The Precipice

spent the summer vacation with hi

s and two residences, one built of stone and now neglected, the other a wooden building built by Boris's father. In this newer house Tatiana Mark

an to interfere in her business, took no heed of documents, papers, or deeds, but carried on the affairs of the estate according to the practice of its former owners. She told Boris's guardian that all the documents, papers and deeds were inscribed in her memory, and that sh

s in the neighbourhood! Every window in the house framed a lovely landscape. From one side could be seen the Volga with its steep banks; from the others wide meadows and gorges, and the whole se

re broad stretching elms, cherry and apple trees, service trees, and there were lime trees intended to form an avenue, which lost itself in a wood in the friendly neighbourhood of

ble. In the depths of the courtyard stood the old house, gloomy, always in shadow, stained with age, with here and there a cracked window pane, with heavy doors fastened by heavy bolts, and the path leading up to it overgrown with grass. But on the new house the sun streamed from morning to night; the flower garden, full of roses and dahlias, surrounded it like a garland, and the gay flowers seemed to be trying to

and grandparents. The floors were painted, waxed and polished; the stoves were adorned with old-fashioned tiles, also brought over from the other house; the cupboards were full of plate

ndrance to writing when you stared at your own stupid face. The room also contained a round table where she lunched and drank her tea and coffee, and a rather hard leather

thought her! And ind

smile that even when she was angry, and the storm-light flickered in her eyes, the blue sky could be observed behind the clouds. She had a slight moust

days, or when guests were expected she put on a cap. The cap could not be kept in its place, and did not

t on a brown dress, and on feast days a heavy rustling silk dress that gleamed like silver, and ove

," she used to boast. "It cost three hundred

he coachmen hid their pipes in their boots, because the mistress feared nothing so much as fire, and for that reason counted smoking as the greatest of cri

of rag, as the case might be. Spitting on her hands she smoothed down her dry, rebellious hair, and covered the round table with the finest of clean tablecloths. Vas

g, but felt as if everything would slip through her fingers. If she was told to do her hair on Sunday, to wash and to put on tidy clothes, she felt the whole day as if she had been sewn into a sack. She only see

een separated from her, knew every detail of her life, and now lived with her as housekeeper and confidential servant. The two women communicated with one another in monosyllables. Tatiana Markovna har

r example Ferapont or Panteleimon. The village elder she did indeed address as Stepan Vassilich, but the others were to her Matroshka, Mashutka, Egorka and so on. The unlucky individual whom she addressed w

a spark from a pipe had not set fire to anything, or that there was

ona or another of the maids gave birth to a child, she listened to the report of the event with an air of injured dignity, but gave Vassilissa to understand that the necessaries should be provided; and would add, "Only

ther to the infirmary or oftener to the "wise woman," but she did not send for a doctor. But if one of her own relatives, her "gr

life after her treatment. One lost his voice and could only crow, another lost an eye, or a piece of his jawbone, but the pain was gone and he went back to work. That seemed satisfactory to the pat

tton; at Christmas geese and pigs were roasted. She allowed nothing out of the common on the servants'

he house, and last old Yakob. On feast days, on account of the hardness of their w

nto the room, always smiling. She was maid to the grandchildren, Veroshka and Marfinka. Close a

na Markovna would begin: "Well, my birdies, how are

ny, me," Marf

rkovna inquired anxiously of the maid. "The sun has dazzled he

melancholy Yakob, Egorka, who was sixteen and always laughing, with two or three lackeys. Yakob did nothing but wait at table, where he idly flicked away the flies, and as idly changed the plates. He was almost too idle to speak, and w

ssed by her grand-nieces and h