retrievers，andwhentheywentoutasbeatersthepeasantsweregivenvodka；howwholewaggonloadsofgameusedtobesenttoMoscowfortheyoungmasters；howthebadwerebeatenwithrodsorsentawaytotheTverestate，whilethegoodwererewarded。
AndGrannytoldthemsomething，too。Sherememberedeverything，positivelyeverything。Shedescribedhermistress，akind，God-fearingwoman，whosehusbandwasaprofligateandarake，andallofwhosedaughtersmadeunluckymarriages:onemarriedadrunkard，anothermarriedaworkman，theotherelopedsecretly(Grannyherself，atthattimeayounggirl，helpedintheelopement)，andtheyhadallthreeaswellastheirmotherdiedearlyfromgrief。Andrememberingallthis，Grannypositivelybegantoshedtears。
Allatoncesomeoneknockedatthedoor，andtheyallstarted。
“UncleOsip，givemeanight’slodging。“
Thelittlebaldoldman，GeneralZhukov’scook，theonewhosecaphadbeenburnt，walkedin。Hesatdownandlistened，thenhe，too，begantellingstoriesofallsorts。Nikolay，sittingonthestovewithhislegshangingdown，listenedandaskedquestionsaboutthedishesthatwerepreparedintheolddaysforthegentry。Theytalkedofrissoles，cutlets，varioussoupsandsauces，andthecook，whorememberedeverythingverywell，mentioneddishesthatarenolongerserved。Therewasone，forinstance——adishmadeofbulls’eyes，whichwascalled“wakingupinthemorning。“
“Andusedyoutodocutletsa’lamarechal？“askedNikolay。
“No。“
Nikolayshookhisheadreproachfullyandsaid:
“Tut，tut！Youwerenotmuchofacook！“
Thelittlegirlssittingandlyingonthestovestareddownwithoutblinking；itseemedasthoughtherewereagreatmanyofthem，likecherubimintheclouds。Theylikedthestories:theywerebreathless；theyshudderedandturnedpalewithalternateraptureandterror，andtheylistenedbreathlessly，afraidtostir，toGranny，whosestorieswerethemostinterestingofall。
Theylaydowntosleepinsilence；andtheoldpeople，troubledandexcitedbytheirreminiscences，thoughthowpreciouswasyouth，ofwhich，whateveritmighthavebeenlike，nothingwasleftinthememorybutwhatwasliving，joyful，touching，andhowterriblycoldwasdeath，whichwasnotfaroff，betternotthinkofit！Thelampdieddown。Andthedusk，andthetwolittlewindowssharplydefinedbythemoonlight，andthestillnessandthecreakofthecradle，remindedthemforsomereasonthatlifewasover，thatnothingonecoulddowouldbringitback。
Youdozeoff，youforgetyourself，andsuddenlysomeonetouchesyourshoulderorbreathesonyourcheek——andsleepisgone；
yourbodyfeelscramped，andthoughtsofdeathkeepcreepingintoyourmind。Youturnontheotherside:deathisforgotten，butolddreary，sickeningthoughtsofpoverty，offood，ofhowdearflourisgetting，straythroughthemind，andalittlelateragainyourememberthatlifeisoverandyoucannotbringitback。
“Oh，Lord！“sighedthecook。
Someonegaveasoft，softtapatthewindow。ItmustbeFyoklacomeback。Olgagotup，andyawningandwhisperingaprayer，openedthedoor，thendrewtheboltintheouterroom，butnoonecamein；onlyfromthestreetcameacolddraughtandasuddenbrightnessfromthemoonlight。Thestreet，stillanddeserted，andthemoonitselffloatingacrossthesky，couldbeseenattheopendoor。
“Whoisthere？“calledOlga。
“I，“sheheardtheanswer——“itisI。“
Nearthedoor，crouchingagainstthewall，stoodFyokla，absolutelynaked。Shewasshiveringwithcold，herteethwerechattering，andinthebrightmoonlightshelookedverypale，strange，andbeautiful。Theshadowsonher，andthebrightmoonlightonherskin，stoodoutvividly，andherdarkeyebrowsandfirm，youthfulbosomweredefinedwithpeculiardistinctness。
“Theruffiansoverthereundressedmeandturnedmeoutlikethis，“shesaid。“I’vecomehomewithoutmyclothesnakedasmymotherboreme。Bringmesomethingtoputon。“
“Butgoinside！“Olgasaidsoftly，beginningtoshiver，too。
“Idon’twanttheoldfolkstosee。“Grannywas，infact，alreadystirringandmuttering，andtheoldfatherasked:“Whoisthere？“
Olgabroughtherownsmockandskirt，dressedFyokla，andthenbothwentsoftlyintotheinnerroom，tryingnottomakeanoisewiththedoor。
“Isthatyou，yousleekone？“Grannygrumbledangrily，guessingwhoitwas。“Fieuponyou，nightwalker！Badlucktoyou！“
“It’sallright，it’sallright，“whisperedOlga，wrappingFyoklaup；“it’sallright，dearie。“
Allwasstillnessagain。Theyalwayssleptbadly；everyonewaskeptawakebysomethingworryingandpersistent:theoldmanbythepaininhisback，Grannybyanxietyandanger，Maryabyterror，thechildrenbyitchandhunger。Now，too，theirsleepwastroubled；theykeptturningoverfromonesidetotheother，talkingintheirsleep，gettingupforadrink。
Fyoklasuddenlybrokeintoaloud，coarsehowl，butimmediatelycheckedherself，andonlyutteredsobsfromtimetotime，growingsofterandonalowernote，untilsherelapsedintosilence。Fromtimetotimefromtheothersideoftherivertherefloatedthesoundofthebeatingofthehours；butthetimeseemedsomehowstrange——fivewasstruckandthenthree。
“OhLord！“sighedthecook。
Lookingatthewindows，itwasdifficulttotellwhetheritwasstillmoonlightorwhetherthedawnhadbegun。Maryagotupandwentout，andshecouldbeheardmilkingthecowsandsaying，“Stea-dy！“Grannywentout，too。Itwasstilldarkinthehut，butalltheobjectsinitcouldbediscerned。
Nikolay，whohadnotsleptallnight，gotdownfromthestove。Hetookhisdress-coatoutofagreenbox，putiton，andgoingtothewindow，strokedthesleevesandtookholdofthecoat-tails——andsmiled。Thenhecarefullytookoffthecoat，putitawayinhisbox，andlaydownagain。
Maryacameinagainandbeganlightingthestove。Shewasevidentlyhardlyawake，andseemeddroppingasleepasshewalked。
Probablyshehadhadsomedream，orthestoriesofthenightbeforecameintohermindas，stretchingluxuriouslybeforethestove，shesaid:
“No，freedomisbetter。“
Themasterarrived——thatwaswhattheycalledthepoliceinspector。Whenhewouldcomeandwhathewascomingforhadbeenknownforthelastweek。TherewereonlyfortyhouseholdsinZhukovo，butmorethantwothousandroublesofarrearsofratesandtaxeshadaccumulated。
Thepoliceinspectorstoppedatthetavern。Hedranktheretwoglassesoftea，andthenwentonfoottothevillageelder’shut，nearwhichacrowdofthosewhowereindebtstoodwaiting。Theelder，AntipSyedelnikov，was，inspiteofhisyouth——hewasonlyalittleoverthirty——strictandalwaysonthesideoftheauthorities，thoughhehimselfwaspooranddidnotpayhistaxesregularly。Evidentlyheenjoyedbeingelder，andlikedthesenseofauthority，whichhecouldonlydisplaybystrictness。Inthevillagecouncilthepeasantswereafraidofhimandobeyedhim。
Itwouldsometimeshappenthathewouldpounceonadrunkenmaninthestreetornearthetavern，tiehishandsbehindhim，andputhiminthelock-up。OnoneoccasionheevenputGrannyinthelock-upbecauseshewenttothevillagecouncilinsteadofOsip，andbeganswearing，andhekeptherthereforawholedayandnight。Hehadneverlivedinatownorreadabook，butsomewhereorotherhadpickedupvariouslearnedexpressions，andlovedtomakeuseoftheminconversation，andhewasrespectedforthisthoughhewasnotalwaysunderstood。
WhenOsipcameintothevillageelder’shutwithhistaxbook，thepoliceinspector，aleanoldmanwithalonggreybeard，inagreytunic，wassittingatatableinthepassage，writingsomething。Itwascleaninthehut；allthewallsweredottedwithpicturescutoutoftheillustratedpapers，andinthemostconspicuousplaceneartheikontherewasaportraitoftheBattenburgwhowasthePrinceofBulgaria。BythetablestoodAntipSyedelnikovwithhisarmsfolded。
“Thereisonehundredandnineteenroublesstandingagainsthim，“
hesaidwhenitcametoOsip’sturn。“BeforeEasterhepaidarouble，andhehasnotpaidakopecksince。“
ThepoliceinspectorraisedhiseyestoOsipandasked:
“Whyisthis，brother？“
“ShowDivinemercy，yourhonour，“Osipbegan，growingagitated。
“AllowmetosaylastyearthegentlemanatLutorydskysaidtome，’Osip，’hesaid，’sellyourhayyousellit，’hesaid。
Well，Ihadahundredpoodsforsale；thewomenmoweditonthewater-meadow。Well，westruckabargainallright，willingly。
