It is not worth while to say much about Lizavéta Prókhorovna: she is alive to this day, and as often happens with people of that sort, she has not changed in the least; she has not even aged much, but only seems to have grown more lean; moreover, her penuriousness has increased to an extreme degree, although it is difficult to understand for whom she is always hoarding, since she has no children, and is related to no one. In conversation she frequently alludes to Akím, and avers that ever since she discovered all his fine qualities, she has come to cherish a great respect for the Russian peasant. Kiríllovna has purchased her freedom from Lizavéta Prókhorovna for a considerable sum and has married, for love, some fair-haired young butler or other, at whose hands she endures bitter torture; Avdótya is living, as of yore, in the woman's wing of Lizavéta Prókhorovna's house, but has descended several rungs lower, dresses very poorly, almost filthily, and retains not a trace of the cityfied affectations of the fashionable maid, or the habits of a well-to-do landlady.... No one takes any notice of her, and she herself is glad that they do not; old Petróvitch is dead, but Akím is still roving on pilgrimages—and God alone knows how much longer he is destined to wander!
FOOTNOTES:[32]Leipzig.[33]Adesyatínais 2.70 acres. He was obliged to buy the land in his owner's name: serfs could not hold landed property.—Translator.[34]St. Petersburg.—Translator.[35]To the holy pictures.—Translator.[36]Seenote on p. 273.—Translator.[37]He had been a staff-officer in the civil service, according to Peter the Great's Table of Ranks.—Translator.[38]These numerous maids, in the old serf days, were employed in making the most exquisite linen, lace, embroidery, and so forth.—Translator.[39]The beard was regarded as a mark of peasant origin.—Translator.[40]Neither field-serfs nor the superior house-serfs were addressed by their patronymic (like the nobility). Dunyásha is the diminutive of Avdóty.—Translator.[41]It is customary to have a holy picture, with a shrine-lamp filled with olive-oil burning before it, in bedrooms.—Translator.[42]The difference in value between paper and silver money was considerable in those days, and the sort of currency is generally specified.—Translator.[43]In Russian: "Berries from the same field."—Translator.[44]In Russian: "If you are fond of sleighing, then be fond also of dragging the sledge."—Translator.[45]Tiny double loaves of leavened bread, like those used in preparing the Holy Communion, are sold at the entrances to churches. Any one who wishes to have the health of his living or the souls of his dead friend prayed for, buys a loaf, and sends it to the sanctuary before the beginning of the morning service, accompanied by a slip of paper, whereon is written: "For the health" (or "For the soul") "of Iván"—or whatever the friend's baptismal name may be. The priest removes from the loaf with his spear-shaped knife a triangular particle, which he places on the chalice (it is not used in the Communion), and at a certain point of the service, all these persons are prayed for, by name—the Lord being aware which of the Iváns or Máryas is intended. After the service the loaf is returned to the owner, who carries it home, and (when possible) gives it to the person who has been prayed for. It is the custom for pilgrims to the various shrines to bring back loaves of this sort to their friends, and these are highly prized. At some of the famous monasteries, instead of the customary imprint of a cross and the Greek letters meaning "Jesus Christ the Conqueror," which are used on the loaves for the Communion, a special holy bread (prosforá) is prepared for this purpose, stamped with the Saint or Saints for which the locality is renowned. In the primitive church, the worshippers were wont to bring offerings of bread, wine, oil and wheat, for the requirements of the service. As long as the congregations were not numerous, all such givers were prayed for by name. When members became so numerous that this would have been burdensome, the custom was instituted of praying for the Sovereign and his family, as representatives of all the rest: and this last custom still prevails, mingled (as above described) with a remnant of the original custom.—Translator.[46]The shrine of St. Sergius at the Tróitzky (Trinity) monastery, forty miles from Moscow. The Óptin Hermitage in Tambóff Government. "The White Shores"—the famous monasteries of Solovétzk, in the White Sea, and at Byélo-Ózero (White Lake), south of Lake Onéga. Valáam, an island in Lake Ladóga, with another famous monastery.—Translator.[47]The Korennáya Hermitage lies about sixteen miles northwest of Kursk, in southern Russia. Mtzensk, nearer the centre, is half-way between Orél and Túla.—Translator.
[32]Leipzig.
[32]Leipzig.
[33]Adesyatínais 2.70 acres. He was obliged to buy the land in his owner's name: serfs could not hold landed property.—Translator.
[33]Adesyatínais 2.70 acres. He was obliged to buy the land in his owner's name: serfs could not hold landed property.—Translator.
[34]St. Petersburg.—Translator.
[34]St. Petersburg.—Translator.
[35]To the holy pictures.—Translator.
[35]To the holy pictures.—Translator.
[36]Seenote on p. 273.—Translator.
[36]Seenote on p. 273.—Translator.
[37]He had been a staff-officer in the civil service, according to Peter the Great's Table of Ranks.—Translator.
[37]He had been a staff-officer in the civil service, according to Peter the Great's Table of Ranks.—Translator.
[38]These numerous maids, in the old serf days, were employed in making the most exquisite linen, lace, embroidery, and so forth.—Translator.
[38]These numerous maids, in the old serf days, were employed in making the most exquisite linen, lace, embroidery, and so forth.—Translator.
[39]The beard was regarded as a mark of peasant origin.—Translator.
[39]The beard was regarded as a mark of peasant origin.—Translator.
[40]Neither field-serfs nor the superior house-serfs were addressed by their patronymic (like the nobility). Dunyásha is the diminutive of Avdóty.—Translator.
[40]Neither field-serfs nor the superior house-serfs were addressed by their patronymic (like the nobility). Dunyásha is the diminutive of Avdóty.—Translator.
[41]It is customary to have a holy picture, with a shrine-lamp filled with olive-oil burning before it, in bedrooms.—Translator.
[41]It is customary to have a holy picture, with a shrine-lamp filled with olive-oil burning before it, in bedrooms.—Translator.
[42]The difference in value between paper and silver money was considerable in those days, and the sort of currency is generally specified.—Translator.
[42]The difference in value between paper and silver money was considerable in those days, and the sort of currency is generally specified.—Translator.
[43]In Russian: "Berries from the same field."—Translator.
[43]In Russian: "Berries from the same field."—Translator.
[44]In Russian: "If you are fond of sleighing, then be fond also of dragging the sledge."—Translator.
[44]In Russian: "If you are fond of sleighing, then be fond also of dragging the sledge."—Translator.
[45]Tiny double loaves of leavened bread, like those used in preparing the Holy Communion, are sold at the entrances to churches. Any one who wishes to have the health of his living or the souls of his dead friend prayed for, buys a loaf, and sends it to the sanctuary before the beginning of the morning service, accompanied by a slip of paper, whereon is written: "For the health" (or "For the soul") "of Iván"—or whatever the friend's baptismal name may be. The priest removes from the loaf with his spear-shaped knife a triangular particle, which he places on the chalice (it is not used in the Communion), and at a certain point of the service, all these persons are prayed for, by name—the Lord being aware which of the Iváns or Máryas is intended. After the service the loaf is returned to the owner, who carries it home, and (when possible) gives it to the person who has been prayed for. It is the custom for pilgrims to the various shrines to bring back loaves of this sort to their friends, and these are highly prized. At some of the famous monasteries, instead of the customary imprint of a cross and the Greek letters meaning "Jesus Christ the Conqueror," which are used on the loaves for the Communion, a special holy bread (prosforá) is prepared for this purpose, stamped with the Saint or Saints for which the locality is renowned. In the primitive church, the worshippers were wont to bring offerings of bread, wine, oil and wheat, for the requirements of the service. As long as the congregations were not numerous, all such givers were prayed for by name. When members became so numerous that this would have been burdensome, the custom was instituted of praying for the Sovereign and his family, as representatives of all the rest: and this last custom still prevails, mingled (as above described) with a remnant of the original custom.—Translator.
[45]Tiny double loaves of leavened bread, like those used in preparing the Holy Communion, are sold at the entrances to churches. Any one who wishes to have the health of his living or the souls of his dead friend prayed for, buys a loaf, and sends it to the sanctuary before the beginning of the morning service, accompanied by a slip of paper, whereon is written: "For the health" (or "For the soul") "of Iván"—or whatever the friend's baptismal name may be. The priest removes from the loaf with his spear-shaped knife a triangular particle, which he places on the chalice (it is not used in the Communion), and at a certain point of the service, all these persons are prayed for, by name—the Lord being aware which of the Iváns or Máryas is intended. After the service the loaf is returned to the owner, who carries it home, and (when possible) gives it to the person who has been prayed for. It is the custom for pilgrims to the various shrines to bring back loaves of this sort to their friends, and these are highly prized. At some of the famous monasteries, instead of the customary imprint of a cross and the Greek letters meaning "Jesus Christ the Conqueror," which are used on the loaves for the Communion, a special holy bread (prosforá) is prepared for this purpose, stamped with the Saint or Saints for which the locality is renowned. In the primitive church, the worshippers were wont to bring offerings of bread, wine, oil and wheat, for the requirements of the service. As long as the congregations were not numerous, all such givers were prayed for by name. When members became so numerous that this would have been burdensome, the custom was instituted of praying for the Sovereign and his family, as representatives of all the rest: and this last custom still prevails, mingled (as above described) with a remnant of the original custom.—Translator.
[46]The shrine of St. Sergius at the Tróitzky (Trinity) monastery, forty miles from Moscow. The Óptin Hermitage in Tambóff Government. "The White Shores"—the famous monasteries of Solovétzk, in the White Sea, and at Byélo-Ózero (White Lake), south of Lake Onéga. Valáam, an island in Lake Ladóga, with another famous monastery.—Translator.
[46]The shrine of St. Sergius at the Tróitzky (Trinity) monastery, forty miles from Moscow. The Óptin Hermitage in Tambóff Government. "The White Shores"—the famous monasteries of Solovétzk, in the White Sea, and at Byélo-Ózero (White Lake), south of Lake Onéga. Valáam, an island in Lake Ladóga, with another famous monastery.—Translator.
[47]The Korennáya Hermitage lies about sixteen miles northwest of Kursk, in southern Russia. Mtzensk, nearer the centre, is half-way between Orél and Túla.—Translator.
[47]The Korennáya Hermitage lies about sixteen miles northwest of Kursk, in southern Russia. Mtzensk, nearer the centre, is half-way between Orél and Túla.—Translator.
Transcriber's notes:The following is a list of changes made to the original. The first line is the original line, the second the corrected one.torturingforbodinggripped my breast. Lizatorturingforebodinggripped my breast. Lizanative parts." AfanásyAfanásievitchwas renownednative parts." AfanásyLúkitchwas renownedI am punished."—(Akimheaved a sigh.)—"AsI am punished."—(Akímheaved a sigh.)—"As
Transcriber's notes:
The following is a list of changes made to the original. The first line is the original line, the second the corrected one.
torturingforbodinggripped my breast. Lizatorturingforebodinggripped my breast. Liza
native parts." AfanásyAfanásievitchwas renownednative parts." AfanásyLúkitchwas renowned
I am punished."—(Akimheaved a sigh.)—"AsI am punished."—(Akímheaved a sigh.)—"As