Выбрать главу
So Father-in-law   Stole away after midnight…. It chanced he was caught,   And at daybreak next morning Brought back and flung down   Like a log in the stable.
  "But I acted always 110 As Phílip had told me:   I worked, with the anger Hid deep in my bosom,   And never a murmur Allowed to escape me.
  And then with the winter Came Phílip, and brought me   A pretty silk scarf; And one feast-day he took me   To drive in the sledges; 120
And quickly my sorrows   Were lost and forgotten:
I sang as in old days   At home, with my father. For I and my husband   Were both of an age, And were happy together   When only they left us Alone, but remember   A husband like Phílip 130 Not often is found."
"Do you mean to say   That he never once beat you?"
Matróna was plainly   Confused by the question;
 "Once, only, he beat me,"   She said, very low.
"And why?" asked the peasants. "Well, you know yourselves, friends,   How quarrels arise 140 In the homes of the peasants.   A young married sister Of Phílip's one day   Came to visit her parents.
She found she had holes   In her boots, and it vexed her.
Then Phílip said, 'Wife,   Fetch some boots for my sister.'
And I did not answer   At once; I was lifting 150 A large wooden tub,   So, of course, couldn't speak.
But Phílip was angry   With me, and he waited Until I had hoisted   The tub to the oven, Then struck me a blow With his fist, on my temple.
"'We're glad that you came,   But you see that you'd better 160
Keep out of the way,'
  Said the other young sister To her that was married.
"Again Philip struck me!  "'It's long since I've seen you,   My dearly-loved daughter, But could I have known   How the baggage would treat you!'… Whined Mother-in-law. "And again Phílip struck me! 170   "Well, that is the story.
'Tis surely not fitting   For wives to sit counting The blows of their husbands,   But then I had promised To keep nothing back."
  "Ah, well, with these women— The poisonous serpents!—   A corpse would awaken And snatch up a horsewhip," 180   The peasants say, smiling. Matróna said nothing.
  The peasants, in order To keep the occasion   In manner befitting, Are filling the glasses;
  And now they are singing In voices of thunder   A rollicking chorus, Of husbands' relations, 190    And wielding the knout.
… …   "Cruel hated husband, Hark! he is coming!   Holding the knout…."
Chorus   "Hear the lash whistle! See the blood spurt!   Ai, leli, leli! See the blood spurt!"
… … "Run to his father!   Bowing before him— 200 'Save me!' I beg him;   'Stop my fierce husband— Venomous serpent!'
  Father-in-law says,   'Beat her more soundly!   Draw the blood freely!'"
Chorus "Hear the lash whistle!   See the blood spurt! Ai, leli, leli!   See the blood spurt!" 210
… … "Quick—to his mother!   Bowing before her— 'Save me!' I beg her;   'Stop my cruel husband! Venomous serpent!'
  Mother-in-law says,   'Beat her more soundly,   Draw the blood freely!'"
Chorus "Hear the lash whistle!   See the blood spurt! 220 Ai, leli, leli!   See the blood spurt!"
* * * * * "On Lady-day Phílip   Went back to the city; A little while later   Our baby was born.
Like a bright-coloured picture   Was he—little Djóma;
The sunbeams had given   Their radiance to him, 230 The pure snow its whiteness;
  The poppies had painted His lips; by the sable   His brow had been pencilled;
The falcon had fashioned   His eyes, and had lent them Their wonderful brightness.
  At sight of his first Angel smile, all the anger   And bitterness nursed 240 In my bosom was melted;
  It vanished away Like the snow on the meadows   At sight of the smiling Spring sun. And not longer   I worried and fretted;
I worked, and in silence   I let them upbraid.
But soon after that   A misfortune befell me: 250 The manager by   The Pomyéshchick appointed, Called Sitnikov, hotly   Began to pursue me.
'My lovely Tsaritsa!   'My rosy-ripe berry!' Said he; and I answered,
  'Be off, shameless rascal! Remember, the berry   Is not in your forest!' 260
I stayed from the field-work,   And hid in the cottage; He very soon found me.   I hid in the corn-loft,
But Mother-in-law   Dragged me out to the courtyard; 'Now don't play with fire, girl!'   She said. I besought her To send him away,   But she answered me roughly, 270