the witch and other stories-第5章

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There　were　five　peasants　　the　carriers　　a　drunken　saucy　lot；
horses；　too；　and　dray…carts　to　see　to；　and　then　the　fence　would
be　broken　or　the　soot　afire　in　the　chimney　　jobs　beyond　a
woman；　and　through　our　being　neighbours；　she　got　into　the　way　of
turning　to　me　for　every　little　thing。　。　。　。　Well；　I'd　go　over；
set　things　to　rights；　and　give　advice。　。　。　。　Naturally；　not
without　going　indoors；　drinking　a　cup　of　tea　and　having　a　little
chat　with　her。　I　was　a　young　fellow；　intellectual；　and　fond　of
talking　on　all　sorts　of　subjects；　she；　too；　was　well…bred　and
　educated。　She　was　always　neatly　dressed；　and　in　summer　she
walked　out　with　a　sunshade。　Sometimes　I　would　begin　upon　religion
or　politics　with　her；　and　she　was　flattered　and　would　entertain
me　with　tea　and　jam。　。　。　。　In　a　word；　not　to　make　a　long　story　of
it；　I　must　tell　you；　old　man；　a　year　had　not　passed　before　the
Evil　One；　the　enemy　of　all　mankind；　confounded　me。　I　began　to
notice　that　any　day　I　didn't　go　to　see　her；　I　seemed　out　of　sorts
and　dull。　And　I'd　be　continually　making　up　something　that　I　must
see　her　about：　'It's　high　time；'　I'd　say　to　myself；　'to　put　the
double　windows　in　for　the　winter；'　and　the　whole　day　I'd　idle
away　over　at　her　place　putting　in　the　windows　and　take　good　care
to　leave　a　couple　of　them　over　for　the　next　day　too。

〃　'I　ought　to　count　over　Vasya's　pigeons；　to　see　none　of　them
have　strayed；'　and　so　on。　I　used　always　to　be　talking　to　her
across　the　fence；　and　in　the　end　I　made　a　little　gate　in　the
fence　so　as　not　to　have　to　go　so　far　round。　From　womankind　comes
much　evil　into　the　world　and　every　kind　of　abomination。　Not　we
sinners　only；　even　the　saints　themselves　have　been　led　astray　by
them。　Mashenka　did　not　try　to　keep　me　at　a　distance。　Instead　of
thinking　of　her　husband　and　being　on　her　guard；　she　fell　in　love
with　me。　I　began　to　notice　that　she　was　dull　without　me；　and　was
always　walking　to　and　fro　by　the　fence　looking　into　my　yard
through　the　cracks。

〃My　brains　were　going　round　in　my　head　in　a　sort　of　frenzy。　On
Thursday　in　Holy　Week　I　was　going　early　in　the　morning　　it　was
scarcely　light　　to　market。　I　passed　close　by　her　gate；　and　the
Evil　One　was　by　me　　at　my　elbow。　I　looked　　she　had　a　gate
with　open　trellis　work　at　the　top　　and　there　she　was；　up
already；　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　yard；　feeding　the　ducks。　I
could　not　restrain　myself；　and　I　called　her　name。　She　came　up　and
looked　at　me　through　the　trellis。　。　。　。　Her　little　face　was
white；　her　eyes　soft　and　sleepy…looking。　。　。　。　I　liked　her　looks
immensely；　and　I　began　paying　her　compliments；　as　though　we　were
not　at　the　gate；　but　just　as　one　does　on　namedays；　while　she
blushed；　and　laughed；　and　kept　looking　straight　into　my　eyes
without　winking。　。　。　。　I　lost　all　sense　and　began　to　declare　my
love　to　her。　。　。　。　She　opened　the　gate；　and　from　that　morning　we
began　to　live　as　man　and　wife。　。　。　。〃

The　hunchback　Alyoshka　came　into　the　yard　from　the　street　and　ran
out　of　breath　into　the　house；　not　looking　at　any　one。　A　minute
later　he　ran　out　of　the　house　with　a　concertina。　Jingling　some
coppers　in　his　pocket；　and　cracking　sunflower　seeds　as　he　ran；　he
went　out　at　the　gate。

〃And　who's　that；　pray？〃　asked　Matvey　Savitch。

〃My　son　Alexey；〃　answered　Dyudya。　〃He's　off　on　a　spree；　the
rascal。　God　has　afflicted　him　with　a　hump；　so　we　are　not　very
hard　on　him。〃

〃And　he's　always　drinking　with　the　other　fellows；　always
drinking；〃　sighed　Afanasyevna。　〃Before　Carnival　we　married　him；
thinking　he'd　be　steadier；　but　there！　he's　worse　than　ever。〃

〃It's　been　no　use。　Simply　keeping　another　man's　daughter　for
nothing；〃　said　Dyudya。

Somewhere　behind　the　church　they　began　to　sing　a　glorious；
mournful　song。　The　words　they　could　not　catch　and　only　the　voices
could　be　heard　　two　tenors　and　a　bass。　All　were　listening；
there　was　complete　stillness　in　the　yard。　。　。　。　Two　voices
suddenly　broke　off　with　a　loud　roar　of　laughter；　but　the　third；　a
tenor；　still　sang　on；　and　took　so　high　a　note　that　every　one
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　betw