The village. [Translation from the original Russian text by Isabel Hapgood] by 1870-1953 Ivan Alekseevich Bunin Read Free Book Online Page B

Rodka had no reason for jealousy. Conscious of that fact, Rodka began to feel timid in the presence of Tikhon Hitch. And the latter now harboured, secretly, only one desire: to drive Rodka out of his sight, and that as speedily as possible. But whom could he find to take his place?

    THE VILLAGE
    XI
    ACCIDENT came to the rescue of Tikhon Hitch. Quite unexpectedly he became reconciled to his brother, and persuaded him to undertake the management of Durnovka.
    He had learned from an acquaintance in the town that Kuzma had ceased to drink and for a long time had been serving as clerk with a landed proprietor named Kasatkin. And, what was most amazing of all, he had become "an author." Yes, it was said that he had printed a whole little volume of his verses, and on the cover was the inscription: "For sale by the Author."
    "Oh, come no-ow!" drawled Tikhon Hitch when he heard this. "He's the same old Kuzma, and that's all right! But let me ask one thing: Did he really print it so—The Works of Kuzma KrasofT'?"
    "Give you my word he did," replied the acquaintance, being fully persuaded, nevertheless—as were many others in the town—that Kuzma "skinned" his verses from books and newspapers.
    Thereupon Tikhon Hitch, without quitting his seat at the table of DaefT's eating-house, wrote a brief, peremptory letter to his brother: 'twas high time for old men to make peace, to repent. And there, in that same eating-house, the reconciliation took place— swiftly, almost without the utterance of a word.

    THE VILLAGE
    And on the following day came the business talk.
    It was morning; the eating-house was still almost empty. The sun shone through the dusty windows, lighted up the small tables covered with greyish-red tablecloths, the floor newly washed with bran and emitting an odour of the stable, and the waiters in their white shirts and white trousers. In a cage a canary was singing in all possible modulations, but like a mechanical bird which had been wound up rather than a live one. Next door, the bells of St. Michael Archangel's church were ringing for the Liturgy, and the dense, sonorous peal shook the walls and boomed quivering overhead. With nervous, serious countenance, Tikhon Hitch seated himself at a table, ordered at first only tea for two, but became impatient and reached for the bill-of-fare—a novelty which had excited the mirth of all Daeff's patrons. On the card was printed: "A small carafe of vodka, with snack, 25 kopeks. With tasty snack, 40 kopeks." Tikhon Hitch ordered the carafe of vodka at forty kopeks. He tossed off two glasses with avidity and was on the point of drinking a third, when a long-familiar voice resounded in his ear: "Well, good morning once more."
    Kuzma was garbed in the same fashion as his brother. He was shorter of stature, with larger bones, more withered, and a trifle broader of shoulder. He had the large thin face with prominent cheek-bones of a shrewd old peasant shopkeeper, grey overhanging eyebrows, and large greenish eyes. His manner of beginning was not simple:

    THE VILLAGE
    "First of all, I must expound to you, Tikhon Hitch," he began, as soon as Tikhon Hitch had poured him a cup of tea, "I must expound to you what sort of a man I am, so that you may know"—he chuckled— "with whom you are dealing." 'He had a way of enunciating his words very distinctly, elevating his brows, unfastening and fastening the upper button of his short coat while he talked. So, having buttoned it, he continued: "I, you see, am an anarchist. . . ."
    Tikhon Hitch raised his eyebrows.
    "Don't be afraid. I don't meddle with politics. But you can't give a man orders how he is to think. It won't harm you in the least. I shall manage the estate faithfully, but I tell you straight from the shoulder that I will not skin the people."
    "Anyway, that can't be done at the present time," sighed Tikhon Hitch.
    "Well, times are the same as they always were. It is still possible to fleece people. I'll do my managing