the witch and other stories-第10部分

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〃On　the　road　near　Nikita's　buckwheat　。　。　。　the　engineer　with　his
dog　。　。　。〃　Rodion　began；　after　a　rest；　scratching　his　ribs　and
his　elbow。　〃　'You　must　pay；'　says　he　。　。　。　'coin；'　says　he。　。　。　。
Coin　or　no　coin；　we　shall　have　to　collect　ten　kopecks　from　every
hut。　We've　offended　the　gentleman　very　much。　I　am　sorry　for　him。
。　。　。〃

〃We've　lived　without　a　bridge；〃　said　Volodka；　not　looking　at
anyone；　〃and　we　don't　want　one。〃

〃What　next；　the　bridge　is　a　government　business。〃

〃We　don't　want　it。〃

〃Your　opinion　is　not　asked。　What　is　it　to　you？〃

〃　'Your　opinion　is　not　asked；'　〃　Volodka　mimicked　hi　m。　〃We　don't
want　to　drive　anywhere；　what　do　we　want　with　a　bridge？　If　we　have
to；　we　can　cross　by　the　boat。〃

Someone　from　the　yard　outside　knocked　at　the　window　so　violently
that　it　seemed　to　shake　the　whole　hut。

〃Is　Volodka　at　home？〃　he　heard　the　voice　of　the　younger　Lytchkov。
〃Volodka；　come　out；　come　along。〃

Volodka　jumped　down　off　the　stove　and　began　looking　for　his　cap。

〃Don't　go；　Volodka；〃　said　Rodion　diffidently。　〃Don't　go　with
them；　son。　You　are　foolish；　like　a　little　child；　they　will　teach
you　no　good；　don't　go！〃

〃Don't　go；　son；〃　said　Stepanida；　and　she　blinked　as　though　about
to　shed　tears。　〃I　bet　they　are　calling　you　to　the　tavern。〃

〃　'To　the　tavern；'　〃　Volodka　mimicked。

〃You'll　come　back　drunk　again；　you　currish　Herod；〃　said　Lukerya；
looking　at　him　angrily。　〃Go　along；　go　along；　and　may　you　burn　up
with　vodka；　you　tailless　Satan！〃

〃You　hold　your　tongue；〃　shouted　Volodka。

〃They've　married　me　to　a　fool；　they've　ruined　me；　a　luckless
orphan；　you　red…headed　drunkard　。　。　。〃　wailed　Lukerya；　wiping　her
face　with　a　hand　covered　with　dough。　〃I　wish　I　had　never　set　eyes
on　you。〃

Volodka　gave　her　a　blow　on　the　ear　and　went　off。

III

Elena　Ivanovna　and　her　little　daughter　visited　the　village　on
foot。　They　were　out　for　a　walk。　It　was　a　Sunday；　and　the　peasant
women　and　girls　were　walking　up　and　down　the　street　in　their
brightly…coloured　dresses。　Rodion　and　Stepanida；　sitting　side　by
side　at　their　door；　bowed　and　smiled　to　Elena　Ivanovna　and　her
little　daughter　as　to　acquaintances。　From　the　windows　more　than　a
dozen　children　stared　at　them；　their　faces　expressed　amazement
and　curiosity；　and　they　could　be　heard　whispering：

〃The　Kutcherov　lady　has　come！　The　Kutcherov　lady！〃

〃Good…morning；〃　said　Elena　Ivanovna；　and　she　stopped；　she　paused；
and　then　asked：　〃Well；　how　are　you　getting　on？〃

〃We　get　along　all　right；　thank　God；〃　answered　Rodion；　speaking
rapidly。　〃To　be　sure　we　get　along。〃

〃The　life　we　lead！〃　smiled　Stepanida。　〃You　can　see　our　poverty
yourself；　dear　lady！　The　family　is　fourteen　souls　in　all；　and
only　two　bread…winners。　We　are　supposed　to　be　blacksmiths；　but
when　they　bring　us　a　horse　to　shoe　we　have　no　coal；　nothing　to
buy　it　with。　We　are　worried　to　death；　lady；〃　she　went　on；　and
laughed。　〃Oh；　oh；　we　are　worried　to　death。〃

Elena　Ivanovna　sat　down　at　the　entrance　and；　putting　her　arm
round　her　little　girl；　pondered　something；　and　judging　from　the
little　girl's　expression；　melancholy　thoughts　were　straying
through　her　mind；　too；　as　she　brooded　she　played　with　the
sumptuous　lace　on　the　parasol　she　had　taken　out　of　her　mother's
hands。

〃Poverty；〃　said　Rodion；　〃a　great　deal　of　anxiety　　you　see　no
end　to　it。　Here；　God　sends　no　rain　。　。　。　our　life　is　not　easy；
there　is　no　denying　it。〃

〃You　have　a　hard　time　in　this　life；〃　said　Elena　Ivanovna；　〃but　in
the　other　world　you　will　be　happy。〃

Rodion　did　not　understand　her；　and　simply　coughed　into　his
clenched　hand　by　way　of　reply。　Stepanida　said：

〃Dear　lady；　the　rich　men　will　be　all　right　in　the　next　world；
too。　The　rich　put　up　candles；　pay　for　services；　the　rich　give　to
beggars；　but　what　can　the　poor　man　do？　He　has　no　time　to　make　the
sign　of　the　cross。　He　is　the　beggar　of　beggars　himself；　how　can
he　think　of　his　soul？　And　many　sins　come　from　poverty；　from
trouble　we　snarl　at　one　another　like　dogs；　we　haven't　a　good　word
to　say　to　one　another；　and　all　sorts　of　things　happen；　dear　lady
　God　forbid！　It　seems　we　have　no　luck　in　this　world　nor　the
next。　All　the　luck　has　fallen　to　the　rich。〃

She　spoke　gaily；　she　was　evidently　used　to　talking　of　her　hard
life。　And　Rodion　smiled；　too；　he　was　pleased　that　his　old　woman
was　so　clever；　so　ready　of　speech。

〃It　is　only　on　the　surface　that　the　rich　seem　to　be　happy；〃　said
Elena　Ivanovna。　〃Every　man　has　his　sorrow。　Here　my　husband　and　I
do　not　live　poorly；　we　have　means；　but　are　we　happy？　I　am　young；
but　I　have　had　four　children；　my　children　are　always　being　ill。　I
am　ill；　too；　and　constantly　being　doctored。〃

〃And　what　is　your　illness？〃　asked　Rodion。

〃A　woman's　complaint。　I　get　no　sleep；　a　continual　headache　gives
me　no　peace。　Here　I　am　sitting　and　talking；　but　my　head　is　bad；　I
am　weak　all　over；　and　I　should　prefer　the　hardest　labour　to　such
a　condition。　My　soul；　too；　is　troubled；　I　am　in　continual　fear
for　my　children；　my　husband。　Every　family　has　its　own　trouble　of
some　sort；　we　have　ours。　I　am　not　of　noble　birth。　My　grandfather
was　a　simple　peasant；　my　father　was　a　tradesman　in　Moscow；　he　was
a　plain；　uneducated　man；　too；　while　my　husband's　parents　were
wealthy　and　distinguished。　They　did　not　want　him　to　marry　me；　but
he　disobeyed　them；　quarrelled　with　them；　and　they　have　not
forgiven　us　to　this　day。　That　worries　my　husband；　it　troubles　him
and　keeps　him　in　constant　agitation；　he　loves　his　mother；　loves
her　dearly。　So　I　am　uneasy；　too；　my　soul　is　in　pain。〃

Peasants；　men　and　women；　were　by　now　standing　round　Rodion's　hut
and　listening。　Kozov　came　up；　too；　and　stood　twitching　his　long；
narrow　beard。　The　Lytchkovs；　father　and　son；　drew　near。

〃And　say　what　you　like；　one　cannot　be　happy　and　satisfied　if　one
does　not　feel　in　one's　proper　place。〃　Elena　Ivanovna　went　on。
〃Each　of　you　has　his　strip　of　land；　each　of　you　works　and　knows
what　he　is　working　for；　my　husband　builds　bridges　　in　short；
everyone　has　his　place；　while　I；　I　simply　walk　about。　I　have　not
my　bit　to　work。　I　don't　work；　and　feel　as　though　I　were　an
outsider。　I　am　saying　all　this　that　you　may　not　judge　from
outward　appearances；　if　a　man　is　expensively　dressed　and　has
means　it　does　not　prove　that　he　is　satisfied　with　his　life。〃

She　got　up　to　go　away　and　took　her　daughter　by　the　hand。

〃I　like　your　place　here　very　much；〃　she　said；　and　smiled；　and
from　that　faint；　diffident　smile　one　could　tell　how　unwell　she
really　was；　how　young　and　how　pretty；　she　had　a　pale；　thinnish
face　with　dark　eyebrows　and　fair　hair。　And　the　little　girl　was
just　such　another　as　her　mother：　thin；　fair；　and　slender。　There
was　a　fragrance　of　scent　about　them。

〃I　like　the　river　and　the　forest　and　the　village；〃　Elena　Ivanovna
went　on；　〃I　could　live　here　all　my　life；　and　I　feel　as　though
here　I　should　get　strong　and　find　my　place。　I　want　to　help　you　
I　want　to　dreadfully　　to　be　of　use；　to　be　a　real　friend　to　you。
I　know　your　need；　and　what　I　don't　know　I　feel；　my　heart　guesses。
I　am　sick；　feeble；　and　for　me　perhaps　it　is　not　possible　to
change　my　life　as　I　would。　But　I　have　children。　I　will　try　to
bring　them　up　that　they　may　be　of　use　to　you；　may　love　you。　I
shall　impress　upon　them　continually　that　their　life　does　not
belong　to　them；　but　to　you。　Only　I　beg　you　earnestly；　I　beseech
you；　trust　us；　live　in　friendship　with　us。　My　husband　is　a　kind；
good　man。　Don't　worry　him；　don't　irritate　him。　He　is　sensitive　to
every　trifle；　and　yesterday；　for　instance；　your　cattle　were　in
our　vegetable　garden；　and　one　of　your　people　broke　down　the　fence
to　the　bee…hives；　and　such　an　attitude　to　us　drives　my　husband　to
despair。　I　beg　you；〃　she　went　on　in　an　imploring　voice；　and　she
clasped　her　hands　on　her　bosom　　〃I　beg　you　to　treat　us　as　good
neighbours；　let　us　live　in　peace！　There　is　a　saying；　you　know；
that　even　a　bad　peace　is　better　than　a　good　quarrel；　and；　'Don't
buy　property；　but　buy　neighbours。'　I　repeat　my　husband　is　a　kind
man　and　good；　if　all　goes　well　we　promise　to　do　everything　in　our
power　for　you；　we　will　mend　the　roads；　we　will　build　a　school　for
your　children。　I　promise　you。〃

〃Of　course　we　thank　you　humbly；　lady；〃　said　Lytchkov　the　father；
looking　at　the　ground；　〃you　are　educated　people；　it　is　for　you　to
know　best。　Only；　you　see；　Voronov；　a　rich　peasant　at　Eresnevo；
promised　to　build　a　school；　he；　too；　said；　'I　will　do　this　for
you；'　'I　will　do　that　for　you；'　and　he　only　put　up　the　framework
and　refused　to　go　on。　And　then　they　made　the　peasants　put　the
roof　on　and　finish　it；　it　cost　them　a　thousand　roubles。　Voronov
did　not　care；　he　only　stroked　his　beard；　but　the　peasants　felt　it
a　bit　hard。〃

〃That　was　a　crow；　but　now　there's　a　rook；　too；〃　said　Kozov；　and
he　winked。

There　was　the　sound　of　laughter。

〃We　don't　want　a　school；〃　said　Volodka　sullenly。　〃Our　children　go
to　Petrovskoe；　and　　they　can
　go　on　going　there；　we　don't　want　it。〃

Elena　Ivanovna　seemed　suddenly　intimidated；　her　face　looked　paler
and　thinner；　she　shrank　into　herself　as　though　she　had　been
touched　with　something　coarse；　and　walked　away　without　uttering
another　word。　And　she　walked　more　and　more　quickly；　without
looking　round。

〃Lady；〃　said　Rodion；　wal