the witch and other stories(女巫)-第35节
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carpenter？' The carpenter must be； my child！〃
Crutch thought a minute and added：
〃Yes； that's how it is； child。 He who works； he who is patient is the
superior。〃
By now the sun had set and a thick mist as white as milk was rising
over the river； in the church enclosure； and in the open spaces round the
factories。 Now when the darkness was coming on rapidly； when lights
were twinkling belo w； and when it seemed as though the mists were
hiding a fathomless abyss； Lipa and her mother who were born in poverty
and prepared to live so till the end； giving up to others everything except
their frightened； gentle souls； may have fancied for a minute perhaps that
in the vast； mysterious world； among the endless series of lives； they； too；
counted for something； and they； too； were superior to someone； they liked
sitting here at the top； they smiled happily and forgot that they must go
down below again all the same。
At last they went home again。 The mowers were sitting on the ground
at the gates near the shop。 As a rule the Ukleevo peasants did not go to
Tsybukin's to work； and they had to hire strangers； and now in the
darkness it seemed as though there were men sitting there with long black
beards。 The shop was open； and through the doorway they could see the
deaf man playing draughts with a boy。 The mowers were singing softly；
scarcely audibly； or loudly demanding their wages for the previous day；
but they were not paid for fear they should go away before to…morrow。 Old
Tsybukin； with his coat off； was sitting in his waistcoat with Aksinya
under the birch…tree； drinking tea； a lamp was burning on the table。
〃I say； grandfather；〃 a mower called from outside the gates； as though
taunting him； 〃pay us half anyway！ Hey； grandfather。〃
And at once there was the sound of laughter； and then again they sang
hardly audibly。 。 。 。 Crutch； too； sat down to have some tea。
〃We have been at the fair； you know；〃 he began telling them。 〃We have
had a walk； a very nice walk； my children； praise the Lord。 But an
unfortunate thing happened： Sashka the blacksmith bought some tobacco
and gave the shopman half a rouble to be sure。 And the half rouble was a
false one〃 Crutch went on； and he meant to speak in a whisper； but he
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spoke in a smothered husky voice which was audible to everyone。 〃The
half…rouble turned out to be a bad one。 He was asked where he got it。
'Anisim Tsybukin gave it me；' he said。 'When I went to his wedding；' he
said。 They called the police inspector； took the man away。 。 。 。 Look out；
Grigory Petrovitch； that nothing comes of it； no talk。 。 。 。〃
〃Gra…ndfather！〃 the same voice called tauntingly outside the gates。
〃Gra…andfather！〃
A silence followed。
〃Ah； little children； little children； little children 。 。 。〃 Crutch muttered
rapidly； and he got up。 He was overcome with drowsiness。 〃Well； thank
you for the tea； for the sugar； little children。 It is time to sleep。 I am like a
bit of rotten timber nowadays； my beams are crumbling under me。 Ho…ho…
ho！ I suppose it's time I was dead。〃
And he gave a gulp。 Old Tsybukin did not finish his tea but sat on a
little； pondering； and his face looked as though he were listening to the
footsteps of Crutch； who was far away down the street。
〃Sashka the blacksmith told a lie； I expect；〃 said Aksinya； guessing his
thoughts。
He went into the house and came back a little later with a parcel； he
opened it； and there was the gleam of roubles perfectly new coins。 He
took one； tried it with his teeth； flung it on the tray； then flung down
another。
〃The roubles really are false 。 。 。〃 he said； looking at Aksinya and
seeming perplexed。 〃These are those Anisim brought； his present。 Take
them； daughter；〃 he whispered； and thrust the parcel into her hands。 〃Take
them and throw them into the well 。 。 。 confound them！ And mind there is
no talk about it。 Harm might come of it。 。 。 。 Take away the samovar； put
out the light。〃
Lipa and her mother sitting in the barn saw the lights go out one after
the other； only overhead in Varvara's room there were blue and red lamps
gleaming； and a feeling of peace； content； and happy ignorance seemed to
float down from there。 Praskovya could never get used to her daughter's
being married to a rich man； and when she came she huddled timidly in
the outer room with a deprecating smile on her face； and tea and sugar
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were sent out to her。 And Lipa； too； could not get used to it either； and
after her husband had gone away she did not sleep in her bed； but lay
down anywhere to sleep； in the kitchen or the barn； and every day she
scrubbed the floor or washed the clothes； and felt as though she were hired
by the day。 And now； on coming back from the service； they drank tea in
the kitchen with the cook； then they went into the barn and lay down on
the ground between the sledge and the wall。 It was dark here and smelt of
harness。 The lights went out about the house； then they could hear the deaf
man shutting up the shop； the mowers settling themselves about the yard
to sleep。 In the distance at the Hrymin Juniors' they were playing on the
expensive concertina。 。 。 。 Praskovya and Lipa began to go to sleep。
And when they were awakened by somebody's steps it was bright
moonlight； at the entrance of the barn stood Aksinya with her bedding in
her arms。
〃Maybe it's a bit cooler here；〃 she said； then she came in and lay down
almost in the doorway so that the moonlight fell full upon her。
She did not sleep； but breathed heavily； tossing from side to side with
the heat； throwing off almost all the bedclothes。 And in the magic
moonlight what a beautiful； what a proud animal she was！ A little time
passed； and then steps were heard again： the old father； white all over；
appeared in the doorway。
〃Aksinya；〃 he called； 〃 are you here？〃
〃Well？〃 she responded angrily。
〃I told you just now to throw the money into the well； have you done
so？〃
〃What next； throwing property into the water！ I gave them to the
mowers。 。 。 。〃
〃Oh my God！〃 cried the old man； dumbfounded and alarmed。 〃Oh my
God！ you wicked woman。 。 。 。〃
He flung up his hands and went out； and he kept saying something as
he went away。 And a little later Aksinya sat up and sighed heavily with
annoyance； then got up and； gathering up her bedclothes in her arms； went
out。
〃Why did you marry me into this family； mother？〃 said Lipa。
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〃One has to be married； daughter。 It was not us who ordained it。〃
And a feeling of inconsolable woe was ready to take possession of
them。 But it seemed to them that someone was looking down from the
height of the heavens； out of the blue from where the stars were seeing
everything that was going on in Ukleevo； watching over them。 And
however great was wickedness； still the night was calm and beautiful； and
still in God's world there is and will be truth and justice as calm and
beautiful； and everything on earth is only waiting to be made one with
truth and justice； even as the moonlight is blended with the night。
And both； huddling close to one another； fell asleep comforted。
VI
News had come long before that Anisim had been put in prison for
coining and passing bad money。 Months passed； more than half a year
passed； the long winter was over； spring had begun； and everyone in the
house and the village had grown used to the fact that Anisim was in prison。
And when anyone passed
