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and now； to be sure； he is at Petersburg at a hydropathic establishment。
The doctor treats the sick with water。 So he； to be sure； is house…porter at
the doctor's。〃
〃Here it is written down；〃 said the old woman； taking a letter out of her
pocket。 〃We got it from Yefimya； goodness knows when。 Maybe they are
no longer in this world。〃
Yegor thought a little and began writing rapidly：
〃At the present time〃 he wrote 〃since your destiny through your
own doing allotted you to the Military Career； we counsel you to look into
the Code of Disciplinary Offences and Fundamental Laws of the War
Office； and you will see in that law the Civilization of the Officials of the
War Office。〃
He wrote and kept reading aloud what was written； while Vasilisa
considered what she ought to write： how great had been their want the
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year before； how their corn had not lasted even till Christmas； how they
had to sell their cow。 She ought to ask for money； ought to write that the
old father was often ailing and would soon no doubt give up his soul to
God 。 。 。 but how to express this in words？ What must be said first and
what afterwards？
〃Take note；〃 Yegor went on writing； 〃in volume five of the Army
Regulations soldier is a common noun and a proper one； a soldier of the
first rank is called a general； and of the last a private。 。 。 。〃
The old man stirred his lips and said softly：
〃It would be all right to have a look at the grandchildren。〃
〃What grandchildren？〃 asked the old woman； and she looked angrily
at him； 〃perhaps there are none。〃
〃Well； but perhaps there are。 Who knows？〃
〃And thereby you can judge；〃 Yegor hurried on； 〃what is the enemy
without and what is the enemy within。 The foremost of our enemies within
is Bacchus。〃 The pen squeaked； executing upon the paper flourishes like
fish…hooks。 Yegor hastened and read over every line several times。 He sat
on a stool sprawling his broad feet under the table； well…fed； bursting with
health； with a coarse animal face and a red bull neck。 He was vulgarity
itself： coarse； conceited； invincible； proud of having been born and bred in
a pot…house； and Vasilisa quite understood the vulgarity； but could not
express it in words； and could only look angrily and suspiciously at Yegor。
Her head was beginning to ache； and her thoughts were in confusion from
the sound of his voice and his unintelligible words； from the heat and the
stuffiness； and she said nothing and thought nothing； but simply waited for
him to finish scribbling。 But the old man looked with full confidence。 He
believed in his old woman who had brought him there； and in Yegor； and
when he had mentioned the hydropathic establishment it could be seen
that he believed in the establishment and the healing efficacy of water。
Having finished the letter； Yegor got up and read the whole of it
through from the beginning。 The old man did not understand； but he
nodded his head trustfully。
〃That's all right； it is smooth 。 。 。〃 he said。 〃God give you health。 That's
all right。 。 。 。〃
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They laid on the table three five…kopeck pieces and went out of the
tavern； the old man looked immovably straight before him as though he
were blind； and perfect trustfulness was written on his face； but as Vasilisa
came out of the tavern she waved angrily at the dog； and said angrily：
〃Ugh； the plague。〃
The old woman did not sleep all night； she was disturbed by thoughts；
and at daybreak she got up； said her prayers； and went to the station to
send off the letter。
It was between eight and nine miles to the station。
II
Dr。 B。 O。 Mozelweiser's hydropathic establishment worked on New
Year's Day exactly as on ordinary days； the only difference was that the
porter； Andrey Hrisanfitch； had on a uniform with new braiding； his boots
had an extra polish； and he greeted every visitor with 〃A Happy New Year
to you！〃
It was the morning； Andrey Hrisanfitch was standing at the door；
reading the newspaper。 Just at ten o'clock there arrived a general； one of
the habitual visitors； and directly after him the postman； Andrey
Hrisanfitch helped the general off with his great…coat； and said：
〃A Happy New Year to your Excellency！〃
〃Thank you； my good fellow； the same to you。〃
And at the top of the stairs the general asked； nodding towards the
door （he asked the same question every day and always forgot the
answer）：
〃And what is there in that room？〃
〃The massage room； your Excellency。〃
When the general's steps had died away Andrey Hrisanfitch looked at
the post that had come； and found one addressed to himself。 He tore it
open； read several lines； then； looking at the newspaper； he walked without
haste to his own room； which was downstairs close by at the end of the
passage。 His wife Yefimya was sitting on the bed； feeding her baby；
another child； the eldest； was standing by； laying its curly head on her knee；
a third was asleep on the bed。
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Going into the room； Andrey gave his wife the letter and said：
〃From the country； I suppose。〃
Then he walked out again without taking his eyes from the paper。 He
could hear Yefimya with a shaking voice reading the first lines。 She read
them and could read no more； these lines were enough for her。 She burst
into tears； and hugging her eldest child； kissing him； she began saying
and it was hard to say whether she were laughing or crying：
〃It's from granny； from grandfather；〃 she said。 〃From the country。 。 。 。
The Heavenly Mother； Saints and Martyrs！ The snow lies heaped up under
the roofs now 。 。 。 the trees are as white as white。 The boys slide on little
sledges 。 。 。 and dear old bald grandfather is on the stove 。 。 。 and there is a
little yellow dog。 。 。 。 My own darlings！〃
Andrey Hrisanfitch； hearing this； recalled that his wife had on three or
four occasions given him letters and asked him to send them to the country；
but some important business had always prevented him；