the witch and other stories(女巫)-第12节
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You are foolish； like a little child； they will teach you no good； don't go！〃
〃Don't go； son；〃 said Stepanida； and she blinked as though about to
shed tears。 〃I bet they are calling you to the tavern。〃
〃 'To the tavern；' 〃 Volodka mimicked。
〃You'll come back drunk again； you currish Herod；〃 said Lukerya；
looking at him angrily。 〃Go along； go along； and may you burn up with
vodka； you tailless Satan！〃
〃You hold your tongue；〃 shouted Volodka。
〃They've married me to a fool； they've ruined me； a luckless orphan；
you red…headed drunkard 。 。 。〃 wailed Lukerya； wiping her face with a
hand covered with dough。 〃I wish I had never set eyes on you。〃
Volodka gave her a blow on the ear and went off。
III
Elena Ivanovna and her little daughter visited the village on foot。 They
were out for a walk。 It was a Sunday； and the peasant women and girls
were walking up and down the street in their brightly…coloured dresses。
Rodion and Stepanida； sitting side by side at their door； bowed and smiled
to Elena Ivanovna and her little daughter as to acquaintances。 From the
windows more than a dozen children stared at them； their faces expressed
amazement and curiosity； and they could be heard whispering：
〃The Kutcherov lady has come！ The Kutcherov lady！〃
〃Good…morning；〃 said Elena Ivanovna； and she stopped； she paused；
and then asked： 〃Well； how are you getting on？〃
〃We get along all right； thank God；〃 answered Rodion； speaking
rapidly。 〃To be sure we get along。〃
〃The life we lead！〃 smiled Stepanida。 〃You can see our poverty
yourself； dear lady！ The family is fourteen souls in all； and only two
bread…winners。 We are supposed to be blacksmiths； but when they bring us
a horse to shoe we have no coal； nothing to buy it with。 We are worried to
death； lady；〃 she went on； and laughed。 〃Oh； oh； we are worried to death。〃
Elena Ivanovna sat down at the entrance and； putting her arm round
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her little girl； pondered something； and judging from the little girl's
expression； melancholy thoughts were straying through her mind； too； as
she brooded she played with the sumptuous lace on the parasol she had
taken out of her mother's hands。
〃Poverty；〃 said Rodion； 〃a great deal of anxiety you see no end to it。
Here； God sends no rain 。 。 。 our life is not easy； there is no denying it。〃
〃You have a hard time in this life；〃 said Elena Ivanovna； 〃but in the
other world you will be happy。〃
Rodion did not understand her； and simply coughed into his clenched
hand by way of reply。 Stepanida said：
〃Dear lady； the rich men will be all right in the next world； too。 The
rich put up candles； pay for services； the rich give to beggars； but what can
the poor man do？ He has no time to make the sign of the cross。 He is the
beggar of beggars himself； how can he think of his soul？ And many sins
come from poverty； from trouble we snarl at one another like dogs； we
haven't a good word to say to one another； and all sorts of things happen；
dear lady God forbid！ It seems we have no luck in this world nor the
next。 All the luck has fallen to the rich。〃
She spoke gaily； she was evidently used to talking of her hard life。
And Rodion smiled； too； he was pleased that his old woman was so clever；
so ready of speech。
〃It is only on the surface that the rich seem to be happy；〃 said Elena
Ivanovna。 〃Every man has his sorrow。 Here my husband and I do not live
poorly； we have means； but are we happy？ I am young； but I have had four
children； my children are always being ill。 I am ill； too； and constantly
being doctored。〃
〃And what is your illness？〃 asked Rodion。
〃A woman's complaint。 I get no sleep； a continual headache gives me
no peace。 Here I am sitting and talking； but my head is bad； I am weak all
over； and I should prefer the hardest labour to such a condition。 My soul；
too； is troubled； I am in continual fear for my children； my husband。 Every
family has its own trouble of some sort； we have ours。 I am not of noble
birth。 My grandfather was a simple peasant； my father was a tradesman in
Moscow； he was a plain； uneducated man； too； while my husband's
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parents were wealthy and distinguished。 They did not want him to marry
me； but he disobeyed them； quarrelled with them； and they have not
forgiven us to this day。 That worries my husband； it troubles him and
keeps him in constant agitation； he loves his mother； loves her dearly。 So I
am uneasy； too； my soul is in pain。〃
Peasants； men and women； were by now standing round Rodion's hut
and listening。 Kozov came up； too； and stood twitching his long； narrow
beard。 The Lytchkovs； father and son； drew near。
〃And say what you like； one cannot be happy and satisfied if one does
not feel in one's proper place。〃 Elena Ivanovna went on。 〃Each of you has
his strip of land； each of you works and knows what he is working for； my
husband builds bridges in short； everyone has his place； while I； I
simply walk about。 I have not my bit to work。 I don't work； and feel as
though I were an outsider。 I am saying all this that you may not judge from
outward appearances； if a man is expensively dressed and has means it
does not prove that he is satisfied with his life。〃
She got up to go away and took her daughter by the hand。
〃I like your place here very much；〃 she said； and smiled； and from that
faint； diffident smile one could tell how unwell she really was； how young
and how pretty； she had a pale； thinnish face with dark eyebrows and fair
hair。 And the little girl was just such another as her mother： thin； fair； and
slender。 There was a fragrance of scent about them。
〃I like the river and the forest and the village；〃 Elena Ivanovna went
on； 〃I could live here all my life； and I feel as though here I should get
strong and find my place。 I want to help you I want to dreadfully to be
of use； to be a real friend to you。 I know your need； and what I don't know
I feel； my heart guesses。 I am sick； feeble； and for me perhaps it is not
possible to change my life as I would。 But I have children。 I will try to
bring them up that they may be of use to you； may love you。 I shall
impress upon them continually that their life does not belong to them； but
to you。 Only I beg you earnestly； I beseech you； trust us； live in friendship
with us。 My husband is a kind； good man。 Don't worry him； don't irritate
him。 He is sensitive to every trifle； and yesterday； for instance； your cattle
were in our vegetable garden； and one of your people broke down the
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fence to the bee…hives； and such an attitude to us drives my husband to
despair。 I beg you；〃 she went on in an imploring voice； and she clasped her
hands on her bosom 〃I beg you to treat us as good neighbours； let us
live in peace！ There is a saying； you know； that even a bad peace is better
than a good quarrel； and； 'Don't buy property； but buy neighbours。' I repeat
my husband is a kind man and good； if all goes well we promise to do
everything in our power for you； we will mend the roads； we will build a
school for your children。 I promise you。〃
〃Of course we thank you humbly； lady；〃 said Lytchkov the father；
looking at the ground； 〃you are educated people； it is for you to know best。
Only； you see； Voronov； a rich peasant at Eresnevo； promised to build a
school； he； too； said； 'I will do this for you；' 'I will do that for you；' and he
only put up the framework and refused to go on。 And then they made the
peasants put the roof on and finish it； it cost them a thousand roubles。
Voronov did not care； he only stroked his beard； but the peasants felt it a
bit hard。〃
〃That was a crow； but now there's a rook； too；〃 said Kozov； and he
winke
