The Orloff Couple and Malva

nfirmary, and Pronim lifted from it another victim of the epidemic, a yellow-fac

driver of the van in answer to a question as to th

of pain. "Good heavens! it is Senka

lay on the stretcher, turning up his eyes to catc

d Orloff. He was quite upset at the sight of the lad,

e cried out, shaking his head slowly, and as if

ent, and shivered

laid him on the bed and took off

t bath!" Orloff promised him. "We'

ik shook

der some wood in the woodshed.... The day before yesterday ... I played on it for the first time.... Oh! what a beauty it is I ... Directly after I had t

ff carried Tschischik's body to the mortuary. He felt as if he had himself received a blow or an injury. He tried to straighten out the little body, but could not succeed in doing so.

ed so unjust!... He himself also, Grigori Orloff, would have some day to pack up his traps in the same way, leaving nothing behind. Then all would be over. A shudder ran through him, and he immediately experienced a feeling of loneliness, of being forsaken. He felt th

lf in a corner of the room. The samovar stoo

shing. In the corridor outside, the attendants' footsteps could be heard hurrying backwards and forwards, and Grigori tried to guess, from the sound of the steps, who was passing. Suddenly

red, and said

is de

atrona piously, scarcely pausing in her noisy ablutio

poor child," said Gr

evous lad, though,"

phan, he might have got attached to us, and have taken the place of a son.... I fear we shall never have children!... I don't understand why. Such a strong, hearty woman as you are, and yet you bear no children.... You had one, and there was an end of it!... Ah! if we only had a couple of little squallers, I believe our life would not b

e, his head sunk on his breast Matrona stood listening to

have no children. What is the reason?... I think and think about it ti

e to repeat to me what you have just said!... If you take to drink, it is only your own dissipated habits that p

s wife, and scarcely recognizing her. Never before had he seen her in such a rage; looking at h

ilst he clutched the back of the chair. "I shou

oached me so unfairly! You tell me I do not bear you children!... Very well!... Never will I

obs, but she almost sc

said her husband

it?... Are you not ashamed to look into my eyes, you murderer-you?... Yes, you are a murderer, for you have killed your own children! And now you want to lay the blame upon me!... upon me, who bore everything, who forgave you everything! But these words I can never forget or forgive; to my dying hour I shall remember them! ... Did you imagine then that I did not, like other women, long for children? Did you think I did not wish to have an

r lips. Her face was congested, and showed red patches under the sk

e was afraid she might seize him and throttle him. She seemed to threaten him with her flashing angry eyes. At this moment she was immeasurably his superior; he felt it and feared her ac

e.... Why was that? Because I loved you ... and I still love you, but I will not bear these reproaches from you ... it's b

ed Grigori, sho

? Have you forgotten where you are

ones, but pushing the intruder aside, rushed past him into the open air. Matrona stood for a moment in the middle of the room,

tick-tick, marked the passing of the minutes. The drops of rain pattered ceaselessly against the window-panes. Hour after hour passed, and still the rain continued to fall On her bed the woman lay motionless, staring with wide-open feverish eyes at the ceiling. Her face was dark and careworn, her teeth were firmly clenched, and her cheek-bones seemed to stand out prominently; in her eyes there was an expression of

as lost its polish. Sleep had not yet visited Matrona's eyes. Ever through the mo

en next? What w

soul with irresistible force, and reso

ll happe

ast few weeks-and she strove with all her might to repel her ominous forebodings. At the same time it became clearer to her that if Grigori were to return to his former evil ways, their life together would be utterly impossible. She had seen him as a different being; she herself had becom

it all co

m to have quite l

thoughts. It had become broad daylight; a thick mist lay ove

, washed herself, and went with listless, heavy steps into the ward. Here, her languid appe

ou then, Matrona? Are you

am all

trouble. You know if there is anything t

rson perceiving the anguish that was in her soul; so, summoning up her

had a bit of a quarrel with my husband.... It's

dy doctor, who knew all ab

reak into loud sobs. But she controlled herself and pressed her lips firmly tog

g through the fields, evidently bringing another patient to the Infirmary. Still the same thick fine rain fell ceaselessly from

beat time in unison with the words. For a long time she sat there alone in a sort of heavy s

rted nor moved, for she felt at that moment as if the heavy rain-clou

through, the water was pouring from him. His face was flushed, his eyes looked dim, on his lips was a broad, foolish smile. As he came nearer Ma

you are," sh

your forgiveness?" Grischka asked with

was

nking it out as to whether I am guilty towards you or not. At last I made up my

tom with bitter recollections, for as

advantage of my being sober and friendly," said Grigori, in

atrona, sighing. "Go an

been walking about and thinking ... I have thought of

enacingly, and a constrained

n't you

speak to

hy not

who made the row yesterday; you who shouted and scolded ... and

ils dilated. Matrona knew only too well what these signs foreboded; the

am a wild beast or not, that has nothing to do with the matter!... I ask you if you will forgive me? What do you imagine then?... Do you think I can't

do!" exclaimed Matrona wea

ious voice. "I am to go away, and you are to remain here, alone, free a

tly against him, flourished a clasp-knife in front o

How do you

of it," said Matrona, with a heavy sigh. She

such a desperate tone of voice. He was completely taken aback at her not showing more fear at sight of the knife. For a moment or two he had been ready to strike her-but now h

you want the

"But you, what do you want?... You came here with the intentio

necessary that she should now submit to him. He did not try to explain to himself why, but he felt it was absolutely necessary. Being a man of a passionate, complex nature, he had suffered keenly, and had reflected on many things during the last few hours, but his ignorance prevented him from explaining to himself the chaos of emotions, which his wife's just and outspoken accusations had

on finish you off with this.... One blow under the ribs, and all would be

still remained with her back to him, and motionless. Once more she was feverishly and rapidly passing in review th

oing to ha

ng over his wife. "Is it altogether my fault that everything has gone wrong-that things a

hook his head sl

?... Is the life we are leading any better than the pains of cholera?... It is a constant struggle, and how frightful it is!... Ah! I can't express all that is in my soul.... But I know that I can't go on living like this.... But how to alter it I don't know.... Look at those, for instance, who are suffering in the

e, but she paid but little attention to his wo

omething new and great unfolding within him.

imed Matrona. "Why do you worry

o do?... Well ... you

ess, and make her understand, what he wanted to say. But he realized that some barrier had arisen between them, which no words, however eloquent,

are trying to provoke me...

quickly recovered herself, and facing her husband with a look of hatred

! Be

u go on beati

you d

't stand this sort

h! I

ll-treated by

ntion of striking her with greater force.... But at this moment the d

ou forget where you are? Wh

Orloff did not seem in the least taken aback, b

little clearing up of the atm

f-nervous, half-sneering

aid the doctor angrily, for he was vexed

his shoulders, an

d.... I had business of

And who was making al

" Grigori

good!... You make yourselves quite at home he

not sl

his place into a vodka-shop, you scum

chka. It seemed to him all at once, that by doing something out of the common, something extraordinary, he could tear himself free from the bonds that were

like that! I know very well where I

hat was that you said?" exclaimed

ngless and insulting expression; but he would no

oon see what I meant!... Matrona

said," insisted the doctor in a quiet voice that boded no good.

as if he were being carried away by a puff of wind, an

r cures here are of no use to mankind, they are not worth a brass farthing! No one wants you and your science and your cures!.. Well, if I did call your place a deat

or quietly; "I'll have to teach you a lesson

sembled in the corridor. Grischka's

if you are so very anxious to give me a lesson

y it then

one, 'My good people, listen! and I wi

doctor; opening s

er; and we'll help you to disinfect wit

ened to this man, whom he had known as a decent hard-working fell

, you fool?... How c

s. He realized that he had fully deserved the title

e same to me.... To such as I am, it's all the same, at any time; it's useles

e," said Matrona in a

with astonished eyes, not k

he said to Grischka. "Do you und

ive in; he felt he had gone too far. So

cting? Ha! ha!... and curing the sick people; whilst those who are well are dying from the

not go

and resolute, as she looked her husband in the face. This look had the effect o

listen, my good fellow. Be off with you as quickly as you can, and thank your lucky stars tha

en, or given into custody; but the doctor was a kind-hearted man, and could

oming with me?" Grischka aske

swered, throwing back her he

cried, with a hopeless gesture. "What

laimed the doctor al

am off!... Perhaps we shall never meet again in this life ... perhaps we shall ... that will

rned towar

voice, as Grigori passed him. Orloff stopped, and turning h

the spring any more ... it was lucky it unwound w

it on his head, lingered for a moment, and th

earching glance, as she stood in front of h

n of Grigori, he asked her,

't kno

here is he

k," Matrona replied in a

frowned a

and wind, she could discern the figure of a man leaving the Infirmary, and walking towar

fervently, her head bowed almost to the floor. Deep sighs and ardent words of passionate prayer escaped from her