the witch and other stories(女巫)-第6节
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it is enough； we must repent and fear God。 We must confess it all to
Vasya；' said I； 'he's a quiet fellow and soft he won't kill you。 And
indeed；' said I； 'better to suffer torments in this world at the hands of your
lawful master than to gnash your teeth at the dread Seat of Judgment。' The
wench wouldn't listen； she stuck to her silly； 'It's you I love！' and nothing
more could I get out of her。
〃Vasya came back on the Saturday before Trinity； early in the morning。
From my fence I could see everything； he ran into the house； and came
back a minute later with Kuzka in his arms； and he was laughing and
crying all at once； he was kissing Kuzka and looking up at the hay…loft；
and hadn't the heart to put the child down； and yet he was longing to go to
his pigeons。 He was always a soft sort of chap sentimental。 That day
passed off very well； all quiet and proper。 They had begun ringing the
church bells for the evening service； when the thought struck me： 'To…
morrow's Trinity Sunday； how is it they are not decking the gates and the
fence with green？ Something's wrong；' I thought。 I went over to them。 I
peeped in； and there he was； sitting on the floor in the middle of the room；
his eyes staring like a drunken man's； the tears streaming down his cheeks
and his hands shaking； he was pulling cracknels； necklaces； gingerbread
nuts； and all sorts of little presents out of his bundle and flinging them on
the floor。 Kuzka he was three years old was crawling on the floor；
munching the gingerbreads； while Mashenka stood by the stove； white and
shivering all over； muttering： 'I'm not your wife； I can't live with you；' and
all sorts of foolishness。 I bowed down at Vasya's feet； and said： 'We have
sinned against you； Vassily Maximitch； forgive us； for Christ's sake！' Then
I got up and spoke to Mashenka： 'You； Marya Semyonovna； ought now to
wash Vassily Maximitch's feet and drink the water。 Do you be an obedient
wife to him； and pray to God for me； that He in His mercy may forgive my
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transgression。' It came to me like an inspiration from an angel of Heaven； I
gave her solemn counsel and spoke with such feeling that my own tears
flowed too。 And so two days later Vasya comes to me： 'Matyusha；' says he；
'I forgive you and my wife； God have mercy on you！ She was a soldier's
wife； a young thing all alone； it was hard for her to be on her guard。 She's
not the first； nor will she be the last。 Only；' he says； 'I beg you to behave as
though there had never been anything between you； and to make no sign；
while I；' says he； 'will do my best to please her in every way； so that she
may come to love me again。' He gave me his hand on it； drank a cup of tea；
and went away more cheerful。
〃 'Well；' thought I； 'thank God！' and I did feel glad that everything had
gone off so well。 But no sooner had Vasya gone out of the yard； when in
came Mashenka。 Ah！ What I had to suffer！ She hung on my neck； weeping
and praying： 'For God's sake； don't cast me off； I can't live without you！' 〃
〃The vile hussy！〃 sighed Dyudya。
〃I swore at her； stamped my foot； and dragging her into the passage； I
fastened the door with the hook。 'Go to your husband；' I cried。 'Don't
shame me before folks。 Fear God！' And every day there was a scene of that
sort。
〃One morning I was standing in my yard near the stable cleaning a
bridle。 All at once I saw her running through the little gate into my yard；
with bare feet； in her petticoat； and straight towards me； she clutched at
the bridle； getting all smeared with the pitch； and shaking and weeping；
she cried： 'I can't stand him； I loathe him； I can't bear it！ If you don't love
me； better kill me！' I was angry； and I struck her twice with the bridle； but
at that instant Vasya ran in at the gate； and in a despairing voice he shouted：
'Don't beat her！ Don't beat her！' But he ran up himself； and waving his
arms； as though he were mad； he let fly with his fists at her with all his
might； then flung her on the ground and kicked her。 I tried to defend her；
but he snatched up the reins and thrashed her with them； and all the while；
like a colt's whinny； he went： 'He he he！' 〃
〃I'd take the reins and let you feel them；〃 muttered Varvara； moving
away； 〃murdering our sister； the damned brutes！ 。 。 。〃
〃Hold your tongue； you jade！〃 Dyudya shouted at her。
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〃 'He he he！' 〃 Matvey Savitch went on。 〃A carrier ran out of his
yard； I called to my workman； and the three of us got Mashenka away
from him and carried her home in our arms。 The disgrace of it！ The same
day I went over in the evening to see how things were。 She was lying in
bed； all wrapped up in bandages； nothing but her eyes and nose to be seen；
she was looking at the ceiling。 I said： 'Good…evening； Marya
Semyonovna！' She did not speak。 And Vasya was sitting in the next room；
his head in his hands； crying and saying： 'Brute that I am！ I've ruined my
life！ O God； let me die！' I sat for half an hour by Mashenka and gave her a
good talking…to。 I tried to frighten her a bit。 'The righteous；' said I； 'after
this life go to Paradise； but you will go to a Gehenna of fire； like all
adulteresses。 Don't strive against your husband； go and lay yourself at his
feet。' But never a word from her； she didn't so much as blink an eyelid； for
all the world as though I were talking to a post。 The next day Vasya fell ill
with something like cholera； and in the evening I heard that he was dead。
Well； so they buried him； and Mashenka did not go to the funeral； she
didn't care to show her shameless face and her bruises。 And soon there
began to be talk all over the district that Vasya had not died a natural death；
that Mashenka had made away with him。 It got to the ears of the police；
they had Vasya dug up and cut open； and in his stomach they found
arsenic。 It was clear he had been poisoned； the police came and took
Mashenka away； and with her the innocent Kuzka。 They were put in
prison。 。 。 。 The woman had gone too far God punished her。 。 。 。 Eight
months later they tried her。 She sat； I remember； on a low stool； with a
little white kerchief on her head； wearing a grey gown； and she was so thin；
so pale； so sharp…eyed it made one sad to look at her。 Behind her stood a
soldier with a gun。 She would not confess her guilt。 Some in the court said
she had poisoned her husband and others declared he had poisoned
himself for grief。 I was one of the witnesses。 When they questioned me； I
told the whole truth according to my oath。 'Hers；' said I； 'is the guilt。 It's no
good to conceal it； she did not love her husband； and she had a will of her
own。 。 。 。' The trial began in the morning and towards night they passed
this sentence： to send her to hard labour in Siberia for thirteen years。 After
that sentence Mashenka remained three months longer in prison。 I went to
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see her； and from Christian charity I took her a little tea and sugar。 But as
soon as she set eyes on me she began to shake all over； wringing her hands
and muttering： 'Go away！ go away！' And Kuzka she clasped to her as
though she were afraid I would take him away。 'See；' said I； 'what you have
come to！ Ah； Masha； Masha！ you would not listen to me when I gave you
good advice； and now you must repent it。 You are yourself to blame；' said I；
'blame yourself！' I was giving her good counsel； but she： 'Go away； go
away！' huddling herself and Kuzka against the wall； and trembling all
over。
〃When they were taking her away to the chief town of our province； I
walked by the escort as far as the station and slipped a rouble into her
bundle for my soul's salvation。 But she did not get as far as Siberia。 。 。 。
She fell sick of fever and died in prison。〃
〃Live like a dog and you must die a dog's death；〃 said Dyudya。
〃Kuzka was sent back h
