Leo Tolstoy

“ Over the driver's there was as yet no stone, and only the fresh green grass sprouted over the mound which served as the sole record of the past existence of a man.
"It will be a sin and a shame, Seryoha," said the cook at the station-house one day, "if you don't buy a gravestone for Khveodor. You kept saying, 'it's winter, winter,' but now why don't you keep your word? I heard it all. He has already come back once to ask why you don't do it; if you don't buy him one, he will come again, he will choke you." ”

“ At the closed doors of the bedchamber stood the husband of the invalid and a portly woman. On the divain sat a priest with dejected eyes, holding some- thing wrapped up in an epitrachilion. In a large arm-chair in a corner lay an old woman, the mother of the invalid, weeping convulsively. By her side stood a maid holding in her hand a clean pocket- handkerchief, and waiting till the old woman asked for it; another maid was rubbing the old woman's temples with something or other, and blowing under her cap among her grey hairs. ”

“ Why, I should only die at home," replied the sick woman passionately.
But the word die plainly frightened her—she grew silent and looked interrogatively at her husband. He cast down his eyes and was silent. The mouth of the invalid suddenly put on a childish pout and the tears flowed from her eyes. Her husband covered his face with his pocket-handkerchief, and withdrew from the carriage. ”

“ When Thou hidest Thy Face they are troubled," saith the Psalter ; " when Thou takest away their breath they die and return again to their dust When Thou sendest forth Thy Spirit they arise and renew the face of the Earth. ”

“ My God!" said the husband."What can you do?" exclaimed the confessor, sighing and again lifting up his brows and beard, and letting them drop."And the old mother there!" exclaimed the husband almost in despair. "She will not be able to endure it. You see, she loved her so, she loved her so, that she .... I don't know. You might try, father, to calm her a little, and persuade her to go away."The confessor arose and went over to the old lady."It is true, no one can appreciate a mother's heart," said he, "but God is compassionate." ”

“ No; take your ax, go out to the wood a little earlier than usual, and you can hew him out one. Take a little ash tree, and you can make one. You can have a covered cross. If you go then, you won't have to give the watchman a little drink of vodka. One doesn't want to give vodka for every trifle. Now, yesterday I broke my axletree, and I go and hew out a new one of green wood. No one said a word."
Early the next morning, almost before dawn, Seryoha took his ax, and went to the wood.
Over all things hung a cold, dead veil of falling mist, as yet untouched by the rays of the sun. ”

“ The sparrows chattered incoherently, and fluttered about on their little wings. On the sunny side, on the walls, houses, and trees, all was full of life and brilliancy. The sky, and the earth, and the heart of man overflowed with youth and joy. ”

“ The old lady's face was suddenly convulsed, and a hysterical sob shook her frame."God is compassionate," repeated the priest, when she had grown a little calmer. "I will tell you, in my parish there was a sick man, and much worse than Marya Dmitrievna, and he, though he was only a shopkeeper, was cured in a very short time, by means of herbs. And this very same shopkeeper is now in Moscow. I have told Vasili Dmitrievitch about him; it might be tried, you know.
At all events, it would satisfy the invalid. With God, all things are possible."
"No, she won't get well," persisted the old lady. ”

“ Something in the sick man's breast overflowed and buzzed, he bent over and gave himself up to a throaty coughing fit which he could not rid himself of. " Yes, indeed, what good are they to you ? " angrily and unexpectedly croaked the cook, her voice filled the room: "you haven't stirred from the stove this month and more, you know you're gone all to pieces ; why, your inside is all wrong, didn't you hear it just now? What does he want with new boots, he won't be buried in them, I suppose } And it's high time I think for you to pray the Lord to forgive you your sins. ”

“ A person cannot live without lungs, and there is no way of making lungs grow again. It is melancholy, it is hard, but what is to be done about it? It is my business and yours to make her last days as easy as possible. The confessor is the person needed here. ”

“ The beautiful dark eyes of the invalid greedily followed every movement of the maid. Presently the mistress rested both arms on the seat of the carriage, and also tried to raise herself in order to sit up a little higher, but her strength failed her. ”

“ God knows what it is!"
"And I don't doubt your gullet hurts you when you cough so!"
"It hurts me all over. My death is at hand, that's what it is. Okh! Okh! Okh!" groaned the sick man. "Mow cover up your legs this way," said Nastasya, comfortably arranging the overcoat so that it would cover him, and then getting down from the oven.
During the night the room was faintly lighted by a single taper. Nastasya and a dozen drivers were sleeping, snoring loudly, on the floor and the benches. ”

“ Meanwhile, in the other roo'm, the sister was sitting by the side of the invalid, and, by means of an art- fully prepared conversation, was endeavouring to prepare her for the thought of death. The doctor was mixing a draught at the other window. The invalid, in a white dressing-gown, and propped up all round with pillows, was sitting up in bed and looking at her sister in silence. "Ah, my friend," she cried, suddenly interrupting her, " don't prepare me ! Oon't take me for a child. I'm a Christian woman, I know all about it. I know I have not long to live. ”

“ It will be all the easier for you, after you have been absolved," said the cousin.The sick woman dropped her head in token of assent. "O God! Pardon me, a sinner," she whispered.The cousin went out, and beckoned to the confessor. "She is an angel," she said to the husband, with tears in her eyes. The husband wept. The priest went into the sick room; the old lady still remained unconscious, and in the room beyond all was perfectly quiet. At the end of five minutes the confessor came out, and, taking off his stole, arranged his hair."Thanks be to the Lord, she is calmer now," said he. ”

“ Surely he's not dead ? Let's go and see ! " said one of the drowsy drivers half awake. The wasted hand, hanging down from the stove and covered with reddish hair, was cold and white. " Go and tell the inspector ! He seems to be dead," said the driver. Theodore had no kinsfolk — he had outlived them all. Next day they buried him in the new church- yard behind the wood ; and for the next few days Nastasia kept telling everyone of the strange vision she had seen and how she had been the first to miss Uncle Theodore. ”

“ The carriage was ready, but the driver still delayed—he had entered the common room of the posting-station. It was hot, stuffy, dark, and oppressive in the post-station room, which smelt of people, baked bread, cabbage, and sheepskins. A good many post-drivers were in the living-room, the cook was busy about the stove, and on the -stove in sheepskins lay a sick man. ”

“ There's no room for you, anyhow, and besides, they like to have clean folks." " Hello, Serega ! take your place, the gentlefolks are waiting ! " the voice of the post-station starosta shouted in at the door. Serega would have gone out without waiting for an answer, but he could see by the eyes of the sick man all the time he was coughing that he wanted to say something. " You may take the boots, Serega ! " said he, suppressing the cough and breathing a little more freely, " but listen ! buy me a head-stone when I die," he added hoarsely. ”

“ O my God!" How now, Eduard Ivanovitch?" said the husband, as he met the doctor, and rubbing his hands with a gay smile. "I have ordered my traveling-case brought; what do you say to that?" "That's worth while," replied the doctor.
"Well, now, how about her?" asked the husband, with a sigh, lowering his voice and raising his brows.
"I have told you that she cannot reach Moscow, much less Italy, especially in such weather." "What is to be done, then? Oh! My God! My God!"The husband covered his eyes with his hand. ... ”

“ Whenever I've occasion to go to town I'll buy it." " You might, at any rate, put up a cross ! " put in an old driver, " it's downright bad of you — ^why, you're still wearing the boots ! " " Where shall I get a cross from? — you can't hew it without a log." " Can't hew it without a log, eh ? A nice excuse ! Take an axe, go into the wood early, and then you'll hew it out easily enough ! Cut down a young aspen, and that'll give you a golubets [4] right enough." Early in the morning, when day had scarce begun to dawn, Serega took his axe and went out into the wood. ”

“ The lady closed her eyes, and then again, quickly raising the lids, gazed at her maid.
Matriosha looked at her, and gnawed her red lower lip. A heavy sigh escaped from the sick woman's breast; but the sigh was not ended, but was merged in a fit of coughing. She scowled, and turned her face away, clutching her chest with both hands. When the coughing fit was over, she once more shut her eyes, and continued to sit motionless. The coach and the barouche rolled into a village. Matriosha drew her fat hand from under her shawl, and made the sign of the cross."What is this?" ”

“ The sick driver remained in the stufFy room on the stove, and without cotighing his cough out, with cin effort turned upon the other side and was quiet. People came in and went out of the room and had their meals in the room till evening, and all that time the sick man did not utter a sound. At nightfall the cook came to the stove, and pulled out the tulup [2] from beneath his legs.
"Don't be angry, Nastasia," muttered the sick man, "but I beg of you to let me have your corner." ”