He's such a darling.
The other day he asked his father:
"Why is 5 kopecks bigger
than 10 kopecks?"
I was just dumfounded, and
his father didn't know what to say.
He always wanted a daughter.
He even thought of a girl's name.
And I prepared a pink layette.
Then I had to make everything anew.
He put us up to a lot oftrouble,
little rascal.
We woke you up, didn't we?
That's your mommy's fault,
she just can't stop talking.
See, we've got company.
Some strangers, aren't they?
You just wouldn't wake up,
would you?
All right, honey, go back to sleep.
Do they become me? And the ring?
- What's wrong?
- I just felt queasy.
Of course, you've made a long trip.
I should have known better.
Have a drink. It will warm you up.
I just talk and talk
when I ought to make supper.
Oh please, you don't have to do it.
- But I can't let you go like that.
- We had a meal before leaving.
I don't like his cough!
Well, he runs wild...
We must have my husband
examine him.
We can't wait, we have a two-hour
walk to make.
And what about the earrings?
My husband's got the money.
We're going to have a cock
slaughtered. Only may I ask you...
I'm three months pregnant
and having fits of sickness.
Even when I'm milking a cow,
it gets so bad...
As for the cock...
Could you?
Well, I myself...
What, you too?
No, but I've never done it before.
Oh, it's nothing. Sure, in Moscow
you ate them already slaughtered.
I usually do it right here,
on this little log.
Here's the axe. My husband
has sharpened it this morning.
- You mean, right in the room?
- We'll put a basin under.
And tomorrow you'll take
a chicken with you.
No, I can't.
Maybe we'll ask Alyosha to do that?
After all, he's a man.
Why Alyosha?
All right, hold it tight. If it breaks
loose, it'll smash the dishes.
Oh no, I don't feel... Well?
Calm down. Everything will be
all right.
I wish I could see you
not only when I feel too bad.
- Do you hear me?
- Yes.
At last I soared up.
What's wrong, Marousia?
You feel bad?
Don't be surprised.
I love you.
Are you leaving already? And the
earrings? My husband'll be right here.
- He's got the money.
- We changed our mind.
It's fifteen versts to the town.
It's going to be dark soon.
That's all right, don't worry.
A man has but one body,
Like a single cell.
The soul is sick and tired
Of its too solid shell,
With ears, mouth, eyes
The size of a nickel coin
And skin all scarred and diced,
Spread over a skeleton.
Through cornea it wings
To a heavenly spring,
To ice-laden slings,
To a chariot birds bring.
It hears through the grating
Of its living prison pen
The fields' and forests' rattling,
The Seven Seas' refrain.
Without body a soul's nude,
As a body's nude without a shirt:
No thought's forthcoming, no good,
No idea's born and no word.
A question that has no answer:
Whoever can come back
From the floor where no dancer
Was ever to leave track?
I dream of another soul,
ln quite a different garb:
While shifting between dole
And hope, it burns up,
Like alcohol, and goes
Away, casts no shadow
And just leaves as mementoes
The lilacs smelling of meadow.
Run on, my child, do not lament
The fate of poor Eurydice,
Just keep on driving to globe's end
Your copper hoop for all to see.
As long as answering to your step,
However slight might be a tone,
The earth sends signals gay and pep
To every energetic bone.
Mom, the kerosene stove is smoking.
What?
Everything will depend on him.
Do you think a sore throat could
have such an after-effect?
A sore throat has nothing to do
with it.
- This is a common case.
- Common?
A mother dies suddenly,
then the man's wife and child...
A few days and the man is no more,
though he was quite healthy.
But no one died in his family.
There're such things as conscience...
memories...
What memories have to do it with it?
- You think he's guilty of something?
- He thinks so.
Leave me alone.
- Did you say something?