第25章

Losinghistemper，andopeningagreatmouth，untilhelookedlikeanoldrookwhichisabouttocaw，theCouncillorwouldstamphisfootseveraltimes，asthoughpreparingtodancetotheboys’shouting，andlowerhishead，grasphisumbrellalikeabayonet，andchargeattheladswithapantingshoutof:

“I’lltellyourfathers！Oh，I’lltellyourmothers！“

AsfortheMadameSukhinikh，referredto，shewasanoldbeggar-womanwho，theyearround，andinallweathers，satonalittlebenchbesidethecemeterywicket，andstucktoitlikeastone。Herlargeface，afacerenderedbricklikebyyearsofinebriety，wascoveredwithdarkblotchesbornoffrostbite，alcoholicinflammation，sunburn，andexposuretowind，andhereyeswereperpetuallyinastateofsuppuration。Neverdidanyonepassherbutsheprofferedawoodencupinasupplianthand，andcriedhoarsely，ratherasthoughshewerecursingthepersonconcerned:

“GivesomethingforChrist’ssake！Giveinmemoryofyourkinsfolkthere！“

Onceanunexpectedstormblewinfromthesteppes，andbroughtadownpourwhich，overtakingtheoldwomanonherwayhome，causedher，hersightbeingpoor，tofallintoapond，whencePraotzevattemptedtorescueher，andintowhich，intheend，heslippedhimself。Fromthatdayonwardshewastwittedonthesubjectbytheboysofthetown。

OtherfrequentersofthecemeteryIseebeforeme——dark，silentfigures，figuresofpersonswhomstillunseveredcordsofmemoryseemedtohaveboundtotheplacefortherestoftheirlives，andcompelledtowander，likeunburiedcorpses，inquestofsuitabletombs。Yes，theywerepersonswhomlifehadrejected，anddeath，asyet，refusedtoaccept。

Also，attimestherewouldemergefromthelonggrassahomelessdogwithlarge，sulleneyes，eyesstartlingatonceintheirintelligenceandintheirabsoluteIshmaelitism——untilonealmostexpectedtohearissuefromtheanimal’smouthreproachescouchedinhumanlanguage。

Andsometimesthedogwouldstillremainhaltedinthecemeteryas，withtaillowered，itswayeditsshelterless，shaggyheadtoandfrowithanairofprofoundreflection，whileoccasionallyventingasubdued，long-drawnyelporhowl。

Again，amongthedenseoldlimetrees，therewouldbescurryinganunseenmobofstarlingsandjackdawswhoseyoungwould，meanwhile，maintainasoft，hungrypiping，asortofgentlypersuasive，chirrupingchorus；untilinautumn，whenthewindhadstrippedbaretheboughs，thesebirds’blacknestswouldcometolooklikemouldy，rag-swathedheadsofhumanbeingswhichsomeonehadtornfromtheirbodiesandflungintothetrees，tohangforeveraroundthewhite，sugarloaf-shapedchurchofthemartyredSt。Barbara。Duringthatautumnseason，indeed，everythinginthecemetery’svicinitylookedsadandtarnished，andthewindwouldwailabouttheplace，andsighlikealoverwhohasbeendrivenmadthroughbereavement……

Suddenlytheoldmanhaltedbeforemeonthepath，and，sternlyextendingahandtowardsawhitestonemonumentnearus，readaloud:

“’Underthiscrossthereliesburiedthebod

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