the witch and other stories-第6章
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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 between
you； and to make no sign； while I；' says he； 'will do my best to
please her in every way； so that she may come to love me again。'
He gave me his hand on it； drank a cup of tea； and went away more
cheerful。
〃 'Well；' thought I； 'thank God！' and I did feel glad that
everything had gone off so well。 But no sooner had Vasya gone out
of the yard； when in came Mashenka。 Ah！ What I had to suffer！ She
hung on my neck； weeping and praying： 'For God's sake； don't cast
me off； I can't live without you！' 〃
〃The vile hussy！〃 sighed Dyudya。
〃I swore at her； stamped my foot； and dragging her
into the passage； I fastened the door with the hook。 'Go to your
husband；' I cried。 'Don't shame me before folks。 Fear God！' And
every day there was a scene of that sort。
〃One morning I was standing in my yard near the stable cleaning a
bridle。 All at once I saw her running through the little gate
into my yard； with bare feet； in her petticoat； and straight
towards me； she clutched at the bridle； getting all smeared with
the pitch； and shaking and weeping； she cried： 'I can't stand
him； I loathe him； I can't bear it！ If you don't love me； better
kill me！' I was angry； and I struck her twice with the bridle；
but at that instant Vasya ran in at the gate； and in a despairing
voice he shouted： 'Don't beat her！ Don't beat her！' But he ran up
himself； and waving his arms； as though he were mad； he let fly
with his fists at her with all his might； then flung her on the
ground and kicked her。 I tried to defend her； but he snatched up
the reins and thrashed her with them； and all the while； like a
colt's whinny； he went： 'He he he！' 〃
〃I'd take the reins and let you feel them；〃 muttered Varvara；
moving away； 〃murdering our sister； the damned brutes！ 。 。 。〃
〃Hold your tongue； you jade！〃 Dyudya shouted at her。
〃 'He he he！' 〃 Matvey Savitch went on。 〃A carrier ran out
of his yard； I called to my workman； and the three of us got
Mashenka away from him and carried her home in our arms。 The
disgrace of it！ The same day I went over in the evening to see
how things were。 She was lying in bed； all wrapped up in
bandages； nothing but her eyes and nose to be seen； she was
looking at the ceiling。 I said： 'Good…evening； Marya Semyonovna！'
She did not speak。 And Vasya was sitting in the next room； his
head in his hands； crying and saying： 'Brute that I am！ I've
ruined my life！ O God； let me die！' I sat for half an hour by
Mashenka and gave her a good talking…to。 I tried to frighten her
a bit。 'The righteous；' said I； 'after this life go to Paradise；
but you will go to a Gehenna of fire； like all adulteresses。
Don't strive against your husband； go and lay yourself at his
feet。' But never a word from her； she didn't so much as blink an
eyelid； for all the world as though I were talking to a post。 The
next day Vasya fell ill with something like cholera； and in the
evening I heard that he was dead。 Well； so they buried him； and
Mashenka did not go to the funeral； she didn't care to show her
shameless face and her bruises。 And soon there began to be talk
all over the district that Vasya had not died a natural death；
that Mashenka had made away with him。 It got to the ears of the
police； they had Vasya dug up and cut open； and in his stomach
they found arsenic。 It was clear he had been poisoned； the police
came and took Mashenka away； and with her the innocent Kuzka。
They were put in prison。 。 。 。 The woman had gone too far God
punished her。 。 。 。 Eight months later they tried her。 She sat； I
remember； on a low stool； with a little white kerchief on her
head； wearing a grey gown； and she was so thin； so pale； so
sharp…eyed it made one sad to look at her。 Behind her stood a
soldier with a gun。 She would not confess her guilt。 Some in the
court said she had poisoned her husband and others declared he
had poisoned himself for grief。 I was one of the witnesses。 When
they questioned me； I told the whole truth according to my oath。
'Hers；' said I； 'is the guilt。 It's no good to conceal it； she
did not love her husband； and she had a will of her own。 。 。 。'
The trial began in the morning and towards night they passed this
sentence： to send her to hard labour in Siberia for thirteen
years。 After that sentence Mashenka remained three months longer
in prison。 I went to see her； and from Christian charity I took
her a little tea and sugar。 But as soon as she set eyes on me she
began to shake all over； wringing her hands and muttering： 'Go
away！ go away！' And Kuzka she clasped to her as though she were
afraid I would take him away。 'See；' said I； 'what you have come
to！ Ah； Masha； Masha！ you would not listen to me when I gave you
good advice； and now you must repent it。 You are yourself to
blame；' said I； 'blame yourself！' I was giving her good counsel；
but she： 'Go away； go away！' huddling herself and Kuzka against
the wall； and trembling all over。
〃When they were taking her away to the chief town of our
province； I walked by the escort as far as the station and
slipped a rouble into her bundle for my soul's salvation。 But she
did not get as far as Siberia。 。 。 。 She fell sick of fever and
died in prison。〃
〃Live like a dog and you must die a dog's death；〃 said Dyudya。
〃Kuzka was sent back home。 。 。 。 I thought it over and took him
to bring up。 After all though a convict's child still he
was a living soul； a Christian。 。 。 。 I was sorry for him。 I
shall make him my clerk； and if I have no children of my own；
I'll make a merchant of him。 Wherever I go now； I take him with
me； let him learn his work。〃
All the while Matvey Savitch had been telling his story； Kuzka
had sat on a little stone near the gate。 His head propped in both
hands； he gazed at the sky； and in the distance he looked in the
dark like a stump of wood。
〃Kuzka； come to bed；〃 Matvey Savitch bawled to him。
〃Yes； it's time；〃 said Dyudya； getting up； he yawned loudly and
added：
〃Folks will go their own way； and that's what comes of it。〃
Over the yard the moon was floating now in the heavens； she was
moving one way； while the clouds beneath moved the other way； the
clouds were disappearing into the darkness； but still the moon
could be seen high above the yard。
Matvey Savitch said a prayer； facing the church； and saying
good…night； he lay down on the ground near his cart。 Kuzka； too；
said a prayer； lay down in the cart； and covered himself with his
little overcoat； he made himself a little hole in the hay so as
to be more comfortable； and curled up so that his elbows looked
like knees。 From the yard Dyudya could be seen lighting a candle
in his room below； putting on his spectacles and standing in the
corner with a book。 He was a long while reading and crossing
himself。
The travellers fell asleep。 Afanasyevna and Sofya came up to the
cart and began looking at Kuzka。
〃The little orphan's asleep；〃 said the old woman。 〃He's thin and
frail； nothing but bones。 No mother and no one to care for him
properly。〃
〃My Grishutka must be two years older；〃 said Sofya。 〃Up at the
factory he lives like a slave without his mother。 The foreman
beats him； I dare say。 When I looked at this poor mite just now；
I thought of my own Grishutka； and my heart went cold within me。〃
A minute passed in silence。
〃Doesn't remember his mother； I suppose；〃 said the old woman。
〃How could he remember？〃
And big tears began dropping from Sofya's eyes。
〃He's curled himself up like a cat；〃 she said； sobbing and
laughing with tenderness and sorrow。 。 。 。 〃Poor motherless mite！
Kuzka started and opened his eyes。 He saw before him an ugly；
wrinkled； tear…stained face； and beside it another； aged and
toothless； with a sharp chin and hooked nose； and high above them
the infinite sky with the flying clouds and the moon。 He cried
out in fright； and Sofya； too； uttered a cry； both were answered
by the echo； and a faint stir passed over the stifling air； a
watchman tapped somewhere near； a dog barked。 Matvey Savitch
muttered something in his sleep and turned over on the ot
