Theirtonguesbegantofalter。
Thelocalclergy，theclerksfromthefactorieswiththeirwives，thetradesmenandtavern-keepersfromtheothervillageswerepresent。Theclerkandtheelderoftheruraldistrictwhohadservedtogetherforfourteenyears，andwhohadduringallthattimeneversignedasingledocumentforanybodynorletasinglepersonoutofthelocalcourtwithoutdeceivingorinsultinghim，weresittingnowsidebyside，bothfatandwell-fed，anditseemedasthoughtheyweresosaturatedininjusticeandfalsehoodthateventheskinoftheirfaceswassomehowpeculiar，fraudulent。Theclerk’swife，athinwomanwithasquint，hadbroughtallherchildrenwithher，andlikeabirdofpreylookedaslantattheplatesandsnatchedanythingshecouldgetholdoftoputinherownorherchildren’spockets。
Lipasatasthoughturnedtostone，stillwiththesameexpressionasinchurch。Anisimhadnotsaidasinglewordtohersincehehadmadeheracquaintance，sothathedidnotyetknowthesoundofhervoice；andnow，sittingbesideher，heremainedmuteandwentondrinkingbitters，andwhenhegotdrunkhebegantalkingtotheauntwhowassittingopposite:
“IhaveafriendcalledSamorodov。Apeculiarman。Heisbyrankanhonorarycitizen，andhecantalk。ButIknowhimthroughandthrough，auntie，andhefeelsit。PrayjoinmeindrinkingtothehealthofSamorodov，auntie！“
Varvara，wornoutanddistracted，walkedroundthetablepressingthegueststoeat，andwasevidentlypleasedthatthereweresomanydishesandthateverythingwassolavish——noonecoulddisparagethemnow。Thesunset，butthedinnerwenton:theguestswerebeyondknowingwhattheywereeatingordrinking，itwasimpossibletodistinguishwhatwassaid，andonlyfromtimetotimewhenthebandsubsidedsomepeasantwomancouldbeheardshouting:
“Theyhavesuckedthebloodoutofus，theHerods；apestonthem！“
Intheeveningtheydancedtotheband。TheHryminJuniorscame，bringingtheirwine，andoneofthem，whendancingaquadrille，heldabottleineachhandandawineglassinhismouth，andthatmadeeveryonelaugh。Inthemiddleofthequadrilletheysuddenlycrookedtheirkneesanddancedinasquattingposition；Aksinyaingreenflewbylikeaflash，stirringupawindwithhertrain。
SomeonetrodonherflounceandCrutchshouted:
“Aie，theyhavetornoffthepanel！Children！“
Aksinyahadnaivegreyeyeswhichrarelyblinked，andanaivesmileplayedcontinuallyonherface。Andinthoseunblinkingeyes，andinthatlittleheadonthelongneck，andinherslendernesstherewassomethingsnake-like；allingreenbutfortheyellowonherbosom，shelookedwithasmileonherfaceasaviperlooksoutoftheyoungryeinthespringatthepassers-by，stretchingitselfandliftingitshead。TheHryminswerefreeintheirbehaviourtoher，anditwasverynoticeablethatshewasonintimatetermswiththeelderofthem。Butherdeafhusbandsawnothing，hedidnotlookather；hesatwithhislegscrossedandatenuts，crackingthemsoloudlythatitsoundedlikepistolshots。
But，behold，oldTsybukinhimselfwalkedintothemiddleoftheroomandwavedhishandkerchiefasasignthathe，too，wantedtodancetheRussiandance，andalloverthehouseandfromthecrowdintheyardrosearoarofapprobation:
“_He’s_goingtodance！_He_himself！“
Varvaradanced，buttheoldmanonlywavedhishandkerchiefandkickeduphisheels，butthepeopleintheyard，proppedagainstoneanother，peepinginatthewindows，wereinraptures，andforthemomentforgavehimeverything——hiswealthandthewrongshehaddonethem。
“Welldone，GrigoryPetrovitch！“washeardinthecrowd。“That’sright，doyourbest！Youcanstillplayyourpart！Ha-ha！“
Itwaskeptuptilllate，tilltwoo’clockinthemorning。
Anisim，staggering，wenttotakeleaveofthesingersandbandsmen，andgaveeachofthemanewhalf-rouble。Hisfather，whowasnotstaggeringbutstillseemedtobestandingononeleg，sawhisguestsoff，andsaidtoeachofthem:
“Theweddinghascosttwothousand。“
Asthepartywasbreakingup，someonetooktheShikalovoinnkeeper’sgoodcoatinsteadofhisownoldone，andAnisimsuddenlyflewintoarageandbeganshouting:
“Stop，I’llfinditatonce；Iknowwhostoleit，stop。“
Heranoutintothestreetandpursuedsomeone。Hewascaught，broughtbackhomeandshoved，drunken，redwithanger，andwet，intotheroomwheretheauntwasundressingLipa，andwaslockedin。
Fivedayshadpassed。Anisim，whowaspreparingtogo，wentupstairstosaygood-byetoVarvara。Allthelampswereburningbeforetheikons，therewasasmellofincense，whileshesatatthewindowknittingastockingofredwool。
“Youhavenotstayedwithuslong，“shesaid。“You’vebeendull，Idaresay。Oh，tut，tut。Welivecomfortably；wehaveplentyofeverything。Wecelebratedyourweddingproperly，ingoodstyle；
yourfathersaysitcametotwothousand。Infactwelivelikemerchants，onlyit’sdreary。Wetreatthepeopleverybadly。Myheartaches，mydear；howwetreatthem，mygoodness！Whetherweexchangeahorseorbuysomethingorhirealabourer——it’scheatingineverything。Cheatingandcheating。TheLentenoilintheshopisbitter，rancid，thepeoplehavepitchthatisbetter。
Butsurely，tellmepray，couldn’twesellgoodoil？“
“Everymantohisjob，mamma。“
“Butyouknowweallhavetodie？Oy，oy，reallyyououghttotalktoyourfather！“
“Why，youshouldtalktohimyourself。“
“Well，well，Ididputinmyword，buthesaidjustwhatyoudo:
’Everymantohisownjob。’Doyousupposeinthenextworldthey’llconsiderwhatjobyouhavebeenputto？God’sjudgmentisjust。“
“Ofcoursenoonewillconsider，“saidAnisim，andheheavedasigh。“ThereisnoGod，anyway，youknow，mamma，sowhatconsideringcantherebe？“
Varvaralookedathimwithsurprise，burstoutlaughing，andclaspedherhands。Perhapsbecauseshewassogenuinelysurprisedathiswordsandlookedathimasthoughhewereaqueerperson，hewasconfused。
“PerhapsthereisaGod，onlythereisnofaith。WhenIwasbeingmarriedIwasnotmyself。Justasyoumaytakeaneggfromunderahenandthereisachickenchirpinginit，somyconsciencewasbeginningtochirpinme，andwhileIwasbeingmarriedIthoughtallthetimetherewasaGod！ButwhenIleftthechurchitwasnothing。Andindeed，howcanItellwhetherthereisaGodornot？Wearenottaughtrightfromchildhood，andwhilethebabeisstillathismother’sbreastheisonlytaught’everymantohisownjob。’FatherdoesnotbelieveinGod，either。YouweresayingthatGuntorevhadsomesheepstolen。Ihavefoundthem；itwasapeasantatShikalovostolethem；hestolethem，butfather’sgotthefleecessothat’sallhisfaithamountsto。“
Anisimwinkedandwaggedhishead。
“TheelderdoesnotbelieveinGod，either，“hewenton。“Andtheclerkandthedeacon，too。Andasfortheirgoingtochurchandkeepingthefasts，thatissimplytopreventpeopletalkingillofthem，andincaseitreallymaybetruethattherewillbeaDayofJudgment。Nowadayspeoplesaythattheendoftheworldhascomebecausepeoplehavegrownweaker，donothonourtheirparents，andsoon。Allthatisnonsense。Myidea，mamma，isthatallourtroubleisbecausethereissolittleconscienceinpeople。Iseethroughthings，mamma，andIunderstand。IfamanhasastolenshirtIseeit。Amansitsinatavernandyoufancyheisdrinkingteaandnomore，buttometheteaisneitherherenorthere；Iseefurther，hehasnoconscience。Youcangoaboutthewholedayandnotmeetonemanwithaconscience。Andthewholereasonisthattheydon’tknowwhetherthereisaGodornot。Well，good-bye，mamma，keepaliveandwell，don’trememberevilagainstme。“
AnisimboweddownatVarvara’sfeet。
“Ithankyouforeverything，mamma，“hesaid。“Youareagreatgaintoourfamily。Youareaveryladylikewoman，andIamverypleasedwithyou。“
Muchmoved，Anisimwentout，butreturnedagainandsaid:
“Samorodovhasgotmemixedupinsomething:Ishalleithermakemyfortuneorcometogrief。Ifanythinghappens，thenyoumustcomfortmyfather，mamma。“
“Oh，nonsense，don’tyouworry，tut，tut，tutGodismerciful。And，Anisim，youshouldbeaffectionatetoyourwife，insteadofgivingeachothersulkylooksasyoudo；youmightsmileatleast。“
“Yes，sheisratheraqueerone，“saidAnisim，andhegaveasigh。“Shedoesnotunderstandanything，sheneverspeaks。Sheisveryyoung，lethergrowup。“
Atall，sleekwhitestallionwasalreadystandingatthefrontdoor，harnessedtothechaise。
OldTsybukinjumpedinjauntilywitharunandtookthereins。
AnisimkissedVarvara，Aksinya，andhisbrother。OnthestepsLipa，too，wasstanding；shewasstandingmotionless，lookingaway，anditseemedasthoughshehadnotcometoseehimoffbutjustbychanceforsomeunknownreason。Anisimwentuptoherandjusttouchedhercheekwithhislips。
“Good-bye，“hesaid。
Andwithoutlookingathimshegaveastrangesmile；herfacebegantoquiver，andeveryoneforsomereasonfeltsorryforher。
Anisim，too，leapedintothechaisewithaboundandputhisarmsjauntilyakimbo，forheconsideredhimselfagood-lookingfellow。
WhentheydroveupoutoftheravineAnisimkeptlookingbacktowardsthevillage。Itwasawarm，brightday。Thecattlewerebeingdrivenoutforthefirsttime，andthepeasantgirlsandwomenwerewalkingbytheherdintheirholidaydresses。Thedun-colouredbullbellowed，gladtobefree，andpawedthegroundwithhisforefeet。Onallsides，aboveandbelow，thelarksweresinging。Anisimlookedroundattheelegantwhitechurch——ithadonlylatelybeenwhitewashed——andhethoughthowhehadbeenprayinginitfivedaysbefore；helookedroundattheschoolwithitsgreenroof，atthelittleriverinwhichheusedoncetobatheandcatchfish，andtherewasastirofjoyinhisheart，andhewishedthatwallsmightriseupfromthegroundandpreventhimfromgoingfurther，andthathemightbeleftwithnothingbutthepast。
