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！
the factory should be closed。 It was considered to be closed； but went on
working in secret with the connivance of the local police officer and the
district doctor； who was paid ten roubles a month by the owner。 In the
whole village there were only two decent houses built of brick with iron
104
… Page 105…
THE WITCH AND OTHER STORIES
roofs； one of them was the local court； in the other； a two…storied house
just opposite the church； there lived a shopkeeper from Epifan called
Grigory Petrovitch Tsybukin。
Grigory kept a grocer's shop； but that was only for appearance' sake： in
reality he sold vodka； cattle； hides； grain； and pigs； he traded in anything
that came to hand； and when； for instance； magpies were wanted abroad
for ladies' hats； he made some thirty 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
105
… Page 106…
THE WITCH AND OTHER STORIES
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。
106
… Page 107…
THE WITCH AND OTHER STORIES
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
107
… Page 108…
THE WITCH AND OTHER STORIES
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 be