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her voice：
〃Sto…op； Stepanida； sto…op！ Don't harrow us； for Christ's sake！〃
They forgot to set the samovar； they could think of nothing。 Only Lipa
could not make out what it was all about and went on playing with her
baby。
When the old father arrived from the station they asked him no
questions。 He greeted them and walked through all the rooms in silence；
he had no supper。
〃There was no one to see about things 。 。 。〃 Varvara began when they
were alone。 〃I said you should have asked some of the gentry； you would
not heed me at the time。 。 。 。 A petition would 。 。 。〃
〃I saw to things；〃 said her husband with a wave of his hand。 〃When
Anisim was condemned I went to the gentleman who was defending him。
'It's no use now；' he said； 'it's too late'； and Anisim said the same； it's too
late。 But all the same as I came out of the court I made an agreement with
a lawyer； I paid him something in advance。 I'll wait a week and then I will
go again。 It is as God wills。〃
Again the old man walked through all the rooms； and when he went
back to Varvara he said：
〃I must be ill。 My head's in a sort of 。 。 。 fog。 My thoughts are in a
maze。〃
He closed the door that Lipa might not hear； and went on softly：
〃I am unhappy about my money。 Do you remember on Low Sunday
before his wedding Anisim's bringing me some new roubles and half…
roubles？ One parcel I put away at the time； but the others I mixed with my
own money。 When my uncle Dmitri Filatitch the kingdom of heaven be
his was alive； he used constantly to go journeys to Moscow and to the
Crimea to buy goods。 He had a wife； and this same wife； when he was
away buying goods； used to take up with other men。 She had half a dozen
children。 And when uncle was in his cups he would laugh and say： 'I never
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can make out；' he used to say； 'which are my children and which are other
people's。' An easy…going disposition； to be sure； and so I now can't
distinguish which are genuine roubles and which are false ones。 And it
seems to me that they are all false。〃
〃Nonsense； God bless you。〃
〃I take a ticket at the station； I give the man three roubles； and I keep
fancying they are false。 And I am frightened。 I must be ill。〃
〃There's no denying it； we are all in God's hands。 。 。 。 Oh dear；
dear 。 。 。〃 said Varvara； and she shook her head。 〃You ought to think about
this； Grigory Petrovitch： you never know； anything may happen； you are
not a young man。 See they don't wrong your grandchild when you are
dead and gone。 Oy； I am afraid they will be unfair to Nikifor！ He has as
good as no father； his mother's young and foolish 。 。 。 you ought to secure
something for him； poor little boy； at least the land； Butyokino； Grigory
Petrovitch； really！ Think it over！〃 Varvara went on persuading him。 〃The
pretty boy； one is sorry for him！ You go to…morrow and make out a deed；
why put it off？〃
〃I'd forgotten about my grandson；〃 said Tsybukin。 〃I must go and have
a look at him。 So you say the boy is all right？ Well； let him grow up；
please God。〃
He opened the door and； crooking his finger； beckoned to Lipa。 She
went up to him with the baby in her arms。
〃If there is anything you want； Lipinka； you ask for it；〃 he said。 〃And
eat anything you like； we don't grudge it； so long as it does you good。 。 。 。〃
He made the sign of the cross over the baby。 〃And take care of my
grandchild。 My son is gone； but my grandson is left。〃
Tears rolled down his cheeks； he gave a sob and went away。 Soon
afterwards he went to bed and slept soundly after seven sleepless nights。
VII
Old Tsybukin went to the town for a short time。 Someone told Aksinya
that he had gone to the notary to make his will and that he was leaving
Butyokino； the very place where she had set up a brickyard； to Nikifor； his
grandson。 She was informed of this in the morning when old Tsybukin and
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Varvara were sitting near the steps under the birch…tree； drinking their tea。
She closed the shop in the front and at the back； gathered together all the
keys she had； and flung them at her father…in…law's feet。
〃I am not going on working for you；〃 she began in a loud voice； and
suddenly broke into sobs。 〃It seems I am not your daughter…in…law； but a
servant！ Everybody's jeering and saying； 'See what a servant the Tsybukins
have got hold of！' I did not come to you for wages！ I am not a beggar； I am
not a slave； I have a father and mother。〃
She did not wipe away her tears； she fixed upon her father…in…law eyes
full of tears； vindictive； squinting with wrath； her face and neck were red
and tense； and she was shouting at the top of her voice。
〃I don't mean to go on being a slave！〃 she went on。 〃I am worn out。
When it is work； when it is sitting in the shop day in and day out；
scurrying out at night for vodka then it is my share； but when it is giving
away the land then it is for that convict's wife and her imp。 She is mistress
here； and I am her servant。 Give her everything； the convict's wife； and
may it choke her！ I am going home！ Find yourselves some other fool； you
damned Herods！〃
Tsybukin had never in his life scolded or punished his children； and
had never dreamed that one of his family could speak to him rudely or
behave disrespectfully； and now he was very much frightened； he ran into
the house and there hid behind the cupboard。 And Varvara was so much
flustered that she could not get up from her seat； and only waved her
hands before her as though she were warding off a bee。
〃Oh； Holy Saints！ what's the meaning of it？〃 she muttered in horror。
〃What is she shouting？ Oh； dear； dear！ 。 。 。 People will hear！ Hush。 Oh；
hush！〃
〃He has given Butyokino to the convict's wife；〃 Aksinya went on
bawling。 〃Give her everything now； I don't want anything from you！ Let
me alone！ You are all a gang of thieves here！ I have seen my fill of it； I
have had enough！ You have robbed folks coming in and going out； you
have robbed old and young alike； you brigands！ And who has been selling
vodka without a licence？ And false money？ You've filled boxes