the witch and other stories(女巫)-第17章
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〃You live all alone； but what lots of good things you have；〃 I said；
pointing to the bowl。 〃Where do you get them from？〃
〃The women bring them；〃 mumbled Savka。
〃What do they bring them to you for？〃
〃Oh 。 。 。 from pity。〃
Not only Savka's menu； but his clothing； too； bore traces of feminine
〃pity。〃 Thus I noticed that he had on； that evening； a new woven belt and a
crimson ribbon on which a copper cross hung round his dirty neck。 I knew
of the weakness of the fair sex for Savka； and I knew that he did not like
talking about it； and so I did not carry my inquiries any further。 Besides
there was not time to talk。 。 。 。 Kutka； who had been fidgeting about near
us and patiently waiting for scraps； suddenly pricked up his ears and
growled。 We heard in the distance repeated splashing of water。
〃Someone is coming by the ford；〃 said Savka。
Three minutes later Kutka growled again and made a sound like a
cough。
〃Shsh！〃 his master shouted at him。
In the darkness there was a muffled thud of timid footsteps； and the
silhouette of a woman appeared out of the copse。 I recognized her；
although it was dark it was Agafya。 She came up to us diffidently and
stopped； breathing hard。 She was breathless； probably not so much from
walking as from fear and the unpleasant sensation everyone experiences in
wading across a river at night。 Seeing near the shanty not one but two
persons； she uttered a faint cry and fell back a step。
〃Ah 。 。 。 that is you！〃 said Savka； stuffing a scone into his mouth。
〃Ye…es 。 。 。 I；〃 she mutte red； dropping on the ground a bundle of some
sort and looking sideways at me。 〃Yakov sent his greetings to you and told
me to give you 。 。 。 something here。 。 。 。〃
〃Come； why tell stories？ Yakov！〃 laughed Savka。 〃There is no need for
lying； the gentleman knows why you have come！ Sit down； you shall have
supper with us。〃
Agafya looked sideways at me and sat down irresolutely。
〃I thought you weren't coming this evening；〃 Savka said； after a
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prolonged silence。 〃Why sit like that？ Eat！ Or shall I give you a drop of
vodka？〃
〃What an idea！〃 laughed Agafya； 〃do you think you have got hold of a
drunkard？ 。 。 。〃
〃Oh； drink it up。 。 。 。 Your heart will feel warmer。 。 。 。 There！〃
Savka gave Agafya the crooked glass。 She slowly drank the vodka； ate
nothing with it； but drew a deep breath when she had finished。
〃You've brought something；〃 said Savka； untying the bundle and
throwing a condescending； jesting shade into his voice。 〃Women can never
come without bringing something。 Ah； pie and potatoes。 。 。 。 They live
well；〃 he sighed； turning to me。 〃They are the only ones in the whole
village who have got potatoes left from the winter！〃
In the darkness I did not see Agafya's face； but from the movement of
her shoulders and head it seemed to me that she could not take her eyes off
Savka's face。 To avoid being the third person at this tryst； I decided to go
for a walk and got up。 But at that moment a nightingale in the wood
suddenly uttered two low contralto notes。 Half a minute later it gave a tiny
high trill and then； having thus tried its voice； began singing。 Savka
jumped up and listened。
〃It's the same one as yesterday；〃 he said。 〃Wait a minute。〃
And； getting up； he went noiselessly to the wood。
〃Why； what do you want with it？〃 I shouted out after him； 〃Stop！〃
Savka shook his hand as much as to say； 〃Don't shout；〃 and vanished
into the darkness。 Savka was an excellent sportsman and fisherman when
he liked； but his talents in this direction were as completely thrown away
as his strength。 He was too slothful to do things in the routine way； and
vented his passion for sport in useless tricks。 For instance； he would catch
nightingales only with his hands； would shoot pike with a fowling piece；
he would spend whole hours by the river trying to catch little fish with a
big hook。
Left alone with me； Agafya coughed and passed her hand several times
over her forehead。 。 。 。 She began to feel a little drunk from the vodka。
〃How are you getting on； Agasha？〃 I asked her； after a long silence；
when it began to be awkward to remain mute any longer。
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〃Very well； thank God。 。 。 。 Don't tell anyone； sir； will you？〃 she added
suddenly in a whisper。
〃That's all right；〃 I reassured her。 〃But how reckless you are；
Agasha！ 。 。 。 What if Yakov finds out？〃
〃He won't find out。〃
But what if he does？〃
〃No 。 。 。 I shall be at home before he is。 He is on the line now； and he
will come back when the mail train brings him； and from here I can hear
when the train's coming。 。 。 。〃
Agafya once more passed her hand over her forehead and looked away
in the direction in which Savka had vanished。 The nightingale was singing。
Some night bird flew low down close to the ground and； noticing us； was
startled； fluttered its wings and flew across to the other side of the river。
Soon the nightingale was silent； but Savka did not come back。 Agafya
got up； took a few steps uneasily； and sat down again。
〃What is he doing？〃 she could not refrain from saying。 〃The train's not
coming in to…morrow！ I shall have to go away directly。〃
〃Savka；〃 I shouted。 〃Savka。〃
I was not answered even by an echo。 Agafya moved uneasily and sat
down again。
〃It's time I was going；〃 she said in an agitated voice。 〃The train will be
here directly！ I know when the trains come in。〃
The poor woman was not mistaken。 Before a quarter of an hour had
passed a sound was heard in the distance。
Agafya kept her eyes fixed on the copse for a long time and moved her
hands impatiently。
〃Why； where can he be？〃 she said； laughing nervously。 〃Where has the
devil carried him？ I am going！ I really must be going。〃
Meanwhile the noise was growing more and more distinct。 By now
one could distinguish the rumble of the wheels from the heavy gasps of
the engine。 Then we heard the whistle； the train crossed the bridge with a
hollow rumble 。 。 。 another minute and all was still。
〃I'll wait one minute more；〃 said Agafya； sitting down resolutely。 〃So
be it； I'll wait。
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At last Savka appeared in the darkness。 He walked noiselessly on the
crumbling earth of the kitchen gardens and hummed something softly to
himself。
〃Here's a bit of luck； what do you say to that now？〃 he said gaily。 〃As
soon as I got up to the bush and began taking aim with my hand it left off
singing！ Ah； the bald dog！ I waited and waited to see when it would begin
again； but I had to give it up。〃
Savka flopped clumsily down to the ground beside Agafya and； to
keep his balance； clutched at her waist with both hands。
〃Why do you look cross； as though your aunt were your mother？〃 he
asked。
With all his soft…heartedness and good…nature； Savka despised women。
He behaved carelessly； condescendingly with them； and even stooped to
scornful laughter of their feelings for himself。 God knows； perhaps this
careless； contemptuous manner was one of the causes of his irresistible
attraction for the village Dulcineas。 He was handsome and well…built； in
his eyes there was always a soft friendliness； even when he was looking at
the women he so despised； but the fascination was not to be explained by
merely external qualities。 Apart from his happy exterior and original
manner； one must suppose that the touching position of Savka as an
acknowledged failure and an unhappy exile from his own hut to the
kitchen gardens also had an influence upon the women。
〃Tell the gentleman what you have come here for！〃 Savka went on；
still holding Agafya by the waist。 〃Come； tell him； you good married
woman！ Ho…ho！ Shall we have another drop of vodka； friend Agasha？〃
I got up and； threading my way between the plots； I walked the length
of the kitchen garden。 The dark beds looked like flattened…out graves。
They smelt of dug earth and the tender dampness of plants beginning to be
covered with dew。 。 。 。 A red light was still gleaming on the left。 It winked
genially and seemed to smile。
I heard a happy laugh。 It was Agafya laughing。
〃And the train？〃 I thought。 〃The train has come in long ago。〃
Waiting a little longer； I went back to the shanty。 Savka was sitting
motionless； his legs crossed like a Turk； and was softly； scarcely audibly
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humming a song consisting of words of one syllable something like： 〃Out
on you； fie on you 。 。 。 I and you。〃 Agafya； intoxicated by the vodka； by
Savka's scornful caresses； and by the stifling warmth of the night； was
lying on the earth beside him； pressing her face convulsively to his knees。
She was so carried away by her feelings that she did not even notice my
arrival。
〃Agasha； the train has been in a long time；〃 I said。
〃It's time it's time you were gone；〃 Savka； tossing his head； took up
my thought。 〃What are you sprawling here for？ You shameless hussy！〃
Agafya started； took her head from his knees； glanced at me； and sank
down beside him again。
〃You ought to have gone long ago；〃 I said。
Agafya turned round and got up on one knee。 。 。 。 She was unhappy。 。 。 。
For half a minute her whole figure； as far as I could distinguish it through
the darkness； expressed conflict and hesitation。 There was an instant when；
seeming to come to herself； she drew herself up to get upon her feet； but
then some invincible and implacable force seemed to push her whole body；
and she sank down beside Savka again。
〃Bother him！〃 she said； with a wild； guttural laugh； and reckless
determination； impotence； and pain could b
