United States or Bahamas ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
He went on with his digging as though he had not noticed his successor. 'Mihail Andreitch, began the money-lender, 'allow me to ask what you are doing here? 'You can see I am digging myself a grave. 'Why are you doing so? 'Because I don't want to live any longer. The money-lender fairly threw up his hands in amazement. 'You don't want to live? Misha glanced menacingly at the money-lender.
"There's one difficulty . . . you know the deaf man, Gerasim, he's courting you, you see. How did you come to bewitch such a bear? But you see, he'll kill you, very like, he's such a bear . . ." "He'll kill me, Gavrila Andreitch, he'll kill me, and no mistake." "Kill you . . . Well we shall see about that. What do you mean by saying he'll kill you? Has he any right to kill you? tell me yourself."
A nurse followed, carrying Fedya. Piotr Andreitch looked at her without speaking; she went up to kiss his hand; her trembling lips were only just able to touch it with a silent kiss. "Well, my upstart lady," he brought out at last, "how do you do? let us go to the mistress." He got up and bent over Fedya: the baby smiled and held out his little white hands to him. This changed the old man's mood.
And she became devoted to Ivan Petrovitch with all the strength of her soul, as none but Russian girls can be devoted and she gave herself to him. In the large household of a country squire nothing can long be kept a secret; soon every one knew of the love between the young master and Malanya; the gossip even reached the ears of Piotr Andreitch himself.
And so the Pustovalovs lived for six years quietly and peaceably in love and complete harmony. But behold! one winter day after drinking hot tea in the office, Vassily Andreitch went out into the yard without his cap on to see about sending off some timber, caught cold and was taken ill. He had the best doctors, but he grew worse and died after four months' illness.
'But upon my soul, Gavrila Andreitch! why, he'll kill me, by God, he will, he'll crush me like some fly; why, he's got a fist why, you kindly look yourself what a fist he's got; why, he's simply got a fist like Minin Pozharsky's. You see he's deaf, he beats and does not hear how he's beating! He swings his great fists, as if he's asleep. And there's no possibility of pacifying him; and for why?
'I can get one.... But what do you want with a spade, Mihailo Andreitch, sir? 'I want to dig myself a grave, Timofay, and to lie here for time everlasting between my father and mother. There's only this spot left me in the world. Get a spade! 'Yes, sir, said Timofay; he went and got it.
Only there's one thing," he pursued aloud: "the wife our lady's picked out for you is an unlucky choice." "Why, who is she, permit me to inquire?" "Tatiana." "Tatiana?" And Kapiton opened his eyes, and moved a little away from the wall. "Well, what are you in such a taking for? . . . Isn't she to your taste, hey?" "Not to my taste, do you say, Gavrila Andreitch?
And it's not your doing that she's beaten and dressed in sackcloth?... You ought to be ashamed, you ought to be ashamed an old man like you! You know there's a paralytic stroke always hanging over you.... You will have to answer to God. 'You're abusive, Pavel Andreitch, you're abusive.... You shan't have a chance to be insolent much longer. Pavel fired up. 'What?
Though it's not easy for me, it's my duty to tell you that from this day all is over between us, and, in spite of my profound respect for Ivan Andreitch, the door of my house is closed to you henceforth." She uttered these words with great solemnity and was herself overwhelmed by her solemn tone. Her face began quivering again; it assumed a soft almond-oily expression.
Word Of The Day