the witch and other stories(女巫)-第13节
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bit hard。〃
〃That was a crow； but now there's a rook； too；〃 said Kozov； and he
winked。
There was the sound of laughter。
〃We don't want a school；〃 said Volodka sullenly。 〃Our children go to
Petrovskoe； and they can go on going there； we don't want it。〃
Elena Ivanovna seemed suddenly intimidated； her face looked paler
and thinner； she shrank into herself as though she had been touched with
something coarse； and walked away without uttering another word。 And
she walked more and more quickly； without looking round。
〃Lady；〃 said Rodion； walking after her； 〃lady； wait a bit； hear what I
would say to you。〃
He followed her without his cap； and spoke softly as though begging。
〃Lady； wait and hear what I will say to you。〃
They had walked out of the village； and Elena Ivanovna stopped
beside a cart in the shade of an old mountain ash。
〃Don't be offended； lady；〃 said Rodion。 〃What does it mean？ Have
patience。 Have patience for a couple of years。 You will live here； you will
have patience； and it will all come round。 Our folks are good and
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peaceable； there's no harm in them； it's God's truth I'm telling you。 Don't
mind Kozov and the Lytchkovs； and don't mind Volodka。 He's a fool； he
listens to the first that speaks。 The others are quiet folks； they are silent。
Some would be glad； you know； to say a word from the heart and to stand
up for themselves； but cannot。 They have a heart and a conscience； but no
tongue。 Don't be offended 。 。 。 have patience。 。 。 。 What does it matter？〃
Elena Ivanovna looked at the broad； tranquil river； pondering； and
tears flowed down her cheeks。 And Rodion was troubled by those tears； he
almost cried himself。
〃Never mind 。 。 。〃 he muttered。 〃Have patience for a couple of years。
You can have the school； you can have the roads； only not all at once。 If
you went； let us say； to sow corn on that mound you would first have to
weed it out； to pick out all the stones； and then to plough； and work and
work 。 。 。 and with the people； you see； it is the same 。 。 。 you must work
and work until you overcome them。〃
The crowd had moved away from Rodion's hut； and was coming along
the street towards the mountain ash。 They began singing songs and playing
the concertina； and they kept coming closer and closer。 。 。 。
〃Mamma； let us go away from here；〃 said the little girl； huddling up to
her mother； pale and shaking all over； 〃let us go away； mamma！
〃Where？〃
〃To Moscow。 。 。 。 Let us go； mamma。〃
The child began crying。
Rodion was utterly overcome； his face broke into profuse perspiration；
he took out of his pocket a little crooked cucumber； like a half…moon；
covered with crumbs of rye bread； and began thrusting it into the little
girl's hands。
〃Come； come；〃 he muttered； scowling severely； 〃take the little
cucumber； eat it up。 。 。 。 You mustn't cry。 Mamma will whip you。 。 。 。 She'll
tell your father of you when you get home。 Come； come。 。 。 。〃
They walked on； and he still followed behind them； wanting to say
something friendly and persuasive to them。 And seeing that they were both
absorbed in their own thoughts and their own griefs； and not noticing him；
he stopped and； shading his eyes from the sun； looked after them for a
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long time till they disappeared into their copse。
IV
The engineer seemed to grow irritable and petty； and in every trivial
incident saw an act of robbery or outrage。 His gate was kept bolted even
by day； and at night two watchmen walked up and down the garden
beating a board； and they gave up employing anyone from Obrutchanovo
as a labourer。 As ill…luck would have it someone （either a peasant or one of
the workmen） took the new wheels off the cart and replaced them by old
ones； then soon afterwards two bridles and a pair of pincers were carried
off； and murmurs arose even in the village。 People began to say that a
search should be made at the Lytchkovs' and at Volodka's； and then the
bridles and the pincers were found under the hedge in the engineer's
garden； someone had thrown them down there。
It happened that the peasants were coming in a crowd out of the forest；
and again they met the engineer on the road。 He stopped； and without
wishing them good…day he began； looking angrily first at one； then at
another：
〃I have begged you not to gather mushrooms in the park and near the
yard； but to leave them for my wife and children； but your girls come
before daybreak and there is not a mushroom left。 。 。 。Whether one asks
you or not it makes no difference。 Entreaties； and friendliness； and
persuasion I see are all useless。〃
He fixed his indignant eyes on Rodion and went on：
〃My wife and I behaved to you as human beings； as to our equals； and
you？ But what's the use of talking！ It will end by our looking down upon
you。 There is nothing left！〃
And making an effort to restrain his anger； not to say too much； he
turned and went on。
On getting home Rodion said his prayer； took off his boots； and sat
down beside his wife。
〃Yes 。 。 。〃 he began with a sigh。 〃We were walking along just now； and
Mr。 Kutcherov met us。 。 。 。 Yes。 。 。 。 He saw the girls at daybreak。 。 。 'Why
don't they bring mushrooms；' 。 。 。 he said 'to my wife and children？' he
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said。 。 。 。 And then he looked at me and he said： 'I and my wife will look
after you；' he said。 I wanted to fall down at his feet； but I hadn't the
courage。 。 。 。 God give him health。 。 。 God bless him！ 。 。 。〃
Stephania crossed herself and sighed。
〃They are kind； simple…hearted people；〃 Rodion went on。 〃 'We shall
look after you。' 。 。 。 He promised me that before everyone。 In our old
age 。 。 。 it wouldn't be a bad thing。 。 。 。 I should always pray for them。 。 。 。
Holy Mother； bless them。 。 。 。〃
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross； the fourteenth of September；
was the festival of the village church。 The Lytchkovs； father and son； went
across the river early in the morning and returned to dinner drunk； they
spent a long time going about the village； alternately singing and swearing；
then they had a fight and went to the New Villa to complain。 First
Lytchkov the father went into the yard with a long ashen stick in his hands。
He stopped irresolutely and took off his hat。 Just at that moment the
engineer and his family were sitting on the verandah； drinking tea。
〃What do you want？〃 shouted the engineer。
〃Your honour 。 。 。〃 Lytchkov began； and burst into tears。 〃Show the
Divine mercy； protect me 。 。 。 my son makes my life a misery 。 。 。 your
honour。 。 。〃
Lytchkov the son walked up； too； he； too； was bareheaded and had a
stick in his hand； he stopped and fixed his drunken senseless eyes on the
verandah。
〃It is not my business to settle your affairs；〃 said the engineer。 〃Go to
the rural captain or the police officer。〃
〃I have been everywhere。 。 。 。 I have lodged a petition 。 。 。〃 said
Lytchkov the father； and he sobbed。 〃Where can I go now？ He can kill me
now； it seems。 He can do anything。 Is that the way to treat a father？ A
father？〃
He raised his stick and hit his son on the head； the son raised his stick
and struck his father just on his bald patch such a blow that the stick
bounced back。 The father did not even flinch； but hit his son again and
again on the head。 And so they stood and kept hitting one another on the
head； and it looked not so much like a fight as some sort of a game。 And
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