Thegardenswerecalledthewidows’becausetheywerekeptbytwowidows，motheranddaughter。Acampfirewasburningbrightlywithacracklingsound，throwingoutlightfararoundontheploughedearth。ThewidowVasilisa，atall，fatoldwomaninaman’scoat，wasstandingbyandlookingthoughtfullyintothefire；herdaughterLukerya，alittlepock-markedwomanwithastupid-lookingface，wassittingontheground，washingacaldronandspoons。Apparentlytheyhadjusthadsupper。Therewasasoundofmen’svoices；itwasthelabourerswateringtheirhorsesattheriver。
“Hereyouhavewinterbackagain，“saidthestudent，goinguptothecampfire。“Goodevening。“
Vasilisastarted，butatoncerecognizedhimandsmiledcordially。
“Ididnotknowyou；Godblessyou，“shesaid。
“You’llberich。“
Theytalked。Vasilisa，awomanofexperience，whohadbeeninservicewiththegentry，firstasawet-nurse，afterwardsasachildren’snurse，expressedherselfwithrefinement，andasoft，sedatesmileneverleftherface；herdaughterLukerya，avillagepeasantwoman，whohadbeenbeatenbyherhusband，simplyscreweduphereyesatthestudentandsaidnothing，andshehadastrangeexpressionlikethatofadeafmute。
“AtjustsuchafiretheApostlePeterwarmedhimself，“saidthestudent，stretchingouthishandstothefire，“soitmusthavebeencoldthen，too。Ah，whataterriblenightitmusthavebeen，granny！Anutterlydismallongnight！“
Helookedroundatthedarkness，shookhisheadabruptlyandasked:
“NodoubtyouhavebeenatthereadingoftheTwelveGospels？“
“Yes，Ihave，“answeredVasilisa。
“IfyourememberattheLastSupperPetersaidtoJesus，’IamreadytogowithTheeintodarknessanduntodeath。’AndourLordansweredhimthus:’Isayuntothee，Peter，beforethecockcroweththouwilthavedeniedMethrice。’AfterthesupperJesuswentthroughtheagonyofdeathinthegardenandprayed，andpoorPeterwaswearyinspiritandfaint，hiseyelidswereheavyandhecouldnotstruggleagainstsleep。Hefellasleep。ThenyouheardhowJudasthesamenightkissedJesusandbetrayedHimtoHistormentors。TheytookHimboundtothehighpriestandbeatHim，whilePeter，exhausted，wornoutwithmiseryandalarm，hardlyawake，youknow，feelingthatsomethingawfulwasjustgoingtohappenonearth，followedbehind。HelovedJesuspassionately，intensely，andnowhesawfromfaroffhowHewasbeaten。“
Lukeryaleftthespoonsandfixedanimmovablestareuponthestudent。
“Theycametothehighpriest’s，“hewenton；“theybegantoquestionJesus，andmeantimethelabourersmadeafireintheyardasitwascold，andwarmedthemselves。Peter，too，stoodwiththemnearthefireandwarmedhimselfasIamdoing。A
woman，seeinghim，said:’HewaswithJesus，too’——thatisasmuchastosaythathe，too，shouldbetakentobequestioned。
Andallthelabourersthatwerestandingnearthefiremusthavelookedsourlyandsuspiciouslyathim，becausehewasconfusedandsaid:’Idon’tknowHim。’AlittlewhileafteragainsomeonerecognizedhimasoneofJesus’disciplesandsaid:’Thou，too，artoneofthem，’butagainhedeniedit。Andforthethirdtimesomeoneturnedtohim:’Why，didInotseetheewithHiminthegardento-day？’Forthethirdtimehedeniedit。Andimmediatelyafterthattimethecockcrowed，andPeter，lookingfromafaroffatJesus，rememberedthewordsHehadsaidtohimintheevening。
Heremembered，hecametohimself，wentoutoftheyardandweptbitterly——bitterly。IntheGospelitiswritten:’Hewentoutandweptbitterly。’Iimagineit:thestill，still，dark，darkgarden，andinthestillness，faintlyaudible，smotheredsobbing。“
Thestudentsighedandsankintothought。Stillsmiling，Vasilisasuddenlygaveagulp，bigtearsflowedfreelydownhercheeks，andshescreenedherfacefromthefirewithhersleeveasthoughashamedofhertears，andLukerya，staringimmovablyatthestudent，flushedcrimson，andherexpressionbecamestrainedandheavylikethatofsomeoneenduringintensepain。
Thelabourerscamebackfromtheriver，andoneofthemridingahorsewasquitenear，andthelightfromthefirequivereduponhim。Thestudentsaidgood-nighttothewidowsandwenton。Andagainthedarknesswasabouthimandhisfingersbegantobenumb。Acruelwindwasblowing，winterreallyhadcomebackanditdidnotfeelasthoughEasterwouldbethedayafterto-morrow。
NowthestudentwasthinkingaboutVasilisa:sinceshehadshedtearsallthathadhappenedtoPeterthenightbeforetheCrucifixionmusthavesomerelationtoher。
Helookedround。Thesolitarylightwasstillgleaminginthedarknessandnofigurescouldbeseennearitnow。ThestudentthoughtagainthatifVasilisahadshedtears，andherdaughterhadbeentroubled，itwasevidentthatwhathehadjustbeentellingthemabout，whichhadhappenednineteencenturiesago，hadarelationtothepresent——tobothwomen，tothedesolatevillage，tohimself，toallpeople。Theoldwomanhadwept，notbecausehecouldtellthestorytouchingly，butbecausePeterwasneartoher，becauseherwholebeingwasinterestedinwhatwaspassinginPeter’ssoul。
Andjoysuddenlystirredinhissoul，andheevenstoppedforaminutetotakebreath。“Thepast，“hethought，“islinkedwiththepresentbyanunbrokenchainofeventsflowingoneoutofanother。“Anditseemedtohimthathehadjustseenbothendsofthatchain；thatwhenhetouchedoneendtheotherquivered。
Whenhecrossedtheriverbytheferryboatandafterwards，mountingthehill，lookedathisvillageandtowardsthewestwherethecoldcrimsonsunsetlayanarrowstreakoflight，hethoughtthattruthandbeautywhichhadguidedhumanlifethereinthegardenandintheyardofthehighpriesthadcontinuedwithoutinterruptiontothisday，andhadevidentlyalwaysbeenthechiefthinginhumanlifeandinallearthlylife，indeed；
andthefeelingofyouth，health，vigour——hewasonlytwenty-two——andtheinexpressiblesweetexpectationofhappiness，ofunknownmysterioushappiness，tookpossessionofhimlittlebylittle，andlifeseemedtohimenchanting，marvellous，andfullofloftymeaning。
THEvillageofUkleevolayinaravinesothatonlythebelfryandthechimneysoftheprintedcottonsfactoriescouldbeseenfromthehighroadandtherailway-station。Whenvisitorsaskedwhatvillagethiswas，theyweretold:
“That’sthevillagewherethedeaconateallthecaviareatthefuneral。“
IthadhappenedatthedinneratthefuneralofKostukovthattheolddeaconsawamongthesavouriessomelarge-grainedcaviareandbeganeatingitgreedily；peoplenudgedhim，tuggedathisarm，butheseemedpetrifiedwithenjoyment:feltnothing，andonlywentoneating。Heateupallthecaviare，andtherewerefourpoundsinthejar。Andyearshadpassedsincethen，thedeaconhadlongbeendead，butthecaviarewasstillremembered。Whetherlifewassopoorhereorpeoplehadnotbeencleverenoughtonoticeanythingbutthatunimportantincidentthathadoccurredtenyearsbefore，anywaythepeoplehadnothingelsetotellaboutthevillageUkleevo。
Thevillagewasneverfreefromfever，andtherewasboggymudthereeveninthesummer，especiallyunderthefencesoverwhichhungoldwillow-treesthatgavedeepshade。Heretherewasalwaysasmellfromthefactoryrefuseandtheaceticacidwhichwasusedinthefinishingofthecottonprint。
Thethreecottonfactoriesandthetanyardwerenotinthevillageitself，butalittlewayoff。Theyweresmallfactories，andnotmorethanfourhundredworkmenwereemployedinallofthem。Thetanyardoftenmadethewaterinthelittleriverstink；
therefusecontaminatedthemeadows，thepeasants’cattlesufferedfromSiberianplague，andordersweregiventhatthefactoryshouldbeclosed。Itwasconsideredtobeclosed，butwentonworkinginsecretwiththeconnivanceofthelocalpoliceofficerandthedistrictdoctor，whowaspaidtenroublesamonthbytheowner。Inthewholevillagetherewereonlytwodecenthousesbuiltofbrickwithironroofs；oneofthemwasthelocalcourt，intheother，atwo-storiedhousejustoppositethechurch，therelivedashopkeeperfromEpifancalledGrigoryPetrovitchTsybukin。
Grigorykeptagrocer’sshop，butthatwasonlyforappearance’
sake:inrealityhesoldvodka，cattle，hides，grain，andpigs；
hetradedinanythingthatcametohand，andwhen，forinstance，magpieswerewantedabroadforladies’hats，hemadesomethirtykopecksoneverypairofbirds；heboughttimberforfelling，lentmoneyatinterest，andaltogetherwasasharpoldman，fullofresources。
Hehadtwosons。Theelder，Anisim，wasinthepoliceinthedetectivedepartmentandwasrarelyathome。Theyounger，Stepan，hadgoneinfortradeandhelpedhisfather:butnogreathelpwasexpectedfromhimashewasweakinhealthanddeaf；hiswifeAksinya，ahandsomewomanwithagoodfigure，whoworeahatandcarriedaparasolonholidays，gotupearlyandwenttobedlate，andranaboutalldaylong，pickingupherskirtsandjinglingherkeys，goingfromthegranarytothecellarandfromtheretotheshop，andoldTsybukinlookedathergood-humouredlywhilehiseyesglowed，andatsuchmomentsheregrettedshehadnotbeenmarriedtohiseldersoninsteadoftotheyoungerone，whowasdeaf，andwhoevidentlyknewverylittleaboutfemalebeauty。
Theoldmanhadalwaysaninclinationforfamilylife，andhelovedhisfamilymorethananythingonearth，especiallyhiselderson，thedetective，andhisdaughter-in-law。Aksinyahadnosoonermarriedthedeafsonthanshebegantodisplayanextraordinarygiftforbusiness，andknewwhocouldbeallowedtorunupabillandwhocouldnot:shekeptthekeysandwouldnottrustthemeventoherhusband；shekepttheaccountsbymeansofthereckoningbeads，lookedatthehorses’teethlikeapeasant，andwasalwayslaughingorshouting；andwhatevershedidorsaidtheoldmanwassimplydelightedandmuttered:
“Welldone，daughter-in-law！Youareasmartwench！“
Hewasawidower，butayearafterhisson’smarriagehecouldnotresistgettingmarriedhimself。Agirlwasfoundforhim，livingtwentymilesfromUkleevo，calledVarvaraNikolaevna，nolongerquiteyoung，butgood-looking，comely，andbelongingtoadecentfamily。Assoonasshewasinstalledintotheupper-storeyroomeverythinginthehouseseemedtobrightenupasthoughnewglasshadbeenputintoallthewindows。Thelampsgleamedbeforetheikons，thetableswerecoveredwithsnow-whitecloths，flowerswithredbudsmadetheirappearanceinthewindowsandinthefrontgarden，andatdinner，insteadofeatingfromasinglebowl，eachpersonhadaseparateplatesetforhim。VarvaraNikolaevnahadapleasant，friendlysmile，anditseemedasthoughthewholehouseweresmiling，too。Beggarsandpilgrims，maleandfemale，begantocomeintotheyard，athingwhichhadneverhappenedinthepast；theplaintivesing-songvoicesoftheUkleevopeasantwomenandtheapologeticcoughsofweak，seedy-lookingmen，whohadbeendismissedfromthefactoryfordrunkennesswereheardunderthewindows。Varvarahelpedthemwithmoney，withbread，witholdclothes，andafterwards，whenshefeltmoreathome，begantakingthingsoutoftheshop。Onedaythedeafmansawhertakefourouncesofteaandthatdisturbedhim。
“Here，mother’stakenfourouncesoftea，“heinformedhisfatherafterwards；“whereisthattobeentered？“
Theoldmanmadenoreplybutstoodstillandthoughtamoment，movinghiseyebrows，andthenwentupstairstohiswife。