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！
along。 。 。 。 You should reason first and then haul me off。 It's a saying that a
peasant has a peasant's wit。 。 。 。 Write down； too； your honour； that he hit
me twice in the jaw and in the chest。〃
〃When your hut was searched they found another nut。 。 。 。 At what spot
did you unscrew that； and when？〃
〃You mean the nut which lay under the red box？〃
〃I don't know where it was lying； only it was found。 When did you
unscrew it？〃
〃I didn't unscrew it； Ignashka； the son of one…eyed Semyon； gave it me。
I mean the one which was under the box； but the one which was in the
sledge in the yard Mitrofan and I unscrewed together。〃
〃What Mitrofan？〃
〃Mitrofan Petrov。 。 。 。 Haven't you heard of him？ He makes nets in our
village and sells them to the gentry。 He needs a lot of those nuts。 Reckon a
matter of ten for each net。〃
〃Listen。 Article 1081 of the Penal Code lays down that every wilful
damage of the railway line committed when it can expose the traffic on
that line to danger； and the guilty party knows that an accident must be
caused by it 。 。 。 （Do you understand？ Knows！ And you could not help
knowing what this unscrewing would lead to 。 。 。） is liable to penal
servitude。〃
〃Of course； you know best。 。 。 。 We are ignorant people。 。 。 。 What do
162
… Page 163…
THE WITCH AND OTHER STORIES
we understand？〃
〃You understand all about it！ You are lying； shamming！〃
〃What should I lie for？ Ask in the village if you don't believe me。 Only
a bleak is caught without a weight； and there is no fish worse than a
gudgeon； yet even that won't bite without a weight。〃
〃You'd better tell me about the shillisper next；〃 said the magistrate；
smiling。
〃There are no shillispers in our parts。 。 。 。 We cast our line without a
weight on the top of the water with a butterfly； a mullet may be caught
that way； though that is not often。〃
〃Come； hold your tongue。〃
A silence follows。 Denis shifts from one foot to the other； looks at the
table with the green cloth on it； and blinks his eyes violently as though
what was before him was not the cloth but the sun。 The magistrate writes
rapidly。
〃Can I go？〃 asks Denis after a long silence。
〃No。 I must take you under guard and send you to prison。〃
Denis leaves off blinking and； raising his thick eyebrows； looks
inquiringly at the magistrate。
〃How do you mean； to prison？ Your honour！ I have no time to spare； I
must go to the fair； I must get three roubles from Yegor for some
tallow！ 。 。 。〃
〃Hold your tongue； don't interrupt。〃
〃To prison。 。 。 。 If there was something to go for； I'd go； but just to go
for nothing！ What for？ I haven't stolen anything； I believe； and I've not
been fighting。 。 。 。 If you are in doubt about the arrears； your honour； don't
believe the elder。 。 。 。 You ask the agent 。 。 。 he's a regular heathen； the elder；
you know。〃
〃Hold your tongue。〃
I am holding my tongue； as it is；〃 mutters Denis； 〃but that the elder has
lied over the account； I'll take my oath for it。 。 。 。 There are three of us
brothers： Kuzma Grigoryev； then Yegor Grigoryev； and me； Denis
Grigoryev。〃
〃You are hindering me。 。 。 。 Hey； Semyon；〃 cries the magistrate； 〃take
163
… Page 164…
THE WITCH AND OTHER STORIES
him away！〃
〃There are three of us brothers；〃 mutters Denis； as two stalwart
soldiers take him and lead him out of the room。 〃A brother is not
responsible for a brother。 Kuzma does not pay； so you； Denis； must answer
for it。 。 。 。 Judges indeed！ Our master the general is dead the Kingdom of
Heaven be his or he would have shown you judges。 。 。 。 You ought to
judge sensibly； not at random。 。 。 。 Flog if you like； but flog someone who
deserves it； flog with conscience。〃
164
… Page 165…
THE WITCH AND OTHER STORIES
PEASANTS
I
NIKOLAY TCHIKILDYEEV； a waiter in the Moscow hotel；
Slavyansky Bazaar； was taken ill。 His legs went numb and his gait was
affected； so that on one occasion； as he was going along the corridor； he
tumbled and fell down with a tray full of ham and peas。 He had to leave
his job。 All his own savings and his wife's were spent on doctors and
medicines； they had nothing left to live upon。 He felt dull with no work to
do； and he made up his mind he must go home to the village。 It is better to
be ill at home； and living there is cheaper； and it is a true saying that the
walls of home are a help。
He reached Zhukovo towards evening。 In his memories of childhood
he had pictured his home as bright； snug； comfortable。 Now； going into the
hut； he was positively frightened； it was so dark； so crowded； so unclean。
His wife Olga and his daughter Sasha； who had come with him； kept
looking in bewilderment at the big untidy stove； which filled up almost
half the hut and was black with soot and flies。 What lots of flies！ The stove
was on one side； the beams lay slanting on the walls； and it looked as
though the hut were just going to fall to pieces。 In the corner； facing the
door； under the holy images； bottle labels and newspaper cuttings were
stuck on the walls instead of pictures。 The poverty； the poverty！ Of the
grown…up people there were none at home； all were at work at the harvest。
On the stove was sitting a white…headed girl of eight； unwashed and
apathetic； she did not even glance at them as they came in。 On the floor a
white cat was rubbing itself against the oven fork。
〃Puss； puss！〃 Sasha called to her。 〃Puss！〃
〃She can't hear；〃 said the little girl； 〃she has gone deaf。〃
〃How is that？〃
〃Oh； she was beaten。〃
Nikolay and Olga realized from the firs t glance what life was like here；
but said nothing to one another； in silence they put down their bundles；
165
… Page 166…
THE WITCH AND OTHER STORIES
and went out into the village street。 Their