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towards evening。
〃A…a…a 。 。 。〃 said Crutch； wondering as he listened to Lipa。 〃A…a！ 。 。 。
We…ell！
〃I am very fond of jam； Ilya Makaritch；〃 said Lipa。 〃I sit down in my
little corner and drink tea and eat jam。 Or I drink it with Varvara
Nikolaevna； and she tells some story full of feeling。 We have a lot of jam …
… four jars。 'Have some； Lipa； eat as much as you like。' 〃
〃A…a…a； four jars！〃
〃They live very well。 We have white bread with our tea； and meat； too；
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as much as one wants。 They live very well； only I am frightened with them；
Ilya Makaritch。 Oh； oh； how frightened I am！〃
〃Why are you frightened； child？〃 asked Crutch； and he looked back to
see how far Praskovya was behind。
〃To begin with； when the wedding had been celebrated I was afraid of
Anisim Grigoritch。 Anisim Grigoritch did nothing； he didn't ill…treat me；
only when he comes near me a cold shiver runs all over me； through all
my bones。 And I did not sleep one night； I trembled all over and kept
praying to God。 And now I am afraid of Aksinya； Ilya Makaritch。 It's not
that she does anything； she is always laughing； but sometimes she glances
at the window； and her eyes are so fierce and there is a gleam of green in
them like the eyes of the sheep in the shed。 The Hrymin Juniors are
leading her astray： 'Your old man；' they tell her； 'has a bit of land at
Butyokino； a hundred and twenty acres；' they say； 'and there is sand and
water there； so you； Aksinya；' they say； 'build a brickyard there and we will
go shares in it。' Bricks now are twenty roubles the thousand； it's a
profitable business。 Yesterday at dinner Aksinya said to my father…in…law：
'I want to build a brickyard at Butyokino； I'm going into business on my
own account。' She laughed as she said it。 And Grigory Petrovitch's face
darkened； one could see he did not like it。 'As long as I live；' he said； 'the
family must not break up； we must go on altogether。' She gave a look and
gritted her teeth。 。 。 。 Fritters were served； she would not eat them。〃
〃A…a…a！ 。 。 。〃 Crutch was surprised。
〃And tell me； if you please； when does she sleep？〃 said Lipa。 〃She
sleeps for half an hour； then jumps up and keeps walking and walking
about to see whether the peasants have not set fire to something； have not
stolen something。 。 。 。 I am frightened with her； Ilya Makaritch。 And the
Hrymin Juniors did not go to bed after the wedding； but drove to the town
to go to law with each other； and folks do say it is all on account of
Aksinya。 Two of the brothers have promised to build her a brickyard； but
the third is offended； and the factory has been at a standstill for a month；
and my uncle Prohor is without work and goes about from house to house
getting crusts。 'Hadn't you better go working on the land or sawing up
wood； meanwhile； uncle？' I tell him； 'why disgrace yourself？' 'I've got out
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of the way of it；' he says； 'I don't know how to do any sort of peasant's
work now； Lipinka。' 。 。 。〃
They stopped to rest and wait for Praskovya near a copse of young
aspen…trees。 Elizarov had long been a contractor in a small way； but he
kept no horses； going on foot all over the district with nothing but a little
bag in which there was bread and onions； and stalking along with big
strides； swinging his arms。 And it was difficult to walk with him。
At the entrance to the copse stood a milestone。 Elizarov touched it；
read it。 Praskovya reached them out of breath。 Her wrinkled and always
scared…looking face was beaming with happiness； she had been at church
to…day like anyone else； then she had been to the fair and there had drunk
pear cider。 For her this was unusual； and it even seemed to her now that
she had lived for her own pleasure that day for the first time in her life。
After resting they all three walked on side by side。 The sun had already set；
and its beams filtered through the copse； casting a light on the trunks of
the trees。 There was a faint sound of voices ahead。 The Ukleevo girls had
long before pushed on ahead but had lingered in the copse； probably
gathering mushrooms。
〃Hey； wenches！〃 cried Elizarov。 〃Hey； my beauties！〃
There was a sound of laughter in response。
〃Crutch is coming！ Crutch！ The old horseradish。〃
And the echo laughed； too。 And then the copse was left behind。 The
tops of the factory chimneys came into view。 The cross on the belfry
glittered： this was the village： 〃the one at which the deacon ate all the
caviare at the funeral。〃 Now they were almost home； they only had to go
down into the big ravine。 Lipa and Praskovya； who had been walking
barefooted； sat down on the grass to put on their boots； Elizar sat down
with them。 If they looked down from above Ukleevo looked beautiful and
peaceful with its willow…trees； its white church； and its little river； and the
only blot on the picture was the roof of the factories； painted for the sake
of cheapness a gloomy ashen grey。 On the slope on the further side they
could see the rye some in stacks and sheaves here and there as though
strewn about by the storm； and some freshly cut lying in swathes； the oats；
too； were ripe and glistened now in the sun like mother…of…pearl。 It was
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harvest…time。 To…day was a holiday； to…morrow they would harvest the rye
and carry the hay； and then Sunday a holiday again； every day there were
mutterings of distant thunder。 It was misty and looked like rain； and；
gazing now at the fields； everyone thought； God grant we get the harvest
in in time； and everyone felt gay and joyful and anxious at heart。
〃Mowers ask a high price nowadays；〃 said Praskovya。 〃One rouble
and forty kopecks a day。〃
People kept coming and coming from the fair at Kazanskoe： peasant
women； factory workers in new caps； beggars； children。 。 。 。 Here a cart
would drive by stirring up the dust and behind it would run an unsold
horse； and it seemed glad it had not been sold； then a cow was led along
by the horns； resisting stubbornly； then a cart again； and in it drunken
peasants swinging their legs。 An old woman led a little boy in a big cap
and big boots； the boy was tired out with the heat and the heavy boots
which prevented his bending his legs at the knees； but yet blew
unceasingly with all his might at a tin trumpet。 They had gone down the
slope and turned into the street； but the trumpet could still be heard。
〃Our factory owners don't seem quite themselves 。 。 。〃 said Elizarov。
〃There's trouble。 Kostukov is angry with me。 'Too many boards have gone
on the cornices。' 'Too many？ As many have gone on it as were needed；
Vassily Danilitch； I don't eat them with my porridge。' 'How can you speak
to me like that？' said he； 'you good…for…nothing blockhead！ Don't forget
yourself！ It was I made you a contractor。' 'That's nothing so wonderful；'
said I。 'Even before I was a contractor I used to have tea every day。' 'You
are a rascal 。 。 。' he said。 I said nothing。 'We are rascals in this world；'
thought I； 'and you will be rascals in the next。 。 。 。' Ha…ha…ha！ The next day
he was softer。 'Don't you bear malice against me for my words； Makaritch；'
he said。 'If I said too much；' says he； 'what of it？ I am a merchant of the
first guild； your superior you ought to hold your tongue。' 'You；' said I；
'are a merchant of the first guild and I am a carpenter； that's correct。 And
Saint Joseph was a carpenter； too。 Ours is a righteous calling and pleasing
to God； and if you are pleased to be my superior you are very welcome to
it； Vassily Danilitch。' And later on； after that conversation I mean； I
thought： 'Which was the superior？ A merchant of the first guild or a
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