boweddownatVasya’sfeet，andsaid:’Wehavesinnedagainstyou，VassilyMaximitch；forgiveus，forChrist’ssake！’ThenI
gotupandspoketoMashenka:’You，MaryaSemyonovna，oughtnowtowashVassilyMaximitch’sfeetanddrinkthewater。Doyoubeanobedientwifetohim，andpraytoGodforme，thatHeinHismercymayforgivemytransgression。’ItcametomelikeaninspirationfromanangelofHeaven；Igavehersolemncounselandspokewithsuchfeelingthatmyowntearsflowedtoo。AndsotwodayslaterVasyacomestome:’Matyusha，’sayshe，’Iforgiveyouandmywife；Godhavemercyonyou！Shewasasoldier’swife，ayoungthingallalone；itwashardforhertobeonherguard。
She’snotthefirst，norwillshebethelast。Only，’hesays，’I
begyoutobehaveasthoughtherehadneverbeenanythingbetweenyou，andtomakenosign，whileI，’sayshe，’willdomybesttopleaseherineveryway，sothatshemaycometolovemeagain。’
Hegavemehishandonit，drankacupoftea，andwentawaymorecheerful。
“’Well，’thoughtI，’thankGod！’andIdidfeelgladthateverythinghadgoneoffsowell。ButnosoonerhadVasyagoneoutoftheyard，whenincameMashenka。Ah！WhatIhadtosuffer！Shehungonmyneck，weepingandpraying:’ForGod’ssake，don’tcastmeoff；Ican’tlivewithoutyou！’“
“Thevilehussy！“sighedDyudya。
“Isworeather，stampedmyfoot，anddraggingherintothepassage，Ifastenedthedoorwiththehook。’Gotoyourhusband，’Icried。’Don’tshamemebeforefolks。FearGod！’Andeverydaytherewasasceneofthatsort。
“OnemorningIwasstandinginmyyardnearthestablecleaningabridle。AllatonceIsawherrunningthroughthelittlegateintomyyard，withbarefeet，inherpetticoat，andstraighttowardsme；sheclutchedatthebridle，gettingallsmearedwiththepitch，andshakingandweeping，shecried:’Ican’tstandhim；Iloathehim；Ican’tbearit！Ifyoudon’tloveme，betterkillme！’Iwasangry，andIstruckhertwicewiththebridle，butatthatinstantVasyaraninatthegate，andinadespairingvoiceheshouted:’Don’tbeather！Don’tbeather！’Butheranuphimself，andwavinghisarms，asthoughheweremad，heletflywithhisfistsatherwithallhismight，thenflungheronthegroundandkickedher。Itriedtodefendher，buthesnatchedupthereinsandthrashedherwiththem，andallthewhile，likeacolt’swhinny，hewent:’He——he——he！’“
“I’dtakethereinsandletyoufeelthem，“mutteredVarvara，movingaway；“murderingoursister，thedamnedbrutes！“
“Holdyourtongue，youjade！“Dyudyashoutedather。
“’He——he——he！’“MatveySavitchwenton。“Acarrierranoutofhisyard；Icalledtomyworkman，andthethreeofusgotMashenkaawayfromhimandcarriedherhomeinourarms。Thedisgraceofit！ThesamedayIwentoverintheeveningtoseehowthingswere。Shewaslyinginbed，allwrappedupinbandages，nothingbuthereyesandnosetobeseen；shewaslookingattheceiling。Isaid:’Good-evening，MaryaSemyonovna！’
Shedidnotspeak。AndVasyawassittinginthenextroom，hisheadinhishands，cryingandsaying:’BrutethatIam！I’veruinedmylife！OGod，letmedie！’IsatforhalfanhourbyMashenkaandgaveheragoodtalking-to。Itriedtofrightenherabit。’Therighteous，’saidI，’afterthislifegotoParadise，butyouwillgotoaGehennaoffire，likealladulteresses。
Don’tstriveagainstyourhusband，goandlayyourselfathisfeet。’Butneverawordfromher；shedidn’tsomuchasblinkaneyelid，foralltheworldasthoughIweretalkingtoapost。ThenextdayVasyafellillwithsomethinglikecholera，andintheeveningIheardthathewasdead。Well，sotheyburiedhim，andMashenkadidnotgotothefuneral；shedidn’tcaretoshowhershamelessfaceandherbruises。AndsoontherebegantobetalkalloverthedistrictthatVasyahadnotdiedanaturaldeath，thatMashenkahadmadeawaywithhim。Itgottotheearsofthepolice；theyhadVasyadugupandcutopen，andinhisstomachtheyfoundarsenic。Itwasclearhehadbeenpoisoned；thepolicecameandtookMashenkaaway，andwithhertheinnocentKuzka。
Theywereputinprison。Thewomanhadgonetoofar——Godpunishedher。Eightmonthslatertheytriedher。Shesat，I
remember，onalowstool，withalittlewhitekerchiefonherhead，wearingagreygown，andshewassothin，sopale，sosharp-eyeditmadeonesadtolookather。Behindherstoodasoldierwithagun。Shewouldnotconfessherguilt。Someinthecourtsaidshehadpoisonedherhusbandandothersdeclaredhehadpoisonedhimselfforgrief。Iwasoneofthewitnesses。Whentheyquestionedme，Itoldthewholetruthaccordingtomyoath。
’Hers，’saidI，’istheguilt。It’snogoodtoconcealit；shedidnotloveherhusband，andshehadawillofherown。
Thetrialbeganinthemorningandtowardsnighttheypassedthissentence:tosendhertohardlabourinSiberiaforthirteenyears。AfterthatsentenceMashenkaremainedthreemonthslongerinprison。Iwenttoseeher，andfromChristiancharityItookheralittleteaandsugar。Butassoonassheseteyesonmeshebegantoshakeallover，wringingherhandsandmuttering:’Goaway！goaway！’AndKuzkasheclaspedtoherasthoughshewereafraidIwouldtakehimaway。’See，’saidI，’whatyouhavecometo！Ah，Masha，Masha！youwouldnotlistentomewhenIgaveyougoodadvice，andnowyoumustrepentit。Youareyourselftoblame，’saidI；’blameyourself！’Iwasgivinghergoodcounsel，butshe:’Goaway，goaway！’huddlingherselfandKuzkaagainstthewall，andtremblingallover。
“Whentheyweretakingherawaytothechieftownofourprovince，Iwalkedbytheescortasfarasthestationandslippedaroubleintoherbundleformysoul’ssalvation。ButshedidnotgetasfarasSiberia。Shefellsickoffeveranddiedinprison。“
“Livelikeadogandyoumustdieadog’sdeath，“saidDyudya。
“Kuzkawassentbackhome。Ithoughtitoverandtookhimtobringup。Afterall——thoughaconvict’schild——stillhewasalivingsoul，aChristian。Iwassorryforhim。I
shallmakehimmyclerk，andifIhavenochildrenofmyown，I’llmakeamerchantofhim。WhereverIgonow，Itakehimwithme；lethimlearnhiswork。“
AllthewhileMatveySavitchhadbeentellinghisstory，Kuzkahadsatonalittlestonenearthegate。Hisheadproppedinbothhands，hegazedatthesky，andinthedistancehelookedinthedarklikeastumpofwood。
“Kuzka，cometobed，“MatveySavitchbawledtohim。
“Yes，it’stime，“saidDyudya，gettingup；heyawnedloudlyandadded:
“Folkswillgotheirownway，andthat’swhatcomesofit。“
Overtheyardthemoonwasfloatingnowintheheavens；shewasmovingoneway，whilethecloudsbeneathmovedtheotherway；thecloudsweredisappearingintothedarkness，butstillthemooncouldbeseenhighabovetheyard。
MatveySavitchsaidaprayer，facingthechurch，andsayinggood-night，helaydownonthegroundnearhiscart。Kuzka，too，saidaprayer，laydowninthecart，andcoveredhimselfwithhislittleovercoat；hemadehimselfalittleholeinthehaysoastobemorecomfortable，andcurledupsothathiselbowslookedlikeknees。FromtheyardDyudyacouldbeseenlightingacandleinhisroombelow，puttingonhisspectaclesandstandinginthecornerwithabook。Hewasalongwhilereadingandcrossinghimself。
Thetravellersfellasleep。AfanasyevnaandSofyacameuptothecartandbeganlookingatKuzka。
“Thelittleorphan’sasleep，“saidtheoldwoman。“He’sthinandfrail，nothingbutbones。Nomotherandnoonetocareforhimproperly。“
“MyGrishutkamustbetwoyearsolder，“saidSofya。“Upatthefactoryheliveslikeaslavewithouthismother。Theforemanbeatshim，Idaresay。WhenIlookedatthispoormitejustnow，IthoughtofmyownGrishutka，andmyheartwentcoldwithinme。“
Aminutepassedinsilence。
“Doesn’trememberhismother，Isuppose，“saidtheoldwoman。
“Howcouldheremember？“
AndbigtearsbegandroppingfromSofya’seyes。
“He’scurledhimselfuplikeacat，“shesaid，sobbingandlaughingwithtendernessandsorrow。“Poormotherlessmite！
Kuzkastartedandopenedhiseyes。Hesawbeforehimanugly，wrinkled，tear-stainedface，andbesideitanother，agedandtoothless，withasharpchinandhookednose，andhighabovethemtheinfiniteskywiththeflyingcloudsandthemoon。Hecriedoutinfright，andSofya，too，utteredacry；bothwereansweredbytheecho，andafaintstirpassedoverthestiflingair；awatchmantappedsomewherenear，adogbarked。MatveySavitchmutteredsomethinginhissleepandturnedoverontheotherside。
LateatnightwhenDyudyaandtheoldwomanandtheneighbouringwatchmanwereallasleep，Sofyawentouttothegateandsatdownonthebench。Shefeltstifledandherheadachedfromweeping。
Thestreetwasawideandlongone；itstretchedfornearlytwomilestotherightandasfartotheleft，andtheendofitwasoutofsight。Themoonwasnownotovertheyard，butbehindthechurch。Onesideofthestreetwasfloodedwithmoonlight，whiletheothersidelayinblackshadow。Thelongshadowsofthepoplarsandthestarling-cotesstretchedrightacrossthestreet，whilethechurchcastabroadshadow，blackandterriblethatenfoldedDyudya’sgatesandhalfhishouse。Thestreetwasstillanddeserted。Fromtimetotimethestrainsofmusicfloatedfaintlyfromtheendofthestreet——Alyoshka，mostlikely，playinghisconcertina。
Someonemovedintheshadownearthechurchenclosure，andSofyacouldnotmakeoutwhetheritwereamanoracow，orperhapsmerelyabigbirdrustlinginthetrees。Butthenafiguresteppedoutoftheshadow，halted，andsaidsomethinginaman’svoice，thenvanisheddowntheturningbythechurch。Alittlelater，notthreeyardsfromthegate，anotherfigurecameintosight；itwalkedstraightfromthechurchtothegateandstoppedshort，seeingSofyaonthebench。
“Varvara，isthatyou？“saidSofya。
“Andifitwere？“
ItwasVarvara。Shestoodstillaminute，thencameuptothebenchandsatdown。
“Wherehaveyoubeen？“askedSofya。
Varvaramadenoanswer。