And now, at least, we, too, will have some after you.
Another thing, madam, are you going to make us over to Porfiry Vladimirych?"
"Why, I never meant to."
"Just so.
We were going to mutiny, you know.
If, supposing, let's say, we are put under the rule of the Golovliovo master, we will all hand in our resignations."
"Why? Is uncle really so terrible?"
"No, he is not terrible, but he tortures you, he is all words.
He can talk a man into his grave."
Anninka smiled involuntarily.
It was vile dirt indeed, that oozed from Yudushka's orations, not mere babble.
It was an ill-smelling wound from which the pus flowed incessantly.
"And what have you decided, about yourself?" Fedulych continued to question.
"Why, what was there to decide about myself?" said Anninka, a bit confused, feeling that she would again be compelled to listen to orations on the "treasure."
"Aren't you really going to give up acting?"
"No—that is, I haven't thought of it so far. But what harm is there in my earning my own bread?"
"I don't see any good in going with a bagpipe from fair to fair to amuse drunkards.
Surely you are a lady."
Anninka did not reply, only knitting her brows.
A painful thought drummed in her head, "God, when will I leave this place?"
"Of course, you know better how to take care of yourself. But we thought you would come back to live with us.
The house is warm, and roomy enough to play tag in. The late mistress looked after the building herself.
And if you feel dull, why then you can go sleigh-riding. In the summer you can go to the woods to pick mushrooms."
"We have all kinds of mushrooms here—lots of them," lisped Afimyushka temptingly.
Anninka leaned her elbows on the table and tried not to listen.
"There was a girl here," continued Fedulych cruelly. "She was a chambermaid in St. Petersburg. She says all actresses must have special passports.
Every month they have to present their license at the police station."
Anninka could bear it no longer. She had had to listen to such speeches all day long.
"Fedulych!" she shouted in pain. "What have I done to you? Why do you take pleasure in insulting me?"
It was all she could stand.
She felt as if something was strangling her. Another word—and she would break down.
_____ BOOK V FORBIDDEN FAMILY JOYS _____ CHAPTER I
Not long before the catastrophe that befell Petenka, Arina Petrovna, on one of her visits to Golovliovo, noticed a change in Yevpraksia.
Brought up in the practices of serfdom, where the pregnancy of a domestic was the subject of a detailed and not uninteresting investigation, and was even considered an item of income, Arina Petrovna had a keen eye for such matters. She merely looked at Yevpraksia, and the girl, without saying a word, turned away her flushed face in full cognizance of her guilt.
"Come now, come now, my lady. Look at me. Pregnant, eh?" the experienced old woman asked the young culprit. However, there was no reproach in her voice, on the contrary, it sounded jocose, almost gay, as if the old woman scented a whiff of the dear, good, old times.
Yevpraksia, bashful and complacent, kept silence, but under Arina Petrovna's inquisitive look, the red of her cheeks deepened.
"For some time I have been noticing that you walk kind of stiff, strutting about and twirling your skirts as if you were a respectable lady!
But, my dear, you can't fool me with your strutting and twirling.
I can see your girlish tricks five versts ahead!
Is it the wind that puffed you up? Since when is it?
Out with it now. Tell me all about it."
A detailed inquiry ensued, followed by a no less detailed explanation.
When had the first symptoms appeared? Had she a midwife in view? Did Porfiry Vladimirych know of the joy in store for him? Was Yevpraksia taking good care of herself? Was she careful not to lift anything heavy?
The findings were that it was now the fifth month since Yevpraksia had been pregnant; that she had no midwife in view as yet; that Porfiry Vladimirych had been informed of the matter, but had said nothing. He had only folded his hands, mumbled something, and glanced at the ikon, to intimate that all is from God and that He, the Heavenly Father, provides for all occasions. Yevpraksia had been careless; she had lifted a samovar and had then and there felt that something inside of her snapped.
"You've got brains, I must say," said Arina Petrovna in a grieved tone when the confession was out. "I see I'll have to look into the matter myself.
Did you ever! A woman in the fifth month and hasn't even provided for a midwife!
But why at least didn't you see Ulita about it, you fool, you?"
"I was going to, but the master doesn't like Ulita, you know."
"Nonsense, girl, nonsense!
Whether Ulita offended the master or not has nothing at all to do with the case.