|
| "I love you very much. Grandmother!" | - Люблю я тебя очень, бабушка! |
| This did not seem to surprise her. She answered in a calm voice: | Это её не удивило, спокойным голосом она сказала мне: |
| "That is because we are of the same family. But - and I do not say it boastfully - there are others who love me, too, thanks to thee, O Blessed Lady!" | - Родной потому что, а меня, не хвастаясь скажу, и чужие любят, слава тебе, богородица! |
| She added, smiling: | Улыбаясь, она добавила: |
| "She will soon be rejoicing; her Son will rise again! | - Вот - обрадуется она скоро, сын воскреснет! |
| Ah, Variusha, my daughter!" | А Варюша, дочь моя... |
| Then she was silent. | И замолчала... |
| CHAPTER II | II |
| GRANDFATHER met me in the yard; he was on his knees, chopping a wedge with a hatchet. | Дед встретил меня на дворе, - тесал топором какой-то клин, стоя на коленях. |
| He raised the ax as if he were going to throw it at my head, and then took off his cap, saying mockingly: | Приподнял топор, точно собираясь швырнуть его в голову мне, и, сняв шапку, насмешливо сказал: |
| "How do you do, your Holiness? Your Highness? | - Здравствуйте, преподобное лицо, ваше благородие! |
| Have you finished your term of service? | Отслужили? |
| Well, now you can live as you like, yes. | Ну, уж теперь как хотите живите, да! |
| U-ugh! you - " | Эх вы-и... |
| "We know all about it, we know all about it!" said grandmother, hastily waving him away, and when she went into her room to get the samovar ready she told me: | - Знаем, знаем, - торопливо проговорила бабушка, отмахиваясь от него, а войдя в комнату и ставя самовар, рассказывала: |
| "Grandfather is fairly ruined now. What money there was he lent at interest to his godson Nikolai, but he never got a receipt for it. I don't quite know yet how they stand, but he is ruined; the money is lost. | - Теперь - начисто разорился дедушка-то; какие деньги были, всё отдавал крестнику Николаю в рост, а расписок, видно, не брал с него, - уж не знаю, как это у них сталось, только - разорился, пропали деньги. |
| And all this because we have not helped the poor or had compassion on the unfortunate. God has said to Himself, 'Why should I do good to the Kashirins?' and so He has taken everything from us." | А всё за то, что бедным не помогали мы, несчастных не жалели, господь-то и подумал про нас: для чего же я Кашириных добром оделил? Подумал да и лишил всего... |
| Looking round, she went on: | Оглянувшись, она сообщила: |
| "I have been trying to soften the heart of the Lord toward us a little, so that He may not press too hardly on the old man, and I have begun to give a little in charity, secretly and at night, from what I have earned. |
