The story was written in the autumn of 1852, when Turgenev lived in Spasskoye under special police supervision. The writer worked on the "Inn" with rare enthusiasm and completed it in less than a month. Before the appearance of the story in print, it was sold in the lists in literary circles close to Turgenev in Moscow and St. Petersburg and quickly gained popularity.

In The Inn, Turgenev the artist was one of the first in Russia to draw attention to a completely new type that had developed in the conditions of a serf village - the type of a village kulak, businessman, bigwig, who anticipated the Shchedrin Kolupaevs and Razuvaevs. Among Turgenev's heroes, Naum is especially close from the story of the same name "Notes of a Hunter" and Anna Kharlova from "The Steppe King Lear".

According to Turgenev, the story is based on a real fact, "snatched from life." ( This material will help to write competently on the topic of the inn. .. The summary does not make it clear the whole meaning of the work, so this material will be useful for a deep understanding of the work of writers and poets, as well as their novels, short stories, stories, plays, poems.) The story that served as the plot of the work “literally took place 25 miles away” from Spassky - and “Naum is alive and flourishing to this day” (Turgenev. Letters, vol. II, p. 103).

One of the most demanding critics of Turgenev, P. V. Annenkov, spoke very highly of the Inn, noting the increased artistic skill of the author, which, in his opinion, was so expressively manifested in this story; “This is a mature, thoughtful, calmly executed thing,” Aanepkov wrote, “and therefore very wonderful, much more wonderful than Mumu, yes, in my opinion, and all your previous ones. None of them had so much drama yet (ibid., p. 468).

For Annenkov, a man of rather conservative views, his later judgment on the story is characteristic. He believed that the "polemical direction" of the Inn was doomed in Russia ("I. S. Turgenev. Articles and materials." Orel, 1960, p. 139). But here the critic turned out to be short-sighted, since already a contemporary of Turgenev, the future “great polemical writer” (in Annenkov’s terminology) Saltykov-Shchedrin was gaining strength: a few years later his “Provincial Essays” would appear.

Turgenev himself was most pleased with the review of S. T. Aksakov, who “understood everything that I wanted to say so correctly” (Turgenev. Letters, vol. II, p. 140).

On March 10/22, S. T. Aksakov wrote to Turgenev that in the "Inn" - "Russian people, the Russian drama of life, ugly in appearance, and amazing soul ..." (see: Turgenev. Works, vol. V , p. 609). Aksakov was delighted with the authenticity of all the heroes of the story, which especially pleased Turgenev: “Your assessment of each individual person ... just made me proud,” the author of the Inn answered (Turgenev. Letters, vol. II, p. 140).

The appearance in the press of the "Inn" did not cause any significant criticism. It is important, however, to note that contemporaries perceived the story on a par with such masterpieces of Turgenev as "Singers" and "Biryuk" (see: K. N. Leontiev. Regarding the stories of Mark Vovchkya. - "Notes of the Fatherland", 1861, No. 3, pp. 11, 13). And one more thing - one cannot ignore such a fact: in response to a request (1874) from the commission of the Committee of Literacy of the Moscow Society of Agriculture, what can Turgenev recommend from his works to a special “edition for the people”, the writer replied: “I will allow myself to recommend the commission“ Notes of a hunter ”, “Mumu” ​​- and especially “Inn” (Turgenev. Letters, vol. X, p. 210).

About the Cherkassy steppes...- that is, the South Ukrainian ones. in the vernacular in the first half of the nineteenth century. the ancient name of Ukrainians Cherkassy was often encountered.

To raise a string is to raise an unnecessary noise, to arrange a squabble. The word is often found in the later works of Turgenev.

Page 454. ... a lackey, sweetly dozing on a horse. - Konik - "in a peasant's hut there is a short, wide and high motionless bench (shop) with a box under it", where they put household items, and sleep on the bench. But the conic often belonged to the front provincial landowners' houses (see: Turg. Sat., Issue III, pp. 175-176).

Procession... to the Root...- The monastery near Kursk was called the Root Hermitage. Usually on a church holiday, September 8, a Root Fair was held there, which was especially popular with local peasants.

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it was close to him, there was almost a mill nearby; finally, it was possible to eat well in it by the grace of a fat and ruddy woman cook, who cooked dishes tasty and fatty and did not skimp on supplies; to the nearest tavern it was considered only half a verst; the owner kept snuff, although mixed with ash, but an extremely sharp and pleasantly corrosive nose - in a word, there were many reasons why all kinds of guests were not transferred to that yard. Passers-by fell in love with him - that's the main thing; without this, it is known, no business will go into action; and he fell in love more because, as they said in the neighborhood, that the owner himself was very happy and successful in all his undertakings, although he did not deserve his happiness, yes, it is clear whoever is lucky is so lucky.

This owner was a tradesman, his name was Naum Ivanov. He was of medium height, stout, round-shouldered and broad-shouldered; he had a large, round head, wavy hair and already gray, although he did not look more than forty years old; his face was full and fresh, his forehead low, but white and even, and his small, bright, blue eyes, with which he looked very strangely: frowningly and at the same time insolently, which is quite rare. He always held his head dejectedly and turned it with difficulty, perhaps because his neck was very short; walked fluently and did not wave, but shrugged as he walked with clenched hands. When he smiled - and he smiled often, but without laughter, as if to himself - his large lips parted unpleasantly and showed a row of solid and shiny teeth. He spoke abruptly and with a sort of sullen sound in his voice. He shaved his beard, but did not walk the German way. His clothes consisted of a long, very worn caftan, wide trousers and shoes on his bare feet. He often went away from home on business, and he had many of them - he made horses, rented land, kept vegetable gardens, bought gardens and in general was engaged in various commercial transactions - but his absences never lasted long; like a kite, with which he, especially in the expression of his eyes, had much in common, he returned to his nest. He knew how to keep this nest in order; kept pace everywhere, listened to everything and ordered, gave out,

he let go and paid himself, and did not let anyone down a penny, but he did not take too much either.

The guests did not speak to him, and he himself did not like to waste words. “I need your money, and you need my grub,” he explained, as if tearing off every word, “it’s not for us to baptize children; the traveler ate, fed, do not stay too long. And you're tired, so sleep, don't talk." He kept the workers tall and healthy, but meek and accommodating; they were very afraid of him. He did not take intoxicated drinks in his mouth, but on great holidays he gave them a dime for vodka; on other days they did not dare to drink. People like Naum soon get rich ... but Naum Ivanov did not reach the brilliant position in which he was - and he was considered to be forty or fifty thousand - not in a direct way ...

About twenty years before the time to which we attributed the beginning of our story, there was already an inn on the same place of the main road. True, it did not have the dark red boarded roof, which gave Naum Ivanov's house the appearance of a noble estate; and he was poorer in structure, and in the yard he had straw sheds, and instead of log walls - wicker; it also did not differ in a triangular Greek pediment on chiseled columns; but still it was an inn anywhere - roomy, durable, warm - and travelers willingly visited it. Its owner at that time was not Naum Ivanov, but a certain Akim Semyonov, a peasant of a neighboring landowner, Lizaveta Prokhorovna Kuntze, a staff officer. This Akim was a smart and burly peasant who, at a young age, having gone into a cart with two bad horses, returned a year later with three decent ones, and since then almost all his life he traveled along the high roads, went to Kazan and Odessa, to Orenburg and to Warsaw, and abroad, to "Lipetsk" *, and walked towards the end with two trios of large and strong stallions harnessed to two huge carts. He was tired, perhaps, of his homeless, wandering life, did he want to start a family (during one of his absences, his wife died; the children who were also died), only he finally decided to give up his former craft

* to Leipzig.

and start an inn. With the permission of his mistress, he settled on a high road, bought half a dozen of land in her name and built an inn on it. Things went well. He had too much money for furnishing; the experience acquired by him during long-term wanderings in all parts of Russia served him in great favor; he knew how to please the passers-by, especially his former brother, the cab drivers, of whom he knew many personally and who are especially valued by the owners of inns: these people eat and consume so much for themselves and their mighty horses. Akimov's court became known for hundreds of versts around ... They even more willingly visited him than Naum, who later replaced him, although Akim was far from equal to Naum in his ability to manage. Akim's was more of an old-fashioned way, warm, but not entirely clean; and his oats came across light or soaked, and the food was cooked with sin in half; sometimes they served such food on the table with him that it would be better for her to stay in the oven at all, and it’s not that he was stingy with grub, but otherwise the woman would overlook it. On the other hand, he was ready to reduce the price, and, perhaps, he did not refuse to believe in debt, in a word - he was a good man, an affectionate host. For conversations, for refreshments, he was also malleable; Behind the samovar, sometimes an hour will be so loose that you will hang your ears, especially when you start talking about St. Petersburg, about the Cherkassy steppes, or even about the overseas side; well, and, of course, he loved to drink with a good person, only not to disgrace, but more for society - this is how passers-by spoke about him. He was greatly favored by merchants and in general by all those people who are called Old Testament people, those people who, without putting on their belts, will not go on the road, and will not enter the room without crossing themselves, and will not speak to a person without greeting him in advance. Akim's appearance alone disposed in his favor: he was tall, somewhat thin, but very well-built, even in his mature years; the face was long, fine and regular, a high and open forehead, a straight and thin nose, and small lips. The gaze of his bulging brown eyes shone with friendly meekness, thin and soft hair curled into rings around the neck; there were few of them left on the top. Sound

Akimov's voice was very pleasant, though weak; in his youth he sang excellently, but long journeys in the open air, in winter, upset his chest. But he spoke very softly and sweetly. When he laughed, there were ray-shaped wrinkles around his eyes, extremely cute to look at - only kind people can see such wrinkles. Akim's movements were for the most part slow and not devoid of some confidence and important courtesy, like a man who has experienced and seen a lot in his lifetime.

Exactly, Akim Semenovich would be good for everyone, or, as he was called in the manor house, where he often went and always on Sundays, after mass - Akim Semenovich, - he would be good for everyone, if only one weakness did not follow him, which already killed many people on earth, and in the end ruined him himself - weakness for the female sex. Amorousness Akim reached the extreme; his heart was in no way capable of resisting a woman's gaze, it melted from it like the first autumn snow from the sun ... and he had already had to pay a fair price for his excessive sensitivity.

During the first year after his settlement on the main road, Akim was so busy building a yard, furnishing a household and all the troubles that are inseparable from every housewarming party, that he definitely had no time to think about women, and if any sinful thoughts came into his mind , so he immediately drove them away by reading various sacred books, for which he had great respect (he learned to read and write from his first trip), singing psalms in an undertone, or some other God-fearing occupation. Moreover, he was already in his forty-sixth year then - and in these summers all passions noticeably subside and cool down, and the time for marriage has passed. Akim himself began to think that this whim, as he put it, had jumped off him ... yes, apparently, you can’t escape your fate.

Akimova landowner, Lizaveta Prokhorovna Kuntze - a staff officer who remained a widow after her husband of German origin, was herself a native of the city of Mitava, where she spent the first years of her childhood and where she had a very large and poor family, about which she, however, cared little ,

especially since one of her brothers, an army infantry officer, accidentally drove into her house and on the second day became so furious that he almost killed the hostess herself, calling her: "Du, Lumpen-mamselle" 1 , meanwhile, the day before, he himself called her in broken Russian: "Sister and benefactor." Lizaveta Prokhorovna lived almost without a break in her pretty estate, acquired through the labors of her husband, a former architect; she managed it herself, and she managed it very badly. Lizaveta Prokhorovna did not miss the slightest advantage of herself, from everything she derived benefit for herself; and in this, and even in her extraordinary ability to spend a penny instead of a penny, her German nature showed itself; in all other respects she became very Russified. She had a significant number of domestics; she especially kept many girls, who, however, did not eat bread in vain: from morning to evening their backs were not straightened over work. She liked to ride out in a carriage, with livery footmen at the back; she loved to be gossiped and slandered, and she was an excellent gossip herself; she loved to exact a man with her mercy and suddenly strike him with disgrace - in a word, Lizaveta Prokhorovna behaved exactly like a lady. She favored Akim, he paid her a very significant dues regularly, - she spoke graciously to him and even, jokingly, invited him to visit her ... But it was in the master's house that trouble awaited Akim.

Among the maids of Lizaveta Prokhorovna was one girl of about twenty, an orphan named Dunyasha. She was not bad-looking, slender and dexterous; her features, though wrong, might please: the fresh color of her skin, thick blond hair, lively gray eyes, a small, round nose, ruddy lips, and especially some kind of cheeky, half-mocking, half-provocative expression of her face - all this was rather sweet in its way. Moreover, in spite of her orphanhood, she behaved strictly, almost haughtily: she came from pillar yards; her late father Arefiy was a housekeeper for thirty years, and grandfather Stepan served as a valet for a long-dead gentleman, a guard sergeant and a prince. She dressed neatly

1 "You whore" (German).

and flaunted her hands, which were indeed exceedingly beautiful. Dunyasha showed great contempt for all her admirers, listened to their courtesies with a self-confident smile, and if she answered them, it was mostly with exclamations like: yes! how! I will become! Here's another!.. These exclamations almost did not leave her tongue. Dunyasha spent about three years in Moscow as an apprentice, where she acquired those special kind of antics and manners that distinguish maids who have been in the capitals. She was spoken of as a girl with pride (great praise in the mouths of courtyard people), who, although she had seen the views, did not drop herself. She did not sew badly either, but for all that, Lizaveta Prokhorovna did not take too good a liking to her due to the mercy of Kirillovna, the chief maid, a woman no longer young, sly and cunning. Kirillovna enjoyed great influence over her mistress and was very skillfully able to eliminate rivals.

Akim will fall in love with this Dunyasha! Yes, I have never been in love before. He first saw her in church: she had just returned from Moscow ... then he met her several times in the manor house, finally spent the whole evening with her at the clerk's, where he was invited to tea along with other honorable people. The courtyards did not disdain him, although he did not belong to their estate and wore a beard; but he was an educated, literate man, and most importantly, with money; moreover, he did not dress like a peasant, he wore a long caftan of black cloth, teenage boots and a handkerchief around his neck. It is true that some of the serfs were talking among themselves that, they say, it was still clear that he was not ours, but they almost flattered him in the eyes. That evening, at the clerk's, Dunyasha finally conquered Akim's amorous heart, although she resolutely did not answer a single word to all his ingratiating speeches and only occasionally glanced at him from the side, as if wondering why this peasant was here. All this only inflamed Akim more. He went to his home, thought, thought, and decided to win her hand ... So she “dried him to her!” But how to describe Dunyasha's anger and indignation when, five days later, Kirillovna, affectionately calling her to her room, announced to her that Akim (and it was clear he knew how to

that this bearded man and peasant Akim, with whom she considered sitting next to her an insult, was wooing her!

Dunyasha at first flushed all over, then forced to laugh, then burst into tears, but Kirillovna launched the attack so skillfully, so clearly made her feel her own position in the house, so deftly hinted at Akim’s decent appearance, wealth and blind devotion, finally mentioned so significantly about the desire of herself mistress that Dunyasha left the room already with thought on her face and, meeting with Akim, only looked intently into his eyes, but did not turn away. The unspeakably generous gifts of this man in love dispelled her last perplexity... Lizaveta Prokhorovna, to whom Akim offered a hundred peaches on a large silver platter, agreed to his marriage to Dunyasha, and this marriage took place. Akim spared no expense, and the bride, who had sat at the bachelorette party the day before like a dead woman, and on the very morning of the wedding she kept crying while Kirillovna dressed her for the crown, soon consoled herself... day gave her the same, almost better.

So, Akim got married; moved his young to his yard ... They began to live. Dunyasha turned out to be a bad housewife, a bad support for her husband. She did not enter into anything, she was sad, bored, unless some passing officer paid attention to her and was kind to her, sitting at a wide samovar; she often went away, now to the city for shopping, then to the manor's courtyard, to which it was considered four versts from the inn. In the manor house she rested; there she was surrounded by her own; girls envied her outfits; Kirillovna treated her to tea; Lizaveta Prokhorovna herself spoke to her... But even these visits were not without bitter sensations for Dunyasha... She, for example, as a janitor, no longer had to wear hats, and she was forced to tie her head with a scarf... like a merchant's wife, she told her sly Kirillovna, like some petty-bourgeois woman, thought Dunyasha to herself.

More than once Akim remembered the words of his only relative, an old uncle, a peasant, a seasoned, familyless bean:

Well, brother Akimushka, - he said to him, meeting him on the street, - I heard that you are wooing? ..

Well, yes; what?

Oh, Akim, Akim! You are not a brother to us peasants now, to be sure, - and she is not your sister either.

Why isn't she my sister?

And if only with this, - he objected and pointed Akim to his beard, which he began to cut to please his bride - he did not agree to shave it at all ... Akim looked down; and the old man turned away, wrapped the flaps of his sheepskin coat torn at his shoulders, and walked away, shaking his head.

Yes, he thought more than once, Akim groaned and sighed... But his love for his pretty wife did not diminish; he was proud of her - especially when he compared her, not to mention with other women or with his former wife, whom he was married to for sixteen years - but with other yard girls: “Here, they say, what a bird we have fallen! ..” The smallest her kindness gave him great pleasure... Perhaps, he thought, he would get used to it, he would settle down... Moreover, she behaved very well, and no one could say a bad word about her.

So several years passed. Dunyasha really ended up getting used to her life. The older Akim grew, the more he became attached to her and trusted her; her comrades, who did not marry muzhiks, were in dire need of their blood, or were in poverty, or fell into unkind hands ... And Akim grew richer and richer. He succeeded in everything - happiness was lucky for him; only one thing crushed him: God did not give him children. Dunyasha has already crossed over twenty-five years; already everyone began to call her Avdotya Arefyevna. Still, she did not become a real mistress - but she fell in love with her house, disposed of supplies, looked after the worker ... True, she did all this somehow, did not observe, as it should, cleanliness and order; but in the main room of the inn, next to the portrait of Akim, hung her portrait, painted in oils and commissioned by her from the most homegrown painter, the son of the parish deacon. She was presented in a white dress, yellow shawl, six strings of large pearls around her neck, long earrings in her ears and rings on each finger. It was possible to recognize her - although

the painter depicted her as too stout and ruddy, and painted her eyes, instead of gray, black and even somewhat oblique ... Akim did not work out for him at all: he came out somehow dark - à la Rembrandt - so that a different traveler would come up, it happened , look and just hum a little. Avdotya began to dress rather casually; she throws a large scarf over her shoulders - and the dress somehow sits under it: laziness seized her, that sighing, lethargic, drowsy laziness to which the Russian person is too prone, especially when his existence is ensured ...

With all that, the affairs of Akim and his wife went very well - they lived well and were known as exemplary spouses. But like a squirrel that cleans its nose at the very moment when the shooter aims at it, a person does not foresee his misfortune - and suddenly he breaks down, as if on ice ...

One autumn evening, a merchant with red goods stopped at Akim's inn. By various detours he made his way with two loaded wagons from Moscow to Kharkov; he was one of those pedlars whom landlords, and especially landlords' wives and daughters, sometimes look forward to with such great impatience. With this peddler, a man already elderly, rode two comrades, or, to put it more correctly, two workers - one pale, thin and hunchbacked, the other a young, prominent, handsome fellow of about twenty. They asked for supper, then sat down to tea; the peddler asked the hosts to eat a cup with them - the hosts did not refuse. A conversation soon struck up between the two old men (Akim was fifty-six years old); the peddler asked about the neighboring landowners - and no one better than Akim could give him all the necessary information about them; the hunchbacked worker went incessantly to look at the carts, and at last retired to sleep; Avdotya had to talk with another worker... She sat beside him and spoke little, listening more to what he was telling her; but apparently she liked his speeches: her face brightened up, the color played on her cheeks, and she laughed quite often and willingly. The young worker sat almost motionless, his curly head bent to the table; spoke quietly, without raising his voice and without haste; but

his eyes, small but boldly light and blue, glared at Avdotya; at first she turned away from them, then she herself began to look into his face. The face of this young lad was as fresh and smooth as a Crimean apple; he often grinned and played with his white fingers on his chin, which was already covered with sparse and dark down. He expressed himself like a merchant, but very freely and with a kind of careless self-confidence - and he kept looking at her with the same fixed and insolent look ... Suddenly he moved a little closer to her and, without changing his face in the least, said to her:

Avdotya Arefyevna, there is no one better than you in the world; I seem ready to die for you.

Avdotya laughed out loud.

What are you? Akim asked her.

Why, they tell such funny things, ”she said without much, however, embarrassment.

The old peddler grinned.

Hehe, yes, sir; My Naum is such a joker, sir. But don't listen to him.

Yes! how! I will listen to them,” she objected, shaking her head.

Heh heh, of course, sir, - the old man remarked. “Well, however,” he added in a singsong voice, “we ask for forgiveness, sir, we are very pleased, sir, but it’s time to go to the side, sir ...” And he got up.

Much satisfied, sir, and we, sir, ”said Akim and also got up,“ for a treat, that is; However, we wish you good night. Avdotyushka, get up.

Avdotya got up, as if reluctantly, Naum got up after her ... and everyone dispersed.

The hosts went to a separate closet, which served them instead of a bedroom. Akim snored at once. Avdotya could not fall asleep for a long time ... At first she lay quietly, turning her face to the wall, then she began to toss and turn on the hot down jacket, now throwing off, then pulling on the blanket ... then she fell into a thin slumber. Suddenly a loud male voice was heard from the yard: he was singing some kind of drawn-out, but not mournful song, the words of which could not be made out. Avdotya opened her eyes, leaned on her elbows and began to listen... The song went on and on... It shimmered loudly in the autumn air.

Akim raised his head.

Who is singing this? - he asked.

I don't know, she replied.

He sings well,” he added, after a pause. - Good. What a strong voice. So I used to sing, - he continued, - and I sang well, but my voice deteriorated. And this one is good. To know, well done, he sings, Naum, or something, his name is. - And he turned on the other side - sighed and fell asleep again.

For a long time the voice did not stop... Avdotya kept listening and listening; finally, he suddenly seemed to break off, once again shouted famously, and slowly froze. Avdotya crossed herself, laid her head on the pillow... Half an hour passed... She got up and began to quietly get out of bed...

Where are you, wife? Akim asked her through her sleep.

She stopped.

Fix the icon lamp, - she said, - something can’t sleep ...

And you pray, - murmured Akim, falling asleep.

Avdotya went up to the lamp, began to straighten it, and accidentally extinguished it; came back and went to bed. Everything is quiet.

The next morning, early, the merchant set off on his journey with his comrades. Avdotya was sleeping. Akim saw them off from half a verst: he had to go to the mill. Returning home, he found his wife already dressed and not alone: ​​yesterday's young guy, Naum, was with her. They stood by the table by the window and talked. Seeing Akim, Avdotya silently walked out of the room, and Naum said that he had returned for the master's mittens, which he seemed to have forgotten on the bench, and also left.

We will now tell the readers what they probably guessed without us: Avdotya passionately fell in love with Naum. How it could have happened so soon is hard to explain; it is all the more difficult because up to that time she had behaved impeccably, despite many cases and temptations to change her marital fidelity. Subsequently, when her connection with Naum became public, many in the neighborhood explained that on the very first evening he poured a love potion into her cup of tea (we still firmly believe in the reality of such a remedy) and that this could very easily be seen from Avdotya, which seemed to soon begin to lose weight and get bored.

Be that as it may, but only Naum began to be seen quite often at Akimov's yard. At first he traveled again with the same merchant, and after three months he appeared alone, with his own goods; then a rumor spread that he had settled in one of the nearby county towns, and since then not a week had passed without his strong painted cart, drawn by a pair of round horses, which he drove himself, appeared on the main road. Between Akim and him there was no special friendship, and hostility between them was not noticed; Akim did not pay much attention to him and knew only about him as a bright fellow who briskly went into action. He did not suspect Avdotya's real feelings and continued to trust her as before.

So another two years passed.

One day, on a summer day, before dinner, at one o'clock, Lizaveta Prokhorovna, who during precisely these two years somehow suddenly wrinkled and turned yellow, despite all kinds of ointments, blush and whitewash, - Lizaveta Prokhorovna, with a dog and a folding umbrella , went out for a walk in her neat German garden. Slightly noisy with her starched dress, she walked with small steps along the sandy path, between two rows of dahlias stretched out to a string, when suddenly our old acquaintance Kirillovna overtook her and respectfully reported that some B ... Y merchant wanted to see her on a very important matter . Kirillovna continued to enjoy the grace of the Lord (in essence, she is managed the estate of Madame Kunze) and for some time received permission to wear a white cap, which gave even more sharpness to the delicate features of her swarthy face.

Merchant? - asked the lady. - What does he want?

I don’t know what they want,” Kirillovna objected in an ingratiating voice, “only, it seems they want to buy something from you, sir.

Lizaveta Prokhorovna returned to the drawing room, sat down in her usual place, an armchair with a dome, on which ivy wriggled beautifully, and ordered the Lord merchant to be called.

Nahum entered, bowed, and stopped at the door.

I heard you want to buy something from me? -

began Lizaveta Prokhorovna and thought to herself: "What a handsome man this merchant is."

Exactly like that.

What exactly?

Would you like to sell your inn?

What yard?

Yes, that's on the high road, not far from here.

Yes, this yard is not mine. This is Akimov's yard.

How not yours? Sitting on your land, sir.

Let's say - my land ... was bought in my name; yes, his yard.

Yes, sir. So, would you mind selling it to us, sir?

How can I sell it?

Yes, sir. And we would put a good price, sir.

Lizaveta Prokhorovna was silent for a moment.

Really, it's strange,” she began again, “how you say it. What would you give? she added. - That is, I ask this not for myself, but for Akim.

Yes, with all the buildings, sir, and the land, sir, well, yes, of course, and with the land that is at that court, two thousand rubles would be given, sir.

Two thousand rubles! This is not enough, - Lizaveta Prokhorovna objected.

Real price-s.

Did you talk to Akim?

Why should we talk to them? The yard is yours, and so we deign to talk with you, sir.

Yes, I told you ... Really, it's amazing how you don't understand me!

Why not understand, sir; understand, sir.

Lizaveta Prokhorovna looked at Naum, Naum looked at Lizaveta Prokhorovna.

So how, sir, - he began, - what will be your proposal, that is,?

For my part ... - Lizaveta Prokhorovna stirred in her chair. - Firstly, I tell you that two thousand is not enough, and secondly ...

Let's throw in a hundred, if you please.

Lizaveta Prokhorovna got up.

I see that you are not saying that at all, I already told you that I cannot sell this yard and will not sell it. I can't... that is, I don't want to...

Naum smiled and was silent.

Well, whatever you like, sir ... - he uttered, shrugging his shoulder slightly, - we beg your pardon, sir. And he bowed and took hold of the doorknob.

Lizaveta Prokhorovna turned to him.

However ... - she said with a barely noticeable hesitation - you do not leave yet. - She called: Kirillovna appeared from the office. - Kirillovna, they led the merchant to drink tea. I'll see you again," she added, nodding her head slightly.

Naum bowed once more and left with Kirillovna.

Lizaveta Prokhorovna walked up and down the room a couple of times and rang again. This time the Cossack entered. She ordered him to call Kirillovna. A few moments later Kirillovna entered, slightly creaking in her new trestle shoes.

Have you heard,” Lizaveta Prokhorovna began with a forced laugh, “what is this merchant offering me? Such, right, an eccentric!

No, sir, I haven't heard... What is it, sir? - And Kirillovna slightly narrowed her black Kalmyk eyes.

He wants to buy Akimov Yard from me.

So what?

Why, how... And what about Akim? I gave it to Akim.

And, pardon me, mistress, what are you deigning to say? Isn't this yard yours? We are not yours, are we? And everything that we have, is it not yours, not the master's?

What are you saying, Kirillovna, have mercy? - Lizaveta Prokhorovna took out a cambric handkerchief and nervously blew her nose. - Akim bought this yard with his own money.

With your own money? Where did he get this money from? Is it not by your grace? Yes, and so he used the land for so long ... After all, everything is by your own mercy. Do you think, madam, that he will never have any more money? Yes, he is richer than you, by God, sir.

All this is true, of course; but still I can't... How can I sell this yard?

Why not sell, sir? - continued

Kirillovna. Thankfully, a buyer has been found. May I ask how much they offer you?

More than two thousand rubles,” said Lizaveta Prokhorovna quietly.

He, madam, will give more if he offers two thousand from the first word. And then you will become with Akim; Throw off the quitrent, or something. He will still be grateful.

Of course, it will be necessary to reduce the quitrent. But no, Kirillovna, how can I sell ... - And Lizaveta Prokhorovna went up and down the room ... - No, it's impossible, it's not good ... no, please, don't tell me that again ... and then I get angry...

But, despite the prohibitions of the agitated Lizaveta Prokhorovna, Kirillovna continued to speak and in half an hour returned to Naum, whom she left in the buffet for the samovar.

What will you tell me, sir, my dearest? said Naum, dapperly tipping his finished cup onto a saucer.

Otherwise I’ll say,” Kirillovna objected, “that you go to the mistress, she is calling you.”

I'm listening, sir, - answered Naum, got up and followed Kirillovna into the drawing room.

The door closed behind them ... When at last that door opened again and Naum, bowing, stepped out of it with his back, the matter was already coordinated; Akimov's yard belonged to him: he bought it for two thousand eight hundred rubles in banknotes. The bill of sale was supposed to be completed as soon as possible and not to be disclosed until the time; Lizaveta Prokhorovna received a hundred rubles as a deposit, and two hundred rubles went to Kirillovna for mogarych. “I bought it cheap,” thought Naum, climbing onto the cart, “thank you, the case came out.”

At the very time when the deal we told was taking place in the manor house, Akim was sitting alone on a bench under his window and stroking his beard with a displeased look ... We said above that he did not suspect his wife's disposition towards Naum, although good people more than once he was hinted that it was time, they say, to take up your mind; of course, he himself could sometimes notice that for some time his mistress seemed to have become more skittish, but you know: the female sex is brittle and

whimsical. Even when it really seemed to him that something was wrong in his house, he only waved his hand; he did not want, as they say, to lift a string; good nature in him did not decrease over the years, and laziness took its toll. But that day he was very out of sorts; the day before, he quite by accident overheard a conversation in the street between his worker and another neighboring woman ...

Baba asked the worker why she didn’t come to her party in the evening: “I, they say, was waiting for you.”

Yes, I was and went, - the worker objected, - yes, it was a sinful deed, I pushed myself against the hostess ... so that it was empty for her!

I sucked myself up ... - the woman repeated in a kind of drawn-out voice and propped up her cheek with her hand. - And where did you get on her, my mother?

And for the hemp growers, for the priests. The hostess, to know, to her own, to Naum, went out to hemp, but I couldn’t see in the dark, from a month, or something, God knows, just ran into them like that.

I jumped, - the woman repeated again. - Well, what is she, my mother, with him - standing?

Worth - nothing. He stands and she stands. She saw me and said: where are you running? Went home. I went.

Went. - Baba was silent. “Well, goodbye, Fetinyushka,” she said, and trudged along on her way.

This conversation had an unpleasant effect on Akim. His love for Avdotya had already cooled, but still he did not like the words of the worker. And she told the truth: indeed, that evening, Avdotya went out to Naum, who was waiting for her in a solid shadow that fell on the road from a motionless and tall hemp plant. Dew moistened from top to bottom each of its stalk; a strong, stupefying smell was all around. The moon has just risen, big and crimson in a blackish and dull fog. Naum heard Avdotya's hurried steps from a distance and went to meet her. She went up to him, all pale from running; the moon shone in her face.

Well, did you bring it? he asked her.

She brought something, - she answered in an indecisive voice, - but what, Naum Ivanovich ...

Come on, if you brought it, - he interrupted her and held out his hand ...

She pulled out a bundle from under her kerchief. Naum immediately took it and put it in his bosom.

Naum Ivanovich,” Avdotya said slowly and without taking her eyes off him ... “Oh, Naum Ivanovich, I will ruin my darling for you ...

At that moment, a worker approached them.

So, Akim sat on a bench and stroked his beard with displeasure. Avdotya kept coming into the room and going out again. He just followed her with his eyes. Finally, she went in again and, having taken a shower jacket in the closet, she already stepped over the threshold - he could not stand it and spoke, as if to himself:

I wonder, - he began, - why are the women always fussing? To sit that way so that in place, do not demand this from them. It's none of their business. But somewhere to run away in the morning, whether in the evening, they love it. Yes.

Avdotya listened to her husband's speech to the end, without changing her position; only at the word "in the evening" did she move her head a little and seem to think.

You, Semyonitch," she finally uttered with annoyance, "you know how you start talking, already here ...

She waved her hand and left, slamming the door. Avdotya really did not appreciate Akim's eloquence very highly, and it happened that in the evenings, when he began to reason with passers-by or indulged in stories, she yawned silently or went away. Akim looked at the locked door... "When you start talking," he repeated in an undertone... his own brother, and moreover...” And he got up, thought, and tapped his fist on the back of the head...

A few days passed after that day in a rather strange way. Akim kept looking at his wife, as if he was about to say something to her; and she, for her part, looked at him suspiciously; moreover, they were both forcedly silent; however, this silence was usually interrupted by Akim's peevish remark about some omission in the household or

about women in general; Avdotya for the most part did not answer him a word. However, with all the good-natured weakness of Akim, a decisive explanation would certainly have come between him and Avdotya, if, finally, an incident had not happened, after which all explanations were useless.

Namely, one morning Akim and his wife were just about to have an afternoon snack (there were not a single passer-by in the inn, behind summer work), when suddenly the cart briskly pounded along the road and abruptly stopped in front of the porch. Akim looked out the window, frowned and looked down: Naum was climbing out of the cart, slowly. Avdotya did not see him, but when his voice rang out in the passage, the spoon trembled faintly in her hand. He ordered the worker to put the horse in the yard. Finally the door opened and he entered the room.

Good," he said, and took off his hat.

Great, - Akim repeated through gritted teeth. Where did God bring it from?

In the neighborhood, - he objected and sat down on a bench. - I'm from the lady.

From the mistress,” Akim said, still not rising from his seat. - On business, huh?

Yes, on business. Avdotya Arefyevna, our respect to you.

Hello, Naum Ivanovich, - she answered. Everyone was silent.

What do you have, stew, to know what kind, - began Naum ...

Yes, stew, - objected Akim and suddenly turned pale, - but not about you.

Naum looked at Akim with surprise.

Why not about me?

Yes, that's what but about you. - Akim's eyes sparkled, and he hit the table with his hand. “I don’t have anything about you in my house, do you hear?

What are you, Semyonitch, what are you? What happened to you?

Nothing with me, but you I'm tired of it, Naum Ivanovich, that's what. The old man got up and shook all over. - Painfully often began to drag me, that's what.

Naum also stood up.

Yes, brother, tea is crazy, - he said with a grin. - Avdotya Arefyevna, what's the matter with him?

What are you saying to me? - asked Naum significantly.

Get away from here; that's what I'm telling you. Here is God, but here is the threshold... you understand? and that will be bad!

Naum stepped forward.

Fathers, do not fight, my dears, - Avdotya murmured, who until that moment had been sitting motionless at the table.

Naum looked at her.

Don't worry, Avdotya Arefievna, why fight! Eksta, brother,” he continued, turning to Akim, “how you shouted". Право. Экой прыткой! Слыханное ли дело, из чужого дома выгонять, - прибавил с медленной расстановкой Наум, - да еще хозяина.!}

As from someone else's house, - muttered Akim. - What owner?

And at least me.

And Naum screwed up his eyes and bared his white teeth.

How you? Am I not the owner?

You are so stupid, brother. They tell you - I'm the owner.

Akim rolled his eyes.

What are you lying about, as if you ate too much henbane, ”he finally spoke. - What are you here, to hell, the owner?

What's the point of talking to you, - Naum cried impatiently. “Do you see this paper,” he continued, pulling out of his pocket a stamp sheet folded in four, “do you see it? This is a bill of sale, you understand, a bill of sale both for your land and for your yard; I bought them from a poor woman, I bought them from Lizaveta Prokhorovna; yesterday they made a purchase in B ... e - the owner is here, therefore, I, and not you. Pack up your belongings today,” he added, putting the paper back in his pocket, “and tomorrow so that your spirit is not here, do you hear?

Akim stood as if struck by thunder.

Robber,” he moaned at last, “robber… Hey, Fedka, Mitka, wife, wife, grab him, grab him—hold him!

He got completely lost.

Look, look, - Naum said with a threat, - look, old man, don't be stupid ...

Yes, beat him, beat him, wife! Akim kept repeating in a tearful voice, vainly and helplessly rushing from his place. - A murderer, a robber... She's not enough for you... and you want to take my house away from me and that's it... No, wait... it can't be... I'll go myself, I'll tell you myself... How ... what to sell for ... Wait ... wait ...

And he rushed into the street without a hat.

Where, Akim Semyonitch, where are you running, father? Fetinya, the worker, spoke up as she ran into him at the door.

To the lady! let it go! To the mistress ... - Akim yelled and, seeing Naumov's cart, which they had not yet managed to bring into the yard, he jumped into it, grabbed the reins and, striking the horse with all his might, started galloping to the master's yard.

Mother, Lizaveta Prohorovna, he repeated to himself throughout the whole journey, why such disgrace? Seems to be zealous!

And in the meantime, he kept slashing and slashing the horse. Those who met him stood aside and looked after him for a long time.

At a quarter of an hour Akim reached the estate of Lizaveta Prokhorovna; galloped up to the porch, jumped off the cart, and stumbled straight into the hall.

What do you want? muttered the frightened footman, who was dozing sweetly on the horse.

Lady, I need to see the lady, - Akim said loudly.

The footman was amazed.

Al what happened? he began...

Nothing happened, but I need to see the lady.

I'm sorry, what? said the more and more astonished footman, and slowly drew himself up.

Akim came to his senses... It was as if they poured cold water on him.

Report, Pyotr Evgrafych, to the mistress,” he said with a low bow, “that Akim, they say, wants to see them ...

Well ... I'll go ... I'll report ... And you, you know, you're drunk, wait, - the footman grumbled and left.

Akim looked down and seemed to be embarrassed... Determination quickly disappeared from him from the very moment he entered the hallway.

Lizaveta Prokhorovna was also embarrassed when she was informed of Akim's arrival. She immediately ordered Kirillovna to be called to her office.

I can’t accept him,” she said hastily, as soon as she appeared, “I just can’t. What will I tell him? I told you that he would certainly come and complain,” she added with annoyance and excitement, “I said ...

Why are you taking it, sir,” Kirillovna objected calmly, “it’s not necessary, sir. Why would you worry, please.

Yes, how can it be?

If you'll allow me, I'll talk to him.

Lizaveta Prokhorovna raised her head.

Do me a favor, Kirillovna. Talk to him. You tell him ... there - well, what I found necessary ... but by the way, that I will reward him ... well, there, you already know. Please, Kirillovna.

Don't worry, ma'am," Kirillovna objected, and went away, creaking her shoes.

A quarter of an hour had not elapsed when their creaking was heard again, and Kirillovna entered the office with the same calm expression on her face, with the same sly intelligence in her eyes.

Well, what, - her mistress asked, - what about Akim?

Nothing, sir. He says, sir, that everything is in the will of your mercy, if you were healthy and prosperous, and with his age it will become.

And he didn't complain?

Not at all. Why should he complain?

Why did he come? said Lizaveta Prokhorovna, not without some bewilderment.

And he came to ask, sir, until the award, if your grace would not forgive him the quitrent, for the coming year, that is ...

Of course, forgive, forgive, - Lizaveta Prokhorovna picked up with liveliness, - of course. With pleasure. In general, tell him that I will reward him.

Well, thank you, Kirillovna. And he, I see, is a good man. Wait, she added, give him this from me. - And she took out a three-ruble bill from the work table. - Here, take it, give it to him.

I’m listening, sir, objected Kirillovna and, calmly returning to her room, calmly locked the banknote in a wrought-iron chest that stood at her head; she kept all her cash in it, and there were many.

Kirillovna reassured her mistress with her report, but the conversation between her and Akim did not actually take place exactly as she conveyed it; namely:

She ordered him to be called to her maid's room. At first he did not go to her, declaring, moreover, that he wanted to see not Kirillovna, but Lizaveta Prokhorovna herself, but at last he obeyed and went through the back porch to Kirillovna. He left her alone. Entering the room, he immediately stopped and leaned against the wall near the door, wanted to speak... but could not.

Kirillovna looked at him intently.

Do you, Akim Semyonitch,” she began, “would you like to see the mistress?

He just nodded his head.

This is impossible, Akim Semyonitch. Yes, and why? You can't redo what you've done, only you will disturb them. They can't accept you now, Akim Semyonitch.

They can't," he repeated, and paused. "So how," he said slowly, "then the house should disappear like that?"

Listen, Akim Semyonitch. You, I know, have always been a prudent person. This is the will of the Lord. And you can't change that. You won't change that. What are we going to argue with you here, because this will not lead to anything. Is not it?

Akim put his hands behind his back.

But you’d better think about it,” Kirillovna continued, “wouldn’t you ask your mistress to pay you dues, or something ...

So, the house will disappear like that, - repeated Akim in the same voice.

Akim Semyonitch, I'm telling you: it's impossible. You yourself know this better than me.

Yes. At least how far did he go, yard?

I do not know this, Akim Semyonitch; I can't tell you... Why are you standing like that,' she added, 'sit down.

Let's stay like that. Our business is peasant, we thank you humbly.

What kind of a man are you, Akim Semyonitch? You are the same merchant, you cannot even be compared with a yard, what are you? Don't kill in vain. Would you like some tea?

No thanks, not required. So the house remained behind you, ”he added, separating himself from the wall. - Thanks for that too. We ask for forgiveness, sir.

And he turned and walked out. Kirillovna straightened her apron and went to the mistress.

And to know, I really became a merchant, - Akim said to himself, stopping in thought in front of the gate. - Good merchant! He waved his hand and smiled bitterly. - Well! Go home!

And, completely forgetting about Naum's horse, on which he arrived, he trudged on foot along the road to the inn. He had not yet managed to move the first verst, when he suddenly heard the sound of a cart next to him.

Akim, Akim Semenych, someone called him.

He raised his eyes and saw an acquaintance of his, the parish deacon Ephraim, nicknamed the Mole, a small, hunched man with a pointed nose and blind eyes. He was sitting in a wretched cart, on a piece of straw, leaning his chest against the irradiation.

Home, are you going? he asked Akim.

Akim stopped.

Do you want a ride?

And perhaps give me a ride.

Ephraim stepped aside, and Akim climbed into his cart. Ephraim, who seemed to be tipsy, began to whip his little horse with the ends of the rope reins; she ran at a weary trot, constantly twitching her unbridled muzzle.

They rode a mile away without saying a word to each other. Akim sat with his head bowed, and Ephraim just muttered something under his breath, now urging, then holding back the horse.

Where did you go without a hat, Semyonitch? he suddenly asked Akim and, without waiting for an answer, continued in an undertone: You are a rooster; I know you and love you for being a rooster; you are not a brawler, not a rowdy, not a pushover; you are a housebuilder, but a rooster, and such a rooster - it would be time for you to be under the command for this, by God; because this is a bad business ... Hurrah! - he suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs, - hurrah! Hurrah!

Stop, stop, - a woman's voice was heard nearby, - stop!

Akim looked around. A woman was running across the field towards the cart, so pale and disheveled that at first he did not recognize her.

Stop, stop,” she groaned again, panting and waving her arms.

Akim shuddered: it was his wife.

He grabbed the reins.

And why stop, - Ephraim muttered, - stop for a woman? Well!

But Akim abruptly reined in his horse.

At that moment Avdotya ran to the road and fell right on her face into the dust.

Father, Akim Semyonitch,” she yelled, “because he kicked me out too!

Akim looked at her and did not move, only pulled the reins even tighter.

Hooray! Ephraim exclaimed again.

So he kicked you out? Akim said.

He kicked me out, father, my dear, - answered, sobbing, Avdotya. - Kicked out, father. He says the house is now mine, so go, they say, get out.

Important, that's how good it is ... important! Efrem noted.

And you, tea, were going to stay? Akim said bitterly, continuing to sit on the cart.

What to stay! Yes, father,' picked up Avdotya, who was about to rise to her knees and hit the ground again, 'you don't know, I'm... Kill me, Akim Semyonitch, kill me right there, on the spot...'

Why beat you, Arefyevna! - Akim objected dejectedly, - you yourself defeated yourself! what is there?

Why, what do you think, Akim Semyonitch...

money ... your money ... After all, they don’t exist, your money, then ... After all, I got them, accursed, from the underground, all of them to that, the villain, I gave Naum, accursed ... And why did you he told me where you hide your money, damned me ... After all, he bought a courtyard with your money ... such a villain ...

Akim grabbed his head with both hands.

How! - he shouted at last, - so is all the money ... and the money, and the yard, and you are ... Ah! I got it from the underground... I got it... Yes, I'll kill you, you snake in the hole...

And he jumped off the cart...

Semenych, Semenych, don’t hit, don’t fight, ”Ephraim murmured, whose drunkenness began to pass from such an unexpected incident.

No, father, kill me, father, kill me, the accursed one: hit me, don't listen to him, - Avdotya shouted, convulsively lying at Akimov's feet.

He stood for a moment, looked at her, moved a few steps away and sat down on the grass near the road.

There was a slight silence. Avdotya turned her head in his direction.

Semenych, and Semenych, - Efrem spoke, rising in the cart, - you are full ... After all, you can’t help that ... trouble. Pah, what an opportunity,” he continued, as if to himself, “what a damned woman ... Go to him, you,” he added, leaning across the garden to Avdotya, “you see, he went crazy.

Avdotya got up, approached Akim, and again fell at his feet.

Akim got up and went back to the cart. She grabbed the skirt of his caftan.

Went away! he shouted fiercely and pushed her away.

Where are you? Ephraim asked him, seeing that he was sitting down next to him again.

And you wanted to give me a ride to the yard, - Akim said, - so take me to your yard ... You see, mine is gone. You bought it from me.

Come on, let's go to my place. How about her?

Akim did not answer.

But me, me, - Avdotya picked up with a cry, - who are you leaving me to ... where will I go?

And go to him, - Akim objected without turning around, - to whom did you take my money ... Go, Ephraim!

Ephraim hit the horse, the cart rolled, Avdotya wailed...

Ephraim lived a verst from Akimov's court, in a small house, in a priest's settlement, located near a lonely five-domed church, recently built by the heirs of a wealthy merchant, by virtue of a spiritual will. Ephraim did not say anything to Akim all the way and only occasionally shook his head and uttered words like: “Oh, you!” yes: "oh you!" Akim sat motionless, slightly turning away from Ephraim. Finally they arrived. Ephraim jumped off the cart first. A girl of six years old, in a low-belted shirt, ran out to meet him, and shouted:

Dad! Dad!

Where is your mother? Ephraim asked her.

Sleeping in a nook.

Well, let him sleep. Akim Semyonitch, why don't you come into the little room.

(It should be noted that Ephraim "poked" him only when drunk; Akim and not such persons said: you.)

Akim entered the deacon's hut.

Here, on the bench, please, - said Ephraim. “Come on, you shooters,” he shouted at three other children, who, together with two emaciated and ash-stained cats, suddenly appeared from different corners of the room. - Get out! Shout! Here, Akim Semyonitch, here,” he continued, seating the guest, “wouldn’t you like something?

What can I tell you, Ephraim, - Akim finally said, - is it possible wine?

Ephraim was startled.

Guilt? Instantly. I don’t have it at home, it’s wine, but now I’m running away to Father Theodore. He always has ... I run away in a flash ...

And he grabbed his eared hat.

Yes, bring more, I'll pay, - Akim shouted after him. - I still have money for this.

Instantly! Ephraim repeated once more, disappearing behind

door. He really returned very soon with two damask bottles under his arm, one of which was already uncorked, put them on the table, took out two green cups, a loaf of bread and salt.

That's what I like, - he repeated, sitting down in front of Akim. - Why grieve? - He poured both him and himself ... and began to chat ... Avdotya's act puzzled him. - Amazing, right, the case, - he said, - how did this happen? So, he bewitched her to him ... huh? This is what it means to strictly observe a wife! It should be kept in tight grips. Still, it's not bad for you to go home; because there, tea, you have a lot of good left.

And many more similar speeches were made by Ephraim; when he drank, he did not like to be silent.

An hour later, this is what happened in Ephraim's house. Akim, who during the whole drinking-bout did not answer a word to the questions and remarks of his talkative master and only drank glass after glass, slept on the stove, all red, slept a heavy and painful sleep; the children marveled at him, but Ephraim... Alas! Ephraim also slept, but only in a very cramped and cold closet, where his wife, a woman of very courageous and strong build, locked him up. He was about to go to her, in the cloak, and began to either threaten her or tell her something, but he expressed himself so incongruously and incomprehensibly that she immediately realized what was the matter, took him by the collar and led him where she should be. However, he slept in the closet very well and even calmly. Habit!

Kirillovna did not quite correctly convey to Lizaveta Prokhorovna her conversation with Akim ... The same can be said about Avdotya. Naum did not kick her out, although she told Akim that he kicked her out; he had no right to expel her ... He was obliged to give the old masters time to get out. Between him and Avdotya there were explanations of a completely different kind.

When Akim, shouting that he was going to the mistress, ran out into the street, Avdotya turned to Naum, looked at him wide-eyed, and clasped her hands.

God! - she began, - Naum Ivanovich, what is this? Have you bought our yard?

What about? - he objected. - I bought it.

Avdotya was silent for a moment, and then suddenly she burst into flames.

So what did you need the money for?

Exactly so, if you please, sir. Ege, yes, it seems your hubby rode on my horse, ”he added, hearing the sound of wheels. - What a good fellow!

Why, it’s robbery after that,” Avdotya cried out, “after all, this is our money, husband’s money, and our yard ...

No, sir, Avdotya Arefyevna, - Naum interrupted her, - the yard was not yours, sir, why talk about it; the court was on the master's land, so it is the master's, and the money was definitely yours; only you were, one might say, so kind and donated them to me, sir; and I remain grateful to you and even, on occasion, I will give them to you, if such an opportunity comes up, sir; but I don’t have to remain a golyak, if you please, judge for yourself.

Naum said all this very calmly and even with a small smile.

My fathers! - Avdotya shouted, - but what is it? What's this? Yes, how will I show my husband in front of my eyes after that? You’re a villain,” she added, looking with hatred at Naum’s young, fresh face, “after all, I ruined my soul for you, because I became a thief for you, because you let us into the world, you kind of villain! After all, after that, the only thing left for me was that I put a donkey around my neck, a villain, a deceiver, you are my destroyer ...

And she sobbed into three streams ...

Don’t worry, Avdotya Arefyevna,” Naum said, “but I’ll tell you one thing: your shirt is closer to your body; however, that’s what the pike in the sea is for, Avdotya Arefievna, so that the crucian does not doze off.

Where are we going now, where are we going? - Avdotya babbled with tears.

And this I cannot say.

Yes, I will stab you, villain; slaughter, slaughter...

No, you won't do that, Avdotya Arefyevna; why say this, but only, I see, it’s better for me to leave here a little now, otherwise you are already very worried ... We ask for forgiveness; and tomorrow we will unfailingly wrap up ... And you, let me send your workers to you today, ”he added, meanwhile

Avdotya continued to repeat through her tears that she would slaughter him and herself.

Yes, by the way, they are coming, - he noticed, looking out the window, - Otherwise, perhaps, some kind of trouble, God forbid, will happen ... That way it will be calmer. You, do me a favor, collect your belongings today, sir, and they will watch over you and help you, perhaps. We beg your pardon.

He bowed, went out and called the workers to him ...

Avdotya fell on a bench, then lay down on the table with her chest and began to wring her hands, then suddenly jumped up and ran after her husband ... We told their date.

When Akim drove away from her together with Ephraim, leaving her alone in the field, at first she wept for a long time, without leaving her place. After crying her fill, she went to the master's estate. It was bitter for her to enter the house, even more bitter to appear in the girl's room. All the girls rushed to meet her with participation and regret. At the sight of them, Avdotya could not hold back her tears; they just spurted from her swollen and reddened eyes. Exhausted, she sat down on the first chair she came across. They ran after Kirillovna. Kirillovna came and treated her very affectionately, but she would not let her go to the mistress, just as she had not let Akim. Avdotya herself did not really insist on a meeting with Lizaveta Prokhorovna; she came to the master's house solely because she absolutely did not know where to lay her head.

Kirillovna ordered the samovar to be served. Avdotya refused to drink tea for a long time, but finally yielded to the requests and persuasion of all the girls and drank four more with the first cup. When Kirillovna saw that her guest had somewhat calmed down and only occasionally trembled and sobbed weakly, she asked her where they intended to move and what they wanted to do with their things. Avdotya began to cry again at this question, and began to assure her that she needed nothing more than death; but Kirillovna, like a woman with a head, immediately stopped her and advised her, without wasting time, to start transporting things to the former Akimov's hut in the village, where

there lived his uncle, the same old man who dissuaded him from marrying; announced that, with the permission of the lady, they would be given people and horses to rise and help them: “As for you, my darling,” Kirillovna added, folding her cat lips into a sour smile, “we will always find a place for you, and we It will be very nice if you stay with us until you manage again and get a house. The main thing is that there is no need to despair. The Lord has given, the Lord has taken and will give again; everything is in his will. Lizaveta Prokhorovna, of course, for her own reasons, had to sell your yard, but she will not forget you and will reward you: so she ordered Akim Semyonitch to say ... Where is he now?

Avdotya answered that, having met her, he offended her very much and went to the deacon Ephraim.

To that! Kirillovna objected significantly. - Well, I understand that it is difficult for him now, perhaps you won’t find him today. How to be? Need to arrange. Malashka," she added, turning to one of the maids, "ask Nikanor Ilyich here: we'll have a talk with him.

Nikanor Ilyich, a man of very meager appearance, something like a clerk, immediately appeared, obsequiously listened to everything that Kirillovna told him, said: "It will be done," went out and ordered. Avdotya was given three carts with three peasants; of their own free will, a fourth joined them, who himself declared to himself that he would “talk more than them,” and she went with them to the inn, where she found her former workers and the worker Fetinya in great embarrassment and horror ...

Naumov's recruits, three very stout guys, as soon as they arrived in the morning, did not go anywhere and guarded the yard very diligently, according to Naum's promise, so diligently that one new cart suddenly had no tires ...

It was bitter, bitter to pack poor Avdotya. Despite the help of an intelligent person, who, however, only knew how to walk with a stick in his hand, look at others and spit aside, she did not manage to get out that day and stayed overnight in the inn, begging Fetinya in advance not to leave her room. rooms; however, she dozed off only at dawn

feverish drowsiness, and tears streamed down her cheeks even in her sleep.

Meanwhile, Ephraim woke up earlier than usual in his closet and began knocking and asking to get out. At first his wife did not want to let him out, declaring to him through the door that he had not yet had enough sleep; but he aroused her curiosity by promising to tell her the extraordinary incident with Akim; she pulled out the latch. Ephraim told her everything he knew, and ended with a question: what, they say, did he wake up or not?

And the Lord knows him, - answered the wife, - go and see for yourself; Haven't gotten off the stove yet. - Look, you both got drunk yesterday; if only you looked at yourself - the face does not look like a face, so, some kind of little plague, but what hay is stuffed in your hair!

Nothing that got stuffed, - objected Ephraim and, running his hand over his head, entered the room. Akim was no longer sleeping; he sat with his legs dangling on the stove; his face was also very strange and tousled. It seemed all the more wrinkled because Akim was not in the habit of drinking much.

Well, Akim Semyonitch, how did you sleep, - began Ephraim ...

Akim looked at him with a cloudy look.

What, brother Ephraim, - he spoke hoarsely, - is it possible again - that one?

Ephraim quickly glanced at Akim... At that moment he felt some inner shudder; a hunter standing under the edge of the forest experiences a similar sensation at the sudden yelping of a hound in the forest, from which, it seemed, the whole beast had already run out.

How else? he finally asked.

“The wife will see,” thought Ephraim, “perhaps she won’t let him in.” - Nothing, you can - he said loudly - be patient.

He went out and, thanks to skillfully taken measures, managed to imperceptibly carry a large bottle under the hollow ...

Akim took this bottle ... But Ephraim did not begin to drink with him, in the yesterday's way - he was afraid of his wife and, having announced to Akim that he would go to see what he had

is done and how his belongings are packed, and whether he is being robbed, - he immediately went to the inn on his unfed horseback - and, however, he did not forget himself, if we take into account his protruding bosom.

Akim, soon after his departure, was already sleeping again as if he had been killed on the stove ... Even then he did not wake up, at least he did not give the appearance that he woke up, when Ephraim, who returned four hours later, began to push him, and wake him up, and babble over him some those extremely inconsistent words that everything has already gone and moved, and the images, they say, have been removed, they have already gone, and everything is already over - and that everyone is looking for him, but that he, Ephraim, ordered and forbade ... etc. However, he did not babble for long. His wife again took him to the closet, and herself, in great indignation both at her husband and at the guest, by whose grace the husband “drunk down”, lay down in the room on the floorboards ... But when, waking up, according to her custom, early, she glanced on the stove, Akim was no longer on it ... The second roosters had not yet crowed and the night was still so dark that the sky itself was a little gray directly overhead, and along the edges it was completely drowned in darkness - as Akim was already leaving the gates of the deacon at home. His face was pale, but he vigilantly looked around and his gait did not reveal a drunken person ... He walked in the direction of his former dwelling - an inn, which had already finally come into the possession of the new owner, Naum.

Naum also did not sleep at the time when Akim left Ephraim's house furtively. He didn't sleep; spreading a sheepskin coat under him, he lay dressed on a bench. It was not his conscience that tormented him - no! with surprising composure, he was present in the morning during the packing and transportation of all Akimov's belongings and more than once he himself spoke to Avdotya, who was so discouraged that she did not even reproach him ... His conscience was at peace, but he was occupied with various assumptions and calculations. He did not know whether he would be lucky in his new career: until then he had never kept an inn, and indeed had no corner of his own; he did not sleep. “The business has begun well,” he thought, “what will happen next ...” Having sent the last cart with Akimov’s goods before evening (Avdotya followed her weeping), he examined the whole

the yard, all the closets, cellars, sheds, climbed into the attic, repeatedly ordered his workers to keep watch tightly, and, left alone after supper, still could not sleep. It so happened that not a single passer-by stayed the night that day; this made him very happy. “Tomorrow you need to buy a dog, without fail, some kind of a later, from the miller; Look, they took theirs away, ”he said to himself, tossing and turning from side to side, and suddenly he quickly raised his head ... It seemed to him that someone passed under the window ... He listened ... Nothing. Only a grasshopper at times cautiously crackled behind the stove, and a mouse scratched somewhere, and his own breathing was heard. Everything was quiet in the empty room, dimly lit by the yellow rays of a small glass lamp, which he managed to hang and light in front of the small icon in the corner... He lowered his head; Here he heard again, as if the gate had been creaked ... then the wattle fence crackled slightly ... He could not stand it, jumped up, opened the door to another room and called out in an undertone: "Fyodor, and Fyodor!" No one responded to him... He went out into the passage and almost fell, stumbling on Fyodor, who was sprawled on the floor. Lowing through sleep, the worker stirred; Naum pushed him.

What is there, what is needed? Fedor began...

Why are you yelling, shut up, - Naum said in a whisper. - Eka sleep, damned! Didn't hear anything?

Nothing, he answered. - And what?

Where do others sleep?

Others sleep where ordered ... Yes, perhaps ...

Shut up - follow me.

Naum quietly unlocked the door from the passage to the yard... It was very dark in the yard... The awnings with their pillars could only be distinguished because they blackened even more densely in the black haze...

Shouldn't you turn on the flashlight? Fyodor spoke in an undertone.

But Naum waved his hand and held his breath ... At first he heard nothing, except for those night sounds that you almost always hear in a inhabited place: a horse was chewing oats, a pig grunted weakly once in a dream, a man was snoring somewhere; but suddenly a suspicious noise reached his ears, rising at the very end of the yard, near the fence...

It seemed as if someone was tossing and turning and seemed to be breathing or blowing... Naum glanced over his shoulder at Fyodor and, cautiously descending from the porch, went towards the noise... shuddered... Ten paces away from him, in thick darkness, a fiery point blazed brightly: it was a red-hot coal, and near the very coal the front part of someone's face with outstretched lips appeared for a moment... Quickly and silently, like a cat at the mouse, Naum rushed to the fire ... Hastily rising from the ground, some long body rushed towards him and almost knocked him down, almost slipped out of his hands, but he clung to him with all his might ... " Fedor, Andrey, Petrushka! - he shouted with all his might, - hurry here, here, caught the thief, the incendiary ... ”The man whom he grabbed floundered hard and fought ... but Naum did not let him out ... Fyodor immediately jumped to his aid.

Flashlight, flashlight! run after the lantern, wake up others, hurry! - Naum shouted to him, - and while I can handle it alone - I'm sitting on it ... Hurry! Yes, grab a sash to tie him up.

Fyodor ran into the hut... The man who was being held by Naum suddenly stopped beating...

So, apparently, your wife, and money, and court are not enough for you - you also want to destroy me, ”he spoke in a dull voice ...

So it's you, my dear, - he said, - well, wait a minute!

Let go, - said Akim. - Are you not satisfied with Ali?

But I'll show you tomorrow before the court how I'm satisfied ... - And Naum hugged Akim even tighter.

Workers came running with two lanterns and ropes ... "Knit him!" - Naum sharply commanded ... The workers grabbed Akim, raised him, twisted his arms back ... One of them began to swear, but, recognizing the old owner of the inn, fell silent and only exchanged glances with others.

Look, look, - Naum kept repeating at this time, moving the lantern over the ground, - here is the coal in the pot - look, he dragged a whole firebrand in the pot, -

it will be necessary to find out where he got this pot ... so he broke the boughs ... - And Naum carefully trampled the fire with his foot. - Search him, Fedor! he added, “does he have anything else in there?”

Fyodor searched and felt Akim, who stood motionless and hung his head on his chest as if dead.

There is a knife here, - Fyodor said, taking out an old kitchen skin from behind Akim's bosom.

Ege, my dear, so that's where you were aiming, - exclaimed Naum. - Guys, you are witnesses ... he wanted to kill me, set fire to the yard ... Lock him up until morning in the basement, he won’t jump out of there ... I myself will watch all night, and tomorrow, at dawn, we will to the police officer ... And you are witnesses, do you hear?

Akim was pushed into the basement, the door was slammed behind us... Naum assigned two workers to it and did not go to bed himself.

Meanwhile, Efremov's wife, making sure that her uninvited guest had left, began to cook, although it was still a little dawning in the yard ... That day was a holiday. She sat down by the stove to get a light, and saw that someone had already removed the heat from there; then she missed a knife - she did not find a knife; finally, out of four of her pots, one was missing. Efremov's wife was reputed to be an intelligent woman - and not without reason. She stood in thought, stood for a moment and went into the closet to her husband. It was not easy to get him to wake up and even more difficult to explain to him why they woke him up ... To everything that the deacon said, Ephraim answered the same thing:

He left - well, God bless him ... what am I? He took away a knife and a pot - well, God bless him - but what about me?

However, at last he got up and, after listening attentively to his wife, decided that this was not a good thing and that it could not be left like that.

Yes, - the sexton kept repeating, - this is not good; this way he, perhaps, will do trouble, out of desperation ... I already saw in the evening that he did not sleep, he lay on the stove like that; it wouldn't be bad for you, Efrem Alexandritch, to visit, or something ...

I’ll tell you, Uliana Fyodorovna, what I’ll report, - began Ephraim, - I’ll go to the inn now myself; and you be kind, mother, let me get drunk with a glass of wine.

Ulyana thought about it.

Well, - she decided at last, - I'll give you some wine, Efrem Alexandritch; just you, look, do not indulge.

Be calm, Uliana Fyodorovna.

And, refreshing himself with a glass, Ephraim went to the inn.

It was just dawn when he drove up to the yard, and already at the gate there was a harnessed cart and one of Naum's workers was sitting on the box, holding the reins in his hands.

Where is it? Ephraim asked him.

To the city, - the worker answered reluctantly.

Why is this?

The worker only shrugged his shoulders and did not answer. Ephraim jumped off his horse and entered the house. In the passage he came across Naum, fully dressed and wearing a hat.

Congratulations on the housewarming of the new owner, - said Ephraim, who knew him personally. - Where so early?

Yes, there is something to congratulate, ”Naum objected sternly. - On the first day, but almost burned out.

Ephraim trembled.

How so?

Yes, a kind person was found, he wanted to set fire to it. Fortunately, I actually caught it; Now I'm taking it to town.

Isn't it Akim?.. - Ephraim asked slowly.

How much do you know? Akim. He came at night with a firebrand in a pot - and already made his way into the yard and planted a fire ... All my guys were witnesses. Would you like to have a look? By the way, it's time for us to take him.

Father, Naum Ivanovich, - Ephraim spoke, - let him go, you will not destroy the old man to the end. Do not take this sin to your soul, Naum Ivanovich. You think - a man in despair - lost, so ...

It’s full of lies, - Nahum interrupted him. - How! I will let him out! Yes, he will set fire to me again tomorrow ...

It won't set fire, Naum Ivanovich, believe me. Believe me, you yourself will be calmer this way - after all, there will be questions, a court - after all, you yourself know.

So what is the court? I have nothing to fear from the court.

Father, Naum Ivanovich, how not to be afraid of the court ...

Eh, it's full; you, I see, drunk in the morning, and today is a holiday.

Ephraim suddenly burst into tears.

I'm drunk, but I'm telling the truth," he muttered. - And you forgive him for the feast of Christ.

Well, let's go, baby.

And Naum went to the porch.

For Avdotya Arefyevna, forgive him, - said Ephraim, following him.

Naum went to the basement, opened the door wide. Ephraim, with timid curiosity, stretched out his neck from behind Naumov's back and hardly made out Akim in the corner of the shallow basement. A former rich janitor, a respected man in the neighborhood, sat with his hands tied on the straw, like a criminal ... Hearing a noise, he raised his head ... It seemed that he had become terribly thin over the past two days, especially this night - his sunken eyes barely could be seen under a forehead high as wax, yellowed, dry lips darkened ... His whole face changed and took on a strange expression: cruel and frightened.

Get up and go out, - said Naum.

Akim got up and stepped over the threshold.

Akim Semenych, - Yefrem yelled, - you ruined your little head, my dear! ..

Akim looked at him silently.

If I knew why you asked for wine, I wouldn't give it to you; right, would not give; looks like he'd drink it all! Eh, Naum Ivanovich, - added Ephraim, grabbing Naum by the hand, - have mercy on him, let him go.

What a thing, - Naum objected with a grin. "Well, come out," he added, turning again to Akim... "What are you waiting for?"

Naum Ivanov... - began Akim.

Naum Ivanov, - Akim repeated, - listen: I'm to blame; he wanted to punish you; and God should judge us with you. You took everything from me, you know, everything to the last. Now you can ruin me, but only I'll tell you this: if you let me go now - well! so be it! own everything! I agree and wish you all the best. And I tell you as before God: let go - you will not blame. God is with you!

Akim closed his eyes and fell silent.

How, how, - Naum objected, - you can believe it!

And by God, you can, - Ephraim spoke, - really, you can. I am ready to vouch for him, for Akim Semenych, with my head - well, right!

Nonsense! Naum exclaimed. - Let's go!

Akim looked at him.

As you know, Naum Ivanov. Your will. You only take a lot on your soul. Well, if you can't wait, let's go...

Naum, in turn, looked sharply at Akim. “Really,” he thought to himself, “let him go to hell! Otherwise, people will probably eat me that way. From Avdotya there will be no passage ... ". While Naum was reasoning with himself, no one uttered a word. The worker on the cart, who could see everything through the gate, only shook his head and patted the horse with the reins. The other two workers stood on the porch and were also silent.

Well, listen, old man, - began Naum, - when I let you go and these fellows (he pointed to the workers with his head) I won’t order you to chat, well, you and I will be quits - you understand me, - quits ... huh?

They tell you, own everything.

You won't owe me, and I won't owe you.

Naum was silent again.

And take care!

That's how holy God is, - objected Akim.

After all, I know in advance that I will repent, - said Naum, - yes, no matter what! Come here hands.

Akim turned his back on him; Naum began to untie him.

Look, old man, - he added, pulling the rope from his hands, - remember, I spared you, look!

You are my dear, Naum Ivanovich, - murmured the touched Ephraim, - God have mercy on you!

Akim straightened his swollen and cold hands and was about to go to the gate...

Naum suddenly, as they say, waited - to know, he felt sorry for letting Akim out ...

You swear, look, - he shouted after him.

Akim turned around and, looking around the yard, said sadly:

Own everything, forever indestructible... goodbye.

And he quietly went out into the street, accompanied by Ephraim. Naum waved his hand, ordered the cart to be unhitched and returned to the house.

Where are you, Akim Semyonitch, if not to me? - exclaimed Ephraim, seeing that Akim turned off the main road to the right.

No, Efremushka, thank you, - Akim answered. - I'll go see what my wife is doing.

After you look ... And now it would be necessary for joy - that ...

No, thank you, Ephraim... That's enough. Goodbye. - And Akim went without looking back.

Eka! Quite so! - said the perplexed deacon, - and I still swore for him! I really did not expect this, ”he added with annoyance,“ after I swore for him. Ugh!

He remembered that he forgot to take his knife and pot, and returned to the inn ... Naum ordered to give him his things, but did not even think to treat him. Completely annoyed and completely sober, he came to his home.

Well, - his wife asked, - did you find it?

I have found? - Ephraim objected, - obviously, he found it: here is your dishes.

Akim? - with special emphasis asked his wife.

Ephraim nodded his head.

Akim. But what a goose he is! I swore for him, without me he would have disappeared in prison, but at least he brought me a cup. Ulyana Fyodorovna, at least you respect me, give me a glass.

But Ulyana Fedorovna did not respect him and drove him out of sight.

Meanwhile Akim walked with quiet steps along the road to the village of Lizaveta Prokhorovna. He still could not come to his senses; his whole interior trembled, like that of a man who had just escaped apparent death. He didn't seem to believe in his freedom. With dull amazement he looked at the fields, at the sky, at the larks fluttering in the warm air. The day before, at Ephraim's, he had not slept since dinner, although he lay motionless

on the stove; at first he wanted to drown in himself with wine the unbearable pain of resentment, the anguish of vexation, mad and powerless ... but the wine could not overcome him to the end; his heart diverged, and he began to think of how to repay his villain ... He thought only of Naum, Lizaveta Prokhorovna did not occur to him, he mentally turned away from Avdotya. By evening, the thirst for revenge flared up in him to a frenzy, and he, a good-natured and weak man, waited feverishly for the night and, like a wolf on prey, with fire in his hands, ran to destroy his former home ... But they seized him ... locked him up ... The night has come. Why didn't he change his mind on that cruel night! It is difficult to convey in words everything that happens in a person at such moments, all the torment that he experiences; it is all the more difficult because these torments are wordless and mute even in the person himself ... By morning, before the arrival of Naum and Ephraim, it seemed to Akim that it was easy ... “Everything is lost! - he thought, - everything went down the drain! and waved his hand at everything... If he had been born with an unkind soul, at that moment he could have become a villain; but evil was not characteristic of Akim. Under the blow of an unexpected and undeserved misfortune, in a breath of despair, he decided on a criminal case; it shook him to the core and, failing to succeed, left him with one deep fatigue... Feeling guilty, he tore himself away from everything worldly and began to pray bitterly, but earnestly. At first he prayed in a whisper, and finally, perhaps by accident, he said loudly: “Lord!” - and tears gushed out of his eyes... He wept for a long time and finally calmed down... His thoughts would probably change if he had to pay for his yesterday's attempt... But then he suddenly got freedom... and he went on a date with his wife half-dead, all broken, but calm.

The house of Lizaveta Prokhorovna stood a mile and a half from her village, to the left of the country road along which Akim was walking. At the turn leading to the master's estate, he almost stopped ... and passed by. He decided first to go to his former hut to the old man's uncle.

Akimov's small and rather dilapidated hut was located almost at the very end of the village; Akim walked the whole street without meeting a soul. All the people were

at lunchtime. Only one sick old woman lifted the window to look after him, and the girl, who ran out to the well with an empty bucket, gaped at him and also followed him with her eyes. The first person he met was exactly the uncle he was looking for. The old man had been sitting on the mound under the window since morning, sniffing tobacco and basking in the sun; he was not quite well, that's why he didn't go to church; he was just about to visit another, also an ailing old neighbor, when he suddenly saw Akim... He stopped, allowed him to approach him, and, looking into his face, said:

Hello Akimushka!

Great, - answered Akim and, bypassing the old man, entered the gate of his hut ... His horses, a cow, a cart stood in the yard; immediately his hens were walking... He silently entered the hut. The old man followed him. Akim sat down on a bench and leaned on it with his fists. The old man looked at him pitifully as he stood at the door.

Where is the mistress? Akim asked.

And in the manor house, - the old man deftly objected. - She is there. Here they put your cattle, and what chests they were, and she is there. Al go after her?

Akim was silent.

Go," he finally said.

Eh, uncle, uncle, - he said with a sigh, while he took out his hat from the nail, - do you remember what you told me on the eve of the wedding?

Everything is the will of God, Akimushka.

Remember, you told me that, they say, I’m not your brother to you guys, and now these are the times that have come .... The goal itself became like a falcon.

You can’t get enough of bad people, ”the old man answered,“ but if someone could teach him a good lesson, gentleman, for example, what or some other authority, otherwise what should he be afraid of? The wolf knows the grip of the wolf. - And the old man put on his hat and went.

Avdotya had just returned from church when she was told that her husband's uncle was asking for her. Up to that time she had very rarely seen him; he did not go to their inn and generally had a reputation for an eccentric: he loved tobacco to a passion and was more and more silent.

She went out to him.

What do you want, Petrovich, al what happened?

Nothing happened, Avdotya Arefyevna; your husband is asking you.

Has he returned?

Returned.

Where is he?

And in the village, he sits in a hut.

Avdotya became timid.

What, Petrovich, - she asked, looking him straight in the eyes, - is he angry?

Don't see him getting angry.

Avdotya looked down.

Well, let's go, - she said, put on a large scarf, and both set off. They walked in silence all the way to the village. When they began to approach the hut, Avdotya was overcome with such fear that her knees trembled.

Father, Petrovich, she said, you come in first ... Tell him that I, they say, have come.

Petrovich entered the hut and found Akim sitting in deep thought in the same place where he had left him.

What, - said Akim, raising his head, - or didn't you come?

She has come, said the old man. - Standing at the gate...

Well, send her here.

The old man went out, waved his hand to Avdotya, said to her: "Go," and he sat down again on the mound. Avdotya tremblingly unlocked the door, crossed the threshold, and stopped.

Akim looked at her.

Well, Arefyevna, - he began, - what are we going to do with you now?

Guilty, she whispered.

Eh, Arefyevna, we are all sinful people. What is there to interpret!

It was he, the villain, who killed us both, - Avdotya spoke in a ringing voice, and tears flowed down her face. - You, Akim Semenych, don't leave it like that, get some money from him. You don't pity me. I'm ready to show under oath that I lent him the money. Lizaveta Prokhorovna was free to sell our yard, he is robbing us for something ... Get money from him.

I don’t have to get money from him,” Akim objected sullenly. - We settled with him.

Avdotya was amazed:

How so?

Yes so. Do you know, - continued Akim, and his eyes lit up, - do you know where I spent the night? You do not know? At Naum's basement, bound hand and foot like a sheep, that's where I spent the night. I wanted to set fire to his yard, but he caught me, Naum something; dexterous he hurts! And today he was going to take me to the city, but he really had mercy on me; so I don't get any money from him. And how will I get money from him ... And when, he will say, did I borrow money from you? What am I to say: my wife dug them underground, and took them down to you? He's lying, he'll say your wife. Ali you, Arefyevna, little publicity? It's better to be silent, they tell you to be silent.

I'm to blame, Semyonitch, I'm to blame, - again frightened Avdotya whispered.

That's not the point, - objected Akim, after a pause, - but what are we going to do with you? Now we don’t have any money at home ... money either ...

We'll get along somehow, Akim Semyonitch; We will ask Lizaveta Prokhorovna, she will help us, Kirillovna promised me.

No, Arefyevna, you yourself ask her together with your Kirillovna; you're one field berries. I'll tell you what: you stay here, with God; I won't stay here. Fortunately, we don’t have children, and I might not be lost alone. One head is not poor.

What are you, Semenych, are you going to the cart again?

Akim laughed bitterly.

I'm a good driver, there's nothing to say! Here I found a young man. No, Arefyevna, it's not like getting married; The old man is no good for this. I just don't want to stay here, that's what; I don't want to be poked with fingers... understand? I'll go to pray for my sins, Arefyevna, that's where, I'll go.

What are your sins, Semyonitch? Avdotya said timidly.

About them, wife, I myself know.

But who will you leave me to, Semyonitch? How can I live without a husband?

Who will I leave you to? Eh, Arefyevna, how you say it, right. You really need a husband like me, and even old, and even ruined. How! You got around before, you will get around and forward. And the good that we still have left, take it for yourself, well, it! ..

As you know, Semyonitch,” Avdotya retorted sadly, “you know that better.

That's it. Just don't think that I'm angry with you, Arefyevna. There is nothing to be angry about, when it’s even more so ... First, it was necessary to catch on. I myself am guilty - and punished. (Akim sighed.) Love to ride, love to carry sleds. My old summers, it's time to think about your darling. The Lord himself enlightened me. You see, I, an old fool, wanted to live with my young wife for my own pleasure ... No, old brother, you first pray, but knock your forehead on the ground, but be patient, and fast ... And now go, my mother. I am very tired, I sleep a little.

And Akim stretched out, groaning, on the bench.

Avdotya was about to say something, stood still, looked, turned away and went away... She did not expect that she would get off so cheaply.

What, didn't you beat? - Petrovich asked her, sitting, all hunched over, on the mound, when she caught up with him. Avdotya silently passed by. “Look, you didn’t beat me,” the old man said to himself, grinned, ruffled his beard and sniffed the tobacco.

Akim fulfilled his intention. He hastily arranged his affairs and, a few days after the conversation we transmitted, came in, dressed as a traveler, to say goodbye to his wife, who settled for a while in the wing of the master's house. Their farewell did not last long... Immediately, Kirillovna, who had happened, advised Akim to come to the mistress; he came to her. Lizaveta Prokhorovna received him with some embarrassment, but favorably admitted him to her hand, and asked where he intended to go? He answered that he would go first to Kyiv, and from there wherever God would give. She complimented him and released him. Since then, he very rarely showed himself home, although he never forgot to bring the mistress prosvir with the congratulations taken out ... But everywhere, where only pious Russian people flock, one could see him emaciated and aged, but

still a fine and slender face: and the shrine of St. Sergius, and at the White Shores, and in the Optina Desert, and in remote Valaam; he's been everywhere...

This year, he passed by you in the ranks of countless people, walking in procession behind the icon of the Mother of God in Root; the following year, you found him sitting, with a knapsack over his shoulders, along with other wanderers, on the porch of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Mtsensk ... He came to Moscow almost every spring ...

He wandered from end to end with his quiet, unhurried, but unceasing step - they say he visited Jerusalem itself ... He seemed completely calm and happy, and those people who managed to talk with him spoke a lot about his piety and humility.

Meanwhile, Naumov's economy was going on in the best way possible. He quickly and intelligently set to work and, as they say, went uphill steeply. Everyone in the neighborhood knew by what means he got himself an inn, they also knew that Avdotya had given him her husband's money; no one loved Naum for his cold and harsh temper ... They reproachfully told about him, as if he once answered Akim himself, who asked for alms from him under his window, that God, they say, would give, and did not endure anything; but everyone agreed that there was no happier person than him; his bread was born better than that of his neighbor; the bees swarm more; the hens even rushed more often, the cattle never got sick, the horses did not limp... Avdotya could not hear his name for a long time (she accepted Lizaveta Prokhorovna's offer and again entered her service as chief seamstress); but towards the end her disgust somewhat lessened; they say that need forced her to resort to him, and he gave her a hundred rubles .... Let's not judge her too harshly: poverty will twist anyone, and the sudden upheaval in her life made her very old and humbled: it's hard to believe how soon she turned ugly, how she sank and lost heart ...

How did it all end? the reader will ask.

But what. Naum, having been a successful manager for fifteen years, profitably sold his yard to another tradesman ... He would never have parted with his yard if it were not for

the following, apparently insignificant circumstance happened: two mornings in a row his dog, sitting under the windows, howled long and plaintively; he went out into the street for the second time, looked attentively at the howling dog, shook his head, went to the city and on the same day agreed on a price with a tradesman who had long been haggling to his court ... A week later he left somewhere far away - out of the province; the new Owner moved to his place, so what? On the same evening, the yard burned to the ground, not a single cell survived, and Naumov's heir remained a beggar. The reader can easily imagine what rumors arose in the neighborhood on the occasion of this fire ... Apparently, he took his “task” with him, everyone kept saying ... There are rumors about him that he was engaged in the grain trade and became very rich. But for how long? Not such pillars fell down, and sooner or later an evil end comes to an evil deed. There is not much to say about Lizaveta Prokhorovna: she is still alive and, as is often the case with people of this kind, has not changed in anything, she has not even grown too old, only as if she has become drier; moreover, stinginess in her increased extremely, although it is difficult to understand for whom she saves everything, having no children and not being attached to anyone. In a conversation, she often mentions Akim and assures that since she learned all his qualities, she began to respect the Russian peasant very much. Kirillovna paid off her for decent money and married, for love, some young, blond waiter, from whom she suffers bitter torment; Avdotya still lives in the women's quarters with Lizaveta Prokhorovna, but she has gone down a few more steps, dresses very poorly, almost dirty, and there is no trace left of the capital manners of a fashionable maid, of the habits of a prosperous janitor ... No one notices her, and she herself is glad that no one notices her; old Petrovich died, but Akim is still wandering - and God alone knows how much longer he will have to wander!

Turgenev I.S. Inn / / I.S. Turgenev. Complete works and letters in thirty volumes. M.: Nauka, 1980. T. 4. S. 273-320.

On the big B ... th road, at almost the same distance from the two county towns through which it passes, until recently there was a vast inn, very well known to triple cabbies, convoy peasants, merchant clerks, tradesmen-merchants and, in general, to all numerous and diverse travelers that roll on our roads at any time of the year. It used to be that everyone turned into that yard; unless some kind of landowner's carriage, harnessed by six home-grown horses, solemnly sailed past, which, however, did not prevent either the coachman or the lackey on the heels with some special feeling and attention to look at the porch, which was too familiar to them; or some shank in a wretched cart and with three nickels in a purse in his bosom, having caught up with a rich yard, urged his tired horse, hurrying to spend the night in settlements lying under the main road, to the peasant owner, who, apart from hay and bread, did not you will find nothing, but you will not pay an extra penny. In addition to its favorable location, the inn, which we began to talk about, took many things: excellent water in two deep wells with creaking wheels and iron tubs on chains; a spacious yard with solid plank sheds on thick pillars; a plentiful supply of good oats in the cellar; a warm hut with a huge Russian stove, to which long hogs were attached like heroic shoulders, and finally two fairly clean rooms, with red-lilac, somewhat torn pieces of paper on the walls at the bottom, a painted wooden sofa, the same chairs and two pots of geranium on the windows, which , however, never unlocked and dimmed with years of dust. This inn provided other conveniences: the smithy was close to it, there was almost a mill right there; finally, it was possible to eat well in it by the grace of a fat and ruddy woman cook, who cooked dishes tasty and fatty and did not skimp on supplies; to the nearest tavern it was considered only half a verst; the owner kept snuff, although mixed with ash, but an extremely sharp and pleasantly corrosive nose - in a word, there were many reasons why all kinds of guests were not transferred to that yard. Passers-by fell in love with him - that's the main thing; without this, it is known, no business will go into action; and he fell in love more because, as they said in the neighborhood, that the owner himself was very happy and successful in all his undertakings, although he did not deserve his happiness much, yes, it is clear who is lucky - so lucky.

This owner was a tradesman, his name was Naum Ivanov. He was of medium height, stout, round-shouldered and broad-shouldered; he had a large, round head, wavy hair and already gray, although he did not look more than forty years old; his face was full and fresh, his forehead low, but white and even, and his small, bright, blue eyes, with which he looked very strangely: frowningly and at the same time insolently, which is quite rare. He always held his head dejectedly and turned it with difficulty, perhaps because his neck was very short; walked fluently and did not wave, but shrugged as he walked with clenched hands. When he smiled - and he smiled often, but without laughter, as if to himself - his large lips parted unpleasantly and showed a row of solid and shiny teeth. He spoke abruptly and with a sort of sullen sound in his voice. He shaved his beard, but did not walk the German way. His clothes consisted of a long, very worn caftan, wide trousers and shoes on his bare feet. He often went away from home on business, and he had many of them - he made horses, hired land, kept vegetable gardens, bought gardens and in general was engaged in various commercial transactions - but his absences never lasted long; like a kite, with which he, especially in the expression of his eyes, had much in common, he returned to his nest. He knew how to keep this nest in order: he kept up everywhere, listened to everything and ordered, gave out, let go and paid himself, and did not let anyone down a penny, but he did not take too much either.

The guests did not speak to him, and he himself did not like to waste words. “I need your money, and you need my grub,” he explained, as if tearing off every word, “it’s not for us to baptize children; the traveler ate, fed, do not stay too long. And you're tired, so sleep, don't talk." He kept the workers tall and healthy, but meek and accommodating; they were very afraid of him. He did not take intoxicated drinks in his mouth, but on great holidays he gave them a dime for vodka; on other days they did not dare to drink. People like Naum soon get rich ... but Naum Ivanov did not reach the brilliant position in which he was - and he was considered to be forty or fifty thousand - not in a direct way ...

About twenty years before the time to which we attributed the beginning of our story, there was already an inn on the same place of the main road. True, it did not have the dark red boarded roof, which gave Naum Ivanov's house the appearance of a noble estate; and it was poorer in structure, and in the courtyard it had straw sheds, and instead of log walls - wicker; it also did not differ in a triangular Greek pediment on chiseled columns; but still it was an inn anywhere - roomy, durable, warm - and travelers willingly visited it. Its owner at that time was not Naum Ivanov, but a certain Akim Semyonov, a peasant of a neighboring landowner, Lizaveta Prokhorovna Kuntze, a staff officer. This Akim was a smart and burly muzhik who, at a young age, having set off in a cart with two bad horses, returned a year later with three decent ones, and since then almost all his life he traveled along the high roads, went to Kazan and Odessa, to Orenburg and to Warsaw, and abroad, to Lipetsk, and at the end he walked with two troikas of large and strong stallions harnessed to two huge carts. Was he tired, or something, of his homeless, wandering life, did he want to start a family (during one of his absences his wife died; the children who were also died), only he finally decided to give up his former craft and start an inn yard. With the permission of his mistress, he settled on a high road, bought half a dozen of land in her name and built an inn on it. Things went well. He had too much money for furnishing; the experience acquired by him during long-term wanderings in all parts of Russia served him in great favor; he knew how to please the passers-by, especially his former brother, the cab drivers, of whom he knew many personally and who are especially valued by the owners of inns: these people eat and consume so much for themselves and their mighty horses. Akimov's court became known for hundreds of versts around ... They even more willingly visited him than Naum, who later replaced him, although Akim was far from equal to Naum in his ability to manage. Akim's was more of an old fashioned way, warm, but not entirely clean; and his oats came across light or soaked, and the food was cooked with sin in half; sometimes they served such food on the table with him that it would be better for her to stay in the oven at all, and it’s not that he was stingy with grub, but otherwise the woman would overlook it. On the other hand, he was ready to reduce the price, and, perhaps, he did not refuse to believe in debt, in a word - he was a good man, an affectionate host. For conversations, for refreshments, he was also malleable; Behind the samovar, sometimes an hour will be so loose that you will hang your ears, especially when you start talking about St. Petersburg, about the Cherkassy steppes, or even about the overseas side; well, and, of course, he loved to drink with a good person, only not to disgrace, but more for society - this is how passers-by spoke about him. He was greatly favored by merchants and in general by all those people who are called Old Testament people, those people who, without putting on their belts, will not go on the road, and will not enter the room without crossing themselves, and will not speak to a person without greeting him in advance. Akim's appearance alone disposed in his favor: he was tall, somewhat thin, but very well-built, even in his mature years; the face was long, fine and regular, a high and open forehead, a straight and thin nose, and small lips. The gaze of his bulging brown eyes shone with friendly meekness, thin and soft hair curled into rings around the neck: there were few of them left on the top of his head. The sound of Akimov's voice was very pleasant, although weak; in his youth he sang excellently, but long journeys in the open air, in winter, upset his chest. But he spoke very softly and sweetly. When he laughed, there were ray-shaped wrinkles around his eyes, extremely cute to look at - only kind people can see such wrinkles. Akim's movements were for the most part slow and not devoid of some confidence and important courtesy, like a man who has experienced and seen a lot in his lifetime.

Exactly, Akim Semyonovich would be good to everyone, or, as they called him in the manor house, where he often went to and always on Sundays, after mass - Akim Semenovich, - he would be good to everyone, if only one weakness did not follow him, which already killed many people on earth, and in the end ruined him himself - weakness for the female sex. Amorousness Akim reached the extreme; his heart was in no way capable of resisting a woman's gaze, it melted from it like the first autumn snow from the sun ... and he had already had to pay a fair price for his excessive sensitivity.

During the first year after his settlement on the main road, Akim was so busy building a yard, furnishing a household and all the troubles that are inseparable from every housewarming party, that he definitely had no time to think about women, and if any sinful thoughts came into his mind , so he immediately drove them away by reading various sacred books, for which he had great respect (he learned to read and write from his first trip), singing psalms in an undertone, or some other God-fearing occupation. Moreover, he was already in his forty-sixth year then - and in these summers all passions noticeably subside and cool down, and the time for marriage has passed. Akim himself began to think that this whim, as he expressed it, had jumped off him ... yes, apparently, you could not escape your fate.

The former Akimova landowner, Lizaveta Prokhorovna Kuntze, a staff officer who remained a widow after her husband of German origin, was herself a native of the city of Mitava, where she spent the first years of her childhood and where she had a very large and poor family, which she, however, took care of little, especially since one of her brothers, an army infantry officer, accidentally drove into her house and on the second day became so furious that he almost killed the hostess herself, calling her: "Du, Lumpenmamsell", between the day before he himself called her in broken Russian: "Sister and benefactor." Lizaveta Prokhorovna lived almost without a break in her pretty estate, acquired through the labors of her husband, a former architect; she managed it herself, and she managed it very badly. Lizaveta Prokhorovna did not miss the slightest advantage of herself, from everything she derived benefit for herself; and in this, and even in her extraordinary ability to spend a penny instead of a penny, her German nature showed itself; in all other respects she became very Russified. She had a significant number of domestics; she especially kept many girls, who, however, did not eat bread in vain: from morning to evening their backs were not straightened over work. She liked to ride out in a carriage, with livery footmen at the back; she loved to be gossiped and slandered, and she was an excellent gossip herself; she loved to exact a man with her grace and suddenly strike him with disgrace - in a word, Lizaveta Prokhorovna behaved exactly like a lady. She favored Akim, he paid her a very significant dues regularly, - she spoke graciously to him and even, jokingly, invited him to visit her ... But it was in the master's house that trouble awaited Akim.

Among the maids of Lizaveta Prokhorovna was one girl of about twenty, an orphan named Dunyasha. She was not bad-looking, slender and dexterous; her features, although wrong, could be liked: the fresh color of her skin, thick blond hair, lively gray eyes, a small, round nose, ruddy lips, and especially some kind of cheeky, half-mocking, half-provocative expression on her face - all this was rather sweet in its way. Moreover, in spite of her orphanhood, she behaved sternly, almost haughtily: she came from pillared courtyards; her late father Arefiy was a housekeeper for thirty years, and grandfather Stepan served as a valet for a long-dead gentleman, a guard sergeant and a prince. She dressed neatly and flaunted her hands, which were indeed extremely beautiful. Dunyasha showed great contempt for all her admirers, listened to their courtesies with a self-confident smile, and if she answered them, it was mostly with exclamations like: yes! how! I will become! Here's another!.. These exclamations almost did not leave her tongue. Dunyasha spent about three years in Moscow as an apprentice, where she acquired those special kind of antics and manners that distinguish maids who have been in the capitals. She was spoken of as a girl with pride (great praise in the mouths of courtyard people), who, although she had seen the views, did not drop herself. She did not sew badly either, but for all that, Lizaveta Prokhorovna did not take too good a liking to her due to the mercy of Kirillovna, the chief maid, a woman no longer young, sly and cunning. Kirillovna enjoyed great influence over her mistress and was very skillfully able to eliminate rivals.

Akim will fall in love with this Dunyasha! Yes, I have never been in love before. He first saw her in church: she had just returned from Moscow ... then he met her several times in the manor house, finally spent the whole evening with her at the clerk's, where he was invited to tea along with other honorable people. The courtyards did not disdain him, although he did not belong to their estate and wore a beard; but he was an educated, literate man, and most importantly, with money; moreover, he did not dress like a peasant, he wore a long caftan of black cloth, teenage boots and a handkerchief around his neck. It is true that some of the serfs were talking among themselves that, they say, it was still clear that he was not ours, but they almost flattered him in the eyes. That evening, at the clerk's, Dunyasha finally conquered Akim's amorous heart, although she resolutely did not answer a single word to all his ingratiating speeches and only occasionally glanced at him from the side, as if wondering why this peasant was here. All this only inflamed Akim more. He went to his home, thought, thought, and decided to get her hand ... So she “dried” him to her! But how can one describe Dunyasha's anger and indignation when, five days later, Kirillovna, affectionately calling her to her room, announced to her that Akim (and it was clear he knew how to get down to business), that this bearded man and peasant Akim, with whom she even considered sitting next to an insult, she wooed for her!

Dunyasha at first flushed all over, then forced to laugh, then burst into tears, but Kirillovna launched the attack so skillfully, so clearly made her feel her own position in the house, so deftly hinted at Akim’s decent appearance, wealth and blind devotion, finally mentioned so significantly about the desire of herself mistress that Dunyasha left the room already with thought on her face and, meeting with Akim, only looked intently into his eyes, but did not turn away. The unspeakably generous gifts of this man in love dispelled her last perplexities ... Lizaveta Prokhorovna, to whom Akim offered a hundred peaches on a large silver platter, agreed to his marriage to Dunyasha, and this marriage took place. Akim spared no expense, and the bride, who had sat at the bachelorette party the day before as if dead, and on the very morning of the wedding wept all the time while Kirillovna dressed her for the crown, was soon consoled... She's the same, almost better.

So, Akim got married; moved his young to his yard ... They began to live. Dunyasha turned out to be a bad housewife, a bad support for her husband. She did not enter into anything, she was sad, bored, unless some passing officer paid attention to her and was kind to her, sitting at a wide samovar; she often went away, now to the city for shopping, then to the manor's courtyard, to which it was considered four versts from the inn. In the manor house she rested; there she was surrounded by her own; girls envied her outfits; Kirillovna treated her to tea; Lizaveta Prokhorovna herself talked to her... But even these visits were not without bitter sensations for Dunyasha... She, for example, as a janitor, no longer had to wear hats, and she was forced to tie her head with a scarf... like a merchant's wife, the crafty Kirillovna told her how some petty-bourgeois woman, Dunyasha thought to herself.

"Inn"

On the big B ... road, at almost the same distance from the two county towns through which it passes, until recently there was a vast inn, very well known to trio cabbies, convoy peasants, merchant clerks, tradesmen-merchants and, in general, to all the numerous and heterogeneous passers-by, which roll on our roads at any time of the year. It used to be that everyone turned into that yard; unless some kind of landowner's carriage, harnessed by six home-grown horses, solemnly sailed past, which, however, did not prevent either the coachman or the lackey on the heels with some special feeling and attention to look at the porch, which was too familiar to them; or some shank in a wretched cart and with three nickels in a purse in his bosom, having caught up with a rich yard, urged his tired horse, hurrying to spend the night in settlements lying under the main road, to the peasant owner, who, apart from hay and bread, did not you will find nothing, but you will not pay an extra penny. In addition to its favorable location, the inn we started talking about. took many: excellent water in two deep wells with creaking wheels and iron pails on chains; a spacious yard with continuous plank sheds on thick pillars: an abundant supply of good oats in the basement; a warm hut with a huge Russian stove, to which long hogs were attached like heroic shoulders, and finally two fairly clean rooms, with red-lilac, somewhat torn pieces of paper on the walls at the bottom, a painted wooden sofa, the same chairs and two pots of geranium on the windows, which , however, never unlocked and dimmed with years of dust. This inn provided other conveniences: the smithy was close to it, there was almost a mill right there; finally, it was possible to eat well in it by the grace of a fat and ruddy woman cook, who cooked dishes tasty and fatty and did not skimp on supplies; to the nearest tavern it was considered only half a verst; the owner kept snuff, although mixed with ash, but an extremely sharp and pleasantly corrosive nose - in a word, there were many reasons why all kinds of guests were not transferred to that yard. Passers-by fell in love with him - that's the main thing; without this, it is known, no business will go into action; and he fell in love more because, as they said in the neighborhood, that the owner himself was very happy and successful in all his undertakings, although he did not deserve his happiness, yes, it is clear whoever is lucky is so lucky.

This owner was a tradesman, his name was Naum Ivanov. He was of medium height, stout, round-shouldered and broad-shouldered; he had a large, round head, wavy hair and already gray, although he did not look more than forty years old; his face was full and fresh, his forehead low, but white and even, and his small, bright, blue eyes, with which he looked very strangely: frowningly and at the same time insolently, which is quite rare. He always held his head dejectedly and turned it with difficulty, perhaps because his neck was very short; walked fluently and did not wave, but shrugged as he walked with clenched hands. When he smiled - and he smiled often, but without laughter, as if to himself - his large lips parted unpleasantly and showed a row of solid and shiny teeth. He spoke abruptly and with a sort of sullen sound in his voice. He shaved his beard, but did not walk the German way. His clothes consisted of a long, very worn caftan, wide trousers and shoes on his bare feet. He often went away from home on business, and he had many of them - he made horses, rented land, kept vegetable gardens, bought gardens and in general was engaged in various trade turnovers - but his absences never lasted long; like a kite, with which he, especially in the expression of his eyes, had much in common, he returned to his nest. He knew how to keep this nest in order; he kept pace everywhere, listened to everything and ordered, gave out, let go and paid off himself, and did not let anyone down a penny, but he did not take too much either.

The guests did not speak to him, and he himself did not like to waste words. “I need your money, and you need my grub,” he explained, as if tearing off every word, “it’s not for us to baptize children; the traveler has eaten, fed, don’t stay too long. He kept the workers tall and healthy, but meek and accommodating; they were very afraid of him. He did not take intoxicated drinks in his mouth, but on great holidays he gave them a dime for vodka; on other days they did not dare to drink. People like Naum soon get rich ... but Naum Ivanov did not reach the brilliant position in which he was - and he was considered in forty or fifty thousand - not in a direct way ...

About twenty years before the time to which we attributed the beginning of our story, there was already an inn on the same place of the main road. True, it did not have the dark red boarded roof, which gave Naum Ivanov's house the appearance of a noble estate; and he was poorer in structure, and in the yard he had straw sheds, and instead of log walls - wicker; it also did not differ in a triangular Greek pediment on chiseled columns; but still it was an inn anywhere - roomy, durable, warm - and travelers willingly visited it. Its owner at that time was not Naum Ivanov, but a certain Akim Semyonov, a peasant of a neighboring landowner, Lizaveta Prokhorovna Kupce, a staff officer. This Akim was a smart and burly muzhik who, at a young age, having set off in a cart with two bad horses, returned a year later with three decent ones, and since then almost all his life he traveled along the high roads, went to Kazan and Odessa, to Orenburg and to Warsaw, and abroad, to "Lipetsk" (to Leipzig.), and walked towards the end with two trios of large and strong stallions harnessed to two huge carts. Was he tired, or something, of his homeless, wandering life, did he want to start a family (during one of his absences his wife died; the children who were also died), only he finally decided to give up his former craft and start an inn yard. With the permission of his mistress, he settled on a high road, bought half a dozen of land in her name and built an inn on it. Things went well. He had too much money for furnishing; the experience acquired by him during long-term wanderings in all parts of Russia served him in great favor; he knew how to please the passers-by, especially his former brother, the cab drivers, of whom he knew many personally and who are especially valued by the owners of inns: these people eat and consume so much for themselves and their mighty horses. Akimov's court became known for hundreds of versts around ... They even more willingly visited him than Naum, who later replaced him, although Akim was far from equal to Naum in his ability to manage. Akim's was more of an old-fashioned way, warm, but not entirely clean; and his oats came across light or soaked, and the food was cooked with sin in half; sometimes they served such food on the table with him that it would be better for her to stay in the oven at all, and it’s not that he was stingy with grub, but otherwise the woman would overlook it. On the other hand, he was ready to reduce the price, and, perhaps, he did not refuse to believe in debt, in a word - he was a good man, an affectionate host. For conversations, for refreshments, he was also malleable; Behind the samovar, sometimes an hour will be so loose that you will hang your ears, especially when you start talking about St. Petersburg, about the Cherkassy steppes, or even about the overseas side; well, and, of course, he loved to drink with a good person, only not to disgrace, but more for society - this is how passers-by spoke about him. He was greatly favored by merchants and in general by all those people who are called Old Testament people, those people who, without putting on their belts, will not go on the road, and will not enter the room without crossing themselves, and will not speak to a person without greeting him in advance. Already Akim's appearance was in his favor: he was tall, somewhat thin, but very well-built, even in his mature years: his face was long, fine and regular, a high and open forehead, a straight and thin nose and small lips. The gaze of his bulging brown eyes shone with friendly meekness, thin and soft hair curled into rings around the neck: there were few of them left on the top of his head. The sound of Akimov's voice was very pleasant, though weak; in his youth he sang excellently, but long journeys in the open air, in winter, upset his chest. But he spoke very softly and sweetly. When he laughed, there were ray-shaped wrinkles around his eyes, extremely cute to look at - only kind people can see such wrinkles. Akim's movements were for the most part slow and not devoid of some confidence and important courtesy, like a man who has experienced and seen a lot in his lifetime.

Exactly, Akim Semyonovich would be good for everyone, or, as they called him in the manor house, where he often went to and always on Sundays, after mass - Akim Semenovich, - he would be good for everyone, if only one weakness did not follow him, which already She killed many people on earth, and in the end she killed him too - weakness for the female sex. Amorousness Akim reached the extreme; his heart was in no way capable of resisting a woman's gaze, it melted from it like the first autumn snow from the sun ... and he had already had to pay a fair price for his excessive sensitivity.

During the first year after his settlement on the main road, Akim was so busy building a yard, furnishing a household and all the troubles that are inseparable from every housewarming party, that he definitely had no time to think about women, and if any sinful thoughts came into his mind , so he immediately drove them away by reading various sacred books, for which he had great respect (he learned to read and write from his first trip), singing psalms in an undertone, or some other God-fearing occupation. Moreover, he was already in his forty-sixth year then - and in these summers all passions noticeably subside and cool down, and the time for marriage has passed. Akim himself began to think that this whim, as he put it, had jumped off him ... yes, apparently, you can’t escape your fate.

Akimova landowner, Lizaveta Prokhorovna Kuntze - a staff officer who remained a widow after her husband of German origin, was herself a native of the city of Mitava, where she spent the first years of her childhood and where she had a very large and poor family, about which she, however, cared little , especially since one of her brothers, an army infantry officer, accidentally drove into her house and on the second day became so furious that he almost beat the hostess herself, calling her: "Du, Lumpen-mamselle" ( "You, whore" (German).), while the day before he himself called her in broken Russian: "Sister and benefactor." Lizaveta Prokhorovna lived almost without a break in her pretty estate, acquired through the labors of her husband, a former architect; she managed it herself, and she managed it very badly. Lizaveta Prokhorovna did not miss the slightest advantage of herself, from everything she derived benefit for herself; and in this, and even in her extraordinary ability to spend a penny instead of a penny, her German nature showed itself; in all other respects she became very Russified. She had a significant number of domestics; she especially kept many girls, who, however, did not eat bread in vain: from morning to evening their backs were not straightened over work. She liked to ride out in a carriage, with livery footmen at the back; she loved to be gossiped and slandered, and she was an excellent gossip herself; she loved to exact a man with her mercy and suddenly strike him with disgrace - in a word, Lizaveta Prokhorovna behaved exactly like a lady. She favored Akim, he paid her a very significant dues regularly - she spoke graciously to him and even, jokingly, invited him to visit her ... But it was in the master's house that trouble awaited Akim.

Among the maids of Lizaveta Prokhorovna was one girl of about twenty, an orphan named Dunyasha. She was not bad-looking, slender and dexterous; her features, though wrong, might please: the fresh color of her skin, thick blond hair, lively gray eyes, a small, round nose, ruddy lips, and especially some kind of cheeky, half-mocking, half-provocative expression of her face - all this was rather sweet in its way. Moreover, in spite of her orphanhood, she behaved sternly, almost haughtily: she came from pillared courtyards; her late father Arefiy was a housekeeper for thirty years, and grandfather Stepan served as a valet for a long-dead gentleman, a guard sergeant and a prince. She dressed neatly and flaunted her hands, which were really extremely beautiful. Dunyasha showed great contempt for all her admirers, listened to their courtesies with a self-confident smile, and if she answered them, it was mostly with exclamations like: yes! how! I will become! Here's another!.. These exclamations almost did not leave her tongue. Dunyasha spent about three years in Moscow as an apprentice, where she acquired those special kind of antics and manners that distinguish maids who have been in the capitals. She was spoken of as a girl with pride (great praise in the mouths of courtyard people), who, although she had seen the views, did not drop herself. She did not sew badly either, but for all that, Lizaveta Prokhorovna did not take too good a liking to her due to the mercy of Kirillovna, the chief maid, a woman no longer young, sly and cunning. Kirillovna enjoyed great influence over her mistress and was very skillfully able to eliminate her rivals.

Akim will fall in love with this Dunyasha! Yes, I have never been in love before. He first saw her in church: she had just returned from Moscow ... then he met her several times in the manor house, finally spent the whole evening with her at the clerk's, where he was invited to tea along with other honorable people. The courtyards did not disdain him, although he did not belong to their estate and wore a beard; but he was an educated, literate man, and most importantly, with money; moreover, he did not dress like a peasant, he wore a long caftan of black cloth, teenage boots and a handkerchief around his neck. It is true that some of the serfs were talking among themselves that, they say, it was still clear that he was not ours, but they almost flattered him in the eyes. That evening, at the clerk's, Dunyasha finally conquered Akim's amorous heart, although she resolutely did not answer a single word to all his ingratiating speeches and only occasionally glanced at him from the side, as if wondering why this peasant was here. All this only inflamed Akim more. He went to his home, thought, thought, and decided to win her hand ... So she "dried" him to her! But how to describe the anger and indignation of Dunyasha. when, five days later, Kirillovna, affectionately calling her to her room, announced to her that Akim (and it was obvious that he knew how to get down to business), that this bearded man and peasant Akim, with whom she considered sitting next to resentment, he is wooing her!

Dunyasha at first flushed all over, then forced to laugh, then burst into tears, but Kirillovna launched the attack so skillfully, so clearly made her feel her own position in the house, so deftly hinted at Akim’s decent appearance, wealth and blind devotion, finally mentioned so significantly about the desire of herself mistress that Dunyasha left the room already with thought on her face and, meeting with Akim, only looked intently into his eyes, but did not turn away. The unspeakably generous gifts of this man in love dispelled her last perplexity... Lizaveta Prokhorovna, to whom Akim offered a hundred peaches on a large silver platter, agreed to his marriage to Dunyasha, and this marriage took place. Akim spared no expense, and the bride, who had sat at the bachelorette party the day before like a dead woman, and on the very morning of the wedding she kept crying while Kirillovna dressed her for the crown, soon consoled herself... day gave her the same, almost better.

So, Akim got married; moved his young to his yard ... They began to live. Dunyasha turned out to be a bad housewife, a bad support for her husband. She did not enter into anything, she was sad, bored, unless some passing officer paid attention to her and was kind to her, sitting at a wide samovar; she often went away, now to the city for shopping, then to the manor's courtyard, to which it was considered four versts from the inn. In the manor house she rested; there she was surrounded by her own; girls envied her outfits; Kirillovna treated her to tea; Lizaveta Prokhorovna herself spoke to her... But even these visits were not without bitter sensations for Dunyasha... She, for example, as a janitor, no longer had to wear hats, and she was forced to tie her head with a scarf... like a merchant's wife, sly Kirillovna told her, like some petty-bourgeois woman, Dunyasha thought to herself.

More than once Akim remembered the words of his only relative, an old uncle, a peasant, a seasoned, familyless bean:

Well, brother Akimushka, - he said to him, meeting him on the street, - I heard that you are wooing? ..

Well, yes; what?

Oh, Akim, Akim! You are not a brother to us peasants now, to be sure, and she is not your sister either.

Why isn't she my sister?

And if only with this, - he objected and pointed Akim to his beard, which he began to cut to please his bride - he did not agree to shave it at all ... Akim looked down; and the old man turned away, wrapped the flaps of his sheepskin coat torn at his shoulders, and walked away, shaking his head.

Yes, he thought more than once, Akim groaned and sighed... But his love for his pretty wife did not diminish; he was proud of her - especially when he compared her, not to mention with other women or with his former wife, whom he was married to for sixteen years - but with other yard girls: her caress gave him great pleasure... Perhaps, he thought, he would get used to it, settle in... Moreover, she behaved very well, and no one could say a bad word about her.

So several years passed. Dunyasha really ended up getting used to her life. The older Akim grew, the more he became attached to her and trusted her; her comrades, who did not marry muzhiks, were in dire need of their blood, or were in poverty, or fell into unkind hands ... And Akim grew richer and richer. He succeeded in everything - happiness was lucky for him; only one thing crushed him: God did not give him children. Dunyasha has already crossed over twenty-five years; already everyone began to call her Avdotya Arefyevna. Still, she did not become a real mistress - but she fell in love with her house, disposed of supplies, looked after the worker ... True, she did all this somehow, did not observe, as it should, cleanliness and order; but in the main room of the inn, next to the portrait of Akim, hung her portrait, painted in oils and commissioned by her from the most homegrown painter, the son of the parish deacon. She was presented in a white dress, yellow shawl, six strings of large pearls around her neck, long earrings in her ears and rings on each finger. It was possible to recognize her - although the painter depicted her as too plump and ruddy and painted her eyes, instead of gray, black and even somewhat oblique ... Akim did not succeed at all: he came out somehow dark - a la Rembrandt, - so that some passer-by would come up, take a look, and only mumble a little. Avdotya began to dress rather casually; she throws a large scarf over her shoulders - and the dress somehow sits under it: laziness seized her, that sighing, lethargic, drowsy laziness to which the Russian person is too prone, especially when his existence is ensured ...

With all that, the affairs of Akim and his wife went very well - they lived well and were known as exemplary spouses. But like a squirrel that cleans its nose at the very moment when the shooter aims at it, a person does not foresee his misfortune - and suddenly he breaks down, as if on ice ...

One autumn evening, a merchant with red goods stopped at Akim's inn. By various detours he made his way with two loaded wagons from Moscow to Kharkov; he was one of those pedlars whom landlords, and especially landlords' wives and daughters, sometimes look forward to with such great impatience. With this peddler, a man already elderly, rode two comrades, or, to put it more correctly, two workers - one pale, thin and hunchbacked, the other a young, prominent, handsome fellow of about twenty. They asked for supper, then sat down to tea; the peddler asked the hosts to eat a cup with them - the hosts did not refuse. A conversation soon struck up between the two old men (Akim was fifty-six years old); the peddler asked about the neighboring landowners - and no one better than Akim could give him all the necessary information about them; the hunchbacked worker went incessantly to look at the carts, and at last retired to sleep; Avdotya had to talk with another worker... She sat beside him and spoke little, listening more to what he was telling her; but apparently she liked his speeches: her face brightened up, the color played on her cheeks, and she laughed quite often and willingly. The young worker sat almost motionless, his curly head bent to the table; spoke quietly, without raising his voice and without haste; but his eyes, small but boldly light and blue, ticked and glared at Avdotya; at first she turned away from them, then she herself began to look into his face. The face of this young lad was as fresh and smooth as a Crimean apple; he often grinned and played with his white fingers on his chin, which was already covered with sparse and dark down. He expressed himself like a merchant, but very freely and with a kind of careless self-confidence - and he kept looking at her with the same fixed and insolent look ... Suddenly he moved a little closer to her and, without changing his face in the least, said to her:

Avdotya Arefyevna, there is no one better than you in the world; I seem ready to die for you.

Avdotya laughed out loud.

What are you? Akim asked her.

Why, they tell such funny things, ”she said without much, however, embarrassment.

The old peddler grinned.

Hehe, yes, sir; My Naum is such a joker, sir. But don't listen to him.

Yes! how! I will listen to them,” she objected, shaking her head.

Heh, of course, sir, - the old man remarked.

Much satisfied, sir, and we, sir, - said Akim, and also got up, - for a treat, that is; However, we wish you good night. Avdotyugaka, get up.

Avdotya got up, as if reluctantly, Naum got up after her ... and everyone dispersed.

The hosts went to a separate closet, which served them instead of a bedroom. Akim snored at once. Avdotya could not fall asleep for a long time... At first she lay quietly, turning her face to the wall, then she began to toss and turn on the hot down jacket, now throwing off, now pulling on the blanket... then she dozed off in a thin drowsiness. Suddenly a loud male voice was heard from the yard: he was singing some kind of drawn-out, but not mournful song, the words of which could not be made out. Avdotya opened her eyes, leaned on her elbows and began to listen... The song went on and on... It shimmered loudly in the autumn air.

Akim raised his head.

Who is singing this? - he asked.

I don't know, she replied.

She sings well,” he added, after a pause. “Very well. What a strong voice. So I used to sing in my time,” he continued, “and I sang well, but my voice deteriorated. And this one is good. To know, well done, he sings, Naum, or something, his name is .- And he turned on the other side - sighed and fell asleep again.

For a long time the voice did not stop... Avdotya kept listening and listening; finally, he suddenly seemed to break off, once again shouted famously, and slowly froze. Avdotya crossed herself, laid her head on the pillow... Half an hour passed... She got up and began to quietly get out of bed...

Where are you, wife? Akim asked her through her sleep.

She stopped.

Fix the icon lamp, - she said, - something can’t sleep ...

And you pray, - murmured Akim, falling asleep.

Avdotya went up to the lamp, began to straighten it, and accidentally extinguished it; came back and went to bed. Everything is quiet.

The next morning, early, the merchant set off on his journey with his comrades. Avdotya was sleeping. Akim saw them off from half a verst: he had to go to the mill. Returning home, he found his wife already dressed and not alone: ​​yesterday's young guy, Naum, was with her. They stood by the table by the window and talked. Seeing Akim, Avdotya silently walked out of the room, and Naum said that he had returned for the master's mittens, which he seemed to have forgotten on the bench, and also left.

We will now tell the readers what they probably guessed without us: Avdotya passionately fell in love with Naum. How it could have happened so soon is hard to explain; it is all the more difficult because up to that time she had behaved impeccably, despite many cases and temptations to change her marital fidelity. Subsequently, when her connection with Naum became public, many in the neighborhood explained that on the very first evening he poured a love potion into her cup of tea (we still firmly believe in the reality of such a remedy) and that this could very easily be seen from Avdotya, which seemed to soon begin to lose weight and get bored.

Be that as it may, but only Naum began to be seen quite often at Akimov's yard. At first he traveled again with the same merchant, and after three months he appeared alone, with his own goods; then a rumor spread that he had settled in one of the nearby county towns, and since then not a week had passed without his strong painted cart, drawn by a pair of round horses, which he drove himself, appeared on the main road. Between Akim and him there was no special friendship, and hostility between them was not noticed; Akim did not pay much attention to him and knew only about him as a bright fellow who briskly went into action. He did not suspect Avdotya's real feelings and continued to trust her as before.

So another two years passed.

One day, on a summer day, before dinner, at one o'clock, Lizaveta Prokhorovna, who during precisely these two years somehow suddenly wrinkled and turned yellow, despite all kinds of ointments, rouge and whitewash, - Lizaveta Prokhorovna, with a dog and a folding umbrella , went out for a walk in her neat German garden. Slightly noisy with her starched dress, she walked with small steps along the sandy path, between two rows of dahlias stretched out to a string, when suddenly our old acquaintance Kirillovna overtook her and respectfully reported that some B ... Y merchant wanted to see her on a very important matter . Kirillovna, as before, enjoyed her master's grace (in essence, she managed the estate of Madame Kunze) and for some time received permission to wear a white cap, which gave even more sharpness to the delicate features of her swarthy face.

Merchant? - asked the lady. - What does he want?

I don’t know what they want,” Kirillovna objected in an insinuating voice, “only, it seems they want to buy something from you, sir.

Lizaveta Prokhorovna returned to the drawing room, sat down in her usual place, an armchair with a dome, on which ivy wriggled beautifully, and ordered the Lord merchant to be called.

Nahum entered, bowed, and stopped at the door.

I heard you want to buy something from me? - began Lizaveta Prokhorovna and thought to herself; "What a handsome man this merchant is."

Exactly like that.

What exactly?

Would you like to sell your inn?

What yard?

Yes, that's on the high road, not far from here,

Yes, this yard is not mine. This is Akimov's yard.

How not yours? Sitting on your land, sir.

Let's say that my land ... was bought in my name; yes, his yard.

Yes, sir. So, would you mind selling it to us, sir?

How can I sell it?

Yes, sir. And we would put a good price, sir. Lizaveta Prokhorovna was silent for a moment.

Really, it’s strange,” she began again, “as you say. What would you give? she added. “That is, I am not asking this for myself, but for Akim.

Yes, with all the buildings, sir, and the land, sir, well, yes, of course, and with the land that is at that court, two thousand rubles would be given, sir.

Two thousand rubles! It's not enough, - objected Lizaveta Prokhorovna.

Real price-s.

Did you talk to Akim?

Why should we talk to them? The yard is yours, and so we deign to talk with you, sir.

Yes, I told you ... Really, it's amazing how you don't understand me!

Why not understand, sir; understand, sir.

Lizaveta Prokhorovna looked at Naum, Naum looked at Lizaveta Prokhorovna.

So how, sir, - he began, - what will be your proposal, that is,?

For my part ... - Lizaveta Prokhorovna stirred in her chair. - Firstly, I tell you that two thousand is not enough, and secondly ...

Let's throw in a hundred, if you please. Lizaveta Prokhorovna got up.

I see that you are not saying that at all, I already told you that I cannot sell this yard and will not sell it. I can't... that is, I don't want to...

Naum smiled and was silent.

Well, whatever you like, sir,” he uttered, shrugging his shoulder slightly, “we beg your pardon, sir.” And he bowed and took hold of the doorknob.

Lizaveta Prokhorovna turned to him.

However ... - she said with a barely noticeable hesitation, - you still do not leave. - She called: Kirillovna appeared from the office. - Kirillovna, they were ordering Mr. Merchant to drink tea. I'll see you again," she added, nodding her head slightly.

Naum bowed once more and left with Kirillovna.

Lizaveta Prokhorovna walked up and down the room a couple of times and rang again. This time the Cossack entered. She ordered him to call Kirillovna. A few moments later Kirillovna entered, slightly creaking in her new trestle shoes.

Have you heard,” Lizaveta Prokhorovna began with a forced laugh, “what this merchant is offering me? Such, right, an eccentric!

No, sir, I haven't heard... What is it, sir? - And Kirillovna slightly narrowed her black Kalmyk eyes.

He wants to buy Akimov Yard from me.

So what?

Why, how... And what about Akim? I gave it to Akim.

And, pardon me, mistress, what are you deigning to say? Isn't this yard yours? We are not yours, are we? And everything that we have, is it not yours, not the master's?

What are you saying, Kirillovna, have mercy? - Lizaveta Prokhorovna took out a cambric handkerchief and nervously blew her nose. - Akim bought this yard with his own money.

With your own money? Where did he get this money from? Is it not by your grace? Yes, and so he used the land for so long ... After all, everything is by your own mercy. Do you think, madam, that he will never have any more money? Yes, he is richer than you, by God, sir.

All this is true, of course; but still I can't... How can I sell this yard?

Why not sell, sir? - continued Kirillovna. - Fortunately, the buyer was found. May I ask how much they offer you?

More than two thousand rubles,” said Lizaveta Prokhorovna quietly.

He, madam, will give more if he offers two thousand from the first word. And then you will become with Akim; Throw off the quitrent, or something. He will still be grateful.

Of course, it will be necessary to reduce the quitrent. But no, Kirillovna, how can I sell ... - II Lizaveta Prokhorovna went up and down the room ... - No, it's impossible, it's not good ... no, please, don't tell me that anymore ... and then I get angry...

But, in spite of the agitated Lizaveta Prokhorovna's prohibitions, Kirillovna continued to speak, and half an hour later she returned to Naum, whom she had left behind the samovar in the buffet.

What will you tell me, sir, my dearest? said Naum, dapperly tipping his finished cup onto a saucer.

Otherwise I’ll tell you,” Kirillovna objected, “go to the mistress, she is calling you.”

I’m listening, sir, answered Naum, got up and followed Kirillovna into the drawing room.

The door closed behind them ... When at last that door opened again and Naum, bowing, stepped out of it with his back, the matter was already coordinated; Akimov's yard belonged to him: he bought it for two thousand eight hundred rubles in banknotes. The bill of sale was supposed to be completed as soon as possible and not to be disclosed until the time; Lizaveta Prokhorovna received a hundred rubles as a deposit, and two hundred rubles went to Kirillovna for mogarych. “I bought it cheap,” thought Naum, climbing onto the cart, “thank you, the case came out.”

At the very time when the deal we told was taking place in the manor house, Akim was sitting alone on a bench under his window and stroking his beard with a displeased look ... We said above that he did not suspect his wife's disposition towards Naum, although good people more than once he was hinted that it was time, they say, to take up your mind; of course, he himself could sometimes notice that for some time his mistress seemed to have become more agile, but you know: the female sex is brittle and whimsical. Even when it really seemed to him that something was wrong in his house, he only waved his hand; he did not want, as they say, to lift a string; good nature in him did not decrease over the years, and laziness took its toll. But that day he was very out of sorts; the day before, he quite by accident overheard a conversation in the street between his worker and another neighboring woman ...

Baba asked the worker why she didn’t come to her party in the evening: “I, they say, was waiting for you.”

Yes, I was and went, - the worker objected, - yes, it was a sinful deed, I pushed myself against the hostess ... so that it was empty for her!

She sucked herself up ... - the woman repeated in a kind of drawn-out voice and propped up her cheek with her hand. - And where did you suck on her, my mother?

And for the hemp growers, for the priests. The hostess, to know, to her own, to Naum, went out to hemp, but I couldn’t see in the dark, from a month, or something, God knows, just ran into them like that.

She ran over, - the woman repeated again. - Well, and what is she, my mother, with him - standing?

Worth - nothing. He stands and she stands. She saw me and said: where are you running? went home. I went.

She went. - The woman was silent. - Well, goodbye, Fetinyushka, - she said and trudged along her way.

This conversation had an unpleasant effect on Akim. His love for Avdotya had already cooled, but still he did not like the words of the worker. And she told the truth: indeed, that evening, Avdotya went out to Naum, who was waiting for her in a solid shadow that fell on the road from a motionless and tall hemp plant. Dew moistened from top to bottom each of its stalk; a strong, stupefying smell was all around. The moon has just risen, big and crimson in a blackish and dull fog. Naum heard Avdotya's hurried steps from a distance and went to meet her. She went up to him, all pale from running; the moon shone in her face.

Well, did you bring it? he asked her.

She brought something, - she answered in an indecisive voice, - but what, Naum Ivanovich ...

Come on, if you brought it, ”he interrupted her and held out his hand ...

She pulled out a bundle from under her kerchief. Naum immediately took it and put it in his bosom.

Naum Ivanovich,” Avdotya said slowly and without taking her eyes off him ... “Oh, Naum Ivanovich, I will ruin my darling for you ...

At that moment, a worker approached them.

So, Akim sat on a bench and stroked his beard with displeasure. Avdotya kept coming into the room and going out again. He just followed her with his eyes. Finally, she went in again and, having taken a shower jacket in the closet, she already stepped over the threshold - he could not stand it and spoke, as if to himself:

I wonder, - he began, - why are the women always fussing? To sit that way so that in place, do not demand this from them. It's none of their business. But somewhere to run away in the morning, whether in the evening, they love it. Yes.

Avdotya listened to her husband's speech to the end, without changing her position; only at the word "evening" she moved her head a little and seemed to think.

You, Semyonitch," she finally uttered with annoyance, "you know how you start talking, already here ...

She waved her hand and left, slamming the door. Avdotya really did not appreciate Akimov's eloquence very highly, and it happened that in the evenings, when he began to reason with passers-by or indulged in stories, she yawned silently or went away. Akim looked at the locked door... "When you start talking," he repeated in an undertone... And he got up, thought, and tapped his fist on the back of the head...

A few days passed after that day in a rather strange way. Akim kept looking at his wife, as if he was about to say something to her; and she, for her part, looked at him suspiciously; moreover, they were both forcedly silent; however, this silence was usually interrupted by Akim's peevish remark about some omission in the household or about women in general; Avdotya for the most part did not answer him a word. However, with all the good-natured weakness of Akim, a decisive explanation would certainly have come between him and Avdotya, if, finally, an incident had not happened, after which all explanations were useless.

Namely, one morning Akim and his wife were just about to have an afternoon snack (there were not a single passer-by in the inn, behind summer work), when suddenly the cart briskly pounded along the road and abruptly stopped in front of the porch. Akim looked out the window, frowned and looked down: Naum was climbing out of the cart, slowly. Avdotya did not see him, but when his voice rang out in the passage, the spoon trembled faintly in her hand. He ordered the worker to put the horse in the yard. Finally the door opened and he entered the room.

Good," he said, and took off his hat.

Great, - Akim repeated through his teeth. - Where did God bring it from?

In the neighborhood, - he objected, and sat down at the bench. - I'm from the mistress.

From the mistress, - Akim said, still not rising from his seat. - On business, or what?

Yes, on business. Avdotya Arefyevna, our respect to you.

Hello, Naum Ivanovich, - she answered. Everyone was silent.

What do you have, stew, to know what kind, - began Naum ...

Yes, stew, - objected Akim and suddenly turned pale, - but not about you.

Naum looked at Akim with surprise.

Why not about me?

Yes, that's what's not about you. - Akim's eyes sparkled, and he hit his hand on the table. - I don't have anything about you in the house, do you hear?

What are you, Semyonitch, what are you? What happened to you?

There's nothing wrong with me, but I'm tired of you, Naum Ivanovich, that's what. The old man got up and shook all over.

Naum also stood up.

Yes, brother, tea is crazy, - he said with a grin. - Avdotya Arefyevna, what's the matter with him?

What are you saying to me? - asked Naum significantly.

Get away from here; that's what I'm telling you. Here is God, but here is the threshold... you understand? and that will be bad!

Naum stepped forward.

Fathers, do not fight, my darlings, - stammered Avdotya, who until that moment had been sitting motionless at the table.

Naum looked at her.

Don't worry, Avdotya Arefievna, why fight! Eksta, brother,” he continued, turning to Akim, “how you shouted. Right. What a quickie! Is it ever heard of to drive out of someone else's house, - Naum added with a slow arrangement, - and even the owner.

Like from someone else's house, - muttered Akim. - What owner?

And at least me.

And Naum screwed up his eyes and bared his white teeth.

How you? Am I not the owner?

You are so stupid, brother. They tell you - I'm the owner.

Akim rolled his eyes.

What are you lying about, as if you ate too much henbane, - he finally spoke. - What the hell are you, the owner?

What's the deal with you, - Naum cried impatiently. - Do you see this paper, - he continued, pulling out a stamp sheet folded in four from his pocket, - see? This is a bill of sale, you understand, a bill of sale both for your land and for your yard; I bought them from the landowner, I bought them from Lizaveta Prokhorovna; yesterday they made a bill of sale in B ... e - the owner is here, therefore, I, and not you. Today pack your belongings,” he added, putting the paper back in his pocket, “and tomorrow so that your spirit is not here, do you hear?

Akim stood as if struck by thunder.

A robber, he moaned at last, a robber... Hey, Fedka, Mitka, wife, wife, grab him, grab him - hold him!

He got completely lost.

Look, look, - Naum said with a threat, - look, old man, don't be a fool...

Yes, beat him, beat him, wife! - repeated Akim in a tearful voice, in vain and helplessly rushing from his place. - A murderer, a robber ... It’s not enough for you ... and you want to take my house away from me and that’s it ... No, stop ... this can’t be maybe... I'll go myself, I'll tell you myself... How... what to sell for... Wait... wait...

And he rushed into the street without a hat.

Where, Akim Semyonitch, where are you running, father? Fetinya, the worker, spoke up as she ran into him at the door.

To the lady! let it go! To the mistress ... - Akim yelled and, seeing Naumov's cart, which they had not yet managed to bring into the yard, he jumped into it, grabbed the reins and, striking the horse with all his might, started galloping to the master's yard.

Mother, Lizaveta Prokhorovna, he kept repeating to himself throughout the whole journey, why such disgrace? Seems to be zealous!

And in the meantime, he kept slashing and slashing the horse. Those who met him stood aside and looked after him for a long time.

At a quarter of an hour Akim reached the estate of Lizaveta Prokhorovna; galloped up to the porch, jumped off the cart, and stumbled straight into the hall.

What do you want? muttered the frightened footman, who was dozing sweetly on the horse.

Lady, I need to see the lady, Akim said loudly.

The footman was amazed.

Al what happened? he began...

Nothing happened, but I need to see the lady.

I'm sorry, what? said the more and more astonished footman, and slowly drew himself up.

Akim came to his senses... It was as if they poured cold water on him.

Report, Pyotr Yevgrafych, to the mistress,” he said with a low bow, “that Akim, they say, wants to see them ...

All right... I'll go... I'll report... And you, you know, you're drunk, wait a minute,' the footman grumbled and left.

Akim looked down and seemed to be embarrassed... Determination quickly disappeared from him from the very moment he entered the hallway.

Lizaveta Prokhorovna was also embarrassed when she was informed of Akim's arrival. She immediately ordered Kirillovna to be called to her office.

I can’t accept him,” she began hastily, as soon as she appeared, “I just can’t. What will I tell him? I told you that he would certainly come and complain,” she added with annoyance and excitement, “I said ...

Why are you taking it, sir,” Kirillovna objected calmly, “it’s not necessary, sir. Why would you worry, please.

Yes, how can it be?

If you'll allow me, I'll talk to him.

Lizaveta Prokhorovna raised her head.

Do me a favor, Kirillovna. Talk to him. You tell him ... there - well, what I found necessary ... but by the way, that I will reward him ... well, there, you already know. Please, Kirillovna.

Don't worry, madam," Kirillovna objected, and went away, creaking her shoes.

A quarter of an hour had not elapsed when their creaking was heard again, and Kirillovna entered the office with the same calm expression on her face, with the same sly intelligence in her eyes.

Well, what, - her mistress asked, - what about Akim?

Nothing, sir. He says, sir, that everything is in the will of your mercy, if you were healthy and prosperous, and with his age it will become.

And he didn't complain?

Not at all. Why should he complain?

Why did he come? said Lizaveta Prokhorovna, not without some bewilderment.

And he came to ask, sir, until the award, if your grace would not forgive him the quitrent, for the coming year, that is ...

Of course, to forgive, to forgive, - Lizaveta Prokhorovna picked up with liveliness, - of course. With pleasure. In general, tell him that I will reward him. Well. thank you, Kirillovna. And he, I see, is a good man. Wait,' she added, 'give him this from me.' And she took out a three-ruble banknote from her work table. 'Here, take it, give it to him.'

I’m listening, sir, objected Kirillovna and, calmly returning to her room, calmly locked the banknote in a wrought-iron chest that stood at her head; she kept all her cash in it, and there were many.

Kirillovna reassured her mistress with her report, but the conversation between her and Akim did not actually take place exactly as she conveyed it; namely:

She ordered him to be called to her maid's room. At first he did not go to her, declaring, moreover, that he did not want to see Kirillovna, but Lizaveta Prokhorovna herself, but at last he obeyed and went through the back porch to Kirillovna. He left her alone. Entering the room, he immediately stopped and leaned against the wall near the door, wanted to speak... but could not.

Kirillovna looked at him intently.

Do you, Akim Semyonitch,” she began, “want to see the mistress?

He just nodded his head.

This is impossible, Akim Semyonitch. Yes, and why? You can't redo what you've done, only you will disturb them. They can't accept you now, Akim Semyonitch.

They can’t,” he repeated, and paused.

Listen, Akim Semyonitch. You, I know, have always been a prudent person. This is the will of the Lord. And you can't change that. You won't change that. What are we going to argue with you here, because this will not lead to anything. Is not it?

Akim put his hands behind his back.

But you’d better think about it,” Kirillovna continued, “wouldn’t you ask your lady to pay you a quitrent, or something ...

So, the house will disappear like that, - repeated Akim in the same voice.

Akim Semyonitch, I'm telling you: it's impossible. You yourself know this better than me.

Yes. At least how far did he go, yard?

I do not know this, Akim Semyonitch; I can't tell you... Why are you standing like that,' she added, 'sit down.

Let's stay like that. Our business is peasant, we thank you humbly.

What kind of a man are you, Akim Semyonitch? You are the same merchant, you cannot even be compared with a yard, what are you? Don't kill in vain. Would you like some tea?

No thanks, not required. So the house remained behind you, - he added, separating himself from the wall. - Thanks for that too. We ask for forgiveness, sir.

And he turned and walked out. Kirillovna straightened her apron and went to the mistress.

And to know, I really became a merchant, - Akim said to himself, stopping in thought in front of the gate. - Good merchant! He waved his hand and smiled bitterly. “Well! Go home!

And, completely forgetting about Naum's horse, on which he arrived, he trudged on foot along the road to the inn. He had not yet managed to move the first verst, when he suddenly heard the sound of a cart next to him.

Akim, Akim Semenych, someone called him.

He raised his eyes and saw an acquaintance of his, the parish deacon Ephraim, nicknamed the Mole, a small, hunched man with a pointed nose and blind eyes. He was sitting in a wretched cart, on a piece of straw, leaning his chest against the irradiation.

Home, are you going? he asked Akim.

Akim stopped.

Do you want a ride?

And perhaps give me a ride.

Ephraim stepped aside, and Akim climbed into his cart. Ephraim, who seemed to be tipsy, began to whip his little horse with the ends of the rope reins; she ran at a weary trot, constantly twitching her unbridled muzzle.

They rode a mile away without saying a word to each other. Akim sat with his head bowed, and Ephraim just muttered something under his breath, now urging, then holding back the horse.

Where did you go without a hat, Semyonitch? he suddenly asked Akim and, without waiting for an answer, continued in an undertone: You are a rooster; I know you and love you for being a rooster; you are not a slayer, not a brawler, not an easy-going one; you are a housebuilder, but a rooster, and such a rooster - it would be time for you to be under the command for this, by God; because this is a bad business ... Hurrah! - he suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs, - hurrah! Hurrah!

Stop, stop, - a woman's voice sounded nearby, - stop!

Akim looked around. A woman was running across the field towards the cart, so pale and disheveled that at first he did not recognize her.

Stop, stop,” she groaned again, panting and waving her arms.

Akim shuddered: it was his wife. He grabbed the reins.

And why stop, - Ephraim muttered, - stop for a woman? Well!

But Akim abruptly reined in his horse. At that moment Avdotya ran to the road and fell right on her face into the dust.

Father, Akim Semyonitch, she yelled, he kicked me out too!

Akim looked at her and did not move, only pulled the reins even tighter.

Hooray! Ephraim exclaimed again.

So he kicked you out? Akim said.

He kicked me out, father, my darling, - Avdotya answered, sobbing. - He kicked me out, father. He says the house is now mine, so go, they say, get out.

Important, that's how good it is ... important! Efrem noted.

And you, tea, were going to stay? Akim said bitterly, continuing to sit on the cart.

What to stay! Yes, father, - picked up Avdotya, who was about to rise to her knees and hit the ground again, - you don’t know, because I ... Kill me, Akim Semyonitch, kill me right there, on the spot ...

Why beat you, Arefyevna! - dejectedly objected Akim, - you yourself defeated yourself! what is there?

Why, what do you think, Akim Semenych ... After all, money ... your money ... After all, there is none, your money, then ... After all, I got them, accursed, from the underground, all of them to that villain - then, you gave it to Naum, damned... And why did you tell me where you hide your money, damned me... After all, he bought a courtyard with your money... such a villain...

Akim grabbed his head with both hands.

How! - he shouted at last, - so is all the money ... and the money, and the yard, and you are ... Ah! I got it from the underground... I got it... Yes, I'll kill you, you snake in the hole...

And he jumped off the cart...

Semenych, Semenych, don't hit, don't fight, - Ephraim murmured, whose drunkenness began to pass from such an unexpected incident.

No, father, kill me, father, kill me, the accursed one: hit me, don't listen to him, - Avdotya shouted, convulsively lying at Akimov's feet.

He stood for a moment, looked at her, moved a few steps away and sat down on the grass near the road.

There was a slight silence. Avdotya turned her head in his direction.

Semenych, and Semenych, - Ephraim spoke, rising in the cart, - you are full ... After all, you can’t help that ... trouble. Pah, what an opportunity," he continued, as if to himself, "what a damned woman... Go to him, you," he added, leaning across the garden to Avdotya, "you see, he's stunned.

Avdotya got up, approached Akim, and again fell at his feet.

Akim got up and went back to the cart. She grabbed the skirt of his caftan.

Went away! he shouted fiercely and pushed her away.

Where are you? Ephraim asked him, seeing that he was sitting down next to him again.

And you wanted to give me a lift to the yard, - said Akim, - so take me to your yard... Mine is gone. You bought it from me.

Come on, let's go to my place. How about her?

Akim did not answer.

And me, me, - Avdotya picked up with a cry, - who are you leaving me to ... where will I go?

And go to him, - Akim objected without turning around, - to whom did you take my money ... Go, Ephraim!

Ephraim hit the horse, the cart rolled, Avdotya wailed...

Ephraim lived a verst from Akimov's court, in a small house, in a priest's settlement, located near a lonely five-domed church, recently built by the heirs of a wealthy merchant, by virtue of a spiritual will. Ephraim did not say anything to Akim all the way, and only occasionally shook his head and uttered words like: "Oh, you!" yes: "oh you!" Akim sat motionless, slightly turning away from Ephraim. Finally they arrived. Ephraim jumped off the cart first. A girl of six years old, in a low-belted shirt, ran out to meet him, and shouted:

Dad! Dad!

Where is your mother? Ephraim asked her.

Sleeping in a nook.

Well, let him sleep. Akim Semyonitch, why don't you come into the little room.

(It should be noted that Ephraim "poked" him only when he was drunk; and not such persons said to Akim: you.) Akim entered the deacon's hut.

Here, on the bench, please, - said Ephraim. - Come on, you shooters, - he shouted at three other children, who, together with two emaciated and ash-stained cats, suddenly appeared from different corners of the room. - Come out! Shout! Here, Akim Semyonitch, here,' he continued, seating the guest, 'wouldn't you like something?

What can I tell you, Ephraim, - Akim finally said, - is it possible to wine?

Ephraim was startled.

Guilt? Instantly. I don’t have it at home, it’s wine, but now I’m running away to Father Theodore. He always ... Instantly "running ...

And he grabbed his eared hat.

Yes, bring more, I'll pay, - Akim shouted after him. - I will still have money for this.

Instantly! Ephraim repeated once more, disappearing behind the door. He really returned very soon with two damask bottles under his arm, one of which was already uncorked, put them on the table, took out two green cups, a loaf of bread and salt.

That's what I love, - he repeated, sitting down in front of Akim. - Why grieve? - He poured both him and himself ... and started chatting ... Avdotya's act puzzled him. So, he bewitched her to him ... huh? This is what it means to strictly observe a wife! It should be kept in tight grips. Still, it's not bad for you to go home; because there, tea, you have a lot of good left.

And many more similar speeches were made by Ephraim; when he drank, he did not like to be silent.

An hour later, this is what happened in Ephraim's house. Akim, who during the whole drinking-bout did not answer a word to the questions and remarks of his talkative master and only drank glass after glass, slept on the stove, all red, slept a heavy and painful sleep; the children marveled at him, but Ephraim... Alas! Ephraim also slept, but only in a very cramped and cold closet, where his wife, a woman of very courageous and strong build, locked him up. He was about to go to her, in the cloak, and began to either threaten her or tell her something, but he expressed himself so incongruously and incomprehensibly that she immediately realized what was the matter, took him by the collar and led him where she should be. However, he slept in the closet very well and even calmly. Habit!

Kirillovna did not quite correctly convey to Lizaveta Prokhorovna her conversation with Akim ... The same can be said about Avdotya. Naum did not kick her out, although she told Akim that he kicked her out; he had no right to expel her ... He was obliged to give the old masters time to get out. Between him and Avdotya there were explanations of a completely different kind.

When Akim, shouting that he was going to the mistress, ran out into the street, Avdotya turned to Naum, looked at him wide-eyed, and clasped her hands.

God! - she began, - Naum Ivanovich, what is it? Have you bought our yard?

What about? - he objected. - I bought it.

Avdotya was silent for a moment, and then suddenly she burst into flames.

So what did you need the money for?

Exactly so, if you please, sir. Ege, yes, it seems your hubby rode on my horse, ”he added, hearing the sound of wheels.“ What a fine fellow!

Why, it’s robbery after that,” Avdotya cried out, “after all, this is our money, husband’s money, and our yard ...

No, sir, Avdotya Arefyevna, - Naum interrupted her, - the yard was not yours, sir, why talk about it; the court was on the master's land, so it is the master's, and the money was definitely yours; only you were, one might say, so kind and donated them to me, sir; and I remain grateful to you and even, on occasion, I will give them to you, if such an opportunity comes up, sir; but I don’t have to remain a golyak, if you please, judge for yourself.

Naum said all this very calmly and even with a small smile.

My fathers! - Avdotya shouted, - but what is it? What's this? Yes, how will I show my husband in front of my eyes after that? You’re a villain,” she added, looking with hatred at Naum’s young, fresh face, “after all, I ruined my soul for you, because I became a thief for you, because you let us into the world, you kind of villain! After all, after that, all that was left for me was that I put a donkey around my neck, a villain, a deceiver, you are my destroyer ...

And she sobbed into three streams ...

Don’t worry, Avdotya Arefyevna,” Naum said, “but I’ll tell you one thing: your shirt is closer to your body; however, that’s what the pike in the sea is for, Avdotya Arefievna, so that the crucian does not doze off.

Where are we going now, where are we going? - Avdotya babbled with tears.

And this I cannot say.

Yes, I will stab you, villain; slaughter, slaughter...

No, you won't do that, Avdotya Arefyevna; why say this, but only, I see, it’s better for me to leave here a little now, otherwise you are already very worried ... We ask for forgiveness; and tomorrow we will unfailingly wrap up ... And you will let me send your workers to you today, ”he added, meanwhile

Avdotya continued to repeat through her tears that she would slaughter him and herself.

Yes, by the way, they are coming, - he noticed, looking out the window. - Otherwise, perhaps, some kind of misfortune, God forbid, will happen ... That way it will be calmer. You, do me a favor, collect your sewing today, sir, and they will watch over you and help you, perhaps. We beg your pardon.

He bowed, went out and called the workers to him ...

Avdotya fell on a bench, then lay down on the table with her chest and began to wring her hands, then suddenly jumped up and ran after her husband ... We told their date.

When Akim drove away from her together with Ephraim, leaving her alone in the field, at first she wept for a long time, without leaving her place. After crying her fill, she went to the master's estate. It was bitter for her to enter the house, even more bitter to appear in the girl's room. All the girls rushed to meet her with participation and regret. At the sight of them, Avdotya could not hold back her tears; they just spurted from her swollen and reddened eyes. Exhausted, she sat down on the first chair she came across. They ran after Kirillovna. Kirillovna came and treated her very affectionately, but she would not let her go to the mistress, just as she had not let Akim. Avdotya herself did not really insist on a meeting with Lizaveta Prokhorovna; she came to the master's house solely because she absolutely did not know where to lay her head.

Kirillovna ordered the samovar to be served. Avdotya refused to drink tea for a long time, but finally yielded to the requests and persuasion of all the girls and drank four more with the first cup. When Kirillovna saw that her guest had somewhat calmed down and only occasionally trembled and sobbed weakly, she asked her where they intended to move and what they wanted to do with their things. Avdotya began to cry again at this question, and began to assure her that she needed nothing more than death; but Kirillovna, like a woman with a head, immediately stopped her and advised her, without wasting time, to start transporting things to the former Akimov's hut in the village, where his uncle lived, the same old man who tried to dissuade him from marrying; announced that, with the permission of the mistress, they would be given people and horses to rise and help them: “And as for you, my darling,” Kirillovna added, folding her cat lips into a sour smile, “we will always find a place for you, and we it will be very pleasant if you stay with us until you manage again and acquire a house. The main thing is not to lose heart. The Lord has given, the Lord has taken and will give again; everything is in His will. Lizaveta Prokhorovna, of course, for her own reasons should have sell your yard, but she will not forget you and will reward you: so she ordered to tell Akim Semyonitch ... Where is he now?

Avdotya answered that, having met her, he offended her very much and went to the deacon Ephraim.

To that! - Kirillovna objected significantly. - Well, I understand that it is difficult for him now, perhaps you won’t find him today. How to be? Need to arrange. Malashka," she added, turning to one of the maids, "ask Nikanor Ilyich here: we'll have a talk with him.

Nikanor Ilyich, a man of very meager appearance, something like a clerk, immediately appeared, obsequiously listened to everything that Kirillovna told him, said: "It will be done," went out and ordered. Avdotya was given three carts with three peasants; of their own free will, a fourth joined them, who himself announced to himself that he would "talk to them", and she went with them to the inn, where she found her former workers and the worker Fetinya in great embarrassment and horror ...

Naumov's recruits, three very stout guys, as soon as they arrived in the morning, did not go anywhere and guarded the yard very diligently, according to Naum's promise, so diligently that one new cart suddenly had no tires ...

It was bitter, bitter to pack poor Avdotya. Despite the help of an intelligent person, who, however, only knew how to walk with a stick in his hand, look at others and spit to the side, she did not manage to get out that day and stayed overnight in the inn, begging Fetinya in advance not to leave her rooms; however, she fell asleep only at dawn in a feverish slumber, and tears flowed down her cheeks even in her sleep.

Meanwhile, Ephraim woke up earlier than usual in his closet and began knocking and asking to get out. At first his wife did not want to let him out, declaring to him through the door that he had not yet had enough sleep; but he aroused her curiosity by promising to tell her the extraordinary incident with Akim; she pulled out the latch. Ephraim told her everything he knew, and ended with a question: what, they say, did he wake up or not?

And the Lord knows him, - answered the wife, - go and see for yourself; I haven’t gotten off the stove yet. “Look, you both got drunk yesterday; if only you looked at yourself - the face does not look like a face, so, some kind of little plague, but what hay is stuffed in your hair!

Nothing that got stuffed, - objected Ephraim and, running his hand over his head, entered the room. Akim was no longer sleeping; he sat with his legs dangling on the stove; his face was also very strange and tousled. It seemed all the more wrinkled because Akim was not in the habit of drinking much.

Well, Akim Semyonitch, how did you sleep, - began Ephraim ...

Akim looked at him with a cloudy look.

What, brother Ephraim, - he spoke hoarsely, - is it possible again - that one?

Ephraim quickly glanced at Akim... At that moment he felt some inner shudder; a hunter standing under the edge of the forest experiences a similar sensation at the sudden yelping of a hound in the forest, from which, it seemed, the whole beast had already run out.

How else? he finally asked.

“The wife will see,” thought Ephraim, “perhaps she won’t let him in.” “Nothing, you can,” he said loudly, “be patient.

He went out and, thanks to skillfully taken measures, managed to imperceptibly carry a large bottle under the hollow ...

Akim took this bottle ... But Ephraim did not drink with him, as he did yesterday - he was afraid of his wife and, having announced to Akim that he would go to see what he was doing and how his belongings were packed, and whether they were robbing him, - immediately went to the inn on his unfed horse on horseback - and, however, he did not forget himself, if we take into account his protruding bosom.

Akim, soon after his departure, was already sleeping again as if he had been killed on the stove ... Even then he did not wake up, at least he did not give the appearance that he woke up, when Ephraim, who returned four hours later, began to push him, and wake him up, and babble over him some those extremely inconsistent words that everything has already gone and moved, and the images, they say, have been removed, they have already gone, and everything is already over - and that everyone is looking for him, but that he, Ephraim, ordered and forbade ... and so on However, he did not babble for long. His wife again took him to the closet, and herself, in great indignation both at her husband and at the guest, by whose grace the husband "drunk down", lay down in the room on the floorboards ... But when, waking up, according to her custom, early, she looked on the stove, Akim was no longer on it ... The second roosters had not yet crowed and the night was still so dark that the sky itself was a little gray directly overhead, and along the edges it was completely drowned in darkness - as Akim was already leaving the gates of the deacon at home. His face was pale, but he vigilantly looked around and his gait did not reveal a drunken person ... He walked in the direction of his former dwelling - an inn, which had already finally come into the possession of the new owner, Naum.

Naum also did not sleep at the time when Akim left Ephraim's house furtively. He didn't sleep; spreading a sheepskin coat under him, he lay dressed on a bench. It was not his conscience that tormented him - no! with surprising composure, he was present in the morning during the packing and transportation of all Akimov's belongings and more than once he himself spoke to Avdotya, who was so discouraged that she did not even reproach him ... His conscience was at peace, but he was occupied with various assumptions and calculations. He did not know whether he would be lucky in a new field: until then he had never kept an inn, and indeed had not had his own corner at all; he did not sleep. “The business has been well begun,” he thought, “what will happen next ...” Having sent the last cart with Akimov’s goods before evening (Avdotya followed her weeping), he examined the whole yard, all the cloisters, cellars, sheds, climbed into the attic, he repeatedly ordered his workers to watch tightly, and, left alone after supper, still could not fall asleep. It so happened that not a single passer-by stayed the night that day; this made him very happy. "You must definitely buy a dog tomorrow, some later, from the miller; you see, they took theirs away," he said to himself, tossing and turning from side to side, and suddenly nimbly raised his head ... It seemed to him that someone passed under window... He listened... Nothing. Only a grasshopper at times cautiously crackled behind the stove, and a mouse scratched somewhere, and his own breathing was heard. Everything was quiet in the empty room, dimly lit by the yellow rays of a small glass lamp, which he managed to hang and light in front of the small icon in the corner... He lowered his head; Here he heard again, as if the gate had been creaked to zero ... then the wattle fence crackled slightly ... He could not stand it, jumped up, opened the door to another room and called out in an undertone: "Fyodor, and Fyodor!" No one responded to him... He went out into the passage and almost fell, stumbling on Fyodor, who was sprawled on the floor. Lowing through sleep, the worker stirred; Naum pushed him.

What is there, what is needed? Fedor began...

Why are you yelling, shut up, - Naum said in a whisper. - Eka, sleep, damned ones! Didn't hear anything?

Nothing, - he answered. - And what?

Where do others sleep?

Others sleep where ordered ... Yes, perhaps ...

Shut up - follow me.

Naum quietly unlocked the door from the passage to the yard... It was very dark in the yard... The awnings with their pillars could only be distinguished because they blackened even more densely in the black haze...

Shouldn't you turn on the flashlight? Fyodor spoke in an undertone.

But Naum waved his hand and held his breath ... At first he heard nothing, except for those night sounds that you almost always hear in a inhabited place: a horse was chewing oats, a pig grunted weakly once in a dream, a man was snoring somewhere; but suddenly a suspicious noise reached his ears, rising at the very end of the yard, near the fence...

It seemed as if someone was tossing and turning and seemed to be breathing or blowing... Naum glanced over his shoulder at Fyodor and, cautiously descending from the porch, went towards the noise... shuddered... Ten paces away from him, in thick darkness, a fiery point glowed brightly: it was a red-hot coal, and near the very coal the front part of someone's face with outstretched lips appeared for a moment... Quickly and silently, like a cat on mouse, Naum rushed to the fire ... Hastily "rushing from the ground, some long body rushed towards him and almost knocked him down, almost slipped out of his hands, but he clung to him with all his might ... " Fedor, Andrey, Petrushka! - he shouted with all his might, - hurry here, here, caught the thief, the incendiary ... The man whom he grabbed floundered hard and fought ... but Naum did not let him out ... Fyodor immediately jumped to his aid.

Flashlight, flashlight! run after the lantern, wake up others, hurry! - Naum shouted to him, - and while I can handle it alone - I'm sitting on it ... Hurry! Yes, grab a sash to tie him up.

Fyodor ran into the hut... The man who was being held by Naum suddenly stopped beating...

So, apparently, your wife, and money, and court are not enough for you - you also want to destroy me, ”he spoke in a dull voice ...

So it's you, my dear, - he said, - well, wait a minute!

Let me go, - Akim said. - Is Ali not enough for you?

But I'll show you tomorrow before the court how I'm satisfied ... - And Naum hugged Akim even tighter.

Workers came running with two lanterns and ropes ... "Knit him!" - Naum sharply commanded ... The workers grabbed Akim, raised him, twisted his arms back ... One of them began to swear, but, recognizing the old owner of the inn, fell silent and only exchanged glances with others.

Look, look, - Naum kept repeating at that time, moving the lantern over the ground, - here is the coal in the pot - look, he dragged a whole firebrand in the pot, - it will be necessary to find out where he got this pot ... here he is broke it ... - and Naum carefully trampled the fire with his foot. - Search him, Fyodor! he added, “does he have anything else in there?”

Fyodor searched and felt Akim, who stood motionless and hung his head on his chest as if dead.

There is a knife here, - Fyodor said, taking out an old kitchen knife from Akim's bosom.

Ege, my dear, that’s where you were aiming, - Naum exclaimed. - Guys, you are witnesses ... he wanted to kill me, set fire to the yard ... Lock him up in the basement until morning, he won’t jump out of there ... Guard I myself will be there all night, and tomorrow, at dawn, we will take him to the police officer ... And you are witnesses, do you hear?

Akim was pushed into the basement, the door was slammed behind him... Naum assigned two workers to her and did not go to bed himself.

Meanwhile, Efremov's wife, making sure that her uninvited guest had left, began to cook, although it was still a little dawning in the yard ... That day was a holiday. She sat down by the stove to get a light, and saw that someone had already removed the heat from there; then she missed a knife - she did not find a knife; finally, out of four of her pots, one was missing. Efremov's wife was reputed to be an intelligent woman - and not without reason. She stood in thought, stood for a moment and went into the closet to her husband. It was not easy to get him to wake up and even more difficult to explain to him why they woke him up ... To everything that the deacon said, Ephraim answered the same thing:

He left - well, God bless him ... what am I? He took away a knife and a pot - well, God bless him - but what about me?

However, at last he got up and, after listening attentively to his wife, decided that this was not a good thing and that it could not be left like that.

Yes, - the sexton kept repeating, - this is not good; this way he, perhaps, will do trouble, out of desperation ... I already saw in the evening that he did not sleep, he lay on the stove like that; it wouldn't be bad for you, Efrem Alexandritch, to visit, or something ...

I will tell you, Uliana Fyodorovna, that I will report, - began Ephraim, - I will now go to the inn myself; and you be kind, mother, let me get drunk with a glass of wine.

Ulyana thought about it.

Well, she decided at last, I'll give you some wine, Efrem Alexandritch; just you, look, do not indulge.

Be calm, Uliana Fyodorovna.

And, refreshing himself with a glass, Ephraim went to the inn.

It was just dawn when he drove up to the yard, and already at the gate there was a harnessed cart and one of Naum's workers was sitting on the box, holding the reins in his hands.

Where is it? Ephraim asked him.

To the city, - the worker answered reluctantly.

Why is this?

The worker only shrugged his shoulders and did not answer. Ephraim jumped off his horse and entered the house. In the passage he came across Naum, fully dressed and wearing a hat.

Congratulations on the housewarming of the new owner, - said Ephraim, who knew him personally. - Where is it so early?

Yes, there is something to congratulate, - Naum objected sternly. - On the very first day, but he almost burned out.

Ephraim trembled.

How so?

Yes, a kind person was found, he wanted to set fire to it. Fortunately, I actually caught it; Now I'm taking it to town.

Isn't it Akim?.. - Ephraim asked slowly.

How much do you know? Akim. He came at night with a firebrand in a pot - and already made his way into the yard and planted a fire ... All my guys were witnesses. Would you like to have a look? By the way, it's time for us to take him.

Father, Naum Ivanovich, - Efrem spoke, - let him go, you will not destroy the old man to the end. Don't take this sin upon your soul, Naum Ivanovich. You think - a man in despair - lost, so ...

Full of lies, - Naum interrupted him. - How! I will let him out! Yes, he will set fire to me again tomorrow ...

It won't set fire, Naum Ivanovich, believe me. Believe me, you yourself will be calmer this way - after all, there will be questions, a court - after all, you yourself know.

So what is the court? I have nothing to fear from the court.

Father, Naum Ivanovich, how not to be afraid of the court ...

Eh, it's full; you, I see, drunk in the morning, and today is a holiday.

Ephraim suddenly burst into tears.

I'm drunk, but I'm telling the truth, - he muttered. - And you forgive him for the holiday of Christ.

Well, let's go, baby.

And Naum went to the porch.

For Avdotya Arefyevna, forgive him, ”said Ephraim, following him.

Naum went to the basement, opened the door wide. Ephraim, with timid curiosity, stretched out his neck from behind Naumov's back and hardly made out Akim in the corner of the shallow basement. A former rich janitor, a respected man in the neighborhood, was sitting with his hands tied on the straw, like a criminal ... Hearing the noise, he raised his head ... It seemed that he had become terribly thin over the past two days, especially during this night - could be seen under a forehead high as wax, yellowed, his dry lips darkened ... His whole face changed and took on a strange expression: cruel and frightened.

Get up and go out, - said Naum. Akim got up and stepped over the threshold.

Akim Semenych, - Yefrem yelled, - you ruined your little head, my dear! ..

Akim looked at him silently.

If I knew why you asked for wine, I wouldn't give it to you; right, would not give; looks like he'd drink it all! Eh, Naum Ivanovich, - added Ephraim, grabbing Naum by the hand, - have mercy on him, let him go.

What a thing, - Naum objected with a grin. - Well, come out, - he added, again turning to Akim ... - What are you waiting for?

Naum Ivanov... - began Akim.

Naum Ivanov, - Akim repeated, - listen: I'm to blame; he wanted to punish you; and God should judge us with you. You took everything from me, you know, everything to the last. Now you can ruin me, but only I'll tell you this: if you let me go now - well! so be it! own everything! I agree and wish you all the best. And I tell you as before God: let go - you will not blame. God is with you!

Akim closed his eyes and fell silent.

How, how, - Naum objected, - you can believe it!

And by God, you can, - Ephraim spoke, - really, you can. I am ready to vouch for him, for Akim Semenych, with my head - well, right!

Nonsense! - exclaimed Naum. - Let's go! Akim looked at him.

As you know, Naum Ivanov. Your will. You only take a lot on your soul. Well, if you can't wait, let's go...

Naum, in turn, looked sharply at Akim. "But really," he thought to himself, "let him go to hell! Otherwise, perhaps, people will eat me that way. There will be no passage from Avdotya ...". While Naum was reasoning with himself, no one uttered a word. The worker on the cart, who could see everything through the gate, only shook his head and patted the horse with the reins. The other two workers stood on the porch and were also silent.

Well, listen, old man, - began Naum, - when I let you go and these fellows (he pointed to the workers with his head) I won’t order you to chat, well, you and I will be quits - you understand me, - quits ... huh?

They tell you, own everything.

You won't owe me, and I won't owe you.

Naum was silent again.

And take care!

That's how holy God is, objected Akim.

After all, I know in advance that I will repent, - said Naum, - yes, no matter what! Come here hands.

Akim turned his back on him; Naum began to untie him.

Look, old man, - he added, pulling the rope from his hands, - remember, I spared you, look!

You are my dear, Naum Ivanovich, - murmured the touched Ephraim, - the Lord have mercy on you!

Akim straightened his swollen and cold hands and was about to go to the gate...

Naum suddenly, as they say, waited - to know, he felt sorry for letting Akim out ..

You swear, look, - he shouted after him.

Akim turned around and, looking around the yard, said sadly:

Own everything, forever indestructible... goodbye.

And he quietly went out into the street, accompanied by Ephraim. Naum waved his hand, ordered the cart to be unhitched and returned to the house.

Where are you, Akim Semyonitch, if not to me? - exclaimed Ephraim, seeing that Akim turned off the main road to the right.

No, Efremushka, thank you, - Akim answered. - I'll go and see what my wife is doing.

After you look ... And now it would be necessary for joy - that ...

No, thank you, Ephraim... That's enough. Farewell. - And Akim went without looking back.

Eka! Quite so! - said the perplexed deacon, - and I still swore for him! I really didn’t expect this,” he added with annoyance, “after I swore for him. Ugh!

He remembered that he forgot to take his knife and pot, and returned to the inn ... Naum ordered to give him his things, but did not even think to treat him. Completely annoyed and completely sober, he came to his home.

Well, - his wife asked, - did you find it?

I have found? - Ephraim objected, - apparently, he found it: here is your dishes.

Akim? - with special emphasis asked his wife.

Ephraim nodded his head.

Akim. But what a goose he is! I swore for him, without me he would have disappeared in prison, but at least he brought me a cup. Ulyana Fyodorovna, at least you respect me, give me a glass.

But Ulyana Fedorovna did not respect him and drove him out of sight.

Meanwhile, Akim walked with quiet steps along the road to the village of Lizaveta Prokhorovna. He still could not come to his senses; his whole interior trembled, like that of a man who had just escaped apparent death. He didn't seem to believe in his freedom. With dull amazement he looked at the fields, at the sky, at the larks fluttering in the warm air. The day before, at Ephraim's, he had not slept since dinner, although he lay motionless on the stove; at first he wanted to drown in himself with wine the unbearable pain of resentment, the anguish of vexation, mad and powerless ... but the wine could not overcome him to the end; his heart diverged, and he began to think of how to repay his villain ... He thought only of Naum, Lizaveta Prokhorovna did not occur to him, he mentally turned away from Avdotya. By evening, the thirst for revenge flared up in him to a frenzy, and he, a good-natured and weak man, waited feverishly for the night and, like a wolf on prey, with fire in his hands, ran to destroy his former home ... But they seized him ... locked him up ... The night has come. Why didn't he change his mind on that cruel night! It is difficult to convey in words everything that happens in a person at such moments, all the torment that he experiences; it is all the more difficult because these torments are wordless and mute even in the person himself ... By morning, before the arrival of Naum and Ephraim, it seemed to Akim that it was easy ... "Everything is lost! - he thought, - everything went to the wind !" and waved his hand at everything... If he had been born with an unkind soul, at that moment he could have become a villain; but evil was not characteristic of Akim. Under the blow of an unexpected and undeserved misfortune, in a breath of despair, he decided on a criminal case; it shook him to the core and, failing to succeed, left him with one deep fatigue... Feeling guilty, he tore himself away from everything worldly and began to pray bitterly, but earnestly. At first he prayed in a whisper, and finally, perhaps by accident, he said loudly: "Lord!" - and tears gushed out of his eyes... He wept for a long time and finally calmed down... His thoughts would probably change if he had to pay for his yesterday's attempt... But then he suddenly got freedom... and he went on a date with his wife half-dead, all broken, but calm.

The house of Lizaveta Prokhorovna stood a mile and a half from her village, to the left of the country road along which Akim was walking. At the turn leading to the master's estate, he almost stopped ... and passed by. He decided first to go to his former hut to the old man's uncle.

Akimov's small and rather dilapidated hut was located almost at the very end of the village; Akim walked the whole street without meeting a soul. All the people were at dinner. Only one sick old woman lifted the window to look after him, and the girl, who ran out to the well with an empty bucket, gaped at him and also followed him with her eyes. The first person he met was exactly the uncle he was looking for. The old man had been sitting on the mound under the window since morning, sniffing tobacco and basking in the sun; he was not quite well, that's why he didn't go to church; he was just about to visit another, also an ailing old neighbor, when he suddenly saw Akim... He stopped, allowed him to approach him, and, looking into his face, said:

Hello Akimushka!

Great, - answered Akim and, bypassing the old man, entered the gate of his hut ... His horses, a cow, a cart stood in the yard; immediately his hens were walking... He silently entered the hut. The old man followed him. Akim sat down on a bench and leaned on it with his fists. The old man looked at him pitifully as he stood at the door.

Where is the mistress? Akim asked.

And in the manor house, - the old man deftly objected. - She is there. Here they put your cattle, and what chests they were, and she is there. Al go after her?

Akim was silent.

Go," he finally said.

Eh, uncle, uncle, - he said with a sigh, while he took out his hat from the nail, - do you remember what you told me on the eve of the wedding?

Everything is the will of God, Akimushka.

Remember, you told me that, they say, I'm not your brother to you guys, but now what times have come .... The goal itself has become like a falcon.

You can't get enough of bad people, - answered the old man, - but he, an unscrupulous one, if someone could teach him a good lesson, gentleman, for example, what or some other authority, otherwise what should he be afraid of? The wolf, so he knows the grip of a wolf. - And the old man put on his hat and set off.

Avdotya had just returned from church when she was told that her husband's uncle was asking for her. Up to that time she had very rarely seen him; he did not go to their inn and generally had a reputation for an eccentric: he loved tobacco to a passion and was more and more silent.

She went out to him.

What do you want, Petrovich, al what happened?

Nothing happened, Avdotya Arefyevna; your husband is asking you.

Has he returned?

Returned.

Where is he?

And in the village, he sits in a hut.

Avdotya became timid.

What, Petrovich, - she asked, looking him straight in the eyes, - is he angry?

Don't see him getting angry. Avdotya looked down.

Well, let's go, - she said, put on a large scarf, and both set off. They walked in silence all the way to the village. When they began to approach the hut, Avdotya was overcome with such fear that her knees trembled.

Father, Petrovich, she said, you come in first ... Tell him that I, they say, have come.

Petrovich entered the hut and found Akim sitting in deep thought in the same place where he had left him.

What, - said Akim, raising his head, - or didn't you come?

She came, - the old man objected. - At the gate is ...

Well, send her here.

The old man went out, waved his hand to Avdotya, said to her: "Go," and he sat down again on the mound. Avdotya tremblingly unlocked the door, crossed the threshold, and stopped.

Akim looked at her.

Well, Arefyevna, - he began, - what are we going to do with you now?

Guilty, she whispered.

Eh, Arefyevna, we are all sinful people. What is there to interpret!

It was he, the villain, who killed us both, - Avdotya spoke in a ringing voice, and tears flowed down her face. - You, Akim Semyonitch, don't leave it like that, get some money from him. You don't pity me. I'm ready to show under oath that I lent him the money. Lizaveta Prokhorovna was free to sell our yard, he is robbing us for something ... Get money from him.

I don’t have to get money from him,” Akim objected sullenly. “We paid him off.

Avdotya was amazed:

How so?

Yes so. Do you know, - continued Akim, and his eyes lit up, - do you know where I spent the night? You do not know? Naum's in the basement, hand-tied, yoga-bound, like a ram, that's where I spent the night. I wanted to set fire to his yard, but he caught me, Naum something; dexterous he hurts! And today he was going to take me to the city, but he really had mercy on me; so I don't get any money from him. And how will I get money from him ... And when, he will say, did I borrow money from you? What am I to say: my wife dug them up under my floor, and took them down to you? He's lying, he'll say your wife. Ali you, Arefyevna, little publicity? It's better to be silent, they tell you to be silent.

I'm to blame, Semyonitch, I'm to blame, - again frightened Avdotya whispered.

That's not the point, - objected Akim, after a pause, - but what are we going to do with you? Now we don’t have any money at home ... money either ...

We'll get along somehow, Akim Semyonitch; We will ask Lizaveta Prokhorovna, she will help us, Kirillovna promised me.

No, Arefyevna, you yourself ask her together with your Kirillovna; you're one field berries. I'll tell you what: you stay here, with God; I won't stay here. Fortunately, we don’t have children, and I might not be lost alone. One head is not poor.

What are you, Semenych, are you going to the cart again?

Akim laughed bitterly.

I'm a good driver, there's nothing to say! Here I found a young man. No, Arefyevna, it's not like getting married; The old man is no good for this. I just don't want to stay here, that's what; I don't want to be poked with fingers... understand? I'll go and pray for my sins, Arefyevna, that's where I'll go.

What are your sins, Semyonitch? Avdotya said timidly.

About them, wife, I myself know.

But who will you leave me to, Semyonitch? How can I live without a husband?

Who will I leave you to? Eh, Arefyevna, how you say it, right. You really need a husband like me, and even old, and even ruined. How! You got around before, you will get around and forward. And the good that we still have left, take it for yourself, well, it! ..

As you know, Semyonitch,” Avdotya retorted sadly, “you know that better.

That's it. Just don't think that I'm angry with you, Arefyevna. There is nothing to be angry about, when it’s even more so ... First, it was necessary to catch on. I myself am guilty - and punished. (Akim sighed.) Love to ride, love to carry sleds. My old summers, it's time to think about your darling. The Lord himself enlightened me. You see, I, an old fool, wanted to live with my young wife for my own pleasure ... No, old brother, you first pray, but knock your forehead on the ground, but be patient, and fast ... And now go, my mother. I am very tired, I sleep a little.

And Akim stretched out, groaning, on the bench.

Avdotya was about to say something, stood still, looked, turned away and went away... She did not expect that she would get off so cheaply.

What, didn't you beat? - Petrovich asked her, sitting, all hunched over, on the mound, when she caught up with him. Avdotya silently passed by. “Look, you didn’t beat me,” the old man said to himself, grinned, ruffled his beard and sniffed the tobacco.

Akim fulfilled his intention. He hastily arranged his affairs and, a few days after the conversation we transmitted, came in, dressed as a traveler, to say goodbye to his wife, who settled for a while in the wing of the master's house. Their farewell did not last long... Immediately, Kirillovna, who had happened, advised Akim to come to the mistress; he came to her. Lizaveta Prokhorovna received him with some embarrassment, but favorably admitted him to her hand, and asked where he intended to go? He answered that he would go first to Kyiv, and from there wherever God would give. She complimented him and released him. Since then, he very rarely showed himself home, although he never forgot to bring the mistress prosvir with the congratulations taken out ... But everywhere, wherever pious Russian people flocked, one could see his emaciated and aged, but still handsome and slender face: and shrines of st. Sergius, and at the White Shores, and in the Optina Desert, and in remote Valaam; he's been everywhere...

This year, he passed by you in the ranks of countless people, walking in procession behind the icon of the Mother of God to Korennaya; the following year, you found him sitting, with a knapsack over his shoulders, along with other wanderers, on the porch of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Mtsensk ... He came to Moscow almost every spring ...

He wandered from end to end with his quiet, unhurried, but unceasing step - they say he visited Jerusalem itself ... He seemed completely calm and happy, and those people who managed to talk with him spoke a lot about his piety and humility.

Meanwhile, Naumov's economy was going on in the best way possible. He quickly and intelligently set to work and, as they say, went uphill steeply. Everyone in the neighborhood knew by what means he got himself an inn, they also knew that Avdotya had given him her husband's money; no one loved Naum for his cold and harsh temper ... They reproachfully told about him, as if he once answered Akim himself, who asked for alms from him under his window, that God, they say, would give, and did not endure anything; but everyone agreed that there was no happier person than him; his bread was born better than that of his neighbor; the bees swarm more; the hens even rushed more often, the cattle never got sick, the horses did not limp... Avdotya could not hear his name for a long time (she accepted Lizaveta Prokhorovna's offer and again entered her service as chief seamstress); but towards the end her disgust somewhat lessened; they say that the need forced her to resort to him, and he gave her a hundred rubles .... Let's not judge her too harshly: poverty will twist anyone, and the sudden upheaval in her life has aged and humbled her very much: it's hard to believe how soon she turned ugly how she sank and lost heart ...

How did it all end? the reader will ask.

But what. Naum, who had been successfully managing for fifteen years, profitably sold his yard to another tradesman ... He would never have parted with his yard if the following, apparently insignificant circumstance had not happened: two mornings in a row his dog, sitting under the windows, drawlingly and howled plaintively; he went out into the street for the second time, looked attentively at the howling dog, shook his head, went to the city and on the same day agreed on a price with a tradesman who had long been haggling to his court ... A week later he left somewhere far away - out of the province; the new owner moved to his place, so what? On the same evening, the yard burned to the ground, not a single cell survived, and Naumov's heir remained a beggar. The reader can easily imagine what rumors arose in the neighborhood on the occasion of this fire ... Apparently, he took his “task” with him, everyone kept saying ... There are rumors about him that he was engaged in the grain trade and became very rich. But for how long? Not such pillars fell down, and sooner or later an evil end comes to an evil deed. There is not much to say about Lizaveta Prokhorovna: she is still alive and, as is often the case with people of this kind, has not changed in anything, she has not even grown too old, only as if she has become drier; moreover, stinginess in her increased extremely, although it is difficult to understand for whom she saves everything, having no children and not being attached to anyone. In a conversation, she often mentions Akim and assures that since she learned all his qualities, she began to respect the Russian peasant very much. Kirillovna paid off her for decent money and married, for love, some young, blond waiter, from which he suffers bitter torment; Avdotya still lives in the women's quarters with Lizaveta Prokhorovna, but she has gone down a few more steps, dresses very poorly, almost dirty, and there is no longer a trace of the metropolitan manners of a fashionable maid, of the habits of a prosperous janitor. notices, and she herself is glad that they do not notice her; old Petrovich died, but Akim is still wandering - and God alone knows how much longer he will have to wander!

Ivan Turgenev - Inn, read text

See also Turgenev Ivan - Prose (stories, poems, novels ...):

ADVENTURES OF SUB-LIEUTEN BUBNOV
ROMAN to Alexei Alexandrovich Bakunin, a descendant of Batoriev, now undereducated ...

ghosts
Fantasy I I couldn't fall asleep for a long time and kept turning over on my side...

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| site collection
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| Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev
| Inn
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On the big B ... th road, at almost the same distance from the two county towns through which it passes, until recently there was a vast inn, very well known to triple cabbies, convoy peasants, merchant clerks, tradesmen-merchants and, in general, to all numerous and diverse travelers that roll on our roads at any time of the year. It used to be that everyone turned into that yard; unless some kind of landowner's carriage, harnessed by six home-grown horses, solemnly sailed past, which, however, did not prevent either the coachman or the lackey on the heels with some special feeling and attention to look at the porch, which was too familiar to them; or some shank in a wretched cart and with three nickels in a purse in his bosom, having caught up with a rich yard, urged his tired horse, hurrying to spend the night in settlements lying under the main road, to the peasant owner, who, apart from hay and bread, did not you will find nothing, but you will not pay an extra penny. In addition to its favorable location, the inn, which we began to talk about, took many things: excellent water in two deep wells with creaking wheels and iron tubs on chains; a spacious yard with solid plank sheds on thick pillars; a plentiful supply of good oats in the cellar; a warm hut with a huge Russian stove, to which long hogs were attached like heroic shoulders, and finally two fairly clean rooms, with red-lilac, somewhat torn pieces of paper on the walls at the bottom, a painted wooden sofa, the same chairs and two pots of geranium on the windows, which , however, never unlocked and dimmed with years of dust. This inn provided other conveniences: the smithy was close to it, there was almost a mill right there; finally, it was possible to eat well in it by the grace of a fat and ruddy woman cook, who cooked dishes tasty and fatty and did not skimp on supplies; to the nearest tavern it was considered only half a verst; the owner kept snuff, although mixed with ash, but an extremely sharp and pleasantly corrosive nose - in a word, there were many reasons why all kinds of guests were not transferred to that yard. Passers-by fell in love with him - that's the main thing; without this, it is known, no business will go into action; and he fell in love more because, as they said in the neighborhood, that the owner himself was very happy and successful in all his undertakings, although he did not deserve his happiness much, yes, it is clear who is lucky - so lucky.
This owner was a tradesman, his name was Naum Ivanov. He was of medium height, stout, round-shouldered and broad-shouldered; he had a large, round head, wavy hair and already gray, although he did not look more than forty years old; his face was full and fresh, his forehead low, but white and even, and his small, bright, blue eyes, with which he looked very strangely: frowningly and at the same time insolently, which is quite rare.

He always held his head dejectedly and turned it with difficulty, perhaps because his neck was very short; walked fluently and did not wave, but shrugged as he walked with clenched hands. When he smiled - and he smiled often, but without laughter, as if to himself - his large lips parted unpleasantly and showed a row of solid and shiny teeth. He spoke abruptly and with a sort of sullen sound in his voice. He shaved his beard, but did not walk the German way. His clothes consisted of a long, very worn caftan, wide trousers and shoes on his bare feet. He often went away from home on business, and he had many of them - he made horses, hired land, kept vegetable gardens, bought gardens and in general was engaged in various commercial transactions - but his absences never lasted long; like a kite, with which he, especially in the expression of his eyes, had much in common, he returned to his nest. He knew how to keep this nest in order: he kept up everywhere, listened to everything and ordered, gave out, let go and paid himself, and did not let anyone down a penny, but he did not take too much either.
The guests did not speak to him, and he himself did not like to waste words. “I need your money, and you need my grub,” he explained, as if tearing off every word, “it’s not for us to baptize children; the traveler ate, fed, do not stay too long. And you're tired, so sleep, don't talk." He kept the workers tall and healthy, but meek and accommodating; they were very afraid of him. He did not take intoxicated drinks in his mouth, but on great holidays he gave them a dime for vodka; on other days they did not dare to drink. People like Naum soon get rich ... but Naum Ivanov did not reach the brilliant position in which he was - and he was considered to be forty or fifty thousand - not in a direct way ...
About twenty years before the time to which we attributed the beginning of our story, there was already an inn on the same place of the main road. True, it did not have the dark red boarded roof, which gave Naum Ivanov's house the appearance of a noble estate; and it was poorer in structure, and in the courtyard it had straw sheds, and instead of log walls - wicker; it also did not differ in a triangular Greek pediment on chiseled columns; but still it was an inn anywhere - roomy, durable, warm - and travelers willingly visited it. Its owner at that time was not Naum Ivanov, but a certain Akim Semyonov, a peasant of a neighboring landowner, Lizaveta Prokhorovna Kuntze, a staff officer. This Akim was a smart and burly muzhik who, at a young age, having set off in a cart with two bad horses, returned a year later with three decent ones, and since then almost all his life he traveled along the high roads, went to Kazan and Odessa, to Orenburg and to Warsaw, and abroad, to Lipetsk, and at the end he walked with two troikas of large and strong stallions harnessed to two huge carts. Was he tired, or something, of his homeless, wandering life, did he want to start a family (during one of his absences his wife died; the children who were also died), only he finally decided to give up his former craft and start an inn yard. With the permission of his mistress, he settled on a high road, bought half a dozen of land in her name and built an inn on it. Things went well. He had too much money for furnishing; the experience acquired by him during long-term wanderings in all parts of Russia served him in great favor; he knew how to please the passers-by, especially his former brother, the cab drivers, of whom he knew many personally and who are especially valued by the owners of inns: these people eat and consume so much for themselves and their mighty horses. Akimov's court became known for hundreds of miles around ... They even more willingly called in to him than to Naum, who later replaced him, although Akim was far from equal to Naum in his ability to manage. Akim's was more of an old fashioned way, warm, but not entirely clean; and his oats came across light or soaked, and the food was cooked with sin in half; sometimes they served such food on the table with him that it would be better for her to stay in the oven at all, and it’s not that he was stingy with grub, but otherwise the woman would overlook it. On the other hand, he was ready to reduce the price, and, perhaps, he did not refuse to believe in debt, in a word - he was a good man, an affectionate host. For conversations, for refreshments, he was also malleable; Behind the samovar, sometimes an hour will be so loose that you will hang your ears, especially when you start talking about St. Petersburg, about the Cherkassy steppes, or even about the overseas side; well, and, of course, he loved to drink with a good person, only not to disgrace, but more for society - this is how passers-by spoke about him. He was greatly favored by merchants and in general by all those people who are called Old Testament people, those people who, without putting on their belts, will not go on the road, and will not enter the room without crossing themselves, and will not speak to a person without greeting him in advance. Akim's appearance alone disposed in his favor: he was tall, somewhat thin, but very well-built, even in his mature years; the face was long, fine and regular, a high and open forehead, a straight and thin nose, and small lips. The gaze of his bulging brown eyes shone with friendly meekness, thin and soft hair curled into rings around the neck: there were few of them left on the top of his head. The sound of Akimov's voice was very pleasant, although weak; in his youth he sang excellently, but long journeys in the open air, in winter, upset his chest. But he spoke very softly and sweetly. When he laughed, there were ray-shaped wrinkles around his eyes, extremely cute to look at - only kind people can see such wrinkles. Akim's movements were for the most part slow and not devoid of some confidence and important courtesy, like a man who has experienced and seen a lot in his lifetime.
Exactly, Akim Semyonovich would be good to everyone, or, as they called him in the manor house, where he often went to and always on Sundays, after mass - Akim Semenovich, - he would be good to everyone, if only one weakness did not follow him, which already killed many people on earth, and in the end ruined him himself - weakness for the female sex. Amorousness Akim reached the extreme; his heart was in no way capable of resisting a woman's gaze, it melted from it like the first autumn snow from the sun ... and he had already had to pay a fair price for his excessive sensitivity.
During the first year after his settlement on the main road, Akim was so busy building a yard, furnishing a household and all the troubles that are inseparable from every housewarming party, that he definitely had no time to think about women, and if any sinful thoughts came into his mind , so he immediately drove them away by reading various sacred books, for which he had great respect (he learned to read and write from his first trip), singing psalms in an undertone, or some other God-fearing occupation. Moreover, he was already in his forty-sixth year then - and in these summers all passions noticeably subside and cool down, and the time for marriage has passed. Akim himself began to think that this whim, as he expressed it, had jumped off him ... yes, apparently, you could not escape your fate.
The former Akimova landowner, Lizaveta Prokhorovna Kuntze, a staff officer who remained a widow after her husband of German origin, was herself a native of the city of Mitava, where she spent the first years of her childhood and where she had a very large and poor family, which she, however, took care of little, especially since one of her brothers, an army infantry officer, accidentally drove into her house and on the second day became so furious that he almost killed the hostess herself, calling her: "Du, Lumpenmamsell", between the day before he himself called her in broken Russian: "Sister and benefactor." Lizaveta Prokhorovna lived almost without a break in her pretty estate, acquired through the labors of her husband, a former architect; she managed it herself, and she managed it very badly. Lizaveta Prokhorovna did not miss the slightest advantage of herself, from everything she derived benefit for herself; and in this, and even in her extraordinary ability to spend a penny instead of a penny, her German nature showed itself; in all other respects she became very Russified. She had a significant number of domestics; she especially kept many girls, who, however, did not eat bread in vain: from morning to evening their backs were not straightened over work. She liked to ride out in a carriage, with livery footmen at the back; she loved to be gossiped and slandered, and she was an excellent gossip herself; she loved to exact a man with her grace and suddenly strike him with disgrace - in a word, Lizaveta Prokhorovna behaved exactly like a lady. She favored Akim, he paid her a very significant dues regularly, - she spoke graciously to him and even, jokingly, invited him to visit her ... But it was in the master's house that trouble awaited Akim.
Among the maids of Lizaveta Prokhorovna was one girl of about twenty, an orphan named Dunyasha. She was not bad-looking, slender and dexterous; her features, although wrong, could be liked: the fresh color of her skin, thick blond hair, lively gray eyes, a small, round nose, ruddy lips, and especially some kind of cheeky, half-mocking, half-provocative expression on her face - all this was rather sweet in its way. Moreover, in spite of her orphanhood, she behaved sternly, almost haughtily: she came from pillared courtyards; her late father Arefiy was a housekeeper for thirty years, and grandfather Stepan served as a valet for a long-dead gentleman, a guard sergeant and a prince. She dressed neatly and flaunted her hands, which were indeed extremely beautiful. Dunyasha showed great contempt for all her admirers, listened to their courtesies with a self-confident smile, and if she answered them, it was mostly with exclamations like: yes! how! I will become! Here's another!.. These exclamations almost did not leave her tongue. Dunyasha spent about three years in Moscow as an apprentice, where she acquired those special kind of antics and manners that distinguish maids who have been in the capitals. She was spoken of as a girl with pride (great praise in the mouths of courtyard people), who, although she had seen the views, did not drop herself. She did not sew badly either, but for all that, Lizaveta Prokhorovna did not take too good a liking to her due to the mercy of Kirillovna, the chief maid, a woman no longer young, sly and cunning. Kirillovna enjoyed great influence over her mistress and was very skillfully able to eliminate rivals.
Akim will fall in love with this Dunyasha! Yes, I have never been in love before. He first saw her in church: she had just returned from Moscow ... then he met her several times in the manor house, finally spent the whole evening with her at the clerk's, where he was invited to tea along with other honorable people. The courtyards did not disdain him, although he did not belong to their estate and wore a beard; but he was an educated, literate man, and most importantly, with money; moreover, he did not dress like a peasant, he wore a long caftan of black cloth, teenage boots and a handkerchief around his neck. It is true that some of the serfs were talking among themselves that, they say, it was still clear that he was not ours, but they almost flattered him in the eyes. That evening, at the clerk's, Dunyasha finally conquered Akim's amorous heart, although she resolutely did not answer a single word to all his ingratiating speeches and only occasionally glanced at him from the side, as if wondering why this peasant was here. All this only inflamed Akim more. He went to his home, thought, thought, and decided to get her hand ... So she “dried” him to her! But how can one describe Dunyasha's anger and indignation when, five days later, Kirillovna, affectionately calling her to her room, announced to her that Akim (and it was clear he knew how to get down to business), that this bearded man and peasant Akim, with whom she even considered sitting next to an insult, she wooed for her!
Dunyasha at first flushed all over, then forced to laugh, then burst into tears, but Kirillovna launched the attack so skillfully, so clearly made her feel her own position in the house, so deftly hinted at Akim’s decent appearance, wealth and blind devotion, finally mentioned so significantly about the desire of herself mistress that Dunyasha left the room already with thought on her face and, meeting with Akim, only looked intently into his eyes, but did not turn away. The unspeakably generous gifts of this man in love dispelled her last perplexities ... Lizaveta Prokhorovna, to whom Akim offered a hundred peaches on a large silver platter, agreed to his marriage to Dunyasha, and this marriage took place. Akim spared no expense, and the bride, who had sat at the bachelorette party the day before as if dead, and on the very morning of the wedding wept all the time while Kirillovna dressed her for the crown, was soon consoled... She's the same, almost better.
So, Akim got married; moved his young to his yard ... They began to live. Dunyasha turned out to be a bad housewife, a bad support for her husband. She did not enter into anything, she was sad, bored, unless some passing officer paid attention to her and was kind to her, sitting at a wide samovar; she often went away, now to the city for shopping, then to the manor's courtyard, to which it was considered four versts from the inn. In the manor house she rested; there she was surrounded by her own; girls envied her outfits; Kirillovna treated her to tea; Lizaveta Prokhorovna herself talked to her... But even these visits were not without bitter sensations for Dunyasha... She, for example, as a janitor, no longer had to wear hats, and she was forced to tie her head with a scarf... like a merchant's wife, the crafty Kirillovna told her how some petty-bourgeois woman, Dunyasha thought to herself.
More than once Akim remembered the words of his only relative, an old uncle, a peasant, a seasoned, familyless bean:
“Well, brother Akimushka,” he said to him, meeting him on the street, “I heard that you are wooing? ..
- Well, yes; what?
- Oh, Akim, Akim! You are not a brother to us peasants now, to be sure, - and she is not your sister either.
Why isn't she my sister?
- And at least with this, - he objected and pointed Akim to his beard, which he began to cut to please his bride - he did not agree to shave it off at all ... Akim looked down; and the old man turned away, wrapped the flaps of his sheepskin coat torn at his shoulders, and walked away, shaking his head.
Yes, he thought more than once, Akim groaned and sighed ... But his love for his pretty wife did not decrease; he was proud of her - especially when he compared her, not to mention with other women or with his former wife, whom he had been married to for sixteen years - but with other yard girls: “Here, they say, what a bird we have fallen! ..” The smallest her caress gave him great pleasure ... Maybe, he thought, he would get used to it, settle in ... Moreover, she behaved very well, and no one could say a bad word about her.
So several years passed. Dunyasha really ended up getting used to her life. The older Akim grew, the more he became attached to her and trusted her; her comrades, who did not marry peasants, were in need of blood, or were in poverty, or fell into unkind hands ... And Akim grew richer and richer. He succeeded in everything - he was lucky; only one thing crushed him: God did not give him children. Dunyasha has already crossed over twenty-five years; already everyone began to call her Avdotya Arefyevna. Still, she did not become a real mistress - but she fell in love with her house, disposed of supplies, looked after the worker ... True, she did all this somehow, did not observe, as it should, cleanliness and order; but in the main room of the inn, next to the portrait of Akim, hung her portrait, painted in oils and commissioned by her from the most homegrown painter, the son of the parish deacon. She was presented in a white dress, yellow shawl, six strings of large pearls around her neck, long earrings in her ears and rings on each finger. It was possible to recognize her - although the painter depicted her as too plump and ruddy and painted her eyes, instead of gray, black and even somewhat oblique ... He did not succeed at all in Akim: he came out somehow dark - à la Rembrandt, - so a different a passer-by would come up, used to look, and only hum a little. Avdotya began to dress rather casually; she will throw a large scarf over her shoulders - and the dress will somehow sit under it: laziness has seized her, that sighing, lethargic, drowsy laziness, to which the Russian person is too prone, especially when his existence is ensured ... With all that, the affairs of Akim and his wife went very well - they lived well and were known as exemplary spouses. But like a squirrel that cleans its nose at the very moment when the shooter aims at it, a person does not foresee his misfortune - and suddenly he breaks down, as if on ice ...
One autumn evening, a merchant with red goods stopped at Akim's inn. By various detours he made his way with two loaded wagons from Moscow to Kharkov; he was one of those pedlars whom landowners, and especially landlords' wives and daughters, sometimes look forward to with such great impatience. With this peddler, an elderly man, there were two comrades, or, to put it more correctly, two workers - one pale, thin and hunchbacked, the other a young, prominent, handsome fellow of about twenty. They asked for supper, then sat down to tea; the peddler asked the hosts to eat a cup with them - the hosts did not refuse. A conversation soon struck up between the two old men (Akim was fifty-six years old); the peddler asked about the neighboring landowners - and no one better than Akim could give him all the necessary information about them; the hunchbacked worker went incessantly to look at the carts, and at last retired to sleep; Avdotya had to talk with another worker ... She sat beside him and spoke little, listened more to what he told her; but apparently she liked his speeches: her face brightened up, the color played on her cheeks, and she laughed quite often and willingly. The young worker sat almost motionless, his curly head bent to the table; spoke quietly, without raising his voice and without haste; on the other hand, his eyes, small, but boldly bright and blue, glared at Avdotya; at first she turned away from them, then she herself began to look into his face. The face of this young lad was as fresh and smooth as a Crimean apple; he often grinned and played with his white fingers on his chin, which was already covered with sparse and dark down. He expressed himself like a merchant, but very freely and with a kind of careless self-confidence - and he kept looking at her with the same fixed and insolent look ... Suddenly he moved a little closer to her and, without changing his face in the least, said to her:
- Avdotya Arefyevna, there is no one better than you in the world; I seem ready to die for you.
Avdotya laughed out loud.
- What are you? Akim asked her.
“Yes, they tell such funny things,” she said, without much embarrassment, however.
The old peddler grinned.
- Hehe, yes, sir; My Naum is such a joker, sir. But don't listen to him.
- Yes! how! I will listen to them,” she objected, shaking her head.
“Heh, of course, sir,” said the old man. “Well, however,” he added in a sing-song voice, “we ask for forgiveness, sir, we are very pleased, sir, but it’s time to go to the side, sir ...” And he got up.
“Much pleased, sir, and we, sir,” said Akim, and also got up, “for a treat, that is; However, we wish you good night. Avdotyushka, get up.
Avdotya got up, as if reluctantly, Naum got up after her ... and everyone dispersed.
The hosts went to a separate closet, which served them instead of a bedroom. Akim snored at once. Avdotya could not fall asleep for a long time... At first she lay quietly, turning her face to the wall, then she began to toss and turn on the hot down jacket, now throwing off, then pulling on the blanket... then she fell into a thin slumber. Suddenly a loud male voice was heard from the yard: he was singing some kind of drawn-out, but not mournful song, the words of which could not be made out. Avdotya opened her eyes, leaned on her elbows and began to listen... The song went on and on... It shimmered loudly in the autumn air.
Akim raised his head.
- Who sings it? - he asked.
“I don't know,” she replied.
“He sings well,” he added, after a pause. - Good. What a strong voice. So I sang in my time,” he continued, “and I sang well, but my voice deteriorated. And this one is good. To know, well done, he sings, Naum, or something, his name is. - And he turned on the other side, sighed and fell asleep again.
For a long time the voice did not stop ... Avdotya listened and listened; finally, he suddenly seemed to break off, once again shouted famously, and slowly froze. Avdotya crossed herself, laid her head on the pillow... Half an hour passed... She got up and began to quietly get out of bed...
Where are you, wife? Akim asked her through her sleep.
She stopped.
“Fix the icon lamp,” she said, “something can’t sleep ...
“And you pray,” Akim murmured, falling asleep. Avdotya went up to the lamp, began to straighten it, and accidentally extinguished it; came back and went to bed. Everything is quiet.
The next morning, early, the merchant set off on his journey with his comrades. Avdotya was sleeping. Akim saw them off from half a verst: he had to go to the mill. Returning home, he found his wife already dressed and not alone: ​​yesterday's young guy, Naum, was with her. They stood by the table by the window and talked. Seeing Akim, Avdotya silently walked out of the room, and Naum said that he had returned for the master's mittens, which he seemed to have forgotten on the bench, and also left.