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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