Page:The Kiss and Other Stories by Anton Tchekhoff, 1908.pdf/261

 and the old woman is angry, and says, ‘You eat too much.’”

“Never mind, my heart! You must bear that too. It is written in the Bible, ‘Come unto Me all ye that are weary and heavy laden.’”

Olga spoke gravely and slowly; and walked, like a pilgrim, quickly and briskly. Every day she read the Gospel, aloud, like a clerk; and though there was much that she did not understand, the sacred words touched her to tears, and words like astche, dondezhe she pronounced with beating heart. She believed in God, in the Virgin, in the saints; and her faith was that it was wrong to do evil to any man, even to Germans, gipsies, and Jews. When she read aloud the Gospel, even when she stopped at words she did not understand, her face grew compassionate, kindly, and bright.

“What part are you from?” asked Marya.

“Vladimir. I have been long in Moscow, since I was eight years old.”

They approached the river. On the other bank stood a woman, undressing herself.

“That is our Fekla!” said Marya. “She's been across the river at the squire's house. With the stewards ! She's impudent and ill-spoken — awful!”

Black-browed Fekla, with loosened hair, jumped into the river, and, young and firm as a girl, splashed in the water, making big waves.