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tubs were carried out。 A black stallion； who was kept apart from
the drove of horses because he kicked and injured them； on being
set free ran once or twice up and down the village； neighing and
pawing the ground； then suddenly stopped short near a cart and
began kicking it with his hind…legs。
They began ringing the bells in the church on the other side of
the river。
Near the burning hut it was hot and so light that one could
distinctly see every blade of grass。 Semyon； a red…haired peasant
with a long nose； wearing a reefer…jacket and a cap pulled down
right over his ears； sat on one of the boxes which they had
succeeded in bringing out： his wife was lying on her face；
moaning and unconscious。 A little old man of eighty； with a big
beard； who looked like a gnome not one of the villagers；
though obviously connected in some way with the fire walked
about bareheaded； with a white bundle in his arms。 The glare was
reflected on his bald head。 The village elder； Antip Syedelnikov；
as swarthy and black…haired as a gypsy； went up to the hut with
an axe； and hacked out the windows one after another no one
knew why then began chopping up the roof。
〃Women； water！〃 he shouted。 〃Bring the engine！ Look sharp！〃
The peasants； who had been drinking in the tavern just before；
dragged the engine up。 They were all drunk； they kept stumbling
and falling down； and all had a helpless expression and tears in
their eyes。
〃Wenches； water！ 〃 shouted the elder； who was drunk； too。 〃Look
sharp； wenches！〃
The women and the girls ran downhill to where there was a spring；
and kept hauling pails and buckets of water up the hill； and；
pouring it into the engine； ran down again。 Olga and Marya and
Sasha and Motka all brought water。 The women and the boys pumped
the water； the pipe hissed； and the elder； directing it now at
the door； now at the windows； held back the stream with his
finger； which made it hiss more sharply still。
〃Bravo； Antip！〃 voices shouted approvingly。 〃Do your best。〃
Antip went inside the hut into the fire and shouted from within。
〃Pump！ Bestir yourselves； good Christian folk； in such a terrible
mischance！〃
The peasants stood round in a crowd； doing nothing but staring at
the fire。 No one knew what to do； no one had the sense to do
anything； though there were stacks of wheat； hay； barns； and
piles of faggots standing all round。 Kiryak and old Osip； his
father； both tipsy； were standing there； too。 And as though to
justify his doing nothing； old Osip said； addressing the woman
who lay on the ground：
〃What is there to trouble about； old girl！ The hut is insured
why are you taking on？〃
Semyon； addressing himself first to one person and then to
another； kept describing how the fire had started。
〃That old man； the one with the bundle； a house…serf of General
Zhukov's。 。 。 。 He was cook at our general's； God rest his soul！
He came over this evening： 'Let me stay the night；' says he。 。 。
。 Well； we had a glass； to be sure。 。 。 。 The wife got the
samovar she was going to give the old fellow a cup of tea； and
in an unlucky hour she set the samovar in the entrance。 The
sparks from the chimney must have blown straight up to the
thatch； that's how it was。 We were almost burnt ourselves。 And
the old fellow's cap has been burnt； what a shame！〃
And the sheet of iron was struck indefatigably； and the bells
kept ringing in the church the other side of the river。 In the
glow of the fir e Olga； breathless； looking with horror at the
red sheep and the pink doves flying in the smoke； kept running
down the hill and up again。 It seemed to her that the ringing
went to her heart with a sharp stab； that the fire would never be
over； that Sasha was lost。 。 。 。 And when the ceiling of the hut
fell in with a crash； the thought that now the whole village
would be burnt made her weak and faint； and she could not go on
fetching water； but sat down on the ravine； setting the pail down
near her； beside her and below her； the peasant women sat wailing
as though at a funeral。
Then the stewards and watchmen from the estate the other side of
the river arrived in two carts； bringing with them a fire…engine。
A very young student in an unbuttoned white tunic rode up on
horseback。 There was the thud of axes。 They put a ladder to the
burning framework of the house； and five men ran up it at once。
Foremost of them all was the student； who was red in the face and
shouting in a harsh hoarse voice； and in a tone as though putting
out fires was a thing he was used to。 They pulled the house to
pieces； a beam at a time； they dragged away the corn； the
hurdles； and the stacks that were near。
〃Don't let them break it up！ 〃 cried stern voices in the crowd。
〃Don't let them。〃
Kiryak made his way up to the hut with a resolute air； as though
he meant to prevent the newcomers from breaking up the hut； but
one of the workmen turned him back with a blow in his neck。 There
was the sound of laughter； the workman dealt him another blow；
Kiryak fell down； and crawled back into the crowd on his hands
and knees。
Two handsome girls in hats； probably the student's sisters； came
from the other side of the river。 They stood a little way off；
looking at the fire。 The beams that had been dragged apart were
no longer burning； but were smoking vigorously； the student； who
was working the hose； turned the water； first on the beams； then
on the peasants； then on the women who were bringing the water。
〃George！〃 the girls called to him reproachfully in anxiety；
〃George！〃
The fire was over。 And only when they began to disperse they
noticed that the day was breaking； that everyone was pale and
rather dark in the face； as it always seems in the early morning
when the last stars are going out。 As they separated； the
peasants laughed and made jokes about General Zhukov's cook and
his cap which had been burnt； they already wanted to turn the
fire into a joke； and even seemed sorry that it had so soon been
put out。
〃How well you extinguished the fire； sir！〃 said Olga to the
student。 〃You ought to come to us in Moscow： there we have a fire
every day。〃
〃Why； do you come from Moscow？〃 asked one of the young ladies。
〃Yes； miss。 My husband was a waiter at the Slavyansky Bazaar。 And
this is my daughter；〃 she said； indicating Sasha； who was cold
and huddling up to her。 〃She is a Moscow girl； too。〃
The two young ladies said something in French to the student； and
he gave Sasha a twenty…kopeck piece。
Old Father Osip saw this； and there was a gleam of hope in his
face。
〃We must thank God； your honour； there was no wind；〃 he said；
addressing the student； 〃or else we should have been all burnt up
together。 Your honour； kind gentlefolks；〃 he added in
embarrassment in a lower tone； 〃the morning's chilly 。 。 。
something to warm one 。 。 。 half a bottle to your honour's
health。〃
Nothing was given him； and clearing his throat he slouched home。
Olga stood afterwards at the end of the street and watched the
two carts crossing the river by the ford and the gentlefolks
walking across the meadow； a carriage was waiting for them the
other side of the river。 Going into t