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the witch and other stories(女巫)-第8部分

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     Both lay awake thinking in silence。 

     〃It's   cold;〃   said   Sofya;   beginning   to   shiver   all   over。   〃It   will   soon   be 

morning。 。 。 。 Are you asleep?〃 

     〃No。 。 。 。 Don't you mind what I say; dear;〃 whispered Varvara; 〃I get 

so mad with the damned brutes; I don't know what I do say。 Go to sleep; or 

it will be daylight directly。 。 。 。 Go to sleep。〃 

     Both were quiet and soon they fell asleep。 

     Earlier   than   all   woke   the old   woman。  She   waked up   Sofya   and   they 

went     together    into   the   cowshed      to  milk    the  cows。     The   hunchback 

Alyoshka came in hopelessly drunk without his concertina; his breast and 

knees had been in the dust and straw  he must have fallen down in the 

road。   Staggering;   he   went   into   the   cowshed;   and   without   undressing   he 

rolled into a sledge and began to snore at once。 When first the crosses on 

the church and then the windows were flashing in the light of the rising 

sun; and shadows stretched across the yard over the dewy grass from the 

trees   and    the  top   of  the  well;   Matvey     Savitch    jumped     up  and   began 

hurrying about: 

     〃Kuzka!   get   up!〃   he   shouted。   〃It's   time   to   put   in   the   horses!   Look 

sharp!〃 

     The   bustle   of   morning   was   beginning。   A  young   Jewess   in   a   brown 

gown with flounces led a horse into the yard to drink。 The pulley of the 

well creaked plaintively; the bucket knocked as it went down。 。 。 。 

     Kuzka; sleepy; tired; covered with dew; sat up in the cart; lazily putting 

on his little overcoat; and listening to the drip of the water from the bucket 

into the well as he shivered with the cold。 

     〃Auntie!〃 shouted Matvey Savitch to Sofya; 〃tell my lad to hurry up 

and to harness the horses!〃 

     And Dyudya at the same instant shouted from the window: 

     〃Sofya; take a farthing from the Jewess for the horse's drink! They're 

always in here; the mangy creatures! 

     In   the   street   sheep   were   running   up   and   down;   baaing;   the   peasant 

women were shouting at the shepherd; while he played his pipes; cracked 



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                            THE WITCH AND OTHER STORIES 



his   whip;   or   answered   them   in   a   thick   sleepy   bass。   Three   sheep   strayed 

into the yard; and not finding the gate again; pushed at the fence。 

     Varvara was waked by the noise; and bundling her bedding up in her 

arms; she went into the house。 

     〃You might at least drive the sheep out!〃 the old woman bawled after 

her; 〃my lady!〃 

     〃I   dare   say! As   if   I   were   going   to   slave   for   you   Herods!〃   muttered 

Varvara; going into the house。 

     Dyudya   came   out   of   the   house   with   his   accounts   in   his   hands;   sat 

down on the step; and began reckoning how much the traveller owed him 

for the night's lodging; oats; and watering his horses。 

     〃You charge pretty heavily for the oats; my good man;〃 said Matvey 

Savitch。 

     〃If it's too much; don't take them。 There's no compulsion; merchant。〃 

     When   the     travellers   were    ready   to   start;  they   were  detained    for  a 

minute。 Kuzka had lost his cap。 

     〃Little   swine;  where   did   you   put it?〃   Matvey  Savitch   roared   angrily。 

〃Where is it?〃 

     Kuzka's   face   was   working   with   terror;   he   ran   up   and   down   near  the 

cart; and not finding it there; ran to the gate and then to the shed。 The old 

woman and Sofya helped him look。 

     〃I'll pull your ears off!〃 yelled Matvey Savitch。 〃Dirty brat!〃 

     The cap was found at the bottom of the cart。 

     Kuzka brushed the hay off it with his sleeve; put it on; and timidly he 

crawled   into   the   cart;   still   with   an   expression   of   terror   on   his   face   as 

though he were afraid of a blow from behind。 

     Matvey Savitch crossed himself。 The driver gave a tug at the reins and 

the cart rolled out of the yard。 



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                            THE WITCH AND OTHER STORIES 



                                   THE POST 



     IT was three o'clock in the night。 The postman; ready to set off; in his 

cap   and   his   coat;  with   a   rusty  sword   in   his   hand;  was   standing   near   the 

door;   waiting   for   the   driver   to   finish   putting   the   mail   bags   into   the   cart 

which      had   just   been    brought    round     with   three   horses。    The    sleepy 

postmaster sat at his table; which was like a counter; he was filling up a 

form and saying: 

     〃My nephew; the student; wants to go to the station at once。 So look 

here; Ignatyev; let him get into the mail cart and take him with you to the 

station: though it is against the regulations to take people with the mail; 

what's one to do? It's better for him to drive with you free than for me to 

hire horses for him。〃 

     〃Ready!〃 they heard a shout from the yard。 

     〃Well;   go   then;   and   God   be   with   you;〃   said   the   postmaster。   〃Which 

driver is going?〃 

     〃Semyon Glazov。〃 

     〃Come; sign the receipt。〃 

     The postman signed the receipt and   went out。 At the entrance of the 

post…office   there   was   the   dark   outline   of   a   cart   and   three   hors   es。   The 

horses were standing still except that one of the tracehorses kept uneasily 

shifting   from   one   leg   to   the   other   and   tossing   its   head;   making   the   bell 

clang from time to time。 The cart with the mail bags looked like a patch of 

darkness。 Two silhouettes were moving lazily beside it: the student with a 

portmanteau in his hand and a driver。 The latter was smoking a short pipe; 

the light of the pipe moved about in the darkness; dying away and flaring 

up   again;   for   an   instant   it   lighted   up   a   bit   of   a   sleeve;   then   a   shaggy 

moustache       and    big  copper…red      nose;   then   stern…looking;     overhanging 

eyebrows。 The postman pressed down the mail bags with his hands; laid 

his   sword    on   them    and   jumped     into  the   cart。  The   student    clambered 

irresolutely   in   after   him;   and   accidentally   touching   him   with   his   elbow; 

said timidly and politely: 〃I beg your pardon。〃 

     The pipe went out。 The postmaster came out of the post…office just as 

he was; in his waistcoat and slippers; shrinking from the night dampness 



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                            THE WITCH AND OTHER STORIES 



and clearing his throat; he walked beside the cart and said: 

     〃Well;   God   speed!   Give   my   love   to   your   mother;   Mihailo。   Give   my 

love   to   them   all。  And   you;   Ignatyev;   mind   you   don't   forget   to   give   the 

parcel to Bystretsov。 。 。 。 Off!〃 The driver took the reins in one hand; blew 

his nose; and; arranging the seat under himself; clicked to the horses。 

     〃Give them my love;〃 the postmaster repeated。 

     The big bell clanged something to the little bells; the little bells gave it 

a friendly answer。 The cart squeaked; moved。 The big bell lamented; the 

little bells laughed。  Standing up in his seat the driver  lashed the  restless 

tracehorse   twice;   and   the   cart   rumbled   with   a   hollow   sound   along   the 

dusty road。 The   little   town was   asleep。   Houses   and trees stood black on 

each side of the broad street; and not a light was to be seen。 Narrow clouds 

stretched here and there over the star…spangled sky; and where the dawn 

would soon be coming there was a narrow crescent moon; but neither the 

stars; of which there were many; nor the half…moon; which looked white; 

lighted up the night air。 It was cold and damp; and there was a smell of 

autumn。 

     The student; who thought that politeness required him to talk affably to 

a man who had not refused to let him accompany him; began: 

     〃In summer it would be light at this time; but now there is not even a 

sign of the dawn。 Summer is over!〃 

     The student looked at the sky and went on: 

     〃Even from the sky one can see that it is autumn。 Look to the right。 Do 

you see three stars side by side in a straight line? That is the constellation 

of Orion; which; in our hemisphere; only becomes visible in September。〃 

     The postman; thrusting his hands into his sleeves and retreating up to 

his   ears   into   his   coat   collar;   did   not   stir   and   did   not   glance   at   the   sky。 

Apparently       the  constellation     of  Orion    did   not  interest   him。    He   was 

accustomed   to   see   the   stars;   and   probably   he   had   long   grown   weary   of 

them。 The student paused for a while and then said: 

     〃It's cold! It's ti
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