the witch and other stories(女巫)-第42章
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had never dreamed that one of his family could speak to him rudely or
behave disrespectfully； and now he was very much frightened； he ran into
the house and there hid behind the cupboard。 And Varvara was so much
flustered that she could not get up from her seat； and only waved her
hands before her as though she were warding off a bee。
〃Oh； Holy Saints！ what's the meaning of it？〃 she muttered in horror。
〃What is she shouting？ Oh； dear； dear！ 。 。 。 People will hear！ Hush。 Oh；
hush！〃
〃He has given Butyokino to the convict's wife；〃 Aksinya went on
bawling。 〃Give her everything now； I don't want anything from you！ Let
me alone！ You are all a gang of thieves here！ I have seen my fill of it； I
have had enough！ You have robbed folks coming in and going out； you
have robbed old and young alike； you brigands！ And who has been selling
vodka without a licence？ And false money？ You've filled boxes full of
false coins； and now I am no more use！〃
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A crowd had by now collected at the open gate and was staring into
the yard。
〃Let the people look；〃 bawled Aksinya。 〃I will shame you all！ You
shall burn with shame！ You shall grovel at my feet。 Hey！ Stepan；〃 she
called to the deaf man； 〃let us go home this minute！ Let us go to my father
and mother； I don't want to live with convicts。 Get ready！〃
Clothes were hanging on lines stretched across the yard； she snatched
off her petticoats and blouses still wet and flung them into the deaf man's
arms。 Then in her fury she dashed about the yard by the linen； tore down
all of it； and what was not hers she threw on the ground and trampled
upon。
〃Holy Saints； take her away；〃 moaned Varvara。 〃What a woman！ Give
her Butyokino！ Give it her； for the Lord's sake！
〃Well！ Wha…at a woman！〃 people were saying at the gate。 〃She's a wo…
oman！ She's going it something like！〃
Aksinya ran into the kitchen where washing was going on。 Lipa was
washing alone； the cook had gone to the river to rinse the clothes。 Steam
was rising from the trough and from the caldron on the side of the stove；
and the kitchen was thick and stifling from the steam。 On the floor was a
heap of unwashed clothes； and Nikifor； kicking up his little red legs； had
been put down on a bench near them； so that if he fell he should not hurt
himself。 Just as Aksinya went in Lipa took the former's chemise out of the
heap and put it in the trough； and was just stretching out her hand to a big
ladle of boiling water which was standing on the table。
〃Give it here；〃 said Aksinya； looking at her with hatred； and snatching
the chemise out of the trough； 〃it is not your business to touch my linen！
You are a convict's wife； and ought to know your place and who you are。〃
Lipa gazed at her； taken aback； and did not understand； but suddenly
she caught the look Aksinya turned upon the child； and at once she
understood and went numb all over。
〃You've taken my land； so here you are！〃 Saying this Aksinya snatched
up the ladle with the boiling water and flung it over Nikifor。
After this there was heard a scream such as had never been heard
before in Ukleevo； and no one would have believed that a little weak
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creature like Lipa could scream like that。 And it was suddenly silent in the
yard。
Aksinya walked into the house with her old naive smile。 。 。 。 The deaf
man kept moving about the yard with his arms full of linen； then he began
hanging it up again； in silence； without haste。 And until the cook came
back from the river no one ventured to go into the kitchen and see what
was there。
VIII
Nikifor was taken to the district hospital； and towards evening he died
there。 Lipa did not wait for them to come for her； but wrapped the dead
baby in its little quilt and carried it home。
The hospital； a new one recently built； with big windows； stood high
up on a hill； it was glittering from the setting sun and looked as though it
were on fire from inside。 There was a little village below。 Lipa went down
along the road； and before reaching the village sat down by a pond。 A
woman brought a horse down to drink and the horse did not drink。
〃What more do you want？〃 said the woman to it softly。 〃What do you
want？〃
A boy in a red shirt； sitting at the water's edge； was washing his
father's boots。 And not another soul was in sight either in the village or on
the hill。
〃It's not drinking；〃 said Lipa； looking at the horse。
Then the woman with the horse and the boy with the boots walked
away； and there was no one left at all。 The sun went to bed wrapped in
cloth of gold and purple； and long clouds； red and lilac； stretched across
the sky； guarded its slumbers。 Somewhere far away a bittern cried； a
hollow； melancholy sound like a cow shut up in a barn。 The cry of that
mysterious bird was heard every spring； but no one knew what it was like
or where it lived。 At the top of the hill by the hospital； in the bushes close
to the pond； and in the fields the nightingales were trilling。 The cuckoo
kept reckoning someone's years and losing count and beginning again。 In
the pond the frogs called angrily to one another； straining themselves to
bursting； and one could even make out the words： 〃That's what you are！
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That's what you are！ 〃 What a noise there was！ It seemed as though all
these creatures were singing and shouting so that no one might sleep on
that spring night； so that all； even the angry frogs； might appreciate and
enjoy every minute： life is given only once。
A silver half…moon was shining in the sky； there were many stars。 Lipa
had no idea how long she sat by the pond； but when she got up and walked
on everybody was asleep in the little village； and there was not a single
light。 It was probably about nine miles' walk home； but she had not the
strength； she had not the power to think how to go： the moon gleamed now
in front； now on the right； and the same cuckoo kept calling in a voice
grown husky； with a chuckle as though gibing at her： 〃Oy； look out； you'll
lose your way！〃 Lipa walked rapidly； she lost the kerchief from her
head 。 。 。 she looked at the sky and wondered where her baby's soul was
now： was it following her； or floating aloft yonder among the stars and
thinking nothing now of his mother？ Oh； how lonely it was in the open
country at night； in the midst of that singing when one cannot sing oneself；
in the midst of the incessant cries of joy when one cannot oneself be joyful；
when the moon； which cares not whether it is spring or winter； whether
men are alive or dead； looks down as lonely； too。 。 。 。 When there is grief in
the heart it is hard to be without people。 If only her mother； Praskovya；
had been with her； or Crutch； or the cook； or some peasant！
〃Boo…oo！〃 cried the bittern。 〃Boo…oo！〃
And suddenly she heard clearly the sound of human s
