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heap and put it in the trough； and was just stretching out her
hand to a big ladle of boiling water which was standing on the
table。
〃Give it here；〃 said Aksinya； looking at her with hatred； and
snatching the chemise out of the trough； 〃it is not your business
to touch my linen！ You are a convict's wife； and ought to know
your place and who you are。〃
Lipa gazed at her； taken aback； and did not understand； but
suddenly she caught the look Aksinya turned upon the child； and
at once she understood and went numb all over。
〃You've taken my land； so here you are！〃 Saying this Aksinya
snatched up the ladle with the boiling water and flung it over
Nikifor。
After this there was heard a scream such as had never been heard
before in Ukleevo； and no one would have believed that a little
weak creature like Lipa could scream like that。 And it was
suddenly silent in the yard。
Aksinya walked into the house with her old naive smile。 。 。 。 The
deaf man kept moving about the yard with his arms full of linen；
then he began hanging it up again； in silence； without haste。 And
until the cook came back from the river no one ventured to go
into the kitchen and see what was there。
VIII
Nikifor was taken to the district hospital； and towards evening
he died there。 Lipa did not wait for them to come for her； but
wrapped the dead baby in its little quilt and carried it home。
The hospital； a new one recently built； with big windows； stood
high up on a hill； it was glittering from the setting sun and
looked as though it were on fire from inside。 There was a little
village below。 Lipa went down along the road； and before reaching
the village sat down by a pond。 A woman brought a horse down to
drink and the horse did not drink。
〃What more do you want？〃 said the woman to it softly。 〃What do
you want？〃
A boy in a red shirt； sitting at the water's edge； was washing
his father's boots。 And not another soul was in sight either in
the village or on the hill。
〃It's not drinking；〃 said Lipa； looking at the horse。
Then the woman with the horse and the boy with the boots walked
away； and there was no one left at all。 The sun went to bed
wrapped in cloth of gold and purple； and long clouds； red and
lilac； stretched across the sky； guarded its slumbers。 Somewhere
far away a bittern cried； a hollow； melancholy sound like a cow
shut up in a barn。 The cry of that mysterious bird was heard
every spring； but no one knew what it was like or where it lived。
At the top of the hill by the hospital； in the bushes close to
the pond； and in the fields the nightingales were trilling。 The
cuckoo kept reckoning someone's years and losing count and
beginning again。 In the pond the frogs called angrily to one
another； straining themselves to bursting； and one could even
make out the words： 〃That's what you are！ That's what you are！ 〃
What a noise there was！ It seemed as though all these creatures
were singing and shouting so that no one might sleep on that
spring night； so that all； even the angry frogs； might appreciate
and enjoy every minute： life is given only once。
A silver half…moon was shining in the sky； there were many stars。
Lipa had no idea how long she sat by the pond； but when she got
up and walked on everybody was asleep in the little village； and
there was not a single light。 It was probably about nine miles'
walk home； but she had not the strength； she had not the power to
think how to go： the moon gleamed now in front； now on the right；
and the same cuckoo kept calling in a voice grown husky； with a
chuckle as though gibing at her： 〃Oy； look out； you'll lose your
way！〃 Lipa walked rapidly； she lost the kerchief from her head 。
。 。 she looked at the sky and wondered where her baby's soul was
now： was it following her； or floating aloft yonder among the
stars and thinking nothing now of his mother？ Oh； how lonely it
was in the open country at night； in the midst of that singing
when one cannot sing oneself； in the midst of the incessant cries
of joy when one cannot oneself be joyful； when the moon； which
cares not whether it is spring or winter； whether men are alive
or dead； looks down as lonely； too。 。 。 。 When there is grief in
the heart it is hard to be without people。 If only her mother；
Praskovya； had been with her； or Crutch； or the cook； or some
peasant！
〃Boo…oo！〃 cried the bittern。 〃Boo…oo！〃
And suddenly she heard clearly the sound of human speech： 〃Put
the horses in； Vavila！〃
By the wayside a camp fire was burning ahead of her： the flames
had died down； there were only red embers。 She could hear
the horses munching。 In the darkness she could see the outlines
of two carts； one with a barrel； the other； a lower one with
sacks in it； and the figures of two men； one was leading a horse
to put it into the shafts； the other was standing motionless by
the fire with his hands behind his back。 A dog growled by the
carts。 The one who was leading the horse stopped and said：
〃It seems as though someone were coming along the road。〃
〃Sharik； be quiet！ 〃 the other called to the dog。
And from the voice one could tell that the second was an old man。
Lipa stopped and said：
〃God help you。〃
The old man went up to her and answered not immediately：
〃Good…evening！〃
〃Your dog does not bite； grandfather？〃
〃No； come along； he won't touch you。〃
〃I have been at the hospital；〃 said Lipa after a pause。 〃My
little son died there。 Here I am carrying him home。〃
It must have been unpleasant for the old man to hear this； for he
moved away and said hurriedly：
〃Never mind； my dear。 It's God's will。 You are very slow； lad；〃
he added； addressing his companion； 〃look alive！
〃Your yoke's nowhere；〃 said the young man； 〃it is not to be
seen。〃
〃You are a regular Vavila。〃
The old man picked up an ember； blew on it only his eyes and
nose were lighted up then； when they had found the yoke； he
went with the light to Lipa and looked at her； and his look
expressed compassion and tenderness。
〃You are a mother；〃 he said； 〃every mother grieves for her
child。〃
And he sighed and shook his head as he said it。 Vavila threw
something on the fire； stamped on it and at once it was very
dark； the vision vanished； and as before there were only the
fields； the sky with the stars； and the noise of the birds
hindering each other from sleep。 And the landrail called； it
seemed； in the very place where the fire had been。
But a minute passed； and again she could see the two carts and
the old man and lanky Vavila。 The carts creaked as they went out
on the road。
〃Are you holy men？〃 Lipa asked the old man。
〃No。 We are from Firsanovo。〃
〃You looked at me just now and my heart was softened。 And the
young man is so gentle。 I thought you must be holy men。〃
〃Are you going far？〃
〃To Ukleevo。〃
〃Get in； we will give you a lift as far as Kuzmenki； then you go
straight on and we turn off to the left。〃
Vavila got into the cart with the barrel and the old man and Lipa
got into the other。 They moved at a walking pace； Vavila in
front。
〃My baby was in torment all day；〃 said Lipa。 〃He looked at me
with his little eyes and said nothing； he w