the witch and other stories-第30部分

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sitting　near　the　church　gates；　with　the　collar　of　his　fur　coat
turned　up　and　nothing　of　him　could　be　seen　but　his　nose　and　the
peak　of　his　cap。　At　the　other　end　of　the　long　seat　was　sitting
Elizarov　the　contractor；　and　beside　him　Yakov　the　school
watchman；　a　toothless　old　man　of　seventy。　Crutch　and　the　watchman
were　talking。

〃Children　ought　to　give　food　and　drink　to　the　old。　。　。　。　Honour
thy　father　and　mother　。　。　。〃　Yakov　was　saying　with　irritation；
〃while　she；　this　daughter…in…law；　has　turned　her　father…in…law
out　of　his　own　house；　the　old　man　has　neither　food　nor　drink；
where　is　he　to　go？　He　has　not　had　a　morsel　for　these　three　days。〃

〃Three　days！〃　said　Crutch；　amazed。

〃Here　he　sits　and　does　not　say　a　word。　He　has　grown　feeble。　And
why　be　silent？　He　ought　to　prosecute　her；　they　wouldn't　flatter
her　in　the　police　court。〃

〃Wouldn't　flatter　whom？〃　asked　Crutch；　not　hearing。

〃What？〃

〃The　woman's　all　right；　she　does　her　best。　In　their　line　of
business　they　can't　get　on　without　that　。　。　。　without　sin；　I
mean。　。　。　。〃

〃From　his　own　house；〃　Yakov　went　on　with　irritation。　〃Save　up　and
buy　your　own　house；　then　turn　people　out　of　it！　She　is　a　nice
one；　to　be　sure！　A　pla…ague！〃

Tsybukin　listened　and　did　not　stir。

〃Whether　it　is　your　own　house　or　others'　it　makes　no　difference
so　long　as　it　is　warm　and　the　women　don't　scold　。　。　。〃　said
Crutch；　and　he　laughed。　〃When　I　was　young　I　was　very　fond　of　my
Nastasya。　She　was　a　quiet　woman。　And　she　used　to　be　always　at　it：
'Buy　a　house；　Makaritch！　Buy　a　house；　Makaritch！　Buy　a　house；
Makaritch！'　She　was　dying　and　yet　she　kept　on　saying；　'Buy
yourself　a　racing　droshky；　Makaritch；　that　you　may　not　have　to
walk。'　And　I　bought　her　nothing　but　gingerbread。〃

〃Her　husband's　deaf　and　stupid；〃　Yakov　went　on；　not　hearing
Crutch；　〃a　regular　fool；　just　like　a　goose。　He　can't　understand
anything。　Hit　a　goose　on　the　head　with　a　stick　and　even　then　it
does　not　understand。〃

Crutch　got　up　to　go　home　to　the　factory。　Yakov　also　got　up；　and
both　of　them　went　off　together；　still　talking。　When　they　had　gone
fifty　paces　old　Tsybukin　got　up；　too；　and　walked　after　them；
stepping　uncertainly　as　though　on　slippery　ice。

The　village　was　already　plunged　in　the　dusk　of　evening　and　the
sun　only　gleamed　on　the　upper　part　of　the　road　which　ran
wriggling　like　a　snake　up　the　slope。　Old　women　were　coming　back
from　the　woods　and　children　with　them；　they　were　bringing　baskets
of　mushrooms。　Peasant　women　and　girls　came　in　a　crowd　from　the
station　where　they　had　been　loading　the　trucks　with　bricks；　and
their　noses　and　their　cheeks　under　their　eyes　were　covered　with
red　brick…dust。　They　were　singing。　Ahead　of　them　all　was　Lipa
singing　in　a　high　voice；　with　her　eyes　turned　upwards　to　the　sky；
breaking　into　trills　as　though　triumphant　and　ecstatic　that　at
last　the　day　was　over　and　she　could　rest。　In　the　crowd　was　her
mother　Praskovya；　who　was　walking　with　a　bundle　in　her　arms　and
breathless　as　usual。

〃Good…evening；　Makaritch！　〃　cried　Lipa；　seeing　Crutch。
〃Good…evening；　darling！〃

〃Good…evening；　Lipinka；〃　cried　Crutch　delighted。　〃Dear　girls　and
women；　love　the　rich　carpenter！　Ho…ho！　My　little　children；　my
little　children。　（Crutch　gave　a　gulp。）　My　dear　little　axes！〃

Crutch　and　Yakov　went　on　further　and　could　still　be　heard
talking。　Then　after　them　the　crowd　was　met　by　old　Tsybukin　and
there　was　a　sudden　hush。　Lipa　and　Praskovya　had　dropped　a　little
behind；　and　when　the　old　man　was　on　a　level　with　them　Lipa　bowed
down　low　and　said：

〃Good…evening；　Grigory　Petrovitch。〃

Her　mother；　too；　bowed　down。　The　old　man　stopped　and；　saying
nothing；　looked　at　the　two　in　silence；　his　lips　were　quivering
and　his　eyes　full　of　tears。　Lipa　took　out　of　her　mother's　bundle
a　piece　of　savoury　turnover　and　gave　it　him。　He　took　it　and　began
eating。

The　sun　had　by　now　set：　its　glow　died　away　on　the　road　above。　It
grew　dark　and　cool。　Lipa　and　Praskovya　walked　on　and　for　some
time　they　kept　crossing　themselves。


THE　HUNTSMAN

A　SULTRY；　stifling　midday。　Not　a　cloudlet　in　the　sky。　。　。　。　The
sun…baked　grass　had　a　disconsolate；　hopeless　look：　even　if　there
were　rain　it　could　never　be　green　again。　。　。　。　The　forest　stood
silent；　motionless；　as　though　it　were　looking　at　something　with
its　tree…tops　or　expecting　something。

At　the　edge　of　the　clearing　a　tall；　narrow…shouldered　man　of
forty　in　a　red　shirt；　in　patched　trousers　that　had　been　a
gentleman's；　and　in　high　boots；　was　slouching　along　with　a　lazy；
shambling　step。　He　was　sauntering　along　the　road。　On　the　right
was　the　green　of　the　clearing；　on　the　left　a　golden　sea　of　ripe
rye　stretched　to　the　very　horizon。　He　was　red　and　perspiring；　a
white　cap　with　a　straight　jockey　peak；　evidently　a　gift　from　some
open…handed　young　gentleman；　perched　jauntily　on　his　handsome
flaxen　head。　Across　his　shoulder　hung　a　game…bag　with　a　blackcock
lying　in　it。　The　man　held　a　double…barrelled　gun　cocked　in　his
hand；　and　screwed　up　his　eyes　in　the　direction　of　his　lean　old
dog　who　was　running　on　ahead　sniffing　the　bushes。　There　was
stillness　all　round；　not　a　sound　。　。　。　everything　living　was
hiding　away　from　the　heat。

〃Yegor　Vlassitch！〃　the　huntsman　suddenly　heard　a　soft　voice。

He　started　and；　looking　round；　scowled。　Beside　him；　as　though　she
had　sprung　out　of　the　earth；　stood　a　pale…faced　woman　of　thirty
with　a　sickle　in　her　hand。　She　was　trying　to　look　into　his　face；
and　was　smiling　diffidently。

〃Oh；　it　is　you；　Pelagea！〃　said　the　huntsman；　stopping　and
deliberately　uncocking　the　gun。　〃H'm！　。　。　。　How　have　you　come
here？〃

〃The　women　from　our　village　are　working　here；　so　I　have　come　with
them。　。　。　。　As　a　labourer；　Yegor　Vlassitch。〃

〃Oh　。　。　。〃　growled　Yegor　Vlassitch；　and　slowly　walked　on。

Pelagea　followed　him。　They　walked　in　silence　for　twenty　paces。

〃I　have　not　seen　you　for　a　long　time；　Yegor　Vlassitch　。　。　。〃　said
Pelagea　looking　tenderly　at　the　huntsman's　moving　shoulders。　〃I
have　not　seen　you　since　you　came　into　our　hut　at　Easter　for　a
drink　of　water　。　。　。　you　came　in　at　Easter　for　a　minute　and　then
God　knows　how　。　。　。　drunk　。　。　。　you　scolded　and　beat　me　and　went
away　。　。　。　I　have　been　waiting　and　waiting　。　。　。　I've　tired　my
eyes　out　looking　for　you。　Ah；　Yegor　Vlassitch；　Yegor　Vlassitch！
you　might　look　in　just　once！〃

〃What　is　there　for　me　to　do　there？〃

〃Of　course　there　is　nothing　for　you　to　do　。　。　。　though　to　be　sure
。　。　。　there　is　the　place　to　look　after。　。　。　。　To　see　how　things
are　going。　。　。　。　You　are　the　master。　。　。　。　I　say；　you　have　shot　a
blackcock；　Yegor　Vlassitch！　You　ought　to　sit　down　and　rest！〃

As　she　said　all　this　Pelagea　laughed　like　a　silly　girl　and　looked
up　at　Yegor's　face。　Her　face　was　simply　radiant　with　happiness。

〃Sit　down？　If　you　like　。　。　。〃　said　Yegor　in　a　tone　of
indifference；　and　he　chose　a　spot　between　two　fir…trees。　〃Why　are
you　standing？　You　sit　down　too。〃

Pelagea　sat　a　little　way　off　in　the　sun　and；　ashamed　of　her　joy；
put　her　hand　over　her　smiling　mouth。　Two　minutes　passed　in
silence。

〃You　might　come　for　once；〃　said　Pelagea。

〃What　for？〃　sighed　Yegor；　taking　off　his　cap　and　wiping　his　red
forehead　with　his　hand。　〃There　is　no　object　in　my　coming。　To　go
for　an　hour　or　two　is　only　waste　of　time；　it's　simply　upsetting
you；　and　to　live　continually　in　the　village　my　soul　could　not
endure。　。　。　。　You　know　yourself　I　am　a　pampered　man。　。　。　。　I　want
a　bed　to　sleep　in；　good　tea　to　drink；　and　refined　conversation。　。
。　。　I　want　all　the　niceties；　while　you　live　in　poverty　and　dirt
in　the　village。　。　。　。　I　couldn't　stand　it　for　a　day。　Suppose
there　were　an　edict　that　I　must　live　with　you；　I　should　either
set　fire　to　the　hut　or　lay　hands　on　myself。　From　a　boy　I've　had
this　love　for　ease；　there　is　no　help　for　it。〃

〃Where　are　you　living　now？〃

〃With　the　gentleman　here；　Dmitry　Ivanitch；　as　a　huntsman。　I
furnish　his　table　with　game；　but　he　keeps　me　。　。　。　more　for　his
pleasure　than　anything。〃

〃That's　not　proper　work　you're　doing；　Yegor　Vlassitch。　。　。　。　For
other　people　it's　a　pastime；　but　with　you　it's　like　a　trade　。　。　。
like　real　work。〃

〃You　don't　understand；　you　silly；〃　said　Yegor；　gazing　gloomily　at
the　sky。　〃You　have　never　understood；　and　as　long　as　you　live　you
will　never　understand　what　sort　of　man　I　am。　。　。　。　You　think　of
me　as　a　foolish　man；　gone　to　the　bad；　but　to　anyone　who
understands　I　am　the　best　shot　there　is　in　the　whole　district。
The　gentry　feel　that；　and　they　have　even　printed　things　about　me
in　a　magazine。　There　isn't　a　man　to　be　compared　with　me　as　a
sportsman。　。　。　。　And　it　is　not　because　I　am　pampered　and　proud
that　I　look　down　upon　your　village　work。　From　my　childhood；　you
know；　I　have　never　had　any　calling　apart　from　guns　and　dogs。　If
they　took　away　my　gun；　I　used　to　go　out　with　the　fishing…hook；　if
they　took　the　hook　I　caught　things　with　my　hands。　And　I　went　in
for　horse…dealing　too；　I　used　to　go　to　the　fairs　when　I　had　the
money；　and　you　know　that　if　a　peasant　goes　in　for　being　a
sportsman；　or　a　horse…dealer；　it's　good…bye　to　the　plough。　Once
the　spirit　of　freedom　has　taken　a　man　you　will　never　root　it　out
of　him。　In　the　same　way；　if　a　gentleman　goes　in　for　being　an
actor　or　for　any　other　art；　he　will　never　make　an　official　or　a
landowner。　You　are　a　woman；　and　you　do　not　understand；　but　one
must　understand　that。〃

〃I　understand；　Yegor　Vlassitch。〃

〃You　don't　understand　if　you　are　going　to　cry。　。　。　。〃

〃I　。　。　。　I'm　not　crying；〃　said　Pelagea；　turning　away。　〃It's　a
sin；　Yegor　Vlassitch！　You　might　stay　a　day　with　luckless　me；
anyway。　It's　twelve　years　since　I　was　married　to　you；　and　。　。　。
and　。　。　。　there　has　never　once　been　love　between　us！　。　。　。　I　。　。
。　I　am　not　crying。〃

〃Love　。　。　。〃　muttered　Yegor；　scratching　his　hand。　〃There　can't　be
any　love。　It's　only　in　name　we　are　husband　and　wife；　we　aren't
really。　In　your　eyes　I　am　a　wild　man；　and　in　mine　you　are　a
simple　peasant　woman　with　no　understanding。　Are　we　well　matched？
I　am　a　free；　pampered；　profligate　man；　while　you　are　a　working
woman；　going　in　bark　shoes　and　never　straightening　your　back。　The
way　I　think　of　myself　is　that　I　am　the　foremost　man　in　every　kind
of　sport；　and　you　look　at　me　with　pity。　。　。　。　Is　that　being　well
match