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Vassily Ivanovitch was sorry for his old wife; he did not mean to tell her over night what a sorrow there was in store for her. Bazarov and Arkady set off the next day. From early morning all was dejection in the house; Anfisushka let the tray slip out of her hands; even Fedka was bewildered, and was reduced to taking off his boots.
Fedka waited at table, obviously encumbered by having boots on for the first time; he was assisted by a woman of a masculine cast of face and one eye, by name Anfisushka, who performed the duties of housekeeper, poultry-woman, and laundress.
Arina Vlasyevna first prayed to her heart's content, then she had a long, long conversation with Anfisushka, who stood stock-still before her mistress, and fixing her solitary eye upon her, communicated in a mysterious whisper all her observations and conjectures in regard to Yevgeny Vassilyevitch.
'He will be famous! repeated the old man, and he sank into a reverie. 'Arina Vlasyevna sent me to call you in to tea, announced Anfisushka, coming by with an immense dish of ripe raspberries. Vassily Ivanovitch started. 'And will there be cooled cream for the raspberries? 'Yes. 'Cold now, mind! Don't stand on ceremony, Arkady Nikolaitch; take some more. How is it Yevgeny doesn't come?
But Arina Vlasyevna, all in tears, hung upon his neck, and both fell on their faces together. "Side by side," Anfisushka related afterward in the servants' room, "they drooped their poor heads like lambs at noonday." But the heat of noonday passes, and evening comes and night; and then, too, the return to the kindly refuge, where sleep is sweet for the weary and heavy-laden.
Arina Vlasyevna sat on a low stool near the door, and only went out from time to time to pray. A few days before, a looking-glass had slipped out of her hands and been broken, and this she had always considered an omen of evil; even Anfisushka could say nothing to her. Timofeitch had gone off to Madame Odintsov's. The night passed badly for Bazarov.... He was in the agonies of high fever.
Do you know, I'm afraid of his not being comfortable on that sofa. I told Anfisushka to put him on your travelling mattress and the new pillows; I should have given him our feather-bed, but I seem to remember he doesn't like too soft a bed.... 'Never mind, mother; don't worry yourself. He's all right. Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner, he went on with his prayer in a low voice.
'I said I should rebel, he shrieked hoarsely, with his face inflamed and distorted, shaking his fist in the air, as though threatening some one; 'and I rebel, I rebel! But Arina Vlasyevna, all in tears, hung upon his neck, and both fell on their faces together. 'Side by side, Anfisushka related afterwards in the servants' room, 'they dropped their poor heads like lambs at noonday ...
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