The Power of Darkness, Leo Tolstoy [ebook reader screen .TXT] 📗

at you I see, as the saying has it, “Sickness lives where men live.” You’ve shrivelled, shrivelled, all to nothing, poor dear, now I come to look at you. Seems illness does not add to good looks. Peter My last hour has come. Matryóna Oh well, Peter Ignátitch, it’s God’s will you know, you’ve had communion, and you’ll have unction, God willing. Your missus is a wise woman, the Lord be thanked; she’ll give you a good burial, and have prayers said for your soul, all most respectable! And my son, he’ll look after things meanwhile. Peter There’ll be no one to manage things! She’s not steady. Has her head full of folly⁠—why, I know all about it, I know. And my girl is silly and young. I’ve got the homestead together, and there’s no one to attend to things. One can’t help feeling it. Whimpers. Matryóna Why, if it’s money, or something, you can leave orders. Peter To Anísya inside the house. Has Nan gone? Matryóna Aside. There now, he’s remembered! Anísya From inside. She went then and there. Come inside, won’t you? I’ll help you in. Peter Let me sit here a bit for the last time. The air’s so stuffy inside. Oh, how bad I feel! Oh, my heart’s burning.⁠ ⁠… Oh, if death would only come. Matryóna If God don’t take a soul, the soul can’t go out. Death and life are in God’s will, Peter Ignátitch. You can’t be sure of death either. Maybe you’ll recover yet. There was a man in our village just like that, at the very point of death⁠ ⁠… Peter No, I feel I shall die today, I feel it. Leans back and shuts his eyes. Anísya Enters. Well now, are you coming in or not? You do keep one waiting. Peter! eh, Peter! Matryóna Steps aside and beckons to Anísya with her finger. Well? Anísya Comes down the porch steps. Not there. Matryóna But have you searched everywhere? Under the floor? Anísya No, it’s not there either. In the shed perhaps; he was rummaging there yesterday. Matryóna Go, search, search for all you’re worth. Go all over everywhere, as if you licked with your tongue! But I see he’ll die this very day, his nails are turning blue and his face looks earthy. Is the samovar ready? Anísya Just on the boil. Nikíta Comes from the other side, if possible on horseback, up to the gate, and does not see Peter. To Matryóna. How d’you do, mother, is all well at home? Matryóna The Lord be thanked, we’re all alive and have a crust to bite. Nikíta Well, and how’s master? Matryóna Hush, there he sits. Points to porch. Nikíta Well, let him sit. What’s it to me? Peter Opens his eyes. Nikíta, I say, Nikíta, come here! Nikíta approaches. Anísya and Matryóna whisper together. Peter Why have you come back so early? Nikíta I’ve finished ploughing. Peter Have you done the strip beyond the bridge? Nikíta It’s too far to go there. Peter Too far? From here it’s still farther. You’ll have to go on purpose now. You might have made one job of it. Anísya, without showing herself, stands and listens. Matryóna Approaches. Oh, sonnie, why don’t you take more pains for your master? Your master is ill and depends on you; you should serve him as you would your own father, straining every muscle just as I always tell you to. Peter Well then⁠—o-oh!⁠ ⁠… Get out the seed potatoes, and the women will go and sort them. Anísya Aside. No fear, I’m not going. He’s again sending everyone away; he must have the money on him now, and wants to hide it somewhere. Peter Else⁠ ⁠… o-oh! when the time comes for planting, they’ll all be rotten. Oh, I can’t stand it! Rises. Matryóna Runs up into the porch and holds Peter up. Shall I help you into the hut? Peter Help me in. Stops. Nikíta! Nikíta Angrily. What now? Peter I shan’t see you again⁠ ⁠… I’ll die today.⁠ ⁠… Forgive me,3 for Christ’s sake, forgive me if I have ever sinned against you⁠ ⁠… If I have sinned in word or deed⁠ ⁠… There’s been all sorts of things. Forgive me! Nikíta What’s there to forgive? I’m a sinner myself. Matryóna Ah, sonnie, have some feeling. Peter Forgive me, for Christ’s sake. Weeps. Nikíta Snivels. God will forgive you, Daddy Peter. I have no cause to complain of you. You’ve never done me any wrong. You forgive me; maybe I’ve sinned worse against you. Weeps. Peter goes in whimpering, Matryóna supporting him. Anísya Oh, my poor head! It’s not without some reason he’s hit on that. Approaches Nikíta. Why did you say the money was under the floor? It’s not there. Nikíta Does not answer, but cries. I have never had anything bad from him, nothing but good, and what have I gone and done! Anísya Enough now! Where’s the money? Nikíta Angrily. How should I know? Go and look for it yourself! Anísya What’s made you so tender? Nikíta I am sorry for him⁠—that sorry. How he cried! Oh dear! Anísya Look at him⁠—seized with pity! He has found someone to pity too! He’s been treating you like a dog, and even just now was giving orders to have you turned out of the house. You’d better show me some pity! Nikíta What are you to be pitied for? Anísya If he dies, and the money’s been hidden away⁠ ⁠… Nikíta No fear, he’ll not hide it⁠ ⁠… Anísya Oh, Nikíta darling! he’s sent for his sister, and wants to give it to her. It will be a bad lookout for us. How are we going to live, if he gives her the money? They’ll turn me out of the house! You try and manage somehow! You said he went to the shed last night. Nikíta I saw him coming from there, but where he’s shoved it to, who can tell? Anísya Oh, my poor head! I’ll go and have a look there. Nikíta steps aside. Matryóna Comes out of the hut and