Page:The Kiss and Other Stories by Anton Tchekhoff, 1908.pdf/257

 and looked as if it had been gnawed, the bread and vessels were covered with cockroaches; it was painful to drink, and painful to hear the talk — of nothing but poverty and sickness. Before they had emptied their first glasses, from the yard came a loud, drawling, drunken cry —

“Ma-arya!”

“That sounds like Kiriak,” said the old man. “Talk of the devil and he appears!”

The peasants were silent. A moment later came the same cry, rough and drawling, and this time it seemed to come from underground.

“Ma-arya!”

The elder daughter-in-law, Marya, turned deadly pale and pressed her body to the stove; and it was strange to see the expression of terror on the face of this strong, broad-shouldered, ugly woman. Her daughter, the little, indifferent girl who had sat on the stove, suddenly began to cry loudly.

“Stop howling, cholera!” cried angrily Fekla, a good-looking woman, also strong and broad-shouldered. “He won't kill you!”

From the old man Nikolai soon learned that Marya was afraid to live with her husband in the forest; and that when he had drunk too much Kiriak came for her, and made scenes and beat her mercilessly.

“Ma-arya!” came the cry, this time from outside the door.