Page:The Complete Works of Lyof N. Tolstoi - 08 (Crowell, 1899).djvu/342

328 "'Look out he doesn't cheat you, he is such a beast!'

"Father said:—

"'I will go and carry him some brandy, and have a little talk with him. And do you cook an egg in the ashes for dinner.'

"Mother boiled a morsel for dinner—she got it of her folks. Then father took some liquor and went to Bryantsef, and we remained and sat a long time. I began to feel lonely without father, and so I begged mother to let me go where father had gone. Mother said:—

"'You will lose your way.'

"I began to cry and wanted to go, but mother beat me, and I sat on the stove and began to cry louder than ever. Then I saw father come in, and he asked:—

"'What are you crying about?'

"Mother said:—

"'Fedyushka wanted to run after you, and I whipped him.'

"Father came to me, and said:—

"'What are you crying about?'

"I began to be sorry for mother. Father went to her and began to make believe beat her, and he kept saying:—

"'Don't you whip Fedya! Don't you whip Fedya!'

"Mother made believe howl, and I sat on father's knee and was happy. Then father sat down to table, placed me next to him, and cried:—

"'Give me and Fedya something to eat, mother—we are hungry.'

"So mother gave us some meat, and we set to work eating. After we had eaten, mother said:—

"'Well, how about the wood?'

"Father said:—

"'Fifty silver rubles.'

"Mother said:—

"'That's nothing at all.'

"Father said:—