the witch and other stories(女巫)-第52节
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from one side to the other； talking in their sleep； getting up for a drink。
Fyokla suddenly broke into a loud； coarse howl； but immediately
checked herself； and only uttered sobs from time to time； growing softer
and on a lower note； until she relapsed into silence。 From time to time
from the other side of the river there floated the sound of the beating of the
hours； but the time seemed somehow strange five was struck and then
three。
〃Oh Lord！〃 sighed the cook。
Looking at the windows； it was difficult to tell whether it was still
moonlight or whether the dawn had begun。 Marya got up and went out；
and she could be heard milking the cows and saying； 〃Stea…dy！〃 Granny
went out； too。 It was still dark in the hut； but all the objects in it could be
discerned。
Nikolay； who had not slept all night； got down from the stove。 He took
his dress…coat out of a green box； put it on； and going to the window；
stroked the sleeves and took hold of the coat…tails and smiled。 Then he
carefully took off the coat； put it away in his box； and lay down again。
Marya came in again and began lighting the stove。 She was evidently
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hardly awake； and seemed dropping asleep as she walked。 Probably she
had had some dream； or the stories of the night before came into her mind
as； stretching luxuriously before the stove； she said：
〃No； freedom is better。〃
VII
The master arrived that was what they called the police inspector。
When he would come and what he was coming for had been known for the
last week。 There were only forty households in Zhukovo； but more than
two thousand roubles of arrears of rates and taxes had accumulated。
The police inspector stopped at the tavern。 He drank there two glasses
of tea； and then went on foot to the village elder's hut； near which a crowd
of those who were in debt stood waiting。 The elder； Antip Syedelnikov；
was； in spite of his youth he was only a little over thirty strict and
always on the side of the authorities； though he himself was poor and did
not pay his taxes regularly。 Evidently he enjoyed being elder； and liked the
sense of authority； which he could only display by strictness。 In the village
council the peasants were afraid of him and obeyed him。 It would
sometimes happen that he would pounce on a drunken man in the street or
near the tavern； tie his hands behind him； and put him in the lock…up。 On
one occasion he even put Granny in the lock…up because she went to the
village council instead of Osip； and began swearing； and he kept her there
for a whole day and night。 He had never lived in a town or read a book；
but somewhere or other had picked up various learned expressions； and
loved to make use of them in conversation； and he was respected for this
though he was not always understood。
When Osip came into the village elder's hut with his tax book； the
police inspector； a lean old man with a long grey beard； in a grey tunic；
was sitting at a table in the passage； writing something。 It was clean in the
hut； all the walls were dotted with pictures cut out of the illustrated papers；
and in the most conspicuous place near the ikon there was a portrait of the
Battenburg who was the Prince of Bulgaria。 By the table stood Antip
Syedelnikov with his arms folded。
〃There is one hundred and nineteen roubles standing against him；〃 he
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said when it came to Osip's turn。 〃Before Easter he paid a rouble； and he
has not paid a kopeck since。〃
The police inspector raised his eyes to Osip and asked：
〃Why is this； brother？〃
〃Show Divine mercy； your honour；〃 Osip began； growing agitated。
〃Allow me to say last year the gentleman at Lutorydsky said to me； 'Osip；'
he said； 'sell your hay 。 。 。 you sell it；' he said。 Well； I had a hundred poods
for sale； the women mowed it on the water…meadow。 Well； we struck a
bargain all right； willingly。 。 。 。〃
He complained of the elder； and kept turning round to the peasants as
though inviting them to bear witness； his face flushed red and perspired；
and his eyes grew sharp and angry。
〃I don't know why you are saying all this；〃 said the police inspector。 〃I
am asking you 。 。 。 I am asking you why you don't pay your arrears。 You
don't pay； any of you； and am I to be responsible for you？〃
〃I can't do it。〃
〃His words have no sequel； your honour；〃 said the elder。 〃The
Tchikildyeevs certainly are of a defective class； but if you will just ask the
others； the root of it all is vodka； and they are a very bad lot。 With no sort
of understanding。〃
The police inspector wrote something down； and said to Osip quietly；
in an even tone； as though he were asking him for water：
〃Be off。〃
Soon he went away； and when he got into his cheap chaise and cleared
his throat； it could be seen from the very expression of his long thin back
that he was no longer thinking of Osip or of the village elder； nor of the
Zhukovo arrears； but was thinking of his own affairs。 Before he had gone
three…quarters of a mile Antip was already carrying off the samovar from
the Tchikildyeevs' cottage； followed by Granny； screaming shrilly and
straining her throat：
〃I won't let you have it； I won't let you have it； damn you！〃
He walked rapidly with long steps； and she pursued him panting；
almost falling over； a bent； ferocious figure； her kerchief slipped on to her
shoulders； her grey hair with greenish lights on it was blown about in the
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wind。 She suddenly stopped short； and like a genuine rebel； fell to beating
her breast with her fists and shouting louder than ever in a sing…song voice；
as though she were sobbing：
〃Good Christians and believers in God！ Neighbours； they have ill…
treated me！ Kind friends； they have oppressed me！ Oh； oh！ dear people；
take my part。〃
〃Granny； Granny！〃 said the village elder sternly； 〃have some sense in
your head！〃
It was hopelessly dreary in the Tchikildyeevs' hut without the samovar；
there was something humiliating in this loss； insulting； as though the
honour of the hut had been outraged。 Better if the elder had carried off the
table； all the benches； all the pots it would not have seemed so empty。
Granny screamed； Marya cried； and the little girls； looking at her； cried；
too。 The old father； feeling guilty； sat in the corner with bowed head and
said nothing。 And Nikolay； too； was silent。 Granny loved him and was
sorry for him； but now； forgetting her pity； she fell upon him with abuse；
with reproaches； shaking her fist right in his face。 She shouted that it was
all his fault； why had he sent them so little when he boasted in his letters
that he was getting fifty roubles a month at the Slavyansky Bazaar？ Why
had he come； and with his family； too？ If he died； where was the money to
come from for his funeral 。 。 。 ？ And it was pitiful to look at Nikolay； Olga；
and Sasha。
The old father cleared his throat； took his cap； and went off to the
village elder。 Antip was soldering something by the stove； puffing out his
cheeks； there was a smell of burning。 His children； emaciated and
unwashed； no better than the Tchikildyeevs； were scrambling about the
floor； his wife； an ugly； freckled woman with a prominent stomach； was
winding silk。 They were a poor； unlucky family； and Antip was the only
one who looked vigorous and handsome。 On a bench there were five
samovars standing in a row。 The old man said his prayer to Battenburg and
said：
〃Antip； show the Divine mercy。 Give me back the samovar； for Christ's
sake！〃
〃Bring three roubles； then you shall have it。
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〃I can't do it！〃
Antip puffed out his cheeks； the fire roared and hissed； and the glow
was reflected in the samovar。 The old man crumpled up his cap and sai
