The Mirror Page #4

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The doctor. He used to live here.

Then he moved to Yurievets

and became a legal expert.

Are you from town?

We're from Moscow,

but we have a room in Yurievets.

We were evacuated last fall.

The air raids on Moscow began

and I have two kids.

My mother has some old connections

here...

My husband is not here,

he's in town.

Stop scratching yourself!

Actually I came to see you.

It's a ladies' little secret.

Come on in.

Don't stand there...

Wipe your feet.

Masha's just washed the floor.

Sit here for a while.

We won't be long.

Why are you sitting in the dark?

Did it go out?

You should've called us.

- What's your name?

- Alyosha.

I've got a son, too.

Not so big as you, of course.

It's not easy having kids now,

with the war going.

I wish I had a girl too.

Want to have a look? He's asleep.

We'll be quiet.

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 of trouble,

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,

In 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?

- Leave me alone!

I just wanted to be happy.

And what's going to happen to your

mother if you don't get up?

It's nothing, everything will be

all right...

Everything will be...

Would you rather have a boy

or a girl?

The End

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