Page:Iván Ilyitch and Other Stories (1887).djvu/143

 her bag, a little boy in a torn cap came along, picked up an apple from the basket, and was about to make his escape; but the old woman noticed it, turned around, and caught the youngster by his sleeve. The little boy began to struggle, tried to tear himself away; but the old woman grasped him with both hands, knocked off his cap, and caught him by the hair.

The little boy is screaming, the old woman is scolding. Avdyéitch lost no time in putting away his awl; he threw it upon the floor, sprang to the door—he even stumbled on the stairs, and dropped his eyeglasses—and rushed out into the street.

The old woman is pulling the youngster by his hair, and is scolding, and threatening to take him to the policeman: the youngster defends himself, and denies the charge. “I did not take it,” he says: “what are you licking me for? let me go!” Avdyéitch tried to separate them. He took the boy by his arm, and says,—

“Let him go, bábushka; forgive him, for Christ’s sake.”

“I will forgive him so that he won’t forget till the new broom grows. I am going to take the little villain to the police.”

Avdyéitch began to entreat the old woman:—

“Let him go, bábushka,” he said: “he will never do it again. Let him go, for Christ’s sake.”

The old woman let him loose: the boy tried to run, but Avdyéitch kept him back.

“Ask the bábushka’s forgiveness,” he said, “and don’t you ever do it again: I saw you taking the apple.”

With tears in his eyes, the boy began to ask forgiveness.

“Nu! that’s right; and now, here’s an apple for