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covered with soft green grass； which one longed to lie down on or
to touch with one's hands。 。 。 Sasha lay down and rolled to the
bottom。 Motka with a grave； severe face； taking a deep breath；
lay down； too； and rolled to the bottom； and in doing so tore her
smock from the hem to the shoulder。
〃What fun it is！〃 said Sasha； delighted。
They walked up to the top to roll down again； but at that moment
they heard a shrill； familiar voice。 Oh； how awful it was！
Granny； a toothless； bony； hunchbacked figure； with short grey
hair which was fluttering in the wind； was driving the geese out
of the kitchen…garden with a long stick； shouting。
〃They have trampled all the cabbages； the damned brutes！ I'd cut
your throats； thrice accursed plagues！ Bad luck to you！〃
She saw the little girls； flung down the stick and picked up a
switch； and； seizing Sasha by the neck with her fingers； thin and
hard as the gnarled branches of a tree； began whipping her。 Sasha
cried with pain and terror； while the gander； waddling and
stretching his neck； went up to the old woman and hissed at her；
and when he went back to his flock all the geese greeted him
approvingly with 〃Ga…ga…ga！〃 Then Granny proceeded to whip Motka；
and in this Motka's smock was torn again。 Feeling in despair； and
crying loudly； Sasha went to the hut to complain。 Motka followed
her； she； too； was crying on a deeper note； without wiping her
tears； and her face was as wet as though it had been dipped in
water。
〃Holy Saints！〃 cried Olga； aghast； as the two came into the hut。
〃Queen of Heaven！〃
Sasha began telling her story； while at the same time Granny
walked in with a storm of shrill cries and abuse； then Fyokla
flew into a rage； and there was an uproar in the hut。
〃Never mind； never mind！〃 Olga； pale and upset； tried to comfort
them； stroking Sasha's head。 〃She is your grandmother； it's a sin
to be angry with her。 Never mind； my child。〃
Nikolay； who was worn out already by the everlasting hubbub；
hunger； stifling fumes； filth； who hated and despised the
poverty； who was ashamed for his wife and daughter to see his
father and mother； swung his legs off the stove and said in an
irritable； tearful voice； addressing his mother：
〃You must not beat her！ You have no right to beat he r！〃
〃You lie rotting on the stove； you wretched creature！〃 Fyokla
shouted at him spitefully。 〃The devil brought you all on us；
eating us out of house and home。〃
Sasha and Motka and all the little girls in the hut huddled on
the stove in the corner behind Nikolay's back； and from that
refuge listened in silent terror； and the beating of their little
hearts could be distinctly heard。 Whenever there is someone in a
family who has long been ill； and hopelessly ill； there come
painful moments when all timidly； secretly； at the bottom of
their hearts long for his death； and only the children fear the
death of someone near them； and always feel horrified at the
thought of it。 And now the children； with bated breath； with a
mournful look on their faces； gazed at Nikolay and thought that
he was soon to die； and they wanted to cry and to say something
friendly and compassionate to him。
He pressed close to Olga； as though seeking protection； and said
to her softly in a quavering voice：
〃Olya darling； I can't stay here longer。 It's more than I can
bear。 For God's sake； for Christ's sake； write to your sister
Klavdia Abramovna。 Let her sell and pawn everything she has； let
her send us the money。 We will go away from here。 Oh； Lord；〃 he
went on miserably； 〃to have one peep at Moscow！ If I could see it
in my dreams； the dear place！
And when the evening came on； and it was dark in the hut； it was
so dismal that it was hard to utter a word。 Granny； very
ill…tempered； soaked some crusts of rye bread in a cup； and was a
long time； a whole hour； sucking at them。 Marya； after milking
the cow； brought in a pail of milk and set it on a bench； then
Granny poured it from the pail into a jug just as slowly and
deliberately； evidently pleased that it was now the Fast of the
Assumption； so that no one would drink milk and it would be left
untouched。 And she only poured out a very little in a saucer for
Fyokla's baby。 When Marya and she carried the jug down to the
cellar Motka suddenly stirred； clambered down from the stove； and
going to the bench where stood the wooden cup full of crusts；
sprinkled into it some milk from the saucer。
Granny； coming back into the hut； sat down to her soaked crusts
again； while Sasha and Motka； sitting on the stove； gazed at her；
and they were glad that she had broken her fast and now would go
to hell。 They were comforted and lay down to sleep； and Sasha as
she dozed off to sleep imagined the Day of Judgment： a huge fire
was burning； somewhat like a potter's kiln； and the Evil One；
with horns like a cow's； and black all over； was driving Granny
into the fire with a long stick； just as Granny herself had been
driving the geese。
V
On the day of the Feast of the Assumption； between ten and eleven
in the evening； the girls and lads who were merrymaking in the
meadow suddenly raised a clamour and outcry； and ran in the
direction of the village； and those who were above on the edge of
the ravine could not for the first moment make out what was the
matter。
〃Fire！ Fire！〃 they heard desperate shouts from below。 〃The
village is on fire！〃
Those who were sitting above looked round； and a terrible and
extraordinary spectacle met their eyes。 On the thatched roof of
one of the end cottages stood a column of flame； seven feet high；
which curled round and scattered sparks in all directions as
though it were a fountain。 And all at once the whole roof burst
into bright flame； and the crackling of the fire was audible。
The light of the moon was dimmed； and the whole village was by
now bathed in a red quivering glow： black shadows moved over the
ground； there was a smell of burning； and those who ran up from
below were all gasping and could not speak for trembling； they
jostled against each other； fell down； and they could hardly see
in the unaccustomed light； and did not recognize each other。 It
was terrible。 What seemed particularly dreadful was that doves
were flying over the fire in the smoke； and in the tavern； where
they did not yet know of the fire； they were still singing and
playing the concertina as though there were nothing the matter。
〃Uncle Semyon's on fire；〃 shouted a loud； coarse voice。
Marya was fussing about round her hut； weeping and wringing her
hands； while her teeth chattered； though the fire was a long way
off at the other end of the village。 Nikolay came out in high
felt boots； the children ran out in their little smocks。 Near the
village constable's hut an iron sheet was struck。 Boom； boom；
boom！ 。 。 。 floated through the air； and this repeated；
persistent sound sent a pang to the heart and turned one cold。
The old women stood with the holy ikons。 Sheep； calves； cows were
driven out of the back…yards into the street； boxes； sheepskins；
tubs were carried out。 A black stallion； who was kept apart from
the drove of horses because he kicked and injured th