resurrection(复活)-第51节

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〃Well；　you　see　how　we　live。　The　hut　is　coming　down；　and　might
kill　one　any　day；　but　my　old　man　he　says　it's　good　enough；　and　so
we　live　like　kings；〃　said　the　brisk　old　woman；　nervously　jerking
her　head。　〃I'm　getting　the　dinner；　going　to　feed　the　workers。〃

〃And　what　are　you　going　to　have　for　dinner？〃

〃Our　food　is　very　good。　First　course；　bread　and　kvas；　＇kvas　is　a
kind　of　sour；　non…intoxicant　beer　made　of　rye＇　second　course；
kvas　and　bread；〃　said　the　old　woman；　showing　her　teeth；　which
were　half　worn　away。

〃No；〃　seriously；　〃let　me　see　what　you　are　going　to　eat。〃

〃To　eat？〃　said　the　old　man；　laughing。　〃Ours　is　not　a　very　cunning
meal。　You　just　show　him；　wife。〃

〃Want　to　see　our　peasant　food？　Well；　you　are　an　inquisitive
gentleman；　now　I　come　to　look　at　you。　He　wants　to　know
everything。　Did　I　not　tell　you　bread　and　kvas　and　then　we'll　have
soup。　A　woman　brought　us　some　fish；　and　that's　what　the　soup　is
made　of；　and　after　that；　potatoes。〃

〃Nothing　more？

〃What　more　do　you　want？　We'll　also　have　a　little　milk；〃　said　the
old　woman；　looking　towards　the　door。　The　door　stood　open；　and　the
passage　outside　was　full　of　peopleboys；　girls；　women　with
babiesthronged　together　to　look　at　the　strange　gentleman　who
wanted　to　see　the　peasants'　food。　The　old　woman　seemed　to　pride
herself　on　the　way　she　behaved　with　a　gentleman。

〃Yes；　it's　a　miserable　life；　ours；　that　goes　without　saying；
sir；〃　said　the　old　man。　〃What　are　you　doing　there？〃　he　shouted　to
those　in　the　passage。　〃Well；　good…bye；〃　said　Nekhludoff；　feeling
ashamed　and　uneasy；　though　unable　to　account　for　the　feeling。

〃Thank　you　kindly　for　having　looked　us　up；〃　said　the　old　man。

The　people　in　the　passage　pressed　closer　together　to　let
Nekhludoff　pass；　and　he　went　out　and　continued　his　way　up　the
street。

Two　barefooted　boys　followed　him　out　of　the　passage　the　elder　in
a　shirt　that　had　once　been　white；　the　other　in　a　worn　and　faded
pink　one。　Nekhludoff　looked　back　at　them。

〃And　where　are　you　going　now？〃　asked　the　boy　with　the　white
shirt。　Nekhludoff　answered：　〃To　Matrona　Kharina。　Do　you　know
her？〃　The　boy　with　the　pink　shirt　began　laughing　at　something；
but　the　elder　asked；　seriously：

〃What　Matrona　is　that？　Is　she　old？〃

〃Yes；　she　is　old。〃

〃Ohoh；〃　he　drawled；　〃that　one；　she's　at　the　other　end　of　the
village；　we'll　show　you。　Yes；　Fedka；　we'll　go　with　him。　Shall
we？〃

〃Yes；　but　the　horses？〃

〃They'll　be　all　right；　I　dare　say。〃

Fedka　agreed；　and　all　three　went　up　the　street。


CHAPTER　V。

MASLOVA'S　AUNT。

Nekhludoff　felt　more　at　case　with　the　boys　than　with　the　grown…up
people；　and　he　began　talking　to　them　as　they　went　along。　The
little　one　with　the　pink　shirt　stopped　laughing；　and　spoke　as
sensibly　and　as　exactly　as　the　elder　one。

〃Can　you　tell　me　who　are　the　poorest　people　you　have　got　here？〃
asked　Nekhludoff。

〃The　poorest？　Michael　is　poor；　Simon　Makhroff；　and　Martha；　she　is
very　poor。〃

〃And　Anisia；　she　is　still　poorer；　she's　not　even　got　a　cow。　They
go　begging；〃　said　little　Fedka。

〃She's　not　got　a　cow；　but　they　are　only　three　persons；　and
Martha's　family　are　five；〃　objected　the　elder　boy。

〃But　the　other's　a　widow；〃　the　pink　boy　said；　standing　up　for
Anisia。

〃You　say　Anisia　is　a　widow；　and　Martha　is　no　better　than　a
widow；〃　said　the　elder　boy；　〃she's　also　no　husband。〃

〃And　where　is　her　husband？〃　Nekhludoff　asked。

〃Feeding　vermin　in　prison；〃　said　the　elder　boy；　using　this
expression；　common　among　the　peasants。

〃A　year　ago　he　cut　down　two　birch　trees　in　the　land…lord's
forest；〃　the　little　pink　boy　hurried　to　say；　〃so　he　was　locked
up；　now　he's　sitting　the　sixth　month　there；　and　the　wife　goes
begging。　There　are　three　children　and　a　sick　grandmother；〃　he
went　on　with　his　detailed　account。

〃And　where　does　she　live？〃　Nekhludoff　asked。

〃In　this　very　house；〃　answered　the　boy；　pointing　to　a　hut；　in
front　of　which；　on　the　footpath　along　which　Nekhludoff　was
walking；　a　tiny；　flaxen…headed　infant　stood　balancing　himself
with　difficulty　on　his　rickety　legs。

〃Vaska！　Where's　the　little　scamp　got　to？〃　shouted　a　woman；　with　a
dirty　grey　blouse；　and　a　frightened　look；　as　she　ran　out　of　the
house；　and；　rushing　forward；　seized　the　baby　before　Nekhludoff
came　up　to　it；　and　carried　it　in；　just　as　if　she　were　afraid　that
Nekhludoff　would　hurt　her　child。

This　was　the　woman　whose　husband　was　imprisoned　for　Nekhludoff's
birch　trees。

〃Well；　and　this　Matrona；　is　she　also　poor？〃　Nekhludoff　asked；　as
they　came　up　to　Matrona's　house。

〃She　poor？　No。　Why；　she　sells　spirits；〃　the　thin；　pink　little　boy
answered　decidedly。

When　they　reached　the　house　Nekhludoff　left　the　boys　outside　and
went　through　the　passage　into　the　hut。　The　hut　was　14　feet　long。
The　bed　that　stood　behind　the　big　stove　was　not　long　enough　for　a
tall　person　to　stretch　out　on。　〃And　on　this　very　bed；〃　Nekhludoff
thought；　〃Katusha　bore　her　baby　and　lay　ill　afterwards。〃　The
greater　part　of　the　hut　was　taken　up　by　a　loom；　on　which　the　old
woman　and　her　eldest　granddaughter　were　arranging　the　warp　when
Nekhludoff　came　in；　striking　his　forehead　against　the　low
doorway。　Two　other　grandchildren　came　rushing　in　after
Nekhludoff；　and　stopped；　holding　on　to　the　lintels　of　the　door。

〃Whom　do　you　want？〃　asked　the　old　woman；　crossly。　She　was　in　a
bad　temper　because　she　could　not　manage　to　get　the　warp　right；
and；　besides；　carrying　on　an　illicit　trade　in　spirits；　she　was
always　afraid　when　any　stranger　came　in。

〃I　amthe　owner　of　the　neighbouring　estates；　and　should　like　to
speak　to　you。〃

〃Dear　me；　why；　it's　you；　my　honey；　and　I；　fool；　thought　it　was
just　some　passer…by。　Dear　me；　youit's　you；　my　precious；〃　said
the　old　woman；　with　simulated　tenderness　in　her　voice。

〃I　should　like　to　speak　to　you　alone；〃　said　Nekhludoff；　with　a
glance　towards　the　door；　where　the　children　were　standing；　and
behind　them　a　woman　holding　a　wasted；　pale　baby；　with　a　sickly
smile　on　its　face；　who　had　a　little　cap　made　of　different　bits　of
stuff　on　its　head。

〃What　are　you　staring　at？　I'll　give　it　you。　Just　hand　me　my
crutch；〃　the　old　woman　shouted　to　those　at　the　door。

〃Shut　the　door；　will　you！〃　The　children　went　away；　and　the　woman
closed　the　door。

〃And　I　was　thinking；　who's　that？　And　it's　'the　master'　himself。
My　jewel；　my　treasure。　Just　think；〃　said　the　old　woman；　〃where　he
has　deigned　to　come。　Sit　down　here；　your　honour；〃　she　said；
wiping　the　seat　with　her　apron。　〃And　I　was　thinking　what　devil　is
it　coming　in；　and　it's　your　honour；　'　the　master'　himself；　the
good　gentleman；　our　benefactor。　Forgive　me；　old　fool　that　I　am；
I'm　getting　blind。〃

Nekhludoff　sat　down；　and　the　old　woman　stood　in　front　of　him；
leaning　her　cheek　on　her　right　hand；　while　the　left　held　up　the
sharp　elbow　of　her　right　arm。

〃Dear　me；　you　have　grown　old；　your　honour；　and　you　used　to　be　as
fresh　as　a　daisy。　And　now！　Cares　also；　I　expect？〃

〃This　is　what　I　have　come　about：　Do　you　remember　Katusha
Maslova？〃

〃Katerina？　I　should　think　so。　Why；　she　is　my　niece。　How　could　I
help　remembering；　and　the　tears　I　have　shed　because　of　her。　Why；
I　know　all　about　it。　Eh；　sir；　who　has　not　sinned　before　God？　who
has　not　offended　against　the　Tsar？　We　know　what　youth　is。　You
used　to　be　drinking　tea　and　coffee；　so　the　devil　got　hold　of　you。
He　is　strong　at　times。　What's　to　be　done？　Now；　if　you　had　chucked
her；　but　no；　just　see　how　you　rewarded　her；　gave　her　a　hundred
roubles。　And　she？　What　has　she　done？　Had　she　but　listened　to　me
she　might　have　lived　all　right。　I　must　say　the　truth；　though　she
is　my　niece：　that　girl's　no　good。　What　a　good　place　I　found　her！
She　would　not　submit；　but　abused　her　master。　Is　it　for　the　likes
of　us　to　scold　gentlefolk？　Well；　she　was　sent　away。　And　then　at
the　forester's。　She　might　have　lived　there；　but　no；　she　would
not。〃

〃I　want　to　know　about　the　child。　She　was　confined　at　your　house；
was　she　not？　Where's　the　child？〃

〃As　to　the　child；　I　considered　that　well　at　the　time。　She　was　so
bad　I　never　thought　she　would　get　up　again。　Well；　so　I　christened
the　baby　quite　properly；　and　we　sent　it　to　the　Foundlings'。　Why
should　one　let　an　innocent　soul　languish　when　the　mother　is
dying？　Others　do　like　this。　they　just　leave　the　baby；　don't　feed
it；　and　it　wastes　away。　But；　thinks　I；　no；　I'd　rather　take　some
trouble；　and　send　it　to　the　Foundlings'。　There　was　money　enough；
so　I　sent　it　off。〃

〃Did　you　not　get　its　registration　number　from　the　Foundlings'
Hospital？〃

〃Yes；　there　was　a　number；　but　the　baby　died；〃　she　said。　〃It　died
as　soon　as　she　brought　it　there。〃

〃Who　is　she？〃

〃That　same　woman　who　used　to　live　in　Skorodno。　She　made　a
business　of　it。　Her　name　was　Malania。　She's　dead　now。　She　was　a
wise　woman。　What　do　you　think　she　used　to　do？　They'd　bring　her　a
baby；　and　she'd　keep　it　and　feed　it；　and　she'd　feed　it　until　she
had　enough　of　them　to　take　to　the　Foundlings'。　When　she　had　three
or　four；　she'd　take　them　all　at　once。　She　had　such　a　clever
arrangement；　a　sort　of　big　cradlea　double　one　she　could　put
them　in　one　way　or　the　other。　It　had　a　handle。　So　she'd　put　four
of　them　in；　feet　to　feet　and　the　heads　apart；　so　that　they　should
not　knock　against　each　other。　And　so　she　took　fou