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in the morning； at dinner…time； and in the evening； they ate it
ravenously； and the children got up at night to eat more。 Kiryak
was fearfully drunk for three whole days； he drank up everything；
even his boots and cap； and beat Marya so terribly that they had
to pour water over her。 And then they were all ashamed and sick。
However； even in Zhukovo； in this 〃Slaveytown；〃 there was once an
outburst of genuine religious enthusiasm。 It was in August； when
throughout the district they carried from village to village the
Holy Mother； the giver of life。 It was still and overcast on the
day when they expected _Her_ at Zhukovo。 The girls set off in the
morning to meet the ikon； in their bright holiday dresses； and
brought Her towards the evening； in procession with the cross and
with singing； while the bells pealed in the church across the
river。 An immense crowd of villagers and strangers flooded the
street； there was noise； dust； a great crush。 。 。 。 And the old
father and Granny and Kiryak all stretched out their hands to
the ikon； looked eagerly at it and said； weeping：
〃Defender！ Mother！ Defender！〃
All seemed suddenly to realize that there was not an empty void
between earth and heaven； that the rich and the powerful had not
taken possession of everything； that there was still a refuge
from injury； from slavish bondage； from crushing； unendurable
poverty； from the terrible vodka。
〃Defender！ Mother！〃 sobbed Marya。 〃Mother！〃
But the thanksgiving service ended and the ikon was carried away；
and everything went on as before； and again there was a sound of
coarse drunken oaths from the tavern。
Only the well…to…do peasants were afraid of death； the richer
they were the less they believed in God； and in the salvation of
souls； and only through fear of the end of the world put up
candles and had services said for them； to be on the safe side。
The peasants who were rather poorer were not afraid of death。 The
old father and Granny were told to their faces that they had
lived too long； that it was time they were dead； and they did not
mind。 They did not hinder Fyokla from saying in Nikolay's
presence that when Nikolay died her husband Denis would get
exemption to return home from the army。 And Marya； far from
fearing death； regretted that it was so slow in coming； and was
glad when her children died。
Death they did not fear； but of every disease they had an
exaggerated terror。 The merest trifle was enough a stomach
upset； a slight chill； and Granny would be wrapped up on the
stove； and would begin moaning loudly and incessantly：
〃I am dy…ing！〃
The old father hurried off for the priest； and Granny received
the sacrament and extreme unction。 They often talked of colds； of
worms； of tumours which move in the stomach and coil round to the
heart。 Above all； they were afraid of catching cold； and so put
on thick clothes even in the summer and warmed themselves at the
stove。 Granny was fond of being doctored； and often went to the
hospital； where she used to say she was not seventy； but
fifty…eight； she supposed that if the doctor knew her real age he
would not treat her； but would say it was time she died instead
of taking medicine。 She usually went to the hospital early in the
morning； taking with her two or three of the little girls； and
came back in the evening； hungry and ill…tempered with drops
for herself and ointments for the little girls。 Once she took
Nikolay； who swallowed drops for a fortnight afterwards； and said
he felt better。
Granny knew all the doctors and their assistants and the wise men
for twenty miles round； and not one of them she liked。 At the
Intercession； when the priest made the round of the huts with the
cross； the deacon told her that in the town near the prison lived
an old man who had been a medical orderly in the army； and who
made wonderful cures； and advised her to try him。 Granny took his
advice。 When the first snow fell she drove to the town and
fetched an old man with a big beard； a converted Jew； in a long
gown； whose face was covered with blue veins。 There were
outsiders at work in the hut at the time： an old tailor； in
terrible spectacles； was cutting a waistcoat out of some rags；
and two young men were making felt boots out of wool； Kiryak； who
had been dismissed from his place for drunkenness； and now lived
at home； was sitting beside the tailor mending a bridle。 And it
was crowded； stifling； and noisome in the hut。 The converted Jew
examined Nikolay and said that it was necessary to try cupping。
He put on the cups； and the old tailor； Kiryak； and the little
girls stood round and looked on； and it seemed to them that they
saw the disease being drawn out of Nikolay； and Nikolay； too；
watched how the cups suckling at his breast gradually filled with
dark blood； and felt as though there really were something coming
out of him； and smiled with pleasure。
〃It's a good thing；〃 said the tailor。 〃Please God； it will do you
good。〃
The Jew put on twelve cups and then another twelve； drank some
tea； and went away。 Nikolay began shivering； his face looked
drawn； and； as the women expressed it； shrank up like a fist； his
fingers turned blue。 He wrapped himself up in a quilt and in a
sheepskin； but got colder and colder。 Towards the evening he
began to be in great distress； asked to be laid on the ground；
asked the tailor not to smoke； then he subsided under the
sheepskin and towards morning he died。
IX
Oh； what a grim； what a long winter！
Their own grain did not last beyond Christmas； and they had to
buy flour。 Kiryak； who lived at home now； was noisy in the
evenings； inspiring terror in everyone； and in the mornings he
suffered from headache and was ashamed； and he was a pitiful
sight。 In the stall the starved cows bellowed day and night a
heart…rending sound to Granny and Marya。 And as ill…luck would
have it； there was a sharp frost all the winter； the snow drifted
in high heaps； and the winter dragged on。 At Annunciation there
was a regular blizzard； and there was a fall of snow at Easter。
But in spite of it all the winter did end。 At the beginning of
April there came warm days and frosty nights。 Winter would not
give way； but one warm day overpowered it at last； and the
streams began to flow and the birds began to sing。 The whole
meadow and the bushes near the river were drowned in the spring
floods； and all the space between Zhukovo and the further side
was filled up with a vast sheet of water； from which wild ducks
rose up in flocks here and there。 The spring sunset； flaming
among gorgeous clouds； gave every evening something new；
extraordinary； incredible just what one does not believe in
afterwards； when one sees those very colours and those very
clouds in a picture。
The cranes flew swiftly； swiftly； with mournful cries； as though
they were calling themselves。 Standing on the edge of the ravine；
Olga looked a long time at the flooded meadow； at the sunshine；
at the bright church； that looked as though it had grown younger；
and her tears flowed and her breath came in gasps from her
passionate longing to go away； to go far away to the end of the
world。 It was