a little tea and sugar。 But as soon as she set eyes on me she
began to shake all over； wringing her hands and muttering： 'Go
away！ go away！' And Kuzka she clasped to her as though she were
afraid I would take him away。 'See；' said I； 'what you have come
to！ Ah； Masha； Masha！ you would not listen to me when I gave you
good advice； and now you must repent it。 You are yourself to
blame；' said I； 'blame yourself！' I was giving her good counsel；
but she： 'Go away； go away！' huddling herself and Kuzka against
the wall； and trembling all over。
〃When they were taking her away to the chief town of our
province； I walked by the escort as far as the sta
