the witch and other stories(女巫)-第49节
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offended anyone； and for that go to the right to Paradise'； but to Kiryak
and Granny He will say： 'You go to the left into the fire。' And anyone who
has eaten meat in Lent will go into the fire； too。〃
She looked upwards at the sky； opening wide her eyes； and said：
〃Look at the sky without winking； you will see angels。〃
Motka began looking at the sky； too； and a minute passed in silence。
〃Do you see them？〃 asked Sasha。
〃I don't；〃 said Motka in her deep voice。
〃But I do。 Little angels are flying about the sky and flap； flap with
their little wings as though they were gnats。〃
Motka thought for a little； with her eyes on the ground； and asked：
〃Will Granny burn？〃
〃She will； dearie。〃
From the stone an even gentle slope ran down to the bottom； covered
with soft green grass； which one longed to lie down on or to touch with
one's hands。 。 。 Sasha lay down and rolled to the bottom。 Motka with a
grave； severe face； taking a deep breath； lay down； too； and rolled to the
bottom； and in doing so tore her smock from the hem to the shoulder。
〃What fun it is！〃 said Sasha； delighted。
They walked up to the top to roll down again； but at that moment they
heard a shrill； familiar voice。 Oh； how awful it was！ Granny； a toothless；
bony； hunchbacked figure； with short grey hair which was fluttering in the
wind； was driving the geese out of the kitchen…garden with a long stick；
shouting。
〃They have trampled all the cabbages； the damned brutes！ I'd cut your
throats； thrice accursed plagues！ Bad luck to you！〃
She saw the little girls； flung down the stick and picked up a switch；
and； seizing Sasha by the neck with her fingers； thin and hard as the
gnarled branches of a tree； began whipping her。 Sasha cried with pain and
terror； while the gander； waddling and stretching his neck； went up to the
old woman and hissed at her； and when he went back to his flock all the
geese greeted him approvingly with 〃Ga…ga…ga！〃 Then Granny proceeded
to whip Motka； and in this Motka's smock was torn again。 Feeling in
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despair； and crying loudly； Sasha went to the hut to complain。 Motka
followed her； she； too； was crying on a deeper note； without wiping her
tears； and her face was as wet as though it had been dipped in water。
〃Holy Saints！〃 cried Olga； aghast； as the two came into the hut。
〃Queen of Heaven！〃
Sasha began telling her story； while at the same time Granny walked in
with a storm of shrill cries and abuse； then Fyokla flew into a rage； and
there was an uproar in the hut。
〃Never mind； never mind！〃 Olga； pale and upset； tried to comfort them；
stroking Sasha's head。 〃She is your grandmother； it's a sin to be angry with
her。 Never mind； my child。〃
Nikolay； who was worn out already by the everlasting hubbub； hunger；
stifling fumes； filth； who hated and despised the poverty； who was
ashamed for his wife and daughter to see his father and mother； swung his
legs off the stove and said in an irritable； tearful voice； addressing his
mother：
〃You must not beat her！ You have no right to beat he r！〃
〃You lie rotting on the stove； you wretched creature！〃 Fyokla shouted
at him spitefully。 〃The devil brought you all on us； eating us out of house
and home。〃
Sasha and Motka and all the little girls in the hut huddled on the stove
in the corner behind Nikolay's back； and from that refuge listened in silent
terror； and the beating of their little hearts could be distinctly heard。
Whenever there is someone in a family who has long been ill； and
hopelessly ill； there come painful moments when all timidly； secretly； at
the bottom of their hearts long for his death； and only the children fear the
death of someone near them； and always feel horrified at the thought of it。
And now the children； with bated breath； with a mournful look on their
faces； gazed at Nikolay and thought that he was soon to die； and they
wanted to cry and to say something friendly and compassionate to him。
He pressed close to Olga； as though seeking protection； and said to her
softly in a quavering voice：
〃Olya darling； I can't stay here longer。 It's more than I can bear。 For
God's sake； for Christ's sake； write to your sister Klavdia Abramovna。 Let
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her sell and pawn everything she has； let her send us the money。 We will
go away from here。 Oh； Lord；〃 he went on miserably； 〃to have one peep at
Moscow！ If I could see it in my dreams； the dear place！
And when the evening came on； and it was dark in the hut； it was so
dismal that it was hard to utter a word。 Granny； very ill…tempered； soaked
some crusts of rye bread in a cup； and was a long time； a whole hour；
sucking at them。 Marya； after milking the cow； brought in a pail of milk
and set it on a bench； then Granny poured it from the pail into a jug just as
slowly and deliberately； evidently pleased that it was now the Fast of the
Assumption； so that no one would drink milk and it would be left
untouched。 And she only poured out a very little in a saucer for Fyokla's
baby。 When Marya and she carried the jug down to the cellar Motka
suddenly stirred； clambered down from the stove； and going to the bench
where stood the wooden cup full of crusts； sprinkled into it some milk
from the saucer。
Granny； coming back into the hut； sat down to her soaked crusts again；
while Sasha and Motka； sitting on the stove； gazed at her； and they were
glad that she had broken her fast and now would go to hell。 They were
comforted and lay down to sleep； and Sasha as she dozed off to sleep
imagined the Day of Judgment： a huge fire was burning； somewhat like a
potter's kiln； and the Evil One； with horns like a cow's； and black all over；
was driving Granny into the fire with a long stick； just as Granny herself
had been driving the geese。
V
On the day of the Feast of the Assumption； between ten and eleven in
the evening； the girls and lads who were merrymaking in the meadow
suddenly raised a clamour and outcry； and ran in the direction of the
village； and those who were above on the edge of the ravine could not for
the first moment make out what was the matter。
〃Fire！ Fire！〃 they heard desperate shouts from below。 〃The village is
on fire！〃
Those who were sitting above looked round； and a terrible and
extraordinary spectacle met their eyes。 On the thatched roof of one of the
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end cottages stood a column of flame； seven feet high； which curled round
and scattered sparks in all directions as though it were a fountain。 And all
at once the whole roof burst into bright flame； and the crackling of the fire
was audible。
The light of the moon was dimmed； and the whole village was by now
bathed in a red quivering glow： black shadows moved over the ground；
there was a smell of burning； and those who ran up from below were all
gasping and could not speak for trembling； they jostled against each other；
fell down； and they could hardly see in the unaccustomed light； and did
not recognize each other。 It was terrible。 What seemed particularly
dreadful was that doves were flying over the fire in the smoke； and in the
tavern； where they did not yet know of the fire； they were still singing and
playing the concertina as though there were nothing the matter。
〃Uncle Semyon's on fire；〃 shouted a loud； coarse voice。
Marya was fussing about round her hut； weeping and wringing her
hands； while her teeth chattered； though the fire was a long way off at the
other end of the village。 Nikolay came out in high felt boots； the children
ran out in their little smocks。 Near the village constable's hut an iron sheet
was struck。 Boom； boom； boom！ 。 。 。 floated through the air； and this
repeated； persistent sound sent a pang to the heart
