Theygotintoconversation。Thestrangerseemedtobeamanfondoftalkingandreadyofspeech，andDyudyalearnedfromhimthathewasfromthetown，wasofthetradesmanclass，andhadahouseofhisown，thathisnamewasMatveySavitch，thathewasonhiswaynowtolookatsomegardensthathewasrentingfromsomeGermancolonists，andthattheboy’snamewasKuzka。Theeveningwashotandclose，noonefeltinclinedforsleep。Whenitwasgettingdarkandpalestarsbegantotwinklehereandthereinthesky，MatveySavitchbegantotellhowhehadcomebyKuzka。
AfanasyevnaandSofyastoodalittlewayoff，listening。Kuzkahadgonetothegate。
“It’sacomplicatedstory，oldman，“beganMatveySavitch，“andifIweretotellyoualljustasithappened，itwouldtakeallnightandmore。Tenyearsagoinalittlehouseinourstreet，nextdoortome，wherenowthere’satallowandoilfactory，therewaslivinganoldwidow，MarfaSemyonovnaKapluntsev，andshehadtwosons:onewasaguardontherailway，buttheother，Vasya，whowasjustmyownage，livedathomewithhismother。
OldKapluntsevhadkeptfivepairofhorsesandsentcarriersalloverthetown；hiswidowhadnotgivenupthebusiness，butmanagedthecarriersaswellasherhusbandhaddone，sothatsomedaystheywouldbringinasmuchasfiveroublesfromtheirrounds。
“Theyoungfellow，too，madeatrifleonhisownaccount。Heusedtobreedfancypigeonsandsellthemtofanciers；attimeshewouldstandforhoursontheroof，wavingabroomintheairandwhistling；hispigeonswererightupintheclouds，butitwasn’tenoughforhim，andhe’dwantthemtogohigheryet。Siskinsandstarlings，too，heusedtocatch，andhemadecagesforsale。Alltrifles，but，mindyou，he’dpickupsometenroublesamonthoversuchtrifles。Well，astimewenton，theoldladylosttheuseofherlegsandtooktoherbed。Inconsequenceofwhicheventthehousewasleftwithoutawomantolookafterit，andthat’sforalltheworldlikeamanwithoutaneye。TheoldladybestirredherselfandmadeuphermindtomarryVasya。Theycalledinamatchmakeratonce，thewomengottotalkingofonethingandanother，andVasyawentofftohavealookatthegirls。HepickedoutMashenka，awidow’sdaughter。Theymadeuptheirmindswithoutlossoftimeandinaweekitwasallsettled。Thegirlwasalittleslipofathing，seventeen，butfair-skinnedandpretty-looking，andlikealadyinallherways；
andadecentdowrywithher，fivehundredroubles，acow，abed。
Well，theoldlady——itseemedasthoughshehadknownitwascoming——threedaysafterthewedding，departedtotheHeavenlyJerusalemwhereisneithersicknessnorsighing。Theyoungpeoplegaveheragoodfuneralandbegantheirlifetogether。Forjustsixmonthstheygotonsplendidly，andthenallofasuddenanothermisfortune。Itneverrainsbutitpours:
Vasyawassummonedtotherecruitingofficetodrawlotsfortheservice。Hewastaken，poorchap，forasoldier，andnotevengrantedexemption。TheyshavedhisheadandpackedhimofftoPoland。ItwasGod’swill；therewasnothingtobedone。Whenhesaidgood-byetohiswifeintheyard，heboreitallright；butasheglancedupatthehay-loftandhispigeonsforthelasttime，heburstoutcrying。Itwaspitifultoseehim。
“AtfirstMashenkagothermothertostaywithher，thatshemightn’tbedullallalone；shestayedtillthebaby——thisveryKuzkahere——wasborn，andthenshewentofftoOboyantoanothermarrieddaughter’sandleftMashenkaalonewiththebaby。
Therewerefivepeasants——thecarriers——adrunkensaucylot；
horses，too，anddray-cartstoseeto，andthenthefencewouldbebrokenorthesootafireinthechimney——jobsbeyondawoman，andthroughourbeingneighbours，shegotintothewayofturningtomeforeverylittlething。Well，I’dgoover，setthingstorights，andgiveadvice。Naturally，notwithoutgoingindoors，drinkingacupofteaandhavingalittlechatwithher。Iwasayoungfellow，intellectual，andfondoftalkingonallsortsofsubjects；she，too，waswell-bredandeducated。Shewasalwaysneatlydressed，andinsummershewalkedoutwithasunshade。SometimesIwouldbeginuponreligionorpoliticswithher，andshewasflatteredandwouldentertainmewithteaandjam。Inaword，nottomakealongstoryofit，Imusttellyou，oldman，ayearhadnotpassedbeforetheEvilOne，theenemyofallmankind，confoundedme。IbegantonoticethatanydayIdidn’tgotoseeher，Iseemedoutofsortsanddull。AndI’dbecontinuallymakingupsomethingthatImustseeherabout:’It’shightime，’I’dsaytomyself，’toputthedoublewindowsinforthewinter，’andthewholedayI’didleawayoveratherplaceputtinginthewindowsandtakegoodcaretoleaveacoupleofthemoverforthenextdaytoo。
“’IoughttocountoverVasya’spigeons，toseenoneofthemhavestrayed，’andsoon。Iusedalwaystobetalkingtoheracrossthefence，andintheendImadealittlegateinthefencesoasnottohavetogosofarround。Fromwomankindcomesmuchevilintotheworldandeverykindofabomination。Notwesinnersonly；eventhesaintsthemselveshavebeenledastraybythem。Mashenkadidnottrytokeepmeatadistance。Insteadofthinkingofherhusbandandbeingonherguard，shefellinlovewithme。Ibegantonoticethatshewasdullwithoutme，andwasalwayswalkingtoandfrobythefencelookingintomyyardthroughthecracks。
“Mybrainsweregoingroundinmyheadinasortoffrenzy。OnThursdayinHolyWeekIwasgoingearlyinthemorning——itwasscarcelylight——tomarket。Ipassedclosebyhergate，andtheEvilOnewasbyme——atmyelbow。Ilooked——shehadagatewithopentrellisworkatthetop——andthereshewas，upalready，standinginthemiddleoftheyard，feedingtheducks。I
couldnotrestrainmyself，andIcalledhername。Shecameupandlookedatmethroughthetrellis。Herlittlefacewaswhite，hereyessoftandsleepy-looking。Ilikedherlooksimmensely，andIbeganpayinghercompliments，asthoughwewerenotatthegate，butjustasonedoesonnamedays，whilesheblushed，andlaughed，andkeptlookingstraightintomyeyeswithoutwinking。Ilostallsenseandbegantodeclaremylovetoher。Sheopenedthegate，andfromthatmorningwebegantoliveasmanandwife。“
ThehunchbackAlyoshkacameintotheyardfromthestreetandranoutofbreathintothehouse，notlookingatanyone。Aminutelaterheranoutofthehousewithaconcertina。Jinglingsomecoppersinhispocket，andcrackingsunflowerseedsasheran，hewentoutatthegate。
“Andwho’sthat，pray？“askedMatveySavitch。
“MysonAlexey，“answeredDyudya。“He’soffonaspree，therascal。Godhasafflictedhimwithahump，sowearenotveryhardonhim。“
“Andhe’salwaysdrinkingwiththeotherfellows，alwaysdrinking，“sighedAfanasyevna。“BeforeCarnivalwemarriedhim，thinkinghe’dbesteadier，butthere！he’sworsethanever。“
“It’sbeennouse。Simplykeepinganotherman’sdaughterfornothing，“saidDyudya。
Somewherebehindthechurchtheybegantosingaglorious，mournfulsong。Thewordstheycouldnotcatchandonlythevoicescouldbeheard——twotenorsandabass。Allwerelistening；
therewascompletestillnessintheyard。Twovoicessuddenlybrokeoffwithaloudroaroflaughter，butthethird，atenor，stillsangon，andtooksohighanotethateveryoneinstinctivelylookedupwards，asthoughthevoicehadsoaredtoheavenitself。
Varvaracameoutofthehouse，andscreeninghereyeswithherhand，asthoughfromthesun，shelookedtowardsthechurch。
“It’sthepriest’ssonswiththeschoolmaster，“shesaid。
Againallthethreevoicesbegantosingtogether。MatveySavitchsighedandwenton:
“Well，that’showitwas，oldman。TwoyearslaterwegotaletterfromVasyafromWarsaw。Hewrotethathewasbeingsenthomesick。Hewasill。BythattimeIhadputallthatfoolishnessoutofmyhead，andIhadafinematchpickedoutallreadyforme，onlyIdidn’tknowhowtobreakitoffwithmysweetheart。EverydayI’dmakeupmymindtohaveitoutwithMashenka，butIdidn’tknowhowtoapproachhersoasnottohaveawoman’sscreechingaboutmyears。Theletterfreedmyhands。I
readitthroughwithMashenka；sheturnedwhiteasasheet，whileIsaidtoher:’ThankGod；now，’saysI，’you’llbeamarriedwomanagain。’Butsaysshe:’I’mnotgoingtolivewithhim。’
’Why，isn’theyourhusband？’saidI。’Isitaneasything？
IneverlovedhimandImarriedhimnotofmyownfreewill。Mymothermademe。’’Don’ttrytogetoutofit，silly，’saidI，’buttellmethis:wereyoumarriedtohiminchurchornot？’’I
wasmarried，’shesaid，’butit’syouthatIlove，andIwillstaywithyoutothedayofmydeath。Folksmayjeer。Idon’tcare。’’You’reaChristianwoman，’saidI，’andhavereadtheScriptures；whatiswrittenthere？’
“Oncemarried，withherhusbandshemustlive，“saidDyudya。
“’Manandwifeareoneflesh。Wehavesinned，’Isaid，’youandI，anditisenough；wemustrepentandfearGod。WemustconfessitalltoVasya，’saidI；’he’saquietfellowandsoft——hewon’tkillyou。Andindeed，’saidI，’bettertosuffertormentsinthisworldatthehandsofyourlawfulmasterthantognashyourteethatthedreadSeatofJudgment。’Thewenchwouldn’tlisten；shestucktohersilly，’It’syouIlove！’andnothingmorecouldIgetoutofher。
“VasyacamebackontheSaturdaybeforeTrinity，earlyinthemorning。FrommyfenceIcouldseeeverything；heranintothehouse，andcamebackaminutelaterwithKuzkainhisarms，andhewaslaughingandcryingallatonce；hewaskissingKuzkaandlookingupatthehay-loft，andhadn’tthehearttoputthechilddown，andyethewaslongingtogotohispigeons。Hewasalwaysasoftsortofchap——sentimental。Thatdaypassedoffverywell，allquietandproper。Theyhadbegunringingthechurchbellsfortheeveningservice，whenthethoughtstruckme:
’To-morrow’sTrinitySunday；howisittheyarenotdeckingthegatesandthefencewithgreen？Something’swrong，’Ithought。I
wentovertothem。Ipeepedin，andtherehewas，sittingonthefloorinthemiddleoftheroom，hiseyesstaringlikeadrunkenman’s，thetearsstreamingdownhischeeksandhishandsshaking；
hewaspullingcracknels，necklaces，gingerbreadnuts，andallsortsoflittlepresentsoutofhisbundleandflingingthemonthefloor。Kuzka——hewasthreeyearsold——wascrawlingonthefloor，munchingthegingerbreads，whileMashenkastoodbythestove，whiteandshiveringallover，muttering:’I’mnotyourwife；Ican’tlivewithyou，’andallsortsoffoolishness。I
