Chapter 26 Chapter 09

I woke up very late, around ten in the morning, and I was sick.Dizziness plus headache.I glanced at Yelena's bed: it was empty.At the same time, in the hut on my right, some sounds reached my ears, as if someone was using a broom. Broom sweeps the floor.I walked over to have a look.Yelena was sweeping the floor with her broom in one hand and her beautiful dress (which had not been taken off since last night) in the other.The firewood for the stove has also been neatly stacked in a small corner; After being wiped, the teapot was also wiped clean; in a word, Yelena was working and doing housework.

"I mean Yelena," I cried, "who made you sweep the floor? I don't want you to do it, you're sick; do you come to be my servant?" "Then who's going to sweep the floor here?" She straightened up, looking me straight in the eye, and replied, "I'm all right now." "But I didn't ask you to work, Yelena. You seem to be afraid that I will blame you, like Bubnova, and say that you live with me, don't you? What are you doing with this ugly broom?" Where did you get it? I didn’t have a broom before,” I said Looking at her in surprise, he added.

"Here's my broom. I brought it myself. I've been sweeping here for grandpa. It's been there ever since, under the stove." I went back to my room, lost in thought.Perhaps I was wrong; but I always felt that she felt a kind of repression of my hospitality, and tried to prove to me that she would never eat nothing with me. "It can be seen that this is a kind of angry Be strong! "I thought. After paying one or two cents, she came in and sat silently on the couch where she sat yesterday, looking at me suspiciously. At this time, I boiled a pot of water and made tea , poured her a glass, and a loaf of white bread

, and handed it to her.She took it silently and without pushback.For a whole day and two nights she hardly ate anything. "Look, you've broomed such a fine dress," I said, seeing a long stain along the hem of her skirt. She looked around, and suddenly, to my great surprise, she put down her teacup, took (obviously, calmly and calmly) the fabric of the skirt with both hands, and tore it from top to bottom with a jerk.After doing this, she silently raised her The stubborn and shining eyes looked at me.Her face was very pale. "What are you doing, Yelena?" I cried, thinking she was crazy.

"It's not a good dress," she said, almost out of breath with excitement. "Why do you say this dress is good? I don't want to wear it," she said suddenly, jumping up from her seat. "I had to tear it off. I didn't ask her to dress me up. She did it herself. I forced myself to put it on for me.I've already torn a piece of clothing, and I'm going to tear this one too, tear it!tear!tear! ..." After she finished speaking, she grabbed her unlucky dress frantically.In an instant, she almost tore it to pieces.After she finished tearing, her complexion was pale, and she managed to stand still without falling down.I looked at her stubbornness in surprise.she

Then she looked at me with a provocative look, as if I had something to do to her.But I already know what I should do. I decided that I couldn't procrastinate any longer and went to buy her a new dress this morning.Kindness should be used to influence this stubborn wild child.She acted as if she had never seen a good person at all.Already once, though brutally She still tore her first identical dress to shreds, and now it reminded her of such a terrible time not long ago, so how hard she should treat it what. Clothes that are both beautiful and modest can be found very cheaply at flea markets.The bad thing is that right now I hardly have any money.But when I lay down to sleep the night before, I decided to go to a place where I could get money today, and

Going to that place happened to be on the way with the flea market.I pick up my top hat.Yelena stared at me intently, as if waiting for something. "Are you going to lock me up again?" she asked when I picked up the key and was about to lock the door like yesterday and the day before yesterday. "My child," I said, going up to her, "please don't be angry when I do this. I lock the door so that no one will come in. You are sick, and you may be frightened. Besides, who knows what it is?" People, maybe Bubnova has an idea It's running away..." I said that to her on purpose.Actually, I locked her up because I couldn't trust her.I always feel that she will suddenly want to leave me.I think it's better to be cautious for now.Yelena didn't say anything, so I locked her up this time

. I know a publisher who is in the third year of publishing a multi-volume book.Whenever I was in desperate need of money, I would go to him and get some work.He has always been very disciplined about paying.I went to him and paid twenty-five rubles in advance, on the condition that I handed him a written article a week later.But I hope to save this time and write my novel.I do this all the time when I'm in a hurry. After getting the money, I went to the flea market.There, I soon found an old woman I was familiar with who sold all kinds of old clothes.I told her roughly about Yelena's height, and she picked out a light-colored print for me in no time.

Printed cloth clothes, very strong, washed at least once, and the price is very cheap.I bought another scarf by the way.When it came time to pay, I thought, Yelena would also need a smaller fur coat and cloak, or something like that.the weather now Cold, and she has almost nothing.But I decided to come back and buy these things next time.Yelena was very angry and had a lot of self-esteem.Only the Lord knows how she will feel about this dress, although I purposely picked one that was as plain as I could get. The most ordinary clothes that are plain and unremarkable.However, I bought her two pairs of linen stockings and a pair of wool beads.When I handed these things to her, I could excuse that she was sick and the room was cold.She also needs some underwear.but all this i

I plan to leave it for the future, and talk about it after I get to know her well.In addition, I bought some old curtains for the partition of the bed--this is necessary, and Yelena will like it very much. It was one o'clock in the afternoon when I took these things home.There was hardly a sound when I opened the lock, so Yelena didn't hear me back right away.I found her standing at the table, flipping through my books and papers.she heard me walking After the sound, he quickly closed the book he was reading, and left the table with a flushed face.I glanced at the book: it was a separate volume of my first novel, with my name printed on the title page.

"Someone knocked on the door while you were away," she said in a voice that forced me, as if to say: Why lock the door? "It's not the doctor," I said. "You didn't call him, Yelena?" "No." Without answering, I picked up the small bundle, untied it, and took out the clothes I had bought. "Look, my dear, Yelena," said I, going up to her, "you can't be dressed in such rags as you are now. I've bought you this ordinary, cheapest dress, So you don't have to feel sorry; it It was only one ruble and twenty kopecks in all.You can wear whatever you want. " I put the clothes next to her.Her face was flushed, and she looked at me with wide eyes for a long time. She was very surprised, and at the same time, I thought she was very shy for some reason.But there was a look of affection in her eyes.I saw that she was silent, and turned to face the table.My behavior clearly surprised her. But she made a great effort to restrain herself, and sat with downcast eyes, looking at the ground. I have a headache and dizziness that keeps increasing.The fresh air outside doesn't do me one iota of favor.And then it was time for me to see Natasha.My worry about her has not diminished slightly since yesterday, but has only increased.I suddenly felt Yelena shout I say.I turned to her. "Don't lock me up while you're out," she looked away, fingering the edge of the sofa with her little fingers, as if absorbed in the task. "I'm not leaving you, I'm not going anywhere." "Okay, Yelena, I agree. But what if a stranger comes? Maybe God only knows who he is. What?" "Then you leave the key to me, and I'll lock the door; if someone knocks on the door, I'll say: I'm in the house." She looked at me mischievously, as if saying, "It's not easy!" "Who will wash your clothes?" Before I could answer her, she asked again suddenly. "There's a woman in this apartment." "I can do the laundry. Where did you get the food you ate yesterday?" "Bought in a restaurant." "I can cook too. I can cook you food." "Come on, Yelena; how can you cook? It doesn't matter what you say..." Yelena bowed her head in silence.What I said obviously hurt her.At least ten minutes passed; we were both in relative silence. "Soup," she said suddenly, without looking up. "What's the matter with the soup? What soup?" I asked in surprise. "I can make soup. When my mother was sick, I made it for her. I often go to the vegetable market." "I said Yelena, look at how proud you are," I said, going over to her and sitting next to her on the sofa. "I'll do to you what my heart tells me to do. You're alone now, unlucky. I want to help you. I'm unlucky You will still help me whenBut you don't want to think about it this way, and that's why you feel bad, and you don't want to accept my most ordinary gift.You want to pay the bill right away, pay it with work, as if I'm Bubnova and I'll blame you .If so, feel ashamed, Yelena. " She didn't answer, her lips were trembling.She seemed to have something to say to me; but she refrained from uttering it.I got up and went to see Natasha.This time I left the key to Yelena and told her that if anyone knocked , she agreed, and asked who is this person?I am convinced that something bad must have happened to Natasha, which has been hidden from me for the time being, as it has happened more than once between us.In any case, I made up my mind to go to her only for a little while, or And if I stay there dead and dead, she'll be mad. As expected.She met me again with that disapproving and hard look, and I should have taken my leave immediately; but my legs gave way. "I'm only here for a little while, Natasha," I began, "to ask you what I should do with that little guest?" So I told her all about Yelena.Natasha listened to me in silence. "I don't know what to advise you, Vanya," she replied. "It's a very strange child in every way. She may have been frightened and ill-treated. At least let her cured. You want to send her to our two old Do people go there? " "She's always saying she won't leave me, not anywhere. God only knows what will happen to her there, so I'm not sure. But, my friend, how are you doing? You didn't seem very well yesterday! ' I asked her timidly. "Yes... I also have a bit of a headache today," she replied absent-mindedly, "Did you see one of our two old people?" "No. I'll go tomorrow. Isn't tomorrow Saturday?" "So what?" "The duke is coming tonight..." "So what? I haven't forgotten." "No, I'm just talking casually..." She stopped right across from me and looked into my eyes for a long time.There was a determination and indomitability in her eyes; there was something feverish and feverish about her. "I say Vanya," she said, "if you can, come on, you're getting in my way..." I rose from my armchair and looked at her with indescribable amazement. "My friend, Natasha! What's the matter with you? What's the matter?" I exclaimed, terrified. "Nothing happened! Tomorrow you'll know all about it, but now I want to be alone. Do you hear me, Vanya, you go at once. It hurts me to see you, it hurts so much!" "But at least you have to tell me..." "You'll know everything tomorrow! Oh, my God! Will you go away?" I went out, so surprised that I could hardly contain myself.Mavra followed me into the outer room. "Why, angry?" She asked me, "I dare not approach her." "What's the matter with her?" "Isn't it because our Shao Ku didn't show up for three days!" "Why three days?" I asked in amazement, "Yesterday she told me that he came here yesterday morning and wanted to come last night..." "What night! He didn't come in the morning at all! To tell you the truth, he hasn't been seen since before. Did she herself say yesterday that he came in the morning?" "Say it personally." "Well," Mafra said thoughtfully, "if she is unwilling to admit to you that he hasn't been here, it means that this incident has stabbed her heart severely, hey, it really is him!" "Which one is singing!" I exclaimed. "It doesn't matter what we do, anyway, I don't know what to do with her," Mafra continued, spreading her hands. "Yesterday he asked me to go to him, but he cut me off the road twice. But today he refused to even talk to me. Even if you go to see him.I dare not leave her. " I panicked and ran downstairs. "Are you still going to our house before dinner?" Mafra called after me. "We'll see then," I replied halfway. "Maybe I'll just come and see you, and find out how she's doing. As long as I'm alive." I felt as if I had been stabbed in the heart, and my heart was like a knife.