Page:Complete Works of Count Tolstoy - 18.djvu/177

. Darling, grandfather, don't put it out! I won't do it again, upon my word, I won't. I am frightened.

. Frightened? Don't be afraid,—there is nothing to frighten you. You are afraid yourself, so you think something frightens you. How can you help being frightened if you are afraid? What a foolish girl! (Silence. A cricket.)

(in a whisper). Grandfather, O grandfather! Are you asleep?

. Well, what is it again?

. What is a bogie-man?

. I'll tell you. If a child won't go to sleep, just as you are doing now, he comes with a sack and whisks her into it. Then he puts in his own head, raises her shirt, and begins to whip her.

. What does he whip her with?

. With a bath broom.

. But he can't see inside the sack!

. Never mind, he can.

. I will bite him.

. No, dear, you won't.

. Grandfather, somebody is coming! Who is it? O mother, who is it?

. Let them come! What do you want? I suppose it is your mother.

. Anyútka! (Anyútka pretends to be asleep.) Mítrich!

. What?

. Why are you burning the lamp? We will sleep in the cold hut.

. I have just undressed myself. I will put it out.