The Orloff Couple and Malva

Orloff sprang frightened from his seat, and catching a glimpse of a startled and reproachful look in his wife's eye, made vain efforts to recall to his dulled brain the events of the last

he police-officer to some one

s hole is this merchant Petounukoff's house!" T

at entered the Orloffs' dwelling, holding his cap in his hand. His head was smooth shaven, hi

myself to you; I am a member of the Sanitary Commission. I have come to inquire about the state in whi

erous unaffected ways, pleased him; the healthy young face, covered on cheeks and chin with fair downy hair, had something so friend

de of lime in the corners of the room. That will purify the air, and it's a very good remedy against the damp. And you, my fine fellow—why do you look so upset?" He turned towards Orloff, seized his hand suddenly, and felt his pulse. The quick assure

t any fuss—it's a question you see of life and death.... If anything is not quite right we will treat you g

"And if I don't seem quite up to the mark, it's nothing out of th

ld me so.... Of course it was only a small

t; and he burst into a loud good-tempered laugh. Matrona smiled also behind her apron. The medical student, who, at first had laughed with th

as I have just said, it must be taken in moderation, and as times are now it is better to keep away

the room, feeling the walls with his hands, looking behind the door, stooping down to peep into the stove, and sniffing about everywhere with his nose. His voice, which had not yet completely changed, alternated between bass and treble, an

th curiosity all his movements. Matrona listened also, without

uple of kopecks they will give you a whole heap of it. And, about the drink, it's better to leave

as it were as a recollection of his pleasant visit,

ords the impression which this sudden visit, with all its revelation of well-

all straight! He comes in quite simply—'Here I am, my good people; listen to what I have to say!' Chloride of lime, that can't hurt And citric acid, that's just an acid, and nothing more.... The principal thing, however, is to keep clean, to have everything clean indoors, and to attend to the slop-bucket Can a man be poisoned by atten

t a glass of vodka, which she p

him," she said, still smiling at the thought of the student. "But who c

... Hired to do wh

is an order that all the poor people are to be pois

old yo

ainter's cook says so also.... And

nd them out to Siberia; there's room for them all there; or to some uninhabited island, where they can dig the ground, work and pay taxes! Can't you understand? Don't you see that would be the right sort of way of thinning out the people, and would be at the same time advantageous.... For an uninhabited island produces nothing; but workers, who pay taxes, are the most important matter for the State coffers. But what sense would

s missing on the right side or the left, they could not agree; and they nearly came to pulling one another's hair over it. Twice already Grischka had made his wife angry, but he noticed in time that her bottle still contained a good drop of vo

.... That's the sort of fellow that takes my fancy! One sees at once that he has a heart for people like us.... What say you, Motrja? They don't want us to die, that's all about it I And all this women's chatter about poisoning and that sort of thing

with a sneer. "But he only told us that to frighten us

tures live! Damn it all, what was the name of those little beasts? Bac—bactery—that was not quite it

the most na?ve excitement, just as children have the habit of chattering with each other about so

stood the painter's stout cook; her usually healthy,

speaking with trembling lips. "The cholera has started here in the cour

't be true!" cried Gri

to carry out the slop-bucket!

dear friends," said the cook. "I have dec

" asked Grigori, j

ng some cold water from the pump, and in t

redible that any sort of illness could hurt that strong fellow. Yest

is going on," said Grischka,

Grischka!" screamed

doing there, man? Stay

to dress himself hastily without washing,

to hold him back; he felt how her hand tre

n!" he shouted out, pushing her ba

feeling increased when he noticed that the tailor's apprentices were watching him from the windows of the second-floor. In order to appear quite free from fear he whistled as he went along. At the door, however, of the accordion-player's room he met with a slight surprise. He was not the firs

irty little face, which, under the impression of what he had just been witnessing, seemed mor

g from the room. He stood there silently, listening to Tschischik, whils

him some water to drink, Unc

rembling face of the child, and felt with

enka. Then he opened wide the door of the sick ma

ssed in his best clothes, leant all of a heap against the table, pressing convulsively his body against the edge, whi

e sick man in a hollow,

refully over the damp boards, and trying

ith you, then? This is a queer sort of music you are

rpse in summer-time. Orloff felt he was looking into the leaden face of a dying man. Only the slow movement of the jaws showed that what was before him was still a living body.... For some time Kisljakoff stared with motionless, glassy eyes into Grigori's face; and this dying stare frightened Orloff. It seeme

he, preparing t

ccordion-player. The lips, which were tinged with a leaden-c

st—d—

e three dull strokes. He turned, as if stunned, towards the door, where he was

off's well!... They did not wan

into a corner of the room, and re-appeared with a glas

es that matter?... It will come to you, too—it's goin

ucket, and drank it off in one draught In h

ust—

e room like an eel; he seeme

ordion-player, leaning his trem

gulped down the water, and how Tschischik asked him if he should undress him and put him on the bed; and then he heard once more the voice of the painter's cook. He could see her fat face glanci

ut who stood behind her, recommen

ng. In order to strengthen the flickering flame, he rubbed his forehead briskly; t

ill now!... He's run off to the

ith wide-open eyes, and t

could scarcely pronounce the words. "My Grischka could no

. There they stood, whispering together under their breath, and on each of their faces one could read the same feeling of terror, nervous excitement and hopeless misery—mixed with secret rage on the part of some, and of fictitious b

of the street with its half-uttered whispers. From time to time a loud oath from s

there's Orl

which stopped at the door of the old house. He was seated by the side

shouted the driver of the carriage,

m the excited feelings of the onlookers, and many of them left their posts of observation. Close behind the driver was to be seen the medical student, who had the day before visited the Orloffs. H

oice, throwing a critical glance at the bystanders, who were loitering

s the cook coming

mething you don't like!" replied

crowd, shouted out, "Just wait; he'll cook a br

as a mirthless laugh, a mix

n the crowd remarked, with a meaning look, but in a voice that betrayed hatred. Under the impression of this que

are bringing

him! Just look what

he has plent

r a sot like him? What

"Tell the doctor I will follow him directly.... I beg of you, Mr. Orloff, to stay here for a time and help me to disinfect t

said Orloff with visible prid

too!" cried

ry, and had already returned in time to offer his services to t

ou, my lit

here at the painter's

not afraid of

a, astonished. "I am not afr

at's all right.... Just

imself backwards and forwards on it, he began to explain to Orloff and Tschischik

group where sat the student, with furtive steps as a cat might approach a sparrow. After about a dozen people had collected, the student became more enthusiastic and interested, for he observed the i

illness is cleanliness in your own persons, and g

nage to die all the same!" r

oud. "It would be better to pray to the holy mar

pied with his own thoughts, watched the student with a

ing at the cobbler with small round eyes that glowed like burning coals. "The poor Mi

imp!" Orloff replied, an

ich they had just carried out the accordion-playe

use plenty of chloride of lime!" the student's