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marry me？ You were not a serf； you know； you could have resisted。 Of
course it was a bit of luck for a herd…girl to marry a huntsman； but you
ought to have thought about it。 Well； now be miserable； cry。 It's a joke for
the Count； but a crying matter for you。 。 。 。 Beat yourself against the wall。〃
A silence followed。 Three wild ducks flew over the clearing。 Yegor
followed them with his eyes till； transformed into three scarcely visible
dots； they sank down far beyond the forest。
〃How do you live？〃 he asked； moving his eyes from the ducks to
Pelagea。
〃Now I am going out to work； and in the winter I take a child from the
Foundling Hospital and bring it up on the bottle。 They give me a rouble
and a half a month。〃
〃Oh。 。 。 。〃
Again a silence。 From the strip that had been reaped floated a soft song
which broke off at the very beginning。 It was too hot to sing。
〃They say you have put up a new hut for Akulina；〃 said Pelagea。
Yegor did not speak。
〃So she is dear to you。 。 。 。〃
〃It's your luck； it's fate！〃 said the huntsman； stretching。 〃You must put
up with it； poor thing。 But good…bye； I've been chattering long enough。 。 。 。
I must be at Boltovo by the evening。〃
Yegor rose； stretched himself； and slung his gun over his shoulder；
Pelagea got up。
〃And when are you coming to the village？〃 she asked softly。
〃I have no reason to； I shall never come sober； and you have little to
gain from me drunk； I am spiteful when I am drunk。 Good…bye！〃
〃Good…bye； Yegor Vlassitch。〃
Yegor put his cap on t he back of his head and； clicking to his dog；
went on his way。 Pelagea stood still looking after him。 。 。 。 She saw his
moving shoulder…blades； his jaunty cap； his lazy； careless step； and her
eyes were full of sadness and tender affection。 。 。 。 Her gaze flitted over her
husband's tall； lean figure and caressed and fondled it。 。 。 。 He； as though
he felt that gaze； stopped and looked round。 。 。 。 He did not speak； but from
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THE WITCH AND OTHER STORIES
his face； from his shrugged shoulders； Pelagea could see that he wanted to
say something to her。 She went up to him timidly and looked at him with
imploring eyes。
〃Take it；〃 he said； turning round。
He gave her a crumpled rouble note and walked quickly away。
〃Good…bye； Yegor Vlassitch；〃 she said； mechanically taking the rouble。
He walked by a long road； straight as a taut strap。 She； pale and
motionless as a statue； stood； her eyes seizing every step he took。 But the
red of his shirt melted into the dark colour of his trousers； his step could
not be seen； and the dog could not be distinguished from the boots。
Nothing could be seen but the cap； and 。 。 。 suddenly Yegor turned off
sharply into the clearing and the cap vanished in the greenness。
〃Good…bye； Yegor Vlassitch；〃 whispered Pelagea； and she stood on
tiptoe to see the white cap once more。
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THE WITCH AND OTHER STORIES
HAPPINESS
A FLOCK of sheep was spending the night on the broad steppe road
that is called the great highway。 Two shepherds were guarding it。 One； a
toothless old man of eighty； with a tremulous face； was lying on his
stomach at the very edge of the road； leaning his elbows on the dusty
leaves of a plantain； the other； a young fellow with thick black eyebrows
and no moustache； dressed in the coarse canvas of which cheap sacks are
made； was lying on his back； with his arms under his head； looking
upwards at the sky； where the stars were slumbering and the Milky Way
lay stretched exactly above his face。
The shepherds were not alone。 A couple of yards from them in the
dusk that shrouded the road a horse made a patch of darkness； and； beside
it； leaning against the saddle； stood a man in high boots and a short full…
skirted jacket who looked like an overseer on some big estate。 Judging
from his upright and motionless figure； from his manners； and his
behaviour to the shepherds and to his horse； he was a serious； reasonable
man who knew his own value； even in the darkness signs could be
detected in him of military carriage and of the majestically condescending
expression gained by frequent intercourse with the gentry and their
stewards。
The sheep were asleep。 Against the grey background of the dawn；
already beginning to cover the eastern part of the sky； the silhouettes of
sheep that were not asleep could be seen here and there； they stood with
drooping heads； thinking。 Their thoughts； tedious and oppressive； called
forth by images of nothing but the broad steppe and the sky； the days and
the nights； probably weighed upon them themselves； crushing them into
apathy； and； standing there as though rooted to the earth； they noticed
neither the presence of a stranger nor the uneasiness of the dogs。
The drowsy； stagnant air was full of the monotonous noise inseparable
from a summer night on the steppes； the grasshoppers chirruped
incessantly； the quails called； and the young nightingales trilled languidly
half a mile away in a ravine where a stream flowed and willows grew。
The overseer had halted to ask the shepherds for a light for his pipe。
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He lighted it in silence and smoked the whole pipe； then； still without
uttering a word； stood with his elbow on the saddle； plunged in thought。
The young shepherd took no notice of him； he still lay gazing at the sky
while the old man slowly looked the overseer up and down and then
asked：
〃Why； aren't you Panteley from Makarov's estate？〃
〃That's myself；〃 answered the overseer。
〃To be sure； I see it is。 I didn't know you that is a sign you will be
rich。 Where has God brought you from？〃
〃From the Kovylyevsky fields。〃
〃That's a good way。 Are you letting the land on the part…crop system？〃
〃Part of it。 Some like that； and some we are letting on lease； and some
for raising melons and cucumbers。 I have just come from the mill。〃
A big