“Varvarushka，ifyouwantanythingoutoftheshop，“hesaidaffectionately，“takeit，mydear。Takeitandwelcome；don’thesitate。“
Andthenextdaythedeafman，runningacrosstheyard，calledtoher:
“Ifthereisanythingyouwant，mother，takeit。“
Therewassomethingnew，somethinggayandlight-heartedinhergivingofalms，justastherewasinthelampsbeforetheikonsandintheredflowers。WhenatCarnivaloratthechurchfestival，whichlastedforthreedays，theysoldthepeasantstaintedsaltmeat，smellingsostrongitwashardtostandnearthetubofit，andtookscythes，caps，andtheirwives’kerchiefsinpledgefromthedrunkenmen；whenthefactoryhandsstupefiedwithbadvodkalayrollinginthemud，andsinseemedtohoverthicklikeafogintheair，thenitwasarelieftothinkthatupthereinthehousetherewasagentle，neatlydressedwomanwhohadnothingtodowithsaltmeatorvodka；hercharityhadinthoseburdensome，murkydaystheeffectofasafetyvalveinamachine。
ThedaysinTsybukin’shousewerespentinbusinesscares。BeforethesunhadriseninthemorningAksinyawaspantingandpuffingasshewashedintheouterroom，andthesamovarwasboilinginthekitchenwithahumthatbodednogood。OldGrigoryPetrovitch，dressedinalongblackcoat，cottonbreechesandshinytopboots，lookingadapperlittlefigure，walkedabouttherooms，tappingwithhislittleheelslikethefather-in-lawinawell-knownsong。Theshopwasopened。Whenitwasdaylightaracingdroshkywasbroughtuptothefrontdoorandtheoldmangotjauntilyontoit，pullinghisbigcapdowntohisears；and，lookingathim，noonewouldhavesaidhewasfifty-six。Hiswifeanddaughter-in-lawsawhimoff，andatsuchtimeswhenhehadonagood，cleancoat，andhadinthedroshkyahugeblackhorsethathadcostthreehundredroubles，theoldmandidnotlikethepeasantstocomeuptohimwiththeircomplaintsandpetitions；
hehatedthepeasantsanddisdainedthem，andifhesawsomepeasantswaitingatthegate，hewouldshoutangrily:
“Whyareyoustandingthere？Gofurtheroff。“
Orifitwereabeggar，hewouldsay:
“Godwillprovide！“
Heusedtodriveoffonbusiness；hiswife，inadarkdressandablackapron，tidiedtheroomsorhelpedinthekitchen。Aksinyaattendedtotheshop，andfromtheyardcouldbeheardtheclinkofbottlesandofmoney，herlaughterandloudtalk，andtheangerofcustomerswhomshehadoffended；andatthesametimeitcouldbeseenthatthesecretsaleofvodkawasalreadygoingonintheshop。Thedeafmansatintheshop，too，orwalkedaboutthestreetbare-headed，withhishandsinhispocketslookingabsent-mindedlynowatthehuts，nowattheskyoverhead。Sixtimesadaytheyhadtea；fourtimesadaytheysatdowntomeals；andintheeveningtheycountedovertheirtakings，putthemdown，wenttobed，andsleptsoundly。
AllthethreecottonfactoriesinUkleevoandthehousesofthefactoryowners——HryminSeniors，HryminJuniors，andKostukov——
wereonatelephone。Thetelephonewaslaidoninthelocalcourt，too，butitsoonceasedtoworkasbugsandbeetlesbredthere。Theelderoftheruraldistricthadhadlittleeducationandwroteeverywordintheofficialdocumentsincapitals。Butwhenthetelephonewasspoiledhesaid:
“Yes，nowweshallbebadlyoffwithoutatelephone。“
TheHryminSeniorswerecontinuallyatlawwiththeJuniors，andsometimestheJuniorsquarrelledamongthemselvesandbegangoingtolaw，andtheirfactorydidnotworkforamonthortwotilltheywerereconciledagain，andthiswasanentertainmentforthepeopleofUkleevo，astherewasagreatdealoftalkandgossipontheoccasionofeachquarrel。OnholidaysKostukovandtheJuniorsusedtogetupraces，usedtodashaboutUkleevoandrunovercalves。Aksinya，rustlingherstarchedpetticoats，usedtopromenadeinalow-neckeddressupanddownthestreetnearhershop；theJuniorsusedtosnatchherupandcarryheroffasthoughbyforce。ThenoldTsybukinwoulddriveouttoshowhisnewhorseandtakeVarvarawithhim。
Intheevening，aftertheraces，whenpeopleweregoingtobed，anexpensiveconcertinawasplayedintheJuniors’yardand，ifitwereamoonlightnight，thosesoundssentathrillofdelighttotheheart，andUkleevonolongerseemedawretchedhole。
TheeldersonAnisimcamehomeveryrarely，onlyongreatholidays，butheoftensentbyareturningvillagerpresentsandletterswritteninverygoodwritingbysomeotherhand，alwaysonasheetoffoolscapintheformofapetition。TheletterswerefullofexpressionsthatAnisimnevermadeuseofinconversation:“Dearpapaandmamma，Isendyouapoundofflowerteaforthesatisfactionofyourphysicalneeds。“
Atthebottomofeveryletterwasscratched，asthoughwithabrokenpen:“AnisimTsybukin，“andagaininthesameexcellenthand:“Agent。“
Theletterswerereadaloudseveraltimes，andtheoldfather，touched，redwithemotion，wouldsay:
“Herehedidnotcaretostayathome，hehasgoneinforanintellectualline。Well，lethim！Everymantohisownjob！
IthappenedjustbeforeCarnivaltherewasaheavystormofrainmixedwithhail；theoldmanandVarvarawenttothewindowtolookatit，andloandbehold！Anisimdroveupinasledgefromthestation。Hewasquiteunexpected。Hecameindoors，lookinganxiousandtroubledaboutsomething，andheremainedthesameallthetime；therewassomethingfreeandeasyinhismanner。Hewasinnohastetogoaway，itseemed，asthoughhehadbeendismissedfromtheservice。Varvarawaspleasedathisarrival；
shelookedathimwithaslyexpression，sighed，andshookherhead。
“Howisthis，myfriends？“shesaid。“Tut，tut，thelad’sinhistwenty-eighthyear，andheisstillleadingagaybachelorlife；
Fromtheotherroomhersoft，evenspeechsoundedliketut，tut，tut。ShebeganwhisperingwithherhusbandandAksinya，andtheirfacesworethesameslyandmysteriousexpressionasthoughtheywereconspirators。
ItwasdecidedtomarryAnisim。
“Oh，tut，tuttheyoungerbrotherhasbeenmarriedlongago，“saidVarvara，“andyouarestillwithoutahelpmatelikeacockatafair。Whatisthemeaningofit？Tut，tut，youwillbemarried，pleaseGod，thenasyouchoose——youwillgointotheserviceandyourwifewillremainhereathometohelpus。Thereisnoorderinyourlife，youngman，andIseeyouhaveforgottenhowtoliveproperly。Tut，tut，it’sthesametroublewithallyoutownspeople。“
WhentheTsybukinsmarried，themosthandsomegirlswerechosenasbridesforthemasrichmen。ForAnisim，too，theyfoundahandsomeone。Hewashimselfofanuninterestingandinconspicuousappearance；ofafeeble，sicklybuildandshortstature；hehadfull，puffycheekswhichlookedasthoughhewereblowingthemout；hiseyeslookedwithakeen，unblinkingstare；
hisbeardwasredandscanty，andwhenhewasthinkinghealwaysputitintohismouthandbitit；moreoverheoftendranktoomuch，andthatwasnoticeablefromhisfaceandhiswalk。Butwhenhewasinformedthattheyhadfoundaverybeautifulbrideforhim，hesaid:
“Ohwell，Iamnotafrightmyself。AllofusTsybukinsarehandsome，Imaysay。“
ThevillageofTorguevowasnearthetown。Halfofithadlatelybeenincorporatedintothetown，theotherhalfremainedavillage。Inthefirst——thetownhalf——therewasawidowlivinginherownlittlehouse；shehadasisterlivingwithherwhowasquitepoorandwentouttoworkbytheday，andthissisterhadadaughtercalledLipa，agirlwhowentouttowork，too。PeopleinTorguevowerealreadytalkingaboutLipa’sgoodlooks，butherterriblepovertyputeveryoneoff；peopleopinedthatsomewidowerorelderlymanwouldmarryherregardlessofherpoverty，orwouldperhapstakehertohimselfwithoutmarriage，andthathermotherwouldgetenoughtoeatlivingwithher。VarvaraheardaboutLipafromthematchmakers，andshedroveovertoTorguevo。
Thenavisitofinspectionwasarrangedattheaunt’s，withlunchandwineallindueorder，andLipaworeanewpinkdressmadeonpurposeforthisoccasion，andacrimsonribbonlikeaflamegleamedinherhair。Shewaspale-faced，thin，andfrail，withsoft，delicatefeaturessunburntfromworkingintheopenair；ashy，mournfulsmilealwayshoveredaboutherface，andtherewasachildlikelookinhereyes，trustfulandcurious。
Shewasyoung，quitealittlegirl，herbosomstillscarcelyperceptible，butshecouldbemarriedbecauseshehadreachedthelegalage。Shereallywasbeautiful，andtheonlythingthatmightbethoughtunattractivewasherbigmasculinehandswhichhungidlenowliketwobigclaws。
“Thereisnodowry——andwedon’tthinkmuchofthat，“saidTsybukintotheaunt。“WetookawifefromapoorfamilyforoursonStepan，too，andnowwecan’tsaytoomuchforher。Inhouseandinbusinessalikeshehashandsofgold。“
Lipastoodinthedoorwayandlookedasthoughshewouldsay:“Dowithmeasyouwill，Itrustyou，“whilehermotherPraskovyathework-womanhidherselfinthekitchennumbwithshyness。Atonetimeinheryouthamerchantwhosefloorsshewasscrubbingstampedatherinarage；shewentchillwithterrorandtherealwayswasafeelingoffearatthebottomofherheart。Whenshewasfrightenedherarmsandlegstrembledandhercheekstwitched。Sittinginthekitchenshetriedtohearwhatthevisitorsweresaying，andshekeptcrossingherself，pressingherfingerstoherforehead，andgazingattheikons。Anisim，slightlydrunk，openedthedoorintothekitchenandsaidinafree-and-easyway:
“Whyareyousittinginhere，preciousmamma？Wearedullwithoutyou。“
AndPraskovya，overcomewithtimidity，pressingherhandstoherlean，wastedbosom，said:
“Oh，notatall。It’sverykindofyou。“
Afterthevisitofinspectiontheweddingdaywasfixed。ThenAnisimwalkedabouttheroomsathomewhistling，orsuddenlythinkingofsomething，wouldfalltobroodingandwouldlookatthefloorfixedly，silently，asthoughhewouldprobetothedepthsoftheearth。Heexpressedneitherpleasurethathewastobemarried，marriedsosoon，onLowSunday，noradesiretoseehisbride，butsimplywentonwhistling。Anditwasevidenthewasonlygettingmarriedbecausehisfatherandstepmotherwishedhimto，andbecauseitwasthecustominthevillagetomarrythesoninordertohaveawomantohelpinthehouse。Whenhewentawayheseemedinnohaste，andbehavedaltogethernotashehaddoneonpreviousvisits——wasparticularlyfreeandeasy，andtalkedinappropriately。