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broad…shouldered； bearded man in a soft crumpled cap drove through the
village in his racing droshky or his open carriage。 Now and then on
holidays navvies working on the bridge would come to the village； they
begged for alms； laughed at the women； and sometimes carried off
something。 But that was rare； as a rule the days passed quietly and
peacefully as though no bridge…building were going on； and only in the
evening； when camp fires gleamed near the bridge； the wind faintly wafted
the songs of the navvies。 And by day there was sometimes the mournful
clang of metal； don…don…don。
It happened that the engineer's wife came to see him。 She was pleased
with the river…banks and the gorgeous view over the green valley with
trees； churches； flocks； and she began begging her husband to buy a small
piece of ground and to build them a cottage on it。 Her husband agreed。
They bought sixty acres of land； and on the high bank in a field； where in
earlier days the cows of Obrutchanovo used to wander； they built a pretty
house of two storeys with a terrace and a verandah； with a tower and a
flagstaff on which a flag fluttered on Sundays they built it in about three
months； and then all the winter they were planting big trees； and when
spring came and everything began to be green there were already avenues
to the new house； a gardener and two labourers in white aprons were
digging near it； there was a little fountain； and a globe of looking…glass
flashed so brilliantly that it was painful to look at。 The house had already
been named the New Villa。
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THE WITCH AND OTHER STORIES
On a bright； warm morning at the end of May two horses were brought
to Obrutchanovo to the village blacksmith； Rodion Petrov。 They came
from the New Villa。 The horses were sleek； graceful beasts； as white as
snow； and strikingly alike。
〃Perfect swans！〃 said Rodion； gazing at them with reverent
admiration。
His wife Stepanida； his children and grandchildren came out into the
street to look at them。 By degrees a crowd collected。 The Lytchkovs； father
and son； both men with swollen faces and entirely beardless； came up
bareheaded。 Kozov； a tall； thin old man with a long； narrow beard； came
up leaning on a stick with a crook handle： he kept winking with his crafty
eyes and smiling ironically as though he knew something。
〃It's only that they are white； what is there in them？〃 he said。 〃Put
mine on oats； and they will be just as sleek。 They ought to be in a plough
and with a whip； too。 。 。 。〃
The coachman simply looked at him with disdain； but did not utter a
word。 And afterwards； while they were blowing up the fire at the forge； the
coachman talked while he smoked cigarettes。 The peasants learned from
him various details： his employers were wealthy people； his mistress；
Elena Ivanovna； had till her marriage lived in Moscow in a poor way as a
governess； she was kind…hearted； compassionate； and fond of helping the
poor。 On the new estate； he told them； they were not going to plough or to
sow； but simply to live for their pleasure； live only to breathe the fresh air。
When he had finished and led the horses back a crowd of boys followed
him； the dogs barked； and Kozov； looking after him； winked sarcastically。
〃Landowners； too…oo！〃 he said。 〃They have built a house and set up
horses； but I bet they are nobodies landowners； too…oo。〃
Kozov for some reason took a dislike from the first to the new house；
to the white horses； and to the handsome； well…fed coachman。 Kozov was
a solitary man； a widower； he had a dreary life （he was prevented from
working by a disease which he sometimes called a rupture and sometimes
worms） he was maintained by his son； who worked at a confectioner's in
Harkov and sent him money； and from early morning till evening he
sauntered at leisure about the river or about the village； if he saw； for
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THE WITCH AND OTHER STORIES
instance； a peasant carting a log； or fishing； he would say： 〃That log's dry
wood it is rotten；〃 or； 〃They won't bite in weather like this。〃 In times of
drought he would declare that there would not be a drop of rain till the
frost came； and when the rains came he would say that everything would
rot in the fields； that everything was ruined。 And as he said these things he
would wink as though he knew something。
At the New Villa they burned Bengal lights and sent up fireworks in
the evenings； and a sailing…boat with red lanterns floated by Obrutchanovo。
One morning the engineer's wife； Elena Ivanovna； and her little daughter
drove to the village in a carriage with yellow wheels and a pair of dark bay
ponies； both mother and daughter were wearing broad…brimmed straw hats；
bent down over their ears。
This was exactly at the time when they were carting manure； and the
blacksmith Rodion； a tall； gaunt old man； bareheaded and barefooted； was
standing near his dirty and repulsive…looking cart and； flustered； looked at
the ponies； and it was evident by his face that he had never seen such little
horses before。
〃The Kutcherov lady has come！〃 was whispered around。 〃Look； the
Kutcherov lady has come！〃
Elena Ivanovna looked at the huts as though she were selecting one；
and then stopped at the very poorest； at the windows of which there were
so many children's heads flaxen； red； and dark。 Stepanida； Rodion's wife；
a stout woman； came running out of the hut； her kerchief slipped off her
grey head； she looked at the carriage facing the sun； and her face smiled
and wrinkled up as though she were blind。
〃This is for your children；〃 said Elena Ivanovna； and she gave her
three roubles。
Stepanida suddenly burst into tears and bowed down to the ground。
Rodion； too； flopped to the ground； displaying his brownish bald head； and
as he did so he almost caught his wife in the ribs with the fork。 Elena
Ivanovna was overcome with confusion and drove back。
II
The Lytchkovs； father and son； caught in their meadows two cart…
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