the witch and other stories-第20章

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kopecks　on　every　pair　of　birds；　he　bought　timber　for　felling；
lent　money　at　interest；　and　altogether　was　a　sharp　old　man；　full
of　resources。

He　had　two　sons。　The　elder；　Anisim；　was　in　the　police　in　the
detective　department　and　was　rarely　at　home。　The　younger；　Stepan；
had　gone　in　for　trade　and　helped　his　father：　but　no　great　help
was　expected　from　him　as　he　was　weak　in　health　and　deaf；　his　wife
Aksinya；　a　handsome　woman　with　a　good　figure；　who　wore　a　hat　and
carried　a　parasol　on　holidays；　got　up　early　and　went　to　bed　late；
and　ran　about　all　day　long；　picking　up　her　skirts　and　jingling
her　keys；　going　from　the　granary　to　the　cellar　and　from　there　to
the　shop；　and　old　Tsybukin　looked　at　her　good…humouredly　while
his　eyes　glowed；　and　at　such　moments　he　regretted　she　had　not
been　married　to　his　elder　son　instead　of　to　the　younger　one；　who
was　deaf；　and　who　evidently　knew　very　little　about　female　beauty。

The　old　man　had　always　an　inclination　for　family　life；　and　he
loved　his　family　more　than　anything　on　earth；　especially　his
elder　son；　the　detective；　and　his　daughter…in…law。　Aksinya　had　no
sooner　married　the　deaf　son　than　she　began　to　display　an
extraordinary　gift　for　business；　and　knew　who　could　be　allowed　to
run　up　a　bill　and　who　could　not：　she　kept　the　keys　and　would　not
trust　them　even　to　her　husband；　she　kept　the　accounts　by　means　of
the　reckoning　beads；　looked　at　the　horses'　teeth　like　a　peasant；
and　was　always　laughing　or　shouting；　and　whatever　she　did　or　said
the　old　man　was　simply　delighted　and　muttered：

〃Well　done；　daughter…in…law！　You　are　a　smart　wench！〃

He　was　a　widower；　but　a　year　after　his　son's　marriage　he　could
not　resist　getting　married　himself。　A　girl　was　found　for　him；
living　twenty　miles　from　Ukleevo；　called　Varvara　Nikolaevna；　no
longer　quite　young；　but　good…looking；　comely；　and　belonging　to　a
decent　family。　As　soon　as　she　was　installed　into　the　upper…storey
room　everything　in　the　house　seemed　to　brighten　up　as　though　new
glass　had　been　put　into　all　the　windows。　The　lamps　gleamed　before
the　ikons；　the　tables　were　covered　with　snow…white　cloths；
flowers　with　red　buds　made　their　appearance　in　the　windows　and　in
the　front　garden；　and　at　dinner；　instead　of　eating　from　a　single
bowl；　each　person　had　a　separate　plate　set　for　him。　Varvara
Nikolaevna　had　a　pleasant；　friendly　smile；　and　it　seemed　as
though　the　whole　house　were　smiling；　too。　Beggars　and　pilgrims；
male　and　female；　began　to　come　into　the　yard；　a　thing　which　had
never　happened　in　the　past；　the　plaintive　sing…song　voices　of　the
Ukleevo　peasant　women　and　the　apologetic　coughs　of　weak；
seedy…looking　men；　who　had　been　dismissed　from　the　factory　for
drunkenness　were　heard　under　the　windows。　Varvara　helped　them
with　money；　with　bread；　with　old　clothes；　and　afterwards；　when
she　felt　more　at　home；　began　taking　things　out　of　the　shop。　One
day　the　deaf　man　saw　her　take　four　ounces　of　tea　and　that
disturbed　him。

〃Here；　mother's　taken　four　ounces　of　tea；〃　he　informed　his　father
afterwards；　〃where　is　that　to　be　entered？〃

The　old　man　made　no　reply　but　stood　still　and　thought　a　moment；
moving　his　eyebrows；　and　then　went　upstairs　to　his　wife。

〃Varvarushka；　if　you　want　anything　out　of　the　shop；〃　he　said
affectionately；　〃take　it；　my　dea　r。　Take　it　and　welcome；　don't
hesitate。〃

And　the　next　day　the　deaf　man；　running　across　the　yard；　called　to
her：

〃If　there　is　anything　you　want；　mother；　take　it。〃

There　was　something　new；　something　gay　and　light…hearted　in　her
giving　of　alms；　just　as　there　was　in　the　lamps　before　the　ikons
and　in　the　red　flowers。　When　at　Carnival　or　at　the　church
festival；　which　lasted　for　three　days；　they　sold　the　peasants
tainted　salt　meat；　smelling　so　strong　it　was　hard　to　stand　near
the　tub　of　it；　and　took　scythes；　caps；　and　their　wives'　kerchiefs
in　pledge　from　the　drunken　men；　when　the　factory　hands　stupefied
with　bad　vodka　lay　rolling　in　the　mud；　and　sin　seemed　to　hover
thick　like　a　fog　in　the　air；　then　it　was　a　relief　to　think　that
up　there　in　the　house　there　was　a　gentle；　neatly　dressed　woman
who　had　nothing　to　do　with　salt　meat　or　vodka；　her　charity　had　in
those　burdensome；　murky　days　the　effect　of　a　safety　valve　in　a
machine。

The　days　in　Tsybukin's　house　were　spent　in　business　cares。　Before
the　sun　had　risen　in　the　morning　Aksinya　was　panting　and　puffing
as　she　washed　in　the　outer　room；　and　the　samovar　was　boiling　in
the　kitchen　with　a　hum　that　boded　no　good。　Old　Grigory
Petrovitch；　dressed　in　a　long　black　coat；　cotton　breeches　and
shiny　top　boots；　looking　a　dapper　little　figure；　walked　about　the
rooms；　tapping　with　his　little　heels　like　the　father…in…law　in　a
well…known　song。　The　shop　was　opened。　When　it　was　daylight　a
racing　droshky　was　brought　up　to　the　front　door　and　the　old　man
got　jauntily　on　to　it；　pulling　his　big　cap　down　to　his　ears；　and；
looking　at　him；　no　one　would　have　said　he　was　fifty…six。　His　wife
and　daughter…in…law　saw　him　off；　and　at　such　times　when　he　had　on
a　good；　clean　coat；　and　had　in　the　droshky　a　huge　black　horse
that　had　cost　three　hundred　roubles；　the　old　man　did　not　like　the
peasants　to　come　up　to　him　with　their　complaints　and　petitions；
he　hated　the　peasants　and　disdained　them；　and　if　he　saw　some
peasants　waiting　at　the　gate；　he　would　shout　angrily：

〃Why　are　you　standing　there？　Go　further　off。〃

Or　if　it　were　a　beggar；　he　would　say：

〃God　will　provide！〃

He　used　to　drive　off　on　business；　his　wife；　in　a　dark　dress　and　a
black　apron；　tidied　the　rooms　or　helped　in　the　kitchen。　Aksinya
attended　to　the　shop；　and　from　the　yard　could　be　heard　the　clink
of　bottles　and　of　money；　her　laughter　and　loud　talk；　and　the
anger　of　customers　whom　she　had　offended；　and　at　the　same　time　it
could　be　seen　that　the　secret　sale　of　vodka　was　already　going　on
in　the　shop。　The　deaf　man　sat　in　the　shop；　too；　or　walked　about
the　street　bare…headed；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets　looking
absent…mindedly　now　at　the　huts；　now　at　the　sky　overhead。　Six
times　a　day　they　had　tea；　four　times　a　day　they　sat　down　to
meals；　and　in　the　evening　they　counted　over　their　takings；　put
them　down；　went　to　bed；　and　slept　soundly。

All　the　three　cotton　factories　in　Ukleevo　and　the　houses　of　the
factory　owners　　Hrymin　Seniors；　Hrymin　Juniors；　and　Kostukov　
were　on　a　telephone。　The　telephone　was　laid　on　in　the　local
court；　too；　but　it　soon　ceased　to　work　as　bugs　and　beetles　bred
there。　The　elder　of　the　rural　district　had　had　little　education
and　wrote　every　word　in　the　official　documents　in　capitals。　But
when　the　telephone　was　spoiled　he　said：

〃Yes；　now　we　shall　be　badly　off　without　a　telephone。〃

The　Hrymin　Seniors　were　continually　at　law　with　the　Juniors；　and
sometimes　the　Juniors　quarrelled　among　themselves　and　began　going
to　law；　and　their　factory　did　not　work　for　a　month　or　two　till
they　were　reconciled　again；　and　this　was　an　entertainment　for　the
people　of　Ukleevo；　as　there　was　a　great　deal　of　talk　and　gossip
on　the　occasion　of　each　quarrel。　On　holidays　Kostukov　and　the
Juniors　used　to　get　up　races；　used　to　dash　about　Ukleevo　and　run
over　calves。　Aksinya；　rustling　her　starched　petticoats；　used　to
promenade　in　a　low…necked　dress　up　and　down　the　street　near　her
shop；　the　Juniors　used　to　snatch　her　up　and　carry　her　off　as
though　by　force。　Then　old　Tsybukin　would　drive　out　to　show　his
new　horse　and　take　Varvara　with　him。

In　the　evening；　after　the　races；　when　people　were　going　to　bed；
an　expensive　concertina　was　played　in　the　Juniors'　yard　and；　if
it　were　a　moonlight　night；　those　sounds　sent　a　thrill　of　delight
to　the　heart；　and　Ukleevo　no　longer　seemed　a　wretched　hole。

II

The　elder　son　Anisim　came　home　very　rarely；　only　on　great
holidays；　but　he　often　sent　by　a　returning　villager　presents　and
letters　written　in　very　good　writing　by　some　other　hand；　always
on　a　sheet　of　foolscap　in　the　form　of　a　petition。　The　letters
were　full　of　expressions　that　Anisim　never　made　use　of　in
conversation：　〃Dear　papa　and　mamma；　I　send　you　a　pound　of　flower
tea　for　the　satisfaction　of　your　physical　needs。〃

At　the　bottom　of　every　letter　was　scratched；　as　though　with　a
broken　pen：　〃Anisim　Tsybukin；〃　and　again　in　the　same　excellent
hand：　〃Agent。〃

The　letters　were　read　aloud　several　times；　and　the　old　father；
touched；　red　with　emotion；　would　say：

〃Here　he　did　not　care　to　stay　at　home；　he　has　gone　in　for　an
intellectual　line。　Well；　let　him！　Every　man　to　his　own　job！

It　happened　just　before　Carnival　there　was　a　heavy　storm　of　rain
mixed　with　hail；　the　old　man　and　Varvara　went　to　the　window　to
look　at　it；　and　lo　and　behold！　Anisim　drove　up　in　a　sledge　from
the　station。　He　was　quite　unexpected。　He　came　indoors；　looking
anxious　and　troubled　about　something；　and　he　remained　the　same
all　the　time；　there　was　something　free　and　easy　in　his　manner。　He
was　in　no　haste　to　go　away；　it　seemed；　as　though　he　had　been
dismissed　from　the　service。　Varvara　was　pleased　at　his　arrival；
she　looked　at　him　with　a　sly　expression；　sighed；　and　shook　her
head。

〃How　is　this；　my　friends？〃　she　said。　〃Tut；　tut；　the　lad's　in　his
twenty…eighth　year；　and　he　is　still　leading　a　gay　bachelor　life；
tut；　tut；　tut。　。　。　。〃

From　the　other　room　her　soft；　even　speech　sounded　like　tut；　tut；
tut。　She　began　whispering　with　her　husband　and　Aksinya；　and　their
faces　wore　the　same　sly　and　mysterious　expression　as　though　they
were　conspirators。

It　was　decided　to　marry　Anisim。

〃Oh；　tut；　tut　。　。　。　the　younger　brother　has　been　married　long
ago；〃　said　Varvara；　〃and　you　are　still　without　a　helpmate　like　a
cock　at　a　fair。　What　is　the　meaning　of　it？　Tut；　tut；　you　will　be
married；　please　God；　then　as　you　choose　　you　will　go　into　the
service　and　your　wife　will　remain　here　at　home　to　help　us。　There
is　no　order　in　your　life；　young　man；　and　I　see　you　have　forgotten
how　to　live　properly。　Tut；　tut；　it's　the　same　trouble　with　all
you　townspeople。〃

When　the　Tsybukins　married；　the　most　handsome　girls　were　chosen
as　brides　for　them　as　rich　men。　For　Anisim；　too；　they　found　a
handsome　one。　He　was　himself　of　an　uninteresting　and
inconspicuous　appearance；　of　a　feeble；　sickly　build　and　short
stature；　he　had　full；　puffy　cheeks　which　looked　as　though　he　were
blowing　them　out；　his　eyes　looked　with　a　keen；　unblinking　stare；
his　beard　was　red　and　scanty；　and　when　he　was　thinking　he　always
put　it　into　his　mouth　and　bit　it；　moreover　he　often　drank　too
much；　and　that　was　noticeable　from　his　face　and　his　walk。　But
when　he　was　informed　that　they　had　found　a　very　beautiful　bride
for　him；　he　said：

〃Oh　well；　I　am　not　a　fright　myself。　All　of　us　Tsybukins　are
handsome；　I　may　say。〃

The　village　of　Torguevo　was　near　the　town。　Half　of　it　had　lately
been　incorporated　into　the　town；　the　other　half　remained　a
village。　In　the　first　　the　town　half　　there　was　a　widow
living　in　her　own　little　house；　she　had　a　sister　living　with　her
who　was　quite　poor　and　went　out　to　work　by　the　day；　and　this
sister　had　a　daughter　called　Lipa；　a　girl　who　went　out　to　work；
too。　People　in　Torguevo　were　already　talking　about　Lipa's　good
looks；　but　her　terrible　poverty　put　everyone　off；　people　opined
that　some　widower　or　elderly　man　would　marry　her　regardless　of
her　poverty；　or　would　perhaps　ta