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| His wife was sitting on the stool, and with her hands pressed against her cheeks was gazing at the postman's face. | Дьячиха сидела на табурете и, сдавив щеки ладонями, глядела в лицо почтальона. |
| Her face was immovable, like the face of some one frightened and astonished. | Взгляд ее был неподвижный, как у удивленного, испуганного человека. |
| "Well, what are you gaping at?" Savely whispered angrily. | - Ну, чего воззрилась? - сердито прошептал Савелий. |
| "What is it to you? | - А тебе что? |
| Lie down!" answered his wife without taking her eyes off the flaxen head. | Лежи! - ответила дьячиха, не отрывая глаз от белокурой головы. |
| Savely angrily puffed all the air out of his chest and turned abruptly to the wall. | Савелий сердито выдыхнул из груди весь воздух и резко повернулся к стене. |
| Three minutes later he turned over restlessly again, knelt up on the bed, and with his hands on the pillow looked askance at his wife. | Минуты через три он опять беспокойно заворочался, стал в постели на колени и, упершись руками о подушку, покосился на жену. |
| She was still sitting motionless, staring at the visitor. | Та всё еще не двигалась и глядела на гостя. |
| Her cheeks were pale and her eyes were glowing with a strange fire. | Щеки ее побледнели и взгляд загорелся каким-то странным огнем. |
| The sexton cleared his throat, crawled on his stomach off the bed, and going up to the postman, put a handkerchief over his face. | Дьячок крякнул, сполз на животе с постели и, подойдя к почтальону, прикрыл его лицо платком. |
| "What's that for?" asked his wife. | - Зачем ты это? - спросила дьячиха. |
| "To keep the light out of his eyes." | - Чтоб огонь ему в глаза не бил. |
| "Then put out the light!" | - А ты огонь совсем потуши! |
| Savely looked distrustfully at his wife, put out his lips towards the lamp, but at once thought better of it and clasped his hands. | Савелий недоверчиво поглядел на жену, потянулся губами к лампочке, но тотчас же спохватился и всплеснул руками. |
| "Isn't that devilish cunning?" he exclaimed. | - Ну, не хитрость ли бесовская? - воскликнул он. |
| "Ah! | - А? |
| Is there any creature slyer than womenkind?" | Ну, есть ли какая тварь хитрее бабьего роду? |
| "Ah, you long-skirted devil!" hissed his wife, frowning with vexation. | - А, сатана длиннополая! - прошипела дьячиха, поморщившись от досады. |
| "You wait a bit!" | - Погоди же! |
| And settling herself more comfortably, she stared at the postman again. | И, поудобнее усевшись, она опять уставилась на почтальона. |
| It did not matter to her that his face was covered. |
