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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
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。
〃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。
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 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！〃
Aga