the witch and other stories-第15部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


partridges。　Beyond　the　hill　the　afterglow　of　sunset　still
lingered　in　the　sky。　One　pale　crimson　streak　was　all　that　was
left；　and　even　that　began　to　be　covered　by　little　clouds　as　a
fire　with　ash。

A　copse　with　alder…trees；　softly　whispering；　and　from　time　to
time　shuddering　in　the　fitful　breeze；　lay；　a　dark　blur；　on　the
right　of　the　kitchen　gardens；　on　the　left　stretched　the　immense
plain。　In　the　distance；　where　the　eye　could　not　distinguish
between　the　sky　and　the　plain；　there　was　a　bright　gleam　of　light。
A　little　way　off　from　me　sat　Savka。　With　his　legs　tucked　under
him　like　a　Turk　and　his　head　hanging；　he　looked　pensively　at
Kutka。　Our　hooks　with　live　bait　on　them　had　long　been　in　the
river；　and　we　had　nothing　left　to　do　but　to　abandon　ourselves　to
repose；　which　Savka；　who　was　never　exhausted　and　always　rested；
loved　so　much。　The　glow　had　not　yet　quite　died　away；　but　the
summer　night　was　already　enfolding　nature　in　its　caressing；
soothing　embrace。

Everything　was　sinking　into　its　first　deep　sleep　except　some
night　bird　unfamiliar　to　me；　which　indolently　uttered　a　long；
protracted　cry　in　several　distinct　notes　like　the　phrase；　〃Have
you　seen　Ni…ki…ta？〃　and　immediately　answered　itself；　〃Seen　him；
seen　him；　seen　him！〃

〃Why　is　it　the　nightingales　aren't　singing　tonight？〃　I　asked
Savka。

He　turned　slowly　towards　me。　His　features　were　large；　but　his
face　was　open；　soft；　and　expressive　as　a　woman's。　Then　he　gazed
with　his　mild；　dreamy　eyes　at　the　copse；　at　the　willows；　slowly
pulled　a　whistle　out　of　his　pocket；　put　it　in　his　mouth　and
whistled　the　note　of　a　hen…nightingale。　And　at　once；　as　though　in
answer　to　his　call；　a　landrail　called　on　the　opposite　bank。

〃There's　a　nightingale　for　you　。　。　。〃　laughed　Savka。　〃Drag…drag！
drag…drag！　just　like　pulling　at　a　hook；　and　yet　I　bet　he　thinks
he　is　singing；　too。〃

〃I　like　that　bird；〃　I　said。　〃Do　you　know；　when　the　birds　are
migrating　the　landrail　does　not　fly；　but　runs　along　the　ground？
It　only　flies　over　the　rivers　and　the　sea；　but　all　the　rest　it
does　on　foot。〃

〃Upon　my　word；　the　dog　。　。　。〃　muttered　Savka；　looking　with
respect　in　the　direction　of　the　calling　landrail。

Knowing　how　fond　Savka　was　of　listening；　I　told　him　all　I　had
learned　about　the　landrail　from　sportsman's　books。　From　the
landrail　I　passed　imperceptibly　to　the　migration　of　the　birds。
Savka　listened　attentively；　looking　at　me　without　blinking；　and
smiling　all　the　while　with　pleasure。

〃And　which　country　is　most　the　bird's　home？　Ours　or　those　foreign
parts？〃　he　asked。

〃Ours；　of　course。　The　bird　itself　is　hatched　here；　and　it　hatches
out　its　little　ones　here　in　its　native　country；　and　they　only　fly
off　there　to　escape　being　frozen。〃

〃It's　interesting；〃　said　Savka。　〃Whatever　one　talks　about　it　is
always　interesting。　Take　a　bird　now；　or　a　man　。　。　。　or　take　this
little　stone；　there's　something　to　learn　about　all　of　them。　。　。　。
Ah；　sir；　if　I　had　known　you　were　coming　I　wouldn't　have　told　a
woman　to　come　here　this　evening。　。　。　。　She　asked　to　come　to…day。〃

〃Oh；　please　don't　let　me　be　in　your　way；〃　I　said。　〃I　can　lie　down
in　the　wood。　。　。　。〃

〃What　next！　She　wouldn't　have　died　if　she　hadn't　come　till
to…morrow。　。　。　。　If　only　she　would　sit　quiet　and　listen；　but　she
always　wants　to　be　slobbering。　。　。　。　You　can't　have　a　good　talk
when　she's　here。〃

〃Are　you　expecting　Darya？〃　I　asked；　after　a　pause。

〃No　。　。　。　a　new　one　has　asked　to　come　this　evening　。　。　。　Agafya；
the　signalman's　wife。〃

Savka　said　this　in　his　usual　passionless；　somewhat　hollow　voice；
as　though　he　were　talking　of　tobacco　or　porridge；　while　I　started
with　surprise。　I　knew　Agafya。　。　。　。　She　was　quite　a　young　peasant
woman　of　nineteen　or　twenty；　who　had　been　married　not　more　than　a
year　before　to　a　railway　signalman；　a　fine　young　fellow。　She
lived　in　the　village；　and　her　husband　came　home　there　from　the
line　every　night。

〃Your　goings　on　with　the　women　will　lead　to　trouble；　my　boy；〃
said　I。

〃Well；　may　be　。　　。　。　。〃

And　after　a　moment's　thought　Savka　added：

〃I've　said　so　to　the　women；　they　won't　heed　me。　。　。　。They　don't
trouble　about　it；　the　silly　things！〃

Silence　followed。　。　。　。　Meanwhile　the　darkness　was　growing
thicker　and　thicker；　and　objects　began　to　lose　their　contours。
The　streak　behind　the　hill　had　completely　died　away；　and　the
stars　were　growing　brighter　and　more　luminous。　。　。　。　The
mournfully　monotonous　chirping　of　the　grasshoppers；　the　call　of
the　landrail；　and　the　cry　of　the　quail　did　not　destroy　the
stillness　of　the　night；　but；　on　the　contrary；　gave　it　an　added
monotony。　It　seemed　as　though　the　soft　sounds　that　enchanted　the
ear　came；　not　from　birds　or　insects；　but　from　the　stars　looking
down　upon　us　from　the　sky。　。　。　。

Savka　was　the　first　to　break　the　silence。　He　slowly　turned　his
eyes　from　black　Kutka　and　said：

〃I　see　you　are　dull；　sir。　Let's　have　supper。〃

And　without　waiting　for　my　consent　he　crept　on　his　stomach　into
the　shanty；　rummaged　about　there；　making　the　whole　edifice
tremble　like　a　leaf；　then　he　crawled　back　and　set　before　me　my
vodka　and　an　earthenware　bowl；　in　the　bowl　there　were　baked　eggs；
lard　scones　made　of　rye；　pieces　of　black　bread；　and　something
else。　。　。　。　We　had　a　drink　from　a　little　crooked　glass　that
wouldn't　stand；　and　then　we　fell　upon　the　food。　。　。　。　Coarse　grey
salt；　dirty；　greasy　cakes；　eggs　tough　as　india…rubber；　but　how
nice　it　all　was！

〃You　live　all　alone；　but　what　lots　of　good　things　you　have；〃　I
said；　pointing　to　the　bowl。　〃Where　do　you　get　them　from？〃

〃The　women　bring　them；〃　mumbled　Savka。

〃What　do　they　bring　them　to　you　for？〃

〃Oh　。　。　。　from　pity。〃

Not　only　Savka's　menu；　but　his　clothing；　too；　bore　traces　of
feminine　〃pity。〃　Thus　I　noticed　that　he　had　on；　that　evening；　a
new　woven　belt　and　a　crimson　ribbon　on　which　a　copper　cross　hung
round　his　dirty　neck。　I　knew　of　the　weakness　of　the　fair　sex　for
Savka；　and　I　knew　that　he　did　not　like　talking　about　it；　and　so　I
did　not　carry　my　inquiries　any　further。　Besides　there　was　not
time　to　talk。　。　。　。　Kutka；　who　had　been　fidgeting　about　near　us
and　patiently　waiting　for　scraps；　suddenly　pricked　up　his　ears
and　growled。　We　heard　in　the　distance　repeated　splashing　of
water。

〃Someone　is　coming　by　the　ford；〃　said　Savka。

Three　minutes　later　Kutka　growled　again　and　made　a　sound　like　a
cough。

〃Shsh！〃　his　master　shouted　at　him。

In　the　darkness　there　was　a　muffled　thud　of　timid　footsteps；　and
the　silhouette　of　a　woman　appeared　out　of　the　copse。　I　recognized
her；　although　it　was　dark　　it　was　Agafya。　She　came　up　to　us
diffidently　and　stopped；　breathing　hard。　She　was　breathless；
probably　not　so　much　from　walking　as　from　fear　and　the　unpleasant
sensation　everyone　experiences　in　wading　across　a　river　at　night。
Seeing　near　the　shanty　not　one　but　two　persons；　she　uttered　a
faint　cry　and　fell　back　a　step。

〃Ah　。　。　。　that　is　you！〃　said　Savka；　stuffing　a　scone　into　his
mouth。

〃Ye…es　。　。　。　I；〃　she　mutte　red；　dropping　on　the　ground　a　bundle
of　some　sort　and　looking　sideways　at　me。　〃Yakov　sent　his
greetings　to　you　and　told　me　to　give　you　。　。　。　something　here。　。
。　。〃

〃Come；　why　tell　stories？　Yakov！〃　laughed　Savka。　〃There　is　no　need
for　lying；　the　gentleman　knows　why　you　have　come！　Sit　down；　you
shall　have　supper　with　us。〃

Agafya　looked　sideways　at　me　and　sat　down　irresolutely。

〃I　thought　you　weren't　coming　this　evening；〃　Savka　said；　after　a
prolonged　silence。　〃Why　sit　like　that？　Eat！　Or　shall　I　give　you　a
drop　of　vodka？〃

〃What　an　idea！〃　laughed　Agafya；　〃do　you　think　you　have　got　hold
of　a　drunkard？　。　。　。〃

〃Oh；　drink　it　up。　。　。　。　Your　heart　will　feel　warmer。　。　。　。
There！〃

Savka　gave　Agafya　the　crooked　glass。　She　slowly　drank　the　vodka；
ate　nothing　with　it；　but　drew　a　deep　breath　when　she　had
finished。

〃You've　brought　something；〃　said　Savka；　untying　the　bundle　and
throwing　a　condescending；　jesting　shade　into　his　voice。　〃Women
can　never　come　without　bringing　something。　Ah；　pie　and　potatoes。
。　。　。　They　live　well；〃　he　sighed；　turning　to　me。　〃They　are　the
only　ones　in　the　whole　village　who　have　got　potatoes　left　from
the　winter！〃

In　the　darkness　I　did　not　see　Agafya's　face；　but　from　the
movement　of　her　shoulders　and　head　it　seemed　to　me　that　she　could
not　take　her　eyes　off　Savka's　face。　To　avoid　being　the　third
person　at　this　tryst；　I　decided　to　go　for　a　walk　and　got　up。　But
at　that　moment　a　nightingale　in　the　wood　suddenly　uttered　two　low
contralto　notes。　Half　a　minute　later　it　gave　a　tiny　high　trill
and　then；　having　thus　tried　its　voice；　began　singing。　Savka
jumped　up　and　listened。

〃It's　the　same　one　as　yesterday；〃　he　said。　〃Wait　a　minute。〃

And；　getting　up；　he　went　noiselessly　to　the　wood。

〃Why；　what　do　you　want　with　it？〃　I　shouted　out　after　him；　〃Stop！〃

Savka　shook　his　hand　as　much　as　to　say；　〃Don't　shout；〃　and
vanished　into　the　darkness。　Savka　was　an　excellent　sportsman　and
fisherman　when　he　liked；　but　his　talents　in　this　direction　were
as　completely　thrown　away　as　his　strength。　He　was　too　slothful　to
do　things　in　the　routine　way；　and　vented　his　passion　for　sport　in
useless　tricks。　For　instance；　he　would　catch　nightingales　only
with　his　hands；　would　shoot　pike　with　a　fowling　piece；　he　would
spend　whole　hours　by　the　river　trying　to　catch　little　fish　with　a
big　hook。

Left　alone　with　me；　Agafya　coughed　and　passed　her　hand　several
times　over　her　forehead。　。　。　。　She　began　to　feel　a　little　drunk
from　the　vodka。

〃How　are　you　getting　on；　Agasha？〃　I　asked　her；　after　a　long
silence；　when　it　began　to　be　awkward　to　remain　mute　any　longer。

〃Very　well；　thank　God。　。　。　。　Don't　tell　anyone；　sir；　will　you？〃
she　added　suddenly　in　a　whisper。

〃That's　all　right；〃　I　reassured　her。　〃But　how　reckless　you　are；
Agasha！　。　。　。　What　if　Yakov　finds　out？〃

〃He　won't　find　out。〃

But　what　if　he　does？〃

〃No　。　。　。　I　shall　be　at　home　before　he　is。　He　is　on　the　line　now；
and　he　will　come　back　when　the　mail　train　brings　him；　and　from
here　I　can　hear　when　the　train's　coming。　。　。　。〃

Agafya　once　more　passed　her　hand　over　her　forehead　and　looked
away　in　the　direction　in　which　Savka　had　vanished。　The
nightingale　was　singing。　Some　night　bird　flew　low　down　close　to
the　ground　and；　noticin