the witch and other stories-第31章
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but father's got the fleeces 。 。 。 so that's all his faith
amounts to。〃
Anisim winked and wagged his head。
〃The elder does not believe in God； either；〃 he went on。 〃And the
clerk and the deacon； too。 And as for their going to church and
keeping the fasts； that is simply to prevent people talking ill
of them； and in case it really may be true that there will be a
Day of Judgment。 Nowadays people say that the end of the world
has come because people have grown weaker； do not honour their
parents； and so on。 All that is nonsense。 My idea； mamma； is that
all our trouble is because there is so little conscience in
people。 I see through things； mamma； and I understand。 If a man
has a stolen shirt I see it。 A man sits in a tavern and you fancy
he is drinking tea and no more； but to me the tea is neither here
nor there； I see further； he has no conscience。 You can go about
the whole day and not meet one man with a conscience。 And the
whole reason is that they don't know whether there is a God or
not。 。 。 。 Well； good…bye； mamma； keep alive and well； don't
remember evil against me。〃
Anisim bowed down at Varvara's feet。
〃I thank you for everything； mamma；〃 he said。 〃You are a great
gain to our family。 You are a very ladylike woman； and I am very
pleased with you。〃
Much moved； Anisim went out； but returned again and said：
〃Samorodov has got me mixed up in something： I shall either make
my fortune or come to grief。 If anything happens； then you must
comfort my father； mamma。〃
〃Oh； nonsense； don't you worry； tut； tut； tut。 。 。 God is
merciful。 And； Anisim； you should be affectionate to your wife；
instead of giving each other sulky looks as you do； you might
smile at least。〃
〃Yes； she is rather a queer one；〃 said Anisim； and he gave a
sigh。 〃She does not understand anything； she never speaks。 She is
very young； let her grow up。〃
A tall； sleek white stallion was already standing at the front
door； harnessed to the chaise。
Old Tsybukin jumped in jauntily with a run and took the reins。
Anisim kissed Varvara； Aksinya； and his brother。 On the steps
Lipa； too； was standing； she was standing motionless； looking
away； and it seemed as though she had not come to see him off but
just by chance for some unknown reason。 Anisim went up to her and
just touched her cheek with his lips。
〃Good…bye；〃 he said。
And without looking at him she gave a strange smile； her face
began to quiver； and everyone for some reason felt sorry for her。
Anisim； too； leaped into the chaise with a bound and put his arms
jauntily akimbo； for he considered himself a good…looking fellow。
When they drove up out of the ravine Anisim kept looking back
towards the village。 It was a warm； bright day。 The cattle were
being driven out for the first time； and the peasant girls and
women were walking by the herd in their holiday dresses。 The
dun…coloured bull bellowed； glad to be free； and pawed the ground
with his forefeet。 On all sides； above and below； the larks were
singing。 Anisim looked round at the elegant white church it
had only lately been whitewashed and he thought how he had
been praying in it five days before； he looked round at the
school with its green roof； at the little river in which he used
once to bathe and catch fish； and there was a stir of joy in his
heart； and he wished that walls might rise up from the ground and
prevent him from going further； and that he might be left with
nothing but the past。
At the station they went to the refreshment room and drank a
glass of sherry each。 His father felt in his pocket for his purse
to pay。
〃I will stand treat；〃 said Anisim。 The old man； touched and
delighted； slapped him on the shoulder； and winked to the waiter
as much as to say； 〃See what a fine son I have got。〃
〃You ought to stay at home in the business； Anisim；〃 he said；
〃you would be worth any price to me！ I would shower gold on you
from head to foot； my son。〃
〃It can't be done； papa。〃
The sherry was sour and smelt of sealing…wax； but they had
another glass。
When old Tsybukin returned home from the station； for the first
moment he did not recognize his younger daughter…in…law。 As soon
as her husband had driven out of the yard； Lipa was transformed
and suddenly brightened up。 Wearing a threadbare old petticoat；
with her feet bare and her sleeves tucked up to the shoulders；
she was scrubbing the stairs in the entry and singing in a
silvery little voice； and when she brought out a big tub of dirty
water and looked up at the sun with her childlike smile it seemed
as though she； too； were a lark。
An old labourer who was passing by the door shook his head and
cleared his throat。
〃Yes； indeed； your daughters…in…law； Grigory Petrovitch； are a
blessing from God；〃 he said。 〃Not women； but treasures！〃
V
On Friday the 8th of July； Elizarov； nicknamed Crutch； and Lipa
were returning from the village of Kazanskoe； where
they had been to a service on the occasion of a church holiday
in the honour of the Holy Mother of Kazan。 A good distance after
them walked Lipa's mother Praskovya； who always fell behind； as
she was ill and short of breath。 It was drawing towards evening。
〃A…a…a 。 。 。〃 said Crutch； wondering as he listened to Lipa。
〃A…a！ 。 。 。 We…ell！
〃I am very fond of jam； Ilya Makaritch；〃 said Lipa。 〃I sit down
in my little corner and drink tea and eat jam。 Or I drink it with
Varvara Nikolaevna； and she tells some story full of feeling。 We
have a lot of jam four jars。 'Have some； Lipa； eat as much as
you like。' 〃
〃A…a…a； four jars！〃
〃They live very well。 We have white bread with our tea； and meat；
too； as much as one wants。 They live very well； only I am
frightened with them； Ilya Makaritch。 Oh； oh； how frightened I
am！〃
〃Why are you frightened； child？〃 asked Crutch； and he looked back
to see how far Praskovya was behind。
〃To begin with； when the wedding had been celebrated I was afraid
of Anisim Grigoritch。 Anisim Grigoritch did nothing； he didn't
ill…treat me； only when he comes near me a cold shiver runs all
over me； through all my bones。 And I did not sleep one night； I
trembled all over and kept praying to God。 And now I am afraid of
Aksinya； Ilya Makaritch。 It's not that she does anything； she is
always laughing； but sometimes she glances at the window； and her
eyes are so fierce and there is a gleam of green in them like
the eyes of the sheep in the shed。 The Hrymin Juniors are leading
her astray： 'Your old man；' they tell her； 'has a bit of land at
Butyokino； a hundred and twenty acres；' they say； 'and there is
sand and water there； so you； Aksinya；' they say； 'build a
brickyard there and we will go shares in it。' Bricks now are
twenty roubles the thousand； it's a profitable business。
Yesterday at dinner Aksinya said to my father…in…law： 'I want to
build a brickyard at Butyokino； I'm going into business on my own
account。' She laughed as she said it。 And Grigory Petrovitch's
face darkened； one could see he did not like it。 'As long as I
live；' he said； 'the family must not break up； we must go on
altogether。' She gave a look and gritted her teeth。 。 。 。
Fritters were served； she would not eat them。〃
〃A…a…a！ 。 。 。〃 Crutch was surprised。
〃And tell me； if you please； when does she sleep？〃 said Lipa。
〃She sleeps for half an hour； then jumps up and keeps walking and
walking about to see whether the peasants have not set fire to
something； have not stolen something。 。 。 。 I am frightened with
her； Ilya Makaritch。 And the Hrymin Juniors did not go to bed
after the wedding； but drove to the town to go to law with each
other； and folks do say it is all on account of Aksinya。 Two of
the brothers have promised to build her a brickyard； but the
third is offended； and the factory has been at a standstill for a
month； and my uncle Prohor is without work and goes about from
house to house getting crusts。 'Hadn't you better go working on
the land or sawing up wood； meanwhile； uncle？' I tell him； 'why
disgrace yourself？' 'I've got out of the way of it；' he says； 'I
don't know how to do any sort of peasant's work now； Lipinka。' 。
。 。〃
They stopped to rest and wait for Praskovya near a copse
