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repeated； persistent sound sent a pang to the heart and turned one cold。
The old women stood with the holy ikons。 Sheep； calves； cows were
driven out of the back…yards into the street； boxes； sheepskins； tubs were
carried out。 A black stallion； who was kept apart from the drove of horses
because he kicked and injured them； on being set free ran once or twice up
and down the village； neighing and pawing the ground； then suddenly
stopped short near a cart and began kicking it with his hind…legs。
They began ringing the bells in the church on the other side of the
river。
Near the burning hut it was hot and so light that one could distinctly
see every blade of grass。 Semyon； a red…haired peasant with a long nose；
wearing a reefer…jacket and a cap pulled down right over his ears； sat on
one of the boxes which they had succeeded in bringing out： his wife was
lying on her face； moaning and unconscious。 A little old man of eighty；
with a big beard； who looked like a gnome not one of the villagers；
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though obviously connected in some way with the fire walked about
bareheaded； with a white bundle in his arms。 The glare was reflected on
his bald head。 The village elder； Antip Syedelnikov； as swarthy and black…
haired as a gypsy； went up to the hut with an axe； and hacked out the
windows one after another no one knew why then began chopping up
the roof。
〃Women； water！〃 he shouted。 〃Bring the engine！ Look sharp！〃
The peasants； who had been drinking in the tavern just before； dragged
the engine up。 They were all drunk； they kept stumbling and falling down；
and all had a helpless expression and tears in their eyes。
〃Wenches； water！ 〃 shouted the elder； who was drunk； too。 〃Look
sharp； wenches！〃
The women and the girls ran downhill to where there was a spring； and
kept hauling pails and buckets of water up the hill； and； pouring it into the
engine； ran down again。 Olga and Marya and Sasha and Motka all brought
water。 The women and the boys pumped the water； the pipe hissed； and
the elder； directing it now at the door； now at the windows； held back the
stream with his finger； which made it hiss more sharply still。
〃Bravo； Antip！〃 voices shouted approvingly。 〃Do your best。〃
Antip went inside the hut into the fire and shouted from within。
〃Pump！ Bestir yourselves； good Christian folk； in such a terrible
mischance！〃
The peasants stood round in a crowd； doing nothing but staring at the
fire。 No one knew what to do； no one had the sense to do anything； though
there were stacks of wheat； hay； barns； and piles of faggots standing all
round。 Kiryak and old Osip； his father； both tipsy； were standing there； too。
And as though to justify his doing nothing； old Osip said； addressing the
woman who lay on the ground：
〃What is there to trouble about； old girl！ The hut is insured why are
you taking on？〃
Semyon； addressing himself first to one person and then to another；
kept describing how the fire had started。
〃That old man； the one with the bundle； a house…serf of General
Zhukov's。 。 。 。 He was cook at our general's； God rest his soul！ He came
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over this evening： 'Let me stay the night；' says he。 。 。 。 Well； we had a glass；
to be sure。 。 。 。 The wife got the samovar she was going to give the old
fellow a cup of tea； and in an unlucky hour she set the samovar in the
entrance。 The sparks from the chimney must have blown straight up to the
thatch； that's how it was。 We were almost burnt ourselves。 And the old
fellow's cap has been burnt； what a shame！〃
And the sheet of iron was struck indefatigably； and the bells kept
ringing in the church the other side of the river。 In the glow of the fir e
Olga； breathless； looking with horror at the red sheep and the pink doves
flying in the smoke； kept running down the hill and up again。 It seemed to
her that the ringing went to her heart with a sharp stab； that the fire would
never be over； that Sasha was lost。 。 。 。 And when the ceiling of the hut fell
in with a crash； the thought that now the whole village would be burnt
made her weak and faint； and she could not go on fetching water； but sat
down on the ravine； setting the pail down near her； beside her and below
her； the peasant women sat wailing as though at a funeral。
Then the stewards and watchmen from the estate the other side of the
river arrived in two carts； bringing with them a fire…engine。 A very young
student in an unbuttoned white tunic rode up on horseback。 There was the
thud of axes。 They put a ladder to the burning framework of the house； and
five men ran up it at once。 Foremost of them all was the student； who was
red in the face and shouting in a harsh hoarse voice； and in a tone as
though putting out fires was a thing he was used to。 They pulled the house
to pieces； a beam at a time； they dragged away the corn； the hurdles； and
the stacks that were near。
〃Don't let them break it up！ 〃 cried stern voices in the crowd。 〃Don't let
them。〃
Kiryak made his way up to the hut with a resolute air； as though he
meant to prevent the newcomers from breaking up the hut； but one of the
workmen turned him back with a blow in his neck。 There was the sound of
laughter； the workman dealt him another blow； Kiryak fell down； and
crawled back into the crowd on his hands and knees。
Two handsome girls in hats； probably the student's sisters； came from
the other side of the river。 They stood a little way off； looking at the fire。
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The beams that had been dragged apart were no longer burning； but were
smoking vigorously； the student； who was working the hose； turned the
water； first on the beams； then on the peasants； then on the women who
were bringing the water。
〃George！〃 the girls called to him reproachfully in anxiety； 〃George！〃
The fire was over。 And only when they began to disperse they noticed
that the day was breaking； that everyone was pale and rather dark in the
face； as it always seems in the early morning when the last stars are going
out。 As they separated； the peasants laughed and made jokes about General
Zhukov's cook and his cap which had been burnt； they already wanted to
turn the fire into a joke； and even seemed sorry that it had so soon been
put out。
〃How well you extinguished the fire； sir！〃 said Olga to the student。
〃You ought to come to us in Moscow： there we have a fire every day。〃
〃Why； do you come from Moscow？〃 asked one of the young ladies。
〃Yes； miss。 My husband was a waiter at the Slavyansky Bazaar。 And
this is my daughter；〃 she said； indicating Sasha； who was cold and
huddling up to her。 〃She is a Moscow girl； too。〃
The two young ladies said something in French to the student； and he
gave Sasha a twenty…kopeck piece。
Old Father Osip saw this； and there was a gleam of hope in his face。
〃We must thank God； your honour； there was no wind；〃 he said；
addressing the student； 〃or else we should have been all burnt up together。
Your honour； kind gentlefolks；〃 he added in embarrassment in a lower
tone； 〃the morning's chilly 。 。 。 something to warm one 。 。 。 half a bottle to
your honour's health。〃
Nothing was given him； and clearing his throat he slouched home。
Olga stood afterwards at the end of the street and watched the two carts
crossing the river by the ford and the gentlefolks walking across the
meadow； a carriage was waiting for them the other side of the river。 Going
into the hut； she described to her husband with enthusiasm：
〃Such good people！ And so beautiful！ The young ladies were like
cherubim。〃
〃Plague take them！〃 Fyokla； sleepy； said spitefully。
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VI