the witch and other stories(女巫)-第39节
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good as well as bad。 Here I do not want to die； my dear； I would be glad to
live another twenty years； so there has been more of the good。 And great is
our mother Russia！〃 and again he gazed to each side and looked round。
〃Grandfather；〃 Lipa asked； 〃when anyone dies； how many days does
his soul walk the earth？〃
〃Who can tell！ Ask Vavila here； he has been to school。 Now they teach
them everything。 Vavila！〃 the old man called to him。
〃Yes！〃
〃Vavila； when anyone dies how long does his soul walk the earth？
Vavila stopped the horse and only then answered：
〃Nine days。 My uncle Kirilla died and his soul lived in our hut thirteen
days after。〃
〃How do you know？〃
〃For thirteen days there was a knocking in the stove。〃
〃Well； that's all right。 Go on；〃 said the old man； and it could be seen
that he did not believe a word of all that。
Near Kuzmenki the cart turned into the high road while Lipa went
straight on。 It was by now getting light。 As she went down into the ravine
the Ukleevo huts and the church were hidden in fog。 It was cold； and it
seemed to her that the same cuckoo was calling still。
When Lipa reached home the cattle had not yet been driven out；
everyone was asleep。 She sat down on the steps and waited。 The old man
was the first to come out； he understood all that had happened from the
first glance at her； and for a long time he could not articulate a word； but
only moved his lips without a sound。
〃Ech； Lipa；〃 he said； 〃you did not take care of my grandchild。 。 。 。〃
Varvara was awakened。 She clasped her hands and broke into sobs；
and immediately began laying out the baby。
〃And he was a pretty child 。 。 。〃 she said。 〃Oh； dear； dear。 。 。 。 You only
had the one child； and you did not take care enough of him； you silly
girl。 。 。 。〃
There was a requiem service in the morning and the evening。 The
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funeral took place the next day； and after it the guests and the priests ate a
great deal； and with such greed that one might have thought that they had
not tasted food for a long time。 Lipa waited at table； and the priest； lifting
his fork on which there was a salted mushroom； said to her：
〃Don't grieve for the babe。 For of such is the kingdom of heaven。〃
And only when they had all separated Lipa realized fully that there
was no Nikifor and never would be； she realized it and broke into sobs。
And she did not know what room to go into to sob； for she felt that now
that her child was dead there was no place for her in the house； that she
had no reason to be here； that she was in the way； and the others felt it；
too。
〃Now what are you bellowing for？〃 Aksinya shouted； suddenly
appearing in the doorway； in honour of the funeral she was dressed all in
new clothes and had powdered her face。 〃Shut up！〃
Lipa tried to stop but could not； and sobbed louder than ever。
〃Do you hear？〃 shouted Aksinya； and she stamped her foot in violent
anger。 〃Who is it I am speaking to？ Go out of the yard and don't set foot
here again； you convict s wife。 Get away。〃
〃There； there； there；〃 the old man put in fussily。 〃Aksinya； don't make
such an outcry； my girl。 。 。 。 She is crying； it is only natural 。 。 。 her child is
dead。 。 。 。〃
〃 'It's only natural；' 〃 Aksinya mimicked him。 〃Let her stay the night
here； and don't let me see a trace of her here to…morrow！ 'It's only
natural！' 。 。 。〃 she mimicked him again； and； laughing； she went into the
shop。
Early the next morning Lipa went off to her mother at Torguevo。
IX
At the present time the steps and the front door of the shop have been
repainted an d are as bright as though they were new； there are gay
geraniums in the windows as of old； and what happened in Tsybukin's
house and yard three years ago is almost forgotten。
Grigory Petrovitch is looked upon as the master as he was in old days；
but in reality everything has passed into Aksinya's hands； she buys and
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sells； and nothing can be done without her consent。 The brickyard is
working well； and as bricks are wanted for the railway the price has gone
up to twenty…four roubles a thousand； peasant women and girls cart the
bricks to the station and load them up in the trucks and earn a quarter…
rouble a day for the work。
Aksinya has gone into partnership with the Hrymin Juniors； and their
factory is now called Hrymin Juniors and Co。 They have opened a tavern
near the station； and now the expensive concertina is played not at the
factory but at the tavern； and the head of the post office often goes there；
and he； too； is engaged in some sort of traffic； and the stationmaster； too。
Hrymin Juniors have presented the deaf man Stepan with a gold watch；
and he is constantly taking it out of his pocket and putting it to his ear。
People say of Aksinya that she has become a person of power； and it is
true that when she drives in the morning to her brickyard； handsome and
happy； with the naive smile on her face； and afterwards when she is giving
orders there； one is aware of great power in her。 Everyone is afraid of her
in the house and in the village and in the brickyard。 When she goes to the
post the head of the postal department jumps up and says to her：
〃I humbly beg you to be seated； Aksinya Abramovna！〃
A certain landowner； middle…aged but foppish； in a tunic of fine cloth
and patent leather high boots； sold her a horse； and was so carried away by
talking to her that he knocked down the price to meet her wishes。 He held
her hand a long time and； looking into her merry； sly； naive eyes； said：
〃For a woman like you； Aksinya Abramovna； I should be ready to do
anything you please。 Only say when we can meet where no one will
interfere with us？〃
〃Why； when you please。〃
And since then the elderly fop drives up to the shop almost every day
to drink beer。 And the beer is horrid； bitter as wormwood。 The landowner
shakes his head； but he drinks it。
Old Tsybukin does not have anything to do with the business now at
all。 He does not keep any money because he cannot distinguish between
the good and the false； but he is silent； he says nothing of this weakness。
He has become forgetful； and if they don't give him food he does not ask
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for it。 They have grown used to having dinner without him； and Varvara
often says：
〃He went to bed again yesterday without any supper。〃
And she says it unconcernedly because she is used to it。 For some
reason； summer and winter alike； he wears a fur coat； and only in very hot
weather he does not go out but sits at home。 As a rule putting on his fur
coat； wrapping it round him and turning up his collar； he walks about the
village； along the road to the station； or sits from morning till night on the
seat near the church gates。 He sits there without stirring。 Passers…by bow to
him； but he does not respond； for as of old he dislikes the peasants。 If he is
asked a question he answers quite rationally and politely； but briefly。
There is a rumour going about in the village that his daughter…in…law
turns him out of the house and gives him nothing to eat； and that he is fed
by charity； some are glad； others are sorry for him。
Varvara has grown even fatter and whiter； and as before she is active in
good works； and Aksinya does not interfere with her。
There is so much jam now that they have not time to eat it before the
fresh fruit comes in； it goes sugary； and Varvara almost sheds tears； not
knowing what to do with it。
They have begun to forget about Anisim。 A letter has come from him
written in verse on a big sheet of paper as though it were a petition； all in
the same splendid handwriting。 Evidently his friend Samorodov was
sharing his punishment。 Under the verses in an ugly； scarcely legible
handwriting there was a single line： 〃I am ill here all the time；
