第5章

boweddownatVasya’sfeet，andsaid:’Wehavesinnedagainstyou，VassilyMaximitch；forgiveus，forChrist’ssake！’ThenI

gotupandspoketoMashenka:’You，MaryaSemyonovna，oughtnowtowashVassilyMaximitch’sfeetanddrinkthewater。Doyoubeanobedientwifetohim，andpraytoGodforme，thatHeinHismercymayforgivemytransgression。’ItcametomelikeaninspirationfromanangelofHeaven；Igavehersolemncounselandspokewithsuchfeelingthatmyowntearsflowedtoo。AndsotwodayslaterVasyacomestome:’Matyusha，’sayshe，’Iforgiveyouandmywife；Godhavemercyonyou！Shewasasoldier’swife，ayoungthingallalone；itwashardforhertobeonherguard。

She’snotthefirst，norwillshebethelast。Only，’hesays，’I

begyoutobehaveasthoughtherehadneverbeenanythingbetweenyou，andtomakenosign，whileI，’sayshe，’willdomybesttopleaseherineveryway，sothatshemaycometolovemeagain。’

Hegavemehishandonit，drankacupoftea，andwentawaymorecheerful。

“’Well，’thoughtI，’thankGod！’andIdidfeelgladthateverythinghadgoneoffsowell。ButnosoonerhadVasyagoneoutoftheyard，whenincameMashenka。Ah！WhatIhadtosuffer！Shehungonmyneck，weepingandpraying:’ForGod’ssake，don’tcastmeoff；Ican’tlivewithoutyou！’“

“Thevilehussy！“sighedDyudya。

“Isworeather，stampedmyfoot，anddraggingherintothepassage，Ifastenedthedoorwiththehook。’Gotoyourhusband，’Icried。’Don’tshamemebeforefolks。FearGod！’Andeverydaytherewasasceneofthatsort。

“OnemorningIwasstandinginmyyardnearthestablecleaningabridle。AllatonceIsawherrunningthroughthelittlegateintomyyard，withbarefeet，inherpetticoat，andstraighttowardsme；sheclutchedatthebridle，gettingallsmearedwiththepitch，andshakingandweeping，shecried:’Ican’tstandhim；Iloathehim；Ican’tbearit！Ifyoudon’tloveme，betterkillme！’Iwasangry，andIstruckhertwicewiththebridle，butatthatinstantVasyaraninatthegate，andinadespairingvoiceheshouted:’Don’tbeather！Don’tbeather！’Butheranuphimself，andwavinghisarms，asthoughheweremad，heletflywithhisfistsatherwithallhismight，thenflungheronthegroundandkickedher。Itriedtodefendher，buthesnatchedupthereinsandthrashedherwiththem，andallthewhile，likeacolt’swhinny，hewent:’He——he——he！’“

“I’dtakethereinsandletyoufeelthem，“mutteredVarvara，movingaway；“murderingoursister，thedamnedbrutes！“

“Holdyourtongue，youjade！“Dyudyashoutedather。

“’He——he——he！’“MatveySavitchwenton。“Acarrierranoutofhisyard；Icalledtomyworkman，andthethreeofusgotMashenkaawayfromhimandcarriedherhomeinourarms。Thedisgraceofit！ThesamedayIwentoverintheeveningtoseehowthingswere。Shewaslyinginbed，allwrappedupinbandages，nothingbuthereyesandnosetobeseen；shewaslookingattheceiling。Isaid:’Good-evening，MaryaSemyonovna！’

Shedidnotspeak。AndVasyawassittinginthenextroom，hisheadinhishands，cryingandsaying:’BrutethatIam！I’veruinedmylife！OGod，letmedie！’IsatforhalfanhourbyMashenkaandgaveheragoodtalking-to。Itriedtofrightenherabit。’Therighteous，’saidI，’afterthislifegotoParadise，butyouwillgotoaGehennaoffire，likealladulteresses。

Don’tstriveagainstyourhusband，goandlayyourselfathisfeet。’Butneverawordfromher；shedidn’tsomuchasblinkaneyelid，foralltheworldasthoughIweretalkingtoapost。ThenextdayVasyafellillwithsomethinglikecholera，andintheeveningIheardthathewasdead。Well，sotheyburiedhim，andMashenkadidnotgotothefuneral；shedidn’tcaretoshowhershamelessfaceandherbruises。AndsoontherebegantobetalkalloverthedistrictthatVasyahadnotdiedanaturaldeath，thatMashenkahadmadeawaywithhim。Itgottotheearsofthepolice；theyhadVasyadugupandcutopen，andinhisstomachtheyfoundarsenic。Itwasclearhehadbeenpoisoned；thepolicecameandtookMashenkaaway，andwithhertheinnocentKuzka。

Theywereputinprison。Thewomanhadgonetoofar——Godpunishedher。Eightmonthslatertheytriedher。Shesat，I

remember，onalowstool，withalittlewhitekerchiefonherhead，wearingagreygown，andshewassothin，sopale，sosharp-eyeditmadeonesadtolookather。Behindherstoodasoldierwithagun。Shewouldnotconfessherguilt。Someinthecourtsaidshehadpoisonedherhusbandandothersdeclaredhehadpoisonedhimselfforgrief。Iwasoneofthewitnesses。Whentheyquestionedme，Itoldthewholetruthaccordingtomyoath。

’Hers，’saidI，’istheguilt。It’snogoodtoconcealit；shedidnotloveherhusband，andshehadawillofherown。

Thetrialbeganinthemorningandtowardsnighttheypassedthissentence:tosendhertohardlabourinSiberiaforthirteenyears。AfterthatsentenceMashenkaremainedthreemonthslongerinprison。Iwenttoseeher，andfromChristiancharityItookheralittleteaandsugar。Butassoonassheseteyesonmeshebegantoshakeallover，wringingherhandsandmuttering:’Goaway！goaway！’AndKuzkasheclaspedtoherasthoughshewereafraidIwouldtakehimaway。’See，’saidI，’whatyouhavecometo！Ah，Masha，Masha！youwouldnotlistentomewhenIgaveyougoodadvice，andnowyoumustrepentit。Youareyourselftoblame，’saidI；’blameyourself！’Iwasgivinghergoodcounsel，butshe:’Goaway，goaway！’huddlingherselfandKuzkaagainstthewall，andtremblingallover。

“Whentheyweretakingherawaytothechieftownofourprovince，Iwalkedbytheescortasfarasthestationandslippedaroubleintoherbundleformysoul’ssalvation。ButshedidnotgetasfarasSiberia。Shefellsickoffeveranddiedinprison。“

“Livelikeadogandyoumustdieadog’sdeath，“saidDyudya。

“Kuzkawassentbackhome。Ithoughtitoverandtookhimtobringup。Afterall——thoughaconvict’schild——stillhewasalivingsoul，aChristian。Iwassorryforhim。I

shallmakehimmyclerk，andifIhavenochildrenofmyown，I’llmakeamerchantofhim。WhereverIgonow，Itakehimwithme；lethimlearnhiswork。“

AllthewhileMatveySavitchhadbeentellinghisstory，Kuzkahadsatonalittlestonenearthegate。Hisheadproppedinbothhands，hegazedatthesky，andinthedistancehelookedinthedarklikeastumpofwood。

“Kuzka，cometobed，“MatveySavitchbawledtohim。

“Yes，it’stime，“saidDyudya，gettingup；heyawnedloudlyandadded:

“Folkswillgotheirownway，andthat’swhatcomesofit。“

Overtheyardthemoonwasfloatingnowintheheavens；shewasmovingoneway，whilethecloudsbeneathmovedtheotherway；thecloudsweredisappearingintothedarkness，butstillthemooncouldbeseenhighabovetheyard。

MatveySavitchsaidaprayer，facingthechurch，andsayinggood-night，helaydownonthegroundnearhiscart。Kuzka，too，saidaprayer，laydowninthecart，andcoveredhimselfwithhislittleovercoat；hemadehimselfalittleholeinthehaysoastobemorecomfortable，andcurledupsothathiselbowslookedlikeknees。FromtheyardDyudyacouldbeseenlightingacandleinhisroombelow，puttingonhisspectaclesandstandinginthecornerwithabook。Hewasalongwhilereadingandcrossinghimself。

Thetravellersfellasleep。AfanasyevnaandSofyacameuptothecartandbeganlookingatKuzka。

“Thelittleorphan’sasleep，“saidtheoldwoman。“He’sthinandfrail，nothingbutbones。Nomotherandnoonetocareforhimproperly。“

“MyGrishutkamustbetwoyearsolder，“saidSofya。“Upatthefactoryheliveslikeaslavewithouthismother。Theforemanbeatshim，Idaresay。WhenIlookedatthispoormitejustnow，IthoughtofmyownGrishutka，andmyheartwentcoldwithinme。“

Aminutepassedinsilence。

“Doesn’trememberhismother，Isuppose，“saidtheoldwoman。

“Howcouldheremember？“

AndbigtearsbegandroppingfromSofya’seyes。

“He’scurledhimselfuplikeacat，“shesaid，sobbingandlaughingwithtendernessandsorrow。“Poormotherlessmite！

Kuzkastartedandopenedhiseyes。Hesawbeforehimanugly，wrinkled，tear-stainedface，andbesideitanother，agedandtoothless，withasharpchinandhookednose，andhighabovethemtheinfiniteskywiththeflyingcloudsandthemoon。Hecriedoutinfright，andSofya，too，utteredacry；bothwereansweredbytheecho，andafaintstirpassedoverthestiflingair；awatchmantappedsomewherenear，adogbarked。MatveySavitchmutteredsomethinginhissleepandturnedoverontheotherside。

LateatnightwhenDyudyaandtheoldwomanandtheneighbouringwatchmanwereallasleep，Sofyawentouttothegateandsatdownonthebench。Shefeltstifledandherheadachedfromweeping。

Thestreetwasawideandlongone；itstretchedfornearlytwomilestotherightandasfartotheleft，andtheendofitwasoutofsight。Themoonwasnownotovertheyard，butbehindthechurch。Onesideofthestreetwasfloodedwithmoonlight，whiletheothersidelayinblackshadow。Thelongshadowsofthepoplarsandthestarling-cotesstretchedrightacrossthestreet，whilethechurchcastabroadshadow，blackandterriblethatenfoldedDyudya’sgatesandhalfhishouse。Thestreetwasstillanddeserted。Fromtimetotimethestrainsofmusicfloatedfaintlyfromtheendofthestreet——Alyoshka，mostlikely，playinghisconcertina。

Someonemovedintheshadownearthechurchenclosure，andSofyacouldnotmakeoutwhetheritwereamanoracow，orperhapsmerelyabigbirdrustlinginthetrees。Butthenafiguresteppedoutoftheshadow，halted，andsaidsomethinginaman’svoice，thenvanisheddowntheturningbythechurch。Alittlelater，notthreeyardsfromthegate，anotherfigurecameintosight；itwalkedstraightfromthechurchtothegateandstoppedshort，seeingSofyaonthebench。

“Varvara，isthatyou？“saidSofya。

“Andifitwere？“

ItwasVarvara。Shestoodstillaminute，thencameuptothebenchandsatdown。

“Wherehaveyoubeen？“askedSofya。

Varvaramadenoanswer。