Page:Leo Tolstoi - Life Is Worth Living and Other Stories - tr. Adolphus Norraikow (1892).djvu/33

 26 without a hat. As he entered the room, he stood motionless, not even raising his eyes.

As Simeon's wife looked at him, she thought: "What a bad man he must be! He is afraid to look up, and keeps his eyes constantly on the floor." Matreona, now thoroughly angry, went over to the oven and waited to see what they were going to do.

Simeon took off his hat and seated himself on the bench, as if nothing unusual had occurred. Presently he said to his wife:

"Well, Matreona, are you going to give us some supper?"

But Matreona, without replying, stood by the oven and looked from one to the other of the men. She finally shook her head in a despondent way, but did not offer to produce any food.

Simeon saw that his wife was annoyed, but he did not appear to notice it; and taking the stranger by the arm he said: "Be seated, brother, and we shall have some supper."