Part 4 (1/2)
”Why, milk, to be sure.”
”Suppose it should not be able to drink, it is so young and so weak.”
At this Iermola heaved a deep sigh. ”It may not be able to drink at first,” he said; ”but it will learn after a while. But what shall we do for it now?”
Then the cossack's widow took the baby in her arms so as to examine it closely. Her daughter ran to get some new milk, and the neighbours, attracted by curiosity and by the few words which had fallen from Horpyna as she pa.s.sed, began to a.s.semble, first by twos and threes, and then in large numbers.
Since the village had been in existence, in the memory of the oldest inhabitant nothing like this had ever occurred, so there was no end to their observations, exclamations, and conjectures.
The oldest inhabitant gave his advice; the counsellors counselled; the young and the old gave their ideas on the subject,--women and men and even the servants. But no one could suggest any very acceptable plan; each repeated the same opinions, each differing a little from his neighbour in particulars, but in the end coming to the same conclusions, and all recommending the wife of Jurck to Iermola as nurse.
There were numberless conjectures, wild suppositions, jokes, and accusations with regard to the wicked parties. But no one had the slightest suspicion who the authors of the scandalous act could be.
No one had seen any strange person about nightfall either in the village or its vicinity; the roads and foot-paths had been deserted; at the ford, at the mill, at the inn, no stranger had appeared. After discussing the matter a long time, the villagers gradually dispersed, spreading the strange story as they went along; at last no one remained but old Chwedko, the ill.u.s.trious proprietor of a gray mare, who stood leaning on his stick, and after a few moments of thoughtful silence addressed his friend Iermola as follows:--
”There comes to my mind at this moment something which happened twenty years ago. A farmer of Malyczki, who was a friend of mine, had the misfortune to become a widower; his wife left him a poor little orphan who had scarcely drawn a breath.
”The poor man, who was blind in one eye, lame, and poor, had nothing to pay a nurse. He went in vain from cottage to cottage trying to find a woman compa.s.sionate enough to be willing to nurse his child; and he had no cow even to furnish him milk. Do you know what he did? He bought a goat with the last half-rouble which remained after the funeral expenses had been paid; and that goat nursed and reared for him the little daughter, who afterward became the loveliest girl in the village.”
At these words Iermola trembled and rose.
”Somebody find me a goat!” he cried aloud. ”Where is there a goat? I will buy one at once.”
”The Jew innkeeper has one.”
”Then I shall go and buy it.”
He had already started for the door when Chwedko and the cossack's widow stopped him.
”Take care what you do, good man,” said his old companion. ”The Jew will fleece you if he knows that you really need the goat very much.”
”Ah, well, let him ask what he will, provided I get the animal.”
”He will take your last s.h.i.+rt from you, old fool,” said the cossack's widow, in her turn. ”You know Szmula; he is a regular thief, the most miserable rascal that ever lived, even among the Jews of his cla.s.s. Do not be in too great a hurry, for G.o.d's sake! Use a little deception at least, and say that you want the goat to raise a little flock, or else he will make you pay more than you would have to give for a cow.”
”I will go with you,” said Chwedko, ”see if I don't; between us we shall be a match for the Jew.”
”But what shall we do with the baby?”
”Never mind about it; I will keep it here. No harm shall happen to it.”
”I pray you, good mother,” said Iermola, trembling, ”take special care of it.”
”Ha, ha! he undertakes to give me lessons, do you see? Just as if it was the first baby I ever had in my arms. I shall rock it, and feed it with some milk, and perhaps I shall let it suck the end of my finger.
Do not be at all anxious.”
”I shall be back again in a moment,” continued Iermola; ”do take care that nothing happens to the baby.”
The old woman burst into peals of laughter as she listened to him, he looked so anxious. Just as he was about to cross the threshold, he remembered that he had not smoked for some time; he drew from his bosom his old wooden pipe, which was his constant companion, went up to the tinder, lighted it, and then started off with Chwedko through the darkness in the direction of the new inn situated in the centre of the village.