Page:Tolstoy - Tales from Tolstoi.djvu/270

Tales from Tolstoi Simon glanced towards Michael, and perceived that he had thrown down his work and was gazing steadily at the children. He couldn't take his eyes from them.

And Simon was amazed at Michael It is true they were nice children—black-eyed, plump-cheeked, rosy-faced—and their little furs and frocks were also very nice; but still, for all that, Simon could not understand why Michael should look at them as if they were his acquaintances.

Simon was amazed, and began to talk to the woman, and settle about the work to be done. They arranged it, and he took the measure. Then the woman took the lame little girl on her lap, and said:

"Take the two measures from this little one, and make one little shoe for the left little foot, and three for the right little foot. They've both the same shape of foot—as like as two peas. They are twins."

Simon took the tiny measure, and said to the lame little girl:

"How did this befall you? Such a nice little girl as you are too! Were you born with it?"

"Nay, her mother did it."

Matrena then drew near. She wanted to know who the woman was, and all about the children.

"Then you are not their mother, eh?"

"I am not their mother, nor indeed any relation, my mistress. They were quite strangers to me, but I adopted them."

"They are not your children, eh? Yet you seem very fond of them?" 220