Further Foolishness

mother-Katrina Katerinavitch. In the house, too were Nitska, the

the heart of Russia. All about it was the great plain with t

see a moujik driving a three-horse tarantula, or perhaps Swill, the swine-he

?" asked Serge. But

eat snows and the river was fro

me to the door, stamping his feet with

ld day," Yo

tch a glass of Kwas steaming hot from the great

d answer, "Little Uncle, I drink your health," and he woul

ge could pick them. Then the rain came and Serge could catch it in a cup. Then the

ding the mush, or dough, to make slab, or pancake, for the morrow. Yump sh

d's will,

rew up a tho

"Matrinska (little mother), why is th

"Boob (Russian for father), what is thre

ar Serg

. He couldn't understand it.

d talk with Itch,

y?" But Itch didn't know. In his s

schoolmaster, who could read and write, an

how Itch trembled and cowered before Popoff, cringing as he brought a three-legged stool and saying, "Sit near the fire, little father; it is cold." Popoff laughed and said, "Cold as Siberia, is it not, litt

t the fire with a stick so that the sparks flew into Popoff's face.

orner of the kitchen, and Serge sa

he cry?" a

he poured water into the great iron pot

ore thoughtf

saw some peasants drowning a tax collector in the river. It made a deep impre

wn him?" he asked

id Yump, and she threw a hand

he town, and men in uniform went to and fro

appened?" a

lice," answered Itch. "They ha

d?" questi

tly to the ground-"H

im anything. "Popoff is dead," they said. "They have found

y kill him?"

one wou

rge was more per

ced how though

"Some day he will be a learne

imed Itch. "It is

came to the house with a gr

it?" as

alphabet,"

," said Serge

y. "Here is part of it," and he tor

ing," and she shook her head as she put a new lump of

bet, and that when he had learned it he was to go to

bag of rubles that was concealed on a shelf beside the wooden stove in the kitchen and counted them out a

and she poured oil and fat mixed with san

t buy clothes. Soon he will go to Mosco

shook as he showed the way. For the eyes of the man who asked the way were dark with hate and cruel with power. And he wore a uniform and there was brass upon his cap. But Serge looked only at the girl. And there was no hate in her eyes, but only a great b

as he went back again w

ce," said Itch, and his knee

taking her?

nswered Itch. "There they wil

spoke he could still see the girl's face, and the look u

de the bomb that killed Popoff, the inspector,

Yump, as she heaped mo