Chapter 16 16. Willow
Are you allowed to walk through the post road between "Bo" and "Te"?
Anyone who passes by will of course remember the lonely Andreyev's mill on the banks of the Kozyavka River.The mill is very small, with only two grinding discs... It is over a hundred years old and has long been abandoned. No wonder it looks like a hunched, ragged little old woman who may fall down at any time.The old mill would have fallen down long ago, if it hadn't been leaning against a big old willow tree.The willow tree is so thick that two people can't wrap their arms around it.Its glossy leaves fell to the roofs and to the dikes; the lower branches hung in the water and drooped to the ground.The tree is also old and hunchbacked.There is a very ugly black hole in its crooked trunk.If you put your hand into the tree hole, your hand will be sticky with black honey.A swarm of wild bees will buzz over your head and sting you.How old is this tree?According to its friend Arhip, the willow tree was very old when he was a "French page" in a lord's house, and a "Negro page" in a lady's house, and that was a long time ago. thing.
The willow also supported another old man, Alkhip, the old man, who often sat on the root of the willow and fished from morning till night.He is old and bent, like an old willow; his toothless mouth is like a hollow.During the day he fished, and at night he sat on a tree root and meditated.The old willow tree and the old man Alkhip murmured to themselves day and night... Both the tree and the man have experienced vicissitudes in their lives.Now listen to their stories...
About thirty years ago, on the Sunday before Easter, on Old Willow's Granny's Name Day, the old man sat down again in his old place and watched the spring scenery and fished.As usual, the surroundings are very quiet...only the whispers of people and trees are heard, and occasionally the splashing of a swimming fish can be heard.The old man fished and waited for noon.At noon he cooks fish soup by hand.Whenever the shadow of the willow leaves the opposite bank, it is exactly noon.Also, Alkhip knew the time by the bell of the mail coach.At twelve o'clock at noon, a mail truck from "Te" city must pass the barrage.
On this Sunday, Arkhip heard the ringing of the bell again, put down his fishing rod, and began to look towards the embankment.A cart with three horses turned over the hill and went downhill, and it was about to reach the embankment.The postman fell asleep.The carriage got on the embankment and stopped for some reason.Arkhip hadn't been surprised by the world for a long time, but this time he couldn't help being surprised.An unusual thing happened.The driver looked around and began to act in a panic. He tore off the rag from the postman's face and swung a short-handled chain hammer.The postman immediately stopped moving.In his light-colored hair, a bright red wound was exposed.The driver jumped out, swung his arm, and gave him another blow.After a while, Arkhip heard footsteps nearby: the driver came down from the bank and ran straight towards him... His tanned face was very pale, and his eyes were staring blankly at nowhere.Trembling all over, he ran to the willow tree, and without finding Arkhip, he stuffed the parcel into the hollow, then ran up the embankment and jumped into the wagon, and, to Arkhip's surprise, he turned toward his There was a sharp blow to the temple.He wiped the blood across his face, and then began to whip the horse.
"Help, someone is dying!" he yelled.
His cry echoed, and for a long time Arkhip heard the "Help!".
About six days later, someone came to the mill to investigate.They drew plans of mills and dikes, and for some reason measured the depth of the river.The group ate under the willow tree, and then all left by car.When people came to investigate, Arkhip had been sitting under the water wheel, trembling, looking at the mail package.He saw that there were quite a few envelopes with five stamps inside.He looked at these stamps day and night and meditated, but the willow old woman was silent during the day, and wept at night. "Stupid woman!" Arkhip thought to himself, listening to Willow's weeping.A week later, Alkhip had entered the city with the mail package.After entering the city, he asked people:
"Where is the government office here?"
Someone pointed him to a yellow house with a striped sentry box at the door.He went into the hall and saw a gentleman with shiny buttons on his uniform.The master, smoking his pipe, was reprimanding the watchman for something.Arkhip went up to the master, and tremblingly he told what had happened near the old willow tree.The officer took the mail package and untied the thin belt, his face turning pale and turning red.
"I'll be right back!" He said and ran into the office.There he was surrounded by many people... People were running around, huddling together, talking in low voices... Ten minutes later, the officer handed the parcel to Arkhip and said to him: "You are in the wrong place, Mr. Man. You should go to the lower street, and there will tell you what to do. This is the local treasury, my dear friend! You should go to the police station."
Arkhip took the mail package and walked out.
"Why is the mail bag lighter!" he thought, "It's half the size of the original!"
In the lower street, he was pointed out to another yellow house with two sentry boxes at the door.Arkhip walked in.There's no vestibule, just steps up to the office.The old man went to a table and told some clerks about the origin of the postal package.Those people snatched the mail bag from his hand and yelled at him.They sent for the officer, and there came a fat bearded man.After asking a few words, he took the mail bag, went into another room, and locked the door behind him.
"Where's the money?" A voice came from the room after a while. "The mailbag is empty! Go and tell the old man: he can go. Or arrest him! Take him to Ivan Markovich." No, forget it, let him go!"
Arkhip bowed and stepped out.A day later, those crucian carp and perch saw his gray beard again...
It was late autumn.Alkhip is still sitting by the river fishing...
His face is gloomy and ugly, just like the withered willow tree.He doesn't like autumn.When he saw the driver appear beside him, his face became more and more gloomy.The driver didn't notice him, so he went straight to the willow tree and put his hand into the tree hole.Some wet, lazy bees crawled up his sleeve.After touching it for a while, he turned pale with fright.It was an hour before he sat down by the river and stared blankly at the water.
"Where's that thing?" he asked Arkhip.
Arkhip kept silent at first, stolidly avoided the murderer, but soon felt sorry for him again.
"I've delivered it to the government!" he said, "but don't be afraid, you fool... I'll tell them I found it under the willow tree..."
The driver jumped up, roared, and rushed towards Arkhip.He beat the old man.Hit his old face, throw him to the ground, kick him.After the fight, he didn't leave the old man.He stayed at the mill and lived with Arkhip.
During the day he sleeps without speaking, and at night he walks up and down the dike.The postman's ghost is also wandering the embankment, so he talks to the ghost.Spring is here, but the driver still keeps silent and continues to wander.One night, the old man went to find him.
"That's enough, you fool, stop loitering!" he told him, peeking at the postman's ghost, "you go!"
The postman's ghost said the same...and the old willow tree said the same...
"No!" replied the driver, "I want to go, but my legs hurt and my heart hurts."
Arkhip picked up the driver and led him into the city.He led him down the street and into the office where he was asked to hand in his parcel.The driver knelt at the officer's feet, repenting repeatedly.The bearded man looked surprised.
"What are you accusing yourself of, fool!" he said. "Are you drunk? Or do you want me to put you in jail? These villains are crazy! They only mess things up...the killer didn't Find—well, that's the end of it! What else do you want? Get out!"
When Arkhip mentioned the parcel, the bearded man laughed, and the clerks all looked surprised.It seems that their memory is not good... In this way, the driver couldn't atone for his crime in the street, so he had to go back to the willow tree...
In order to escape the torment of his conscience, the driver threw himself into the water, disturbing the surface of the water on which Arkhip's buoy was floating.The driver drowned.Now, the old man and the willow old woman can see two ghosts on the embankment... Aren't they talking to ghosts?
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