Theirtonguesbegantofalter。
　　Thelocalclergy，theclerksfromthefactorieswiththeirwives，thetradesmenandtavern-keepersfromtheothervillageswerepresent。Theclerkandtheelderoftheruraldistrictwhohadservedtogetherforfourteenyears，andwhohadduringallthattimeneversignedasingledocumentforanybodynorletasinglepersonoutofthelocalcourtwithoutdeceivingorinsultinghim，weresittingnowsidebyside，bothfatandwell-fed，anditseemedasthoughtheyweresosaturatedininjusticeandfalsehoodthateventheskinoftheirfaceswassomehowpeculiar，fraudulent。Theclerk’swife，athinwomanwithasquint，hadbroughtallherchildrenwithher，andlikeabirdofpreylookedaslantattheplatesandsnatchedanythingshecouldgetholdoftoputinherownorherchildren’spockets。
　　Lipasatasthoughturnedtostone，stillwiththesameexpressionasinchurch。Anisimhadnotsaidasinglewordtohersincehehadmadeheracquaintance，sothathedidnotyetknowthesoundofhervoice；andnow，sittingbesideher，heremainedmuteandwentondrinkingbitters，andwhenhegotdrunkhebegantalkingtotheauntwhowassittingopposite:
　　“IhaveafriendcalledSamorodov。Apeculiarman。Heisbyrankanhonorarycitizen，andhecantalk。ButIknowhimthroughandthrough，auntie，andhefeelsit。PrayjoinmeindrinkingtothehealthofSamorodov，auntie！“
　　Varvara，wornoutanddistracted，walkedroundthetablepressingthegueststoeat，andwasevidentlypleasedthatthereweresomanydishesandthateverythingwassolavish——noonecoulddisparagethemnow。Thesunset，butthedinnerwenton:theguestswerebeyondknowingwhattheywereeatingordrinking，itwasimpossibletodistinguishwhatwassaid，andonlyfromtimetotimewhenthebandsubsidedsomepeasantwomancouldbeheardshouting:
　　“Theyhavesuckedthebloodoutofus，theHerods；apestonthem！“
　　Intheeveningtheydancedtotheband。TheHryminJuniorscame，bringingtheirwine，andoneofthem，whendancingaquadrille，heldabottleineachhandandawineglassinhismouth，andthatmadeeveryonelaugh。Inthemiddleofthequadrilletheysuddenlycrookedtheirkneesanddancedinasquattingposition；Aksinyaingreenflewbylikeaflash，stirringupawindwithhertrain。
　　SomeonetrodonherflounceandCrutchshouted:
　　“Aie，theyhavetornoffthepanel！Children！“
　　Aksinyahadnaivegreyeyeswhichrarelyblinked，andanaivesmileplayedcontinuallyonherface。Andinthoseunblinkingeyes，andinthatlittleheadonthelongneck，andinherslendernesstherewassomethingsnake-like；allingreenbutfortheyellowonherbosom，shelookedwithasmileonherfaceasaviperlooksoutoftheyoungryeinthespringatthepassers-by，stretchingitselfandliftingitshead。TheHryminswerefreeintheirbehaviourtoher，anditwasverynoticeablethatshewasonintimatetermswiththeelderofthem。Butherdeafhusbandsawnothing，hedidnotlookather；hesatwithhislegscrossedandatenuts，crackingthemsoloudlythatitsoundedlikepistolshots。
　　But，behold，oldTsybukinhimselfwalkedintothemiddleoftheroomandwavedhishandkerchiefasasignthathe，too，wantedtodancetheRussiandance，andalloverthehouseandfromthecrowdintheyardrosearoarofapprobation:
　　“_He’s_goingtodance！_He_himself！“
　　Varvaradanced，buttheoldmanonlywavedhishandkerchiefandkickeduphisheels，butthepeopleintheyard，proppedagainstoneanother，peepinginatthewindows，wereinraptures，andforthemomentforgavehimeverything——hiswealthandthewrongshehaddonethem。
　　“Welldone，GrigoryPetrovitch！“washeardinthecrowd。“That’sright，doyourbest！Youcanstillplayyourpart！Ha-ha！“
　　Itwaskeptuptilllate，tilltwoo’clockinthemorning。
　　Anisim，staggering，wenttotakeleaveofthesingersandbandsmen，andgaveeachofthemanewhalf-rouble。Hisfather，whowasnotstaggeringbutstillseemedtobestandingononeleg，sawhisguestsoff，andsaidtoeachofthem:
　　“Theweddinghascosttwothousand。“
　　Asthepartywasbreakingup，someonetooktheShikalovoinnkeeper’sgoodcoatinsteadofhisownoldone，andAnisimsuddenlyflewintoarageandbeganshouting:
　　“Stop，I’llfinditatonce；Iknowwhostoleit，stop。“
　　Heranoutintothestreetandpursuedsomeone。Hewascaught，broughtbackhomeandshoved，drunken，redwithanger，andwet，intotheroomwheretheauntwasundressingLipa，andwaslockedin。
　　Fivedayshadpassed。Anisim，whowaspreparingtogo，wentupstairstosaygood-byetoVarvara。Allthelampswereburningbeforetheikons，therewasasmellofincense，whileshesatatthewindowknittingastockingofredwool。
　　“Youhavenotstayedwithuslong，“shesaid。“You’vebeendull，Idaresay。Oh，tut，tut。Welivecomfortably；wehaveplentyofeverything。Wecelebratedyourweddingproperly，ingoodstyle；
　　yourfathersaysitcametotwothousand。Infactwelivelikemerchants，onlyit’sdreary。Wetreatthepeopleverybadly。Myheartaches，mydear；howwetreatthem，mygoodness！Whetherweexchangeahorseorbuysomethingorhirealabourer——it’scheatingineverything。Cheatingandcheating。TheLentenoilintheshopisbitter，rancid，thepeoplehavepitchthatisbetter。
　　Butsurely，tellmepray，couldn’twesellgoodoil？“
　　“Everymantohisjob，mamma。“
　　“Butyouknowweallhavetodie？Oy，oy，reallyyououghttotalktoyourfather！“
　　“Why，youshouldtalktohimyourself。“
　　“Well，well，Ididputinmyword，buthesaidjustwhatyoudo:
　　’Everymantohisownjob。’Doyousupposeinthenextworldthey’llconsiderwhatjobyouhavebeenputto？God’sjudgmentisjust。“
　　“Ofcoursenoonewillconsider，“saidAnisim，andheheavedasigh。“ThereisnoGod，anyway，youknow，mamma，sowhatconsideringcantherebe？“
　　Varvaralookedathimwithsurprise，burstoutlaughing，andclaspedherhands。Perhapsbecauseshewassogenuinelysurprisedathiswordsandlookedathimasthoughhewereaqueerperson，hewasconfused。
　　“PerhapsthereisaGod，onlythereisnofaith。WhenIwasbeingmarriedIwasnotmyself。Justasyoumaytakeaneggfromunderahenandthereisachickenchirpinginit，somyconsciencewasbeginningtochirpinme，andwhileIwasbeingmarriedIthoughtallthetimetherewasaGod！ButwhenIleftthechurchitwasnothing。Andindeed，howcanItellwhetherthereisaGodornot？Wearenottaughtrightfromchildhood，andwhilethebabeisstillathismother’sbreastheisonlytaught’everymantohisownjob。’FatherdoesnotbelieveinGod，either。YouweresayingthatGuntorevhadsomesheepstolen。Ihavefoundthem；itwasapeasantatShikalovostolethem；hestolethem，butfather’sgotthefleecessothat’sallhisfaithamountsto。“
　　Anisimwinkedandwaggedhishead。
　　“TheelderdoesnotbelieveinGod，either，“hewenton。“Andtheclerkandthedeacon，too。Andasfortheirgoingtochurchandkeepingthefasts，thatissimplytopreventpeopletalkingillofthem，andincaseitreallymaybetruethattherewillbeaDayofJudgment。Nowadayspeoplesaythattheendoftheworldhascomebecausepeoplehavegrownweaker，donothonourtheirparents，andsoon。Allthatisnonsense。Myidea，mamma，isthatallourtroubleisbecausethereissolittleconscienceinpeople。Iseethroughthings，mamma，andIunderstand。IfamanhasastolenshirtIseeit。Amansitsinatavernandyoufancyheisdrinkingteaandnomore，buttometheteaisneitherherenorthere；Iseefurther，hehasnoconscience。Youcangoaboutthewholedayandnotmeetonemanwithaconscience。Andthewholereasonisthattheydon’tknowwhetherthereisaGodornot。Well，good-bye，mamma，keepaliveandwell，don’trememberevilagainstme。“
　　AnisimboweddownatVarvara’sfeet。
　　“Ithankyouforeverything，mamma，“hesaid。“Youareagreatgaintoourfamily。Youareaveryladylikewoman，andIamverypleasedwithyou。“
　　Muchmoved，Anisimwentout，butreturnedagainandsaid:
　　“Samorodovhasgotmemixedupinsomething:Ishalleithermakemyfortuneorcometogrief。Ifanythinghappens，thenyoumustcomfortmyfather，mamma。“
　　“Oh，nonsense，don’tyouworry，tut，tut，tutGodismerciful。And，Anisim，youshouldbeaffectionatetoyourwife，insteadofgivingeachothersulkylooksasyoudo；youmightsmileatleast。“
　　“Yes，sheisratheraqueerone，“saidAnisim，andhegaveasigh。“Shedoesnotunderstandanything，sheneverspeaks。Sheisveryyoung，lethergrowup。“
　　Atall，sleekwhitestallionwasalreadystandingatthefrontdoor，harnessedtothechaise。
　　OldTsybukinjumpedinjauntilywitharunandtookthereins。
　　AnisimkissedVarvara，Aksinya，andhisbrother。OnthestepsLipa，too，wasstanding；shewasstandingmotionless，lookingaway，anditseemedasthoughshehadnotcometoseehimoffbutjustbychanceforsomeunknownreason。Anisimwentuptoherandjusttouchedhercheekwithhislips。
　　“Good-bye，“hesaid。
　　Andwithoutlookingathimshegaveastrangesmile；herfacebegantoquiver，andeveryoneforsomereasonfeltsorryforher。
　　Anisim，too，leapedintothechaisewithaboundandputhisarmsjauntilyakimbo，forheconsideredhimselfagood-lookingfellow。
　　WhentheydroveupoutoftheravineAnisimkeptlookingbacktowardsthevillage。Itwasawarm，brightday。Thecattlewerebeingdrivenoutforthefirsttime，andthepeasantgirlsandwomenwerewalkingbytheherdintheirholidaydresses。Thedun-colouredbullbellowed，gladtobefree，andpawedthegroundwithhisforefeet。Onallsides，aboveandbelow，thelarksweresinging。Anisimlookedroundattheelegantwhitechurch——ithadonlylatelybeenwhitewashed——andhethoughthowhehadbeenprayinginitfivedaysbefore；helookedroundattheschoolwithitsgreenroof，atthelittleriverinwhichheusedoncetobatheandcatchfish，andtherewasastirofjoyinhisheart，andhewishedthatwallsmightriseupfromthegroundandpreventhimfromgoingfurther，andthathemightbeleftwithnothingbutthepast。