the witch and other stories-第9节

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〃Put　mine　on　oats；　and　they　will　be　just　as　sleek。　They　ought　to
be　in　a　plough　and　with　a　whip；　too。　。　。　。〃

The　coachman　simply　looked　at　him　with　disdain；　but　did　not　utter
a　word。　And　afterwards；　while　they　were　blowing　up　the　fire　at
the　forge；　the　coachman　talked　while　he　smoked　cigarettes。　The
peasants　learned　from　him　various　details：　his　employers　were
wealthy　people；　his　mistress；　Elena　Ivanovna；　had　till　her
marriage　lived　in　Moscow　in　a　poor　way　as　a　governess；　she　was
kind…hearted；　compassionate；　and　fond　of　helping　the　poor。　On　the
new　estate；　he　told　them；　they　were　not　going　to　plough　or　to
sow；　but　simply　to　live　for　their　pleasure；　live　only　to　breathe
the　fresh　air。　When　he　had　finished　and　led　the　horses　back　a
crowd　of　boys　followed　him；　the　dogs　barked；　and　Kozov；　looking
after　him；　winked　sarcastically。

〃Landowners；　too…oo！〃　he　said。　〃They　have　built　a　house　and　set
up　horses；　but　I　bet　they　are　nobodies　　landowners；　too…oo。〃

Kozov　for　some　reason　took　a　dislike　from　the　first　to　the　new
house；　to　the　white　horses；　and　to　the　handsome；　well…fed
coachman。　Kozov　was　a　solitary　man；　a　widower；　he　had　a　dreary
life　（he　was　prevented　from　working　by　a　disease　which　he
sometimes　called　a　rupture　and　sometimes　worms）　he　was　maintained
by　his　son；　who　worked　at　a　confectioner's　in　Harkov　and　sent　him
money；　and　from　early　morning　till　evening　he　sauntered　at
leisure
　about　the　river　or　about　the　village；　if　he　saw；　for　instance；　a
peasant　carting　a　log；　or　fishing；　he　would　say：　〃That　log's　dry
wood　　it　is　rotten；〃　or；　〃They　won't　bite　in　weather　like
this。〃　In　times　of　drought　he　would　declare　that　there　would　not
be　a　drop　of　rain　till　the　frost　came；　and　when　the　rains　came　he
would　say　that　everything　would　rot　in　the　fields；　that
everything　was　ruined。　And　as　he　said　these　things　he　would　wink
as　though　he　knew　something。

At　the　New　Villa　they　burned　Bengal　lights　and　sent　up　fireworks
in　the　evenings；　and　a　sailing…boat　with　red　lanterns　floated　by
Obrutchanovo。　One　morning　the　engineer's　wife；　Elena　Ivanovna；
and　her　little　daughter　drove　to　the　village　in　a　carriage　with
yellow　wheels　and　a　pair　of　dark　bay　ponies；　both　mother　and
daughter　were　wearing　broad…brimmed　straw　hats；　bent　down　over
their　ears。

This　was　exactly　at　the　time　when　they　were　carting　manure；　and
the　blacksmith　Rodion；　a　tall；　gaunt　old　man；　bareheaded　and
barefooted；　was　standing　near　his　dirty　and　repulsive…looking
cart　and；　flustered；　looked　at　the　ponies；　and　it　was　evident　by
his　face　that　he　had　never　seen　such　little　horses　before。

〃The　Kutcherov　lady　has　come！〃　was　whispered　around。　〃Look；　the
Kutcherov　lady　has　come！〃

Elena　Ivanovna　looked　at　the　huts　as　though　she　were　selecting
one；　and　then　stopped　at　the　very　poorest；　at　the　windows　of
which　there　were　so　many　children's　heads　　flaxen；　red；　and
dark。　Stepanida；　Rodion's　wife；　a　stout　woman；　came　running　out
of　the　hut；　her　kerchief　slipped　off　her　grey　head；　she　looked　at
the　carriage　facing　the　sun；　and　her　face　smiled　and　wrinkled　up
as　though　she　were　blind。

〃This　is　for　your　children；〃　said　Elena　Ivanovna；　and　she　gave
her　three　roubles。

Stepanida　suddenly　burst　into　tears　and　bowed　down　to　the　ground。
Rodion；　too；　flopped　to　the　ground；　displaying　his　brownish　bald
head；　and　as　he　did　so　he　almost　caught　his　wife　in　the　ribs　with
the　fork。　Elena　Ivanovna　was　overcome　with　confusion　and　drove
back。

II


The　Lytchkovs；　father　and　son；　caught　in　their　meadows　two
cart…horses；　a　pony；　and　a　broad…faced　Aalhaus　bull…calf；　and
with　the　help　of　red…headed　Volodka；　son　of　the　blacksmith
Rodion；　drove　them　to　the　village。　They　called　the　village　elder；
collected　witnesses；　and　went　to　look　at　the　damage。

〃All　right；　let　'em！〃　said　Kozov；　winking；　〃le…et　em！　Let　them
get　out　of　it　if　they　can；　the　engineers！　Do　you　think　there　is
no　such　thing　as　law？　All　right！　Send　for　the　police　inspector；
draw　up　a　statement！　。　。　。〃

〃Draw　up　a　statement；〃　repeated　Volodka。

〃I　don't　want　to　let　this　pass！〃　shouted　the　younger　Lytchkov。　He
shouted　louder　and　louder；　and　his　beardless　face　seemed　to　be
more　and　more　swollen。　〃They've　set　up　a　nice　fashion！　Leave　them
free；　and　they　will　ruin　all　the　meadows！　You've　no　sort　of　right
to　ill…treat　people！　We　are　not　serfs　now！〃

〃We　are　not　serfs　now！〃　repeated　Volodka。

〃We　got　on　all　right　without　a　bridge；〃　said　the　elder　Lytchkov
gloomily；　〃we　did　not　ask　for　it。　What　do　we　want　a　bridge　for？
We　don't　want　it！〃

〃Brothers；　good　Christians；　we　cannot　leave　it　like　this！〃

〃All　right；　let　'em！〃　said　Kozov；　winking。　〃Let　them　get　out　of
it　if　they　can！　Landowners；　indeed！〃

They　went　back　to　the　village；　and　as　they　walked　the　younger
Lytchkov　beat　himself　on　the　breast　with　his　fist　and　shouted　all
the　way；　and　Volodka　shouted；　too；　repeating　his　words。　And
meanwhile　quite　a　crowd　had　gathered　in　the　village　round　the
thoroughbred　bull…calf　and　the　horses。　The　bullcalf　was
embarrassed　and　looked　up　from　under　his　brows；　but　suddenly
lowered　his　muzzle　to　the　ground　and　took　to　his　heels；　kicking
up　his　hind　legs；　Kozov　was　frightened　and　waved　his　stick　at
him；　and　they　all　burst　out　laughing。　Then　they　locked　up　the
beasts　and　waited。

In　the　evening　the　engineer　sent　five　roubles　for　the　damage；　and
the　two　horses；　the　pony　and　the　bull…calf；　without　being　fed　or
given　water；　returned　home；　their　heads　hanging　with　a　guilty　air
as　though　they　were　convicted　criminals。

On　getting　the　five　roubles　the　Lytchkovs；　father　and　son；　the
village　elder　and　Volodka；　punted　over　the　river　in　a　boat　and
went　to　a　hamlet　on　the　other　side　where　there　was　a　tavern；　and
there　had　a　long　carousal。　Their　singing　and　the　shouting　of　the
younger　Lytchkov　could　be　heard　from　the　village。　Their　women
were　uneasy　and　did　not　sleep　all　night。　Rodion　did　not　sleep
either。

〃It's　a　bad　business；〃　he　said；　sighing　and　turning　from　side　to
side。　〃The　gentleman　will　be　angry；　and　then　there　will　be
trouble。　。　。　。　They　have　insulted　the　gentleman。　。　。　。　Oh；
they've　insulted　him。　It's　a　bad　business。　。　。〃

It　happened　that　the　peasants；　Rodion　amongst　them；　went　into
their　forest　to　divide　the　clearings　for　mowing；　and　as　they　were
returning　home　they　were　met　by　the　engineer。　He　was　wearing　a
red　cotton　shirt　and　high　boots；　a　setter　dog　with　its　long
tongue　hanging　out；　followed　behind　him。

〃Good…day；　brothers；〃　he　said。

The　peasants　stopped　and　took　off　their　hats。

〃I　have　long　wanted　to　have　a　talk　with　you；　friends；〃　he　went
on。　〃This　is　what　it　is。　Ever　since　the　early　spring　your　cattle
have　been　in　my　copse　and　garden　every　day。　Everything　is
trampled　down；　the　pigs　have　rooted　up　the　meadow；　are　ruining
everything　in　the　kitchen　garden；　and　all　the　undergrowth　in　the
copse　is　destroyed。　There　is　no　getting　on　with　your　herdsmen；
one　asks　them　civilly；　and　they　are　rude。　Damage　is　done　on　my
estate　every　day　and　I　do　nothing　　I　don't　fine　you　or　make　a
complaint；　meanwhile　you　impounded　my　horses　and　my　bull　calf　and
exacted　five　roubles。　Was　that　right？　Is　that　neighbourly？〃　he
went　on；　and　his　face　was　so　soft　and　persuasive；　and　his
expression　was　not　forbidding。　〃Is　that　the　way　decent　people
behave？　A　week　ago　one　of　your　people　cut　down　two　oak　saplings
in　my　copse。　You　have　dug　up　the　road　to　Eresnevo；　and　now　I　have
to　go　two　miles　round。　Why　do　you　injure　me　at　every　step？　What
harm　have　I　done　you？　For　God's　sake；　tell　me！　My　wife　and　I　do
our　utmost　to　live　with　you　in　peace　and　harmony；　we　help　the
peasants　as　we　can。　My　wife　is　a　kind；　warm…hearted　woman；　she
never　refuses　you　help。　That　is　her　dream　　to　be　of　use　to　you
and　your　children。　You　reward　us　with　evil　for　our　good。　You　are
unjust；　my　friends。　Think　of　that。　I　ask　you　earnestly　to　think
it　over。　We　treat　you　humanely；　repay　us　in　the　same　coin。〃

He　turned　and　went　away。　The　peasants　stood　a　little　longer；　put
on　their　caps　and　walked　away。　Rodion；　who　always　understood
everything　that　was　said　to　him　in　some　peculiar　way　of　his　own；
heaved　a　sigh　and　said：

〃We　must　pay。　'Repay　in　coin；　my　friends'　。　。　。　he　said。〃

They　walked　to　the　village　in　silence。　On　reaching　home　Rodion
said　his　prayer；　took　off　his　boots；　and　sat　down　on　the　bench
beside　his　wife。　Stepanida　and　he　always　sat　side　by　side　when
they　were　at　home；　and　always　walked　side　by　side　in　the　street；
they　ate　and　they　drank　and　they　slept　always　together；　and　the
older　they　grew　the　more　they　loved　one　another。　It　was　hot　and
crowded　in　their　hut；　and　there　were　children　everywhere　　on
the　floors；　in　the　windows；　on　the　stove。　。　。　。　In　spite　of　her
advanced　years　Stepanida　was　still　bearing　children；　and　now；
looking　at　the　crowd　of　children；　it　was　hard　to　distinguish
which　were　Rodion's　and　which　were　Volodka's。　Volodka's　wife；
Lukerya；　a　plain　young　woman　with　prominent　eyes　and　a　nose　like
the　beak　of　a　bird；　was　kneading　dough　in　a　tub；　Volodka　was
sitting　on　the　stove　with　his　legs　hanging。

〃On　the　road　near　Nikita's　buckwheat　。　。　。　the　engineer　with　his
dog　。　。　。〃　Rodion　began；　after　a　rest；　scratching　his　ribs　and
his　elbow。