money's gone.... Wretched sinner as I am, I took it from underthe floor, I gave it all to him, to that villain Naum.... Why did youtell me where you hid your money, wretched sinner as I am? ... It'swith your money he has bought the house, the villain."
Sobs choked her voice.
Akim clutched his head with both hands.
"What!" he cried at last, "all the money, too ... the money and thehouse, and you did it.... Ah! You took it from under the floor, youtook it.... I'll kill you, you snake in the grass!" And he leapt outof the cart.
"Semyonitch, Semyonitch, don't beat her, don't fight," falteredYefrem, on whom this unexpected adventure began to have a soberingeffect.
"No, Akim Semyonitch, kill me, wretched sinner as I am; beat me, don'theed him," cried Avdotya, writhing convulsively at Akim's feet.
He stood a moment, looked at her, moved a few steps away and sat downon the grass beside the road.
A brief silence followed. Avdotya turned her head in his direction.
"Semyonitch! hey, Semyonitch," began Yefrem, sitting up in the cart,"give over ... you know ... you won't make things any better. Tfoo,what a business," he went on as though to himself. "What a damnablewoman.... Go to him," he added, bending down over the side of the cartto Avdotya, "you see, he's half crazy."
Avdotya got up, went nearer to Akim and again fell at his feet.
"Akim Semyonitch!" she began, in a faint voice.
Akim got up and went back to the cart. She caught at the skirt of hiscoat.
"Get away!" he shouted savagely, and pushed her off.
"Where are you going?" Yefrem asked, seeing that he was getting inbeside him again.
"You were going to take me to my home," said Akim, "but take me toyours ... you see, I have no home now. They have bought mine."
"Very well, come to me. And what about her?"
Akim made no answer.
"And me? Me?" Avdotya repeated with tears, "are you leaving me allalone? Where am I to go?"
"You can go to him," answered Akim, without turning round, "the manyou have given my money to.... Drive on, Yefrem!"
Yefrem lashed the horse, the cart rolled off, Avdotya set up awail....
Yefrem lived three-quarters of a mile from Akim's inn in a littlehouse close to the priest's, near the solitary church with fivecupolas which had been recently built by the heirs of a rich merchantin accordance with the latter's will. Yefrem said nothing to Akim allthe way; he merely shook his head from time to time and uttered suchejaculations as "Dear, dear!" and "Upon my soul!" Akim sat withoutmoving, turned a little away from Yefrem. At last they arrived. Yefremwas the first to get out of the cart. A little girl of six in a smocktied low round the waist ran out to meet him and shouted,
"Daddy! daddy!"
"And where is your mother?" asked Yefrem.
"She is asleep in the shed."
"Well, let her sleep. Akim Semyonitch, won't you get out, sir, andcome indoors?"
(It must be noted that Yefrem addressed him familiarly only when hewas drunk. More important persons than Yefrem spoke to Akim withformal politeness.)
Akim went into the sacristan's hut.
"Here, sit on the bench," said Yefrem. "Run away, you little rascals,"he cried to three other children who suddenly came out of differentcorners of the room together with two lean cats covered with woodashes. "Get along! Sh-sh! Come this way, Akim Semyonitch, this way!"he went on, making his guest sit down, "and won't you take something?"
"I tell you what, Yefrem," Akim articulated at last, "could I havesome vodka?"
Yefrem pricked up his ears.
"Vodka? You can. I've none in the house, but I will run this minute toFather Fyodor's. He always has it.... I'll be back in no time."
And he snatched up his cap with earflaps.
"Bring plenty, I'll pay for it," Akim shouted after him. "I've stillmoney enough for that."
"I'll be back in no time," Yefrem repeated again as he went out of thedoor. He certainly did return very quickly with two bottles under hisarm, of which one was already uncorked, put them on the table, broughttwo little green glasses, part of a loaf and some salt.
"Now this is what I like," he kept repeating, as he sat down oppositeAkim. "Why grieve?" He poured out a glass for Akim and another forhimself and began talking freely. Avdotya's conduct had perplexed him."It's a strange business, really," he said, "how did it happen? Hemust have bewitched her, I suppose? It shows how strictly one mustlook after a wife! You want to keep a firm hand over her. All the sameit wouldn't be amiss for you to go home; I expect you have got a lotof belongings there still." Yefrem added much more to the same effect;he did not like to be silent when he was drinking.
This is what was happening an hour later in Yefrem's house. Akim, whohad not answered a word to the questions and observations of histalkative host but had merely gone on drinking glass after glass, wassleeping on the stove, crimson in the face, a heavy, oppressive sleep;the children were looking at him in wonder, and Yefrem ... Yefrem,alas, was asleep, too, but in a cold little lumber room in which hehad been locked by his wife, a woman of very masculine and powerfulphysique. He had gone to her in the shed and begun threatening her ortelling her some tale, but had expressed himself so unintelligibly andincoherently that she instantly saw what was the matter, took him bythe collar and deposited him in a suitable place. He slept in thelumber room, however, very soundly and even serenely. Such is theeffect of habit.
* * * * *
Kirillovna had not quite accurately repeated to Lizaveta Prohorovnaher conversation with Akim ... the same may be said of Avdotya. Naumhad not turned her out, though she had told Akim that he had; he hadno right to turn her out. He was bound to give the former owners timeto pack up. An explanation of quite a different character took placebetween him and Avdotya.
When Akim had rushed out crying that he would go to the mistress,Avdotya had turned to Naum, stared at him open-eyed and clasped herhands.
"Good heavens!" she cried, "Naum Ivanitch, what does this mean? You'vebought our inn?"
"Well, what of it?" he replied. "I have."
Avdotya was silent for a while; then she suddenly started.
"So that is what you wanted the money for?"
"You are quite right there. Hullo, I believe your husband has gone offwith my horse," he added, hearing the rumble of the wheels. "He is asmart fellow!"
"But it's robbery!" wailed Avdotya. "Why, it's our money, my husband'smoney and the inn is ours...."
"No, Avdotya Arefyevna," Naum interrupted her, "the inn was not yours.What's the use of saying that? The inn was on your mistress's land, soit was hers. The money was yours, certainly; but you were, so to say,so kind as to present it to me; and I am grateful to you and will evengive it back to you on occasion--if occasion arises; but you wouldn'texpect me to remain a beggar, would you?"
Naum said all this very calmly and even with a slight smile.
"Holy saints!" cried Avdotya, "it's beyond everything! Beyondeverything! How can I look my husband in the face after this? Youvillain," she added, looking with hatred at Naum's fresh young face."I've ruined my soul for you, I've become a thief for your sake, why,you've turned us into the street, you villain! There's nothing leftfor me but to hang myself, villain, deceiver! You've ruined me, youmonster!" And she broke into violent sobbing.
"Don't excite yourself, Avdotya Arefyevna," said Naum. "I'll tell youone thing: charity begins at home, and that's what the pike is in thesea for, to keep the carp from going to sleep."
"Where are we to go now. What's to become of us?" Avdotya faltered,weeping.
"That I can't say."
"But I'll cut your throat, you villain, I'll cut your throat."
"No, you won't do that, Avdotya Arefyevna; what's the use of talkinglike that? But I see I had better leave you for a time, for you arevery much upset.... I'll say good-bye, but I shall be back to-morrowfor certain. But you must allow me to send my workmen here today," headded, while Avdotya went on repeat
ing through her tears that shewould cut his throat and her own.
"Oh, and here they are," he observed, looking out of the window. "Or,God forbid, some mischief might happen.... It will be safer so. Willyou be so kind as to put your belongings together to-day and they'llkeep guard here and help you, if you like. I'll say goodbye."
He bowed, went out and beckoned the workmen to him.
Avdotya sank on the bench,