wasapproachingnightfall。Thesexton，SavelyGykin，waslyinginhishugebedinthehutadjoiningthechurch。Hewasnotasleep，thoughitwashishabittogotosleepatthesametimeasthehens。Hiscoarseredhairpeepedfromunderoneendofthegreasypatchworkquilt，madeupofcolouredrags，whilehisbigunwashedfeetstuckoutfromtheother。Hewaslistening。Hishutadjoinedthewallthatencircledthechurchandthesolitarywindowinitlookedoutupontheopencountry。Andouttherearegularbattlewasgoingon。Itwashardtosaywhowasbeingwipedoffthefaceoftheearth，andforthesakeofwhosedestructionnaturewasbeingchurnedupintosuchaferment；but，judgingfromtheunceasingmalignantroar，someonewasgettingitveryhot。Avictoriousforcewasinfullchaseoverthefields，stormingintheforestandonthechurchroof，batteringspitefullywithitsfistsuponthewindows，ragingandtearing，whilesomethingvanquishedwashowlingandwailing。A
plaintivelamentsobbedatthewindow，ontheroof，orinthestove。Itsoundednotlikeacallforhelp，butlikeacryofmisery，aconsciousnessthatitwastoolate，thattherewasnosalvation。Thesnowdriftswerecoveredwithathincoatingofice；tearsquiveredonthemandonthetrees；adarkslushofmudandmeltingsnowflowedalongtheroadsandpaths。Inshort，itwasthawing，butthroughthedarknighttheheavensfailedtoseeit，andflungflakesoffreshsnowuponthemeltingearthataterrificrate。Andthewindstaggeredlikeadrunkard。Itwouldnotletthesnowsettleontheground，andwhirleditroundinthedarknessatrandom。
Savelylistenedtoallthisdinandfrowned。Thefactwasthatheknew，oratanyratesuspected，whatallthisracketoutsidethewindowwastendingtoandwhosehandiworkitwas。
“Iknow！“hemuttered，shakinghisfingermenacinglyunderthebedclothes；“Iknowallaboutit。“
Onastoolbythewindowsatthesexton’swife，RaissaNilovna。A
tinlampstandingonanotherstool，asthoughtimidanddistrustfulofitspowers，shedadimandflickeringlightonherbroadshoulders，onthehandsome，tempting-lookingcontoursofherperson，andonherthickplait，whichreachedtothefloor。
Shewasmakingsacksoutofcoarsehempenstuff。Herhandsmovednimbly，whileherwholebody，hereyes，hereyebrows，herfulllips，herwhiteneckwereasstillasthoughtheywereasleep，absorbedinthemonotonous，mechanicaltoil。Onlyfromtimetotimesheraisedherheadtorestherwearyneck，glancedforamomenttowardsthewindow，beyondwhichthesnowstormwasraging，andbentagainoverhersacking。Nodesire，nojoy，nogrief，nothingwasexpressedbyherhandsomefacewithitsturned-upnoseanditsdimples。Soabeautifulfountainexpressesnothingwhenitisnotplaying。
Butatlastshehadfinishedasack。Sheflungitaside，and，stretchingluxuriously，restedhermotionless，lack-lustreeyesonthewindow。Thepaneswereswimmingwithdropsliketears，andwhitewithshort-livedsnowflakeswhichfellonthewindow，glancedatRaissa，andmelted。
“Cometobed！“growledthesexton。Raissaremainedmute。Butsuddenlyhereyelashesflickeredandtherewasagleamofattentioninhereye。Savely，allthetimewatchingherexpressionfromunderthequilt，putouthisheadandasked:
“Whatisit？“
“Nothing。Ifancysomeone’scoming，“sheansweredquietly。
Thesextonflungthequiltoffwithhisarmsandlegs，kneltupinbed，andlookedblanklyathiswife。Thetimidlightofthelampilluminatedhishirsute，pock-markedcountenanceandglidedoverhisroughmattedhair。
“Doyouhear？“askedhiswife。
Throughthemonotonousroarofthestormhecaughtascarcelyaudiblethinandjinglingmonotoneliketheshrillnoteofagnatwhenitwantstosettleonone’scheekandisangryatbeingprevented。
“It’sthepost，“mutteredSavely，squattingonhisheels。
Twomilesfromthechurchranthepostingroad。Inwindyweather，whenthewindwasblowingfromtheroadtothechurch，theinmatesofthehutcaughtthesoundofbells。
“Lord！fancypeoplewantingtodriveaboutinsuchweather，“
sighedRaissa。
“It’sgovernmentwork。You’vetogowhetheryoulikeornot。“
Themurmurhungintheairanddiedaway。
“Ithasdrivenby，“saidSavely，gettingintobed。
Butbeforehehadtimetocoverhimselfupwiththebedclothesheheardadistinctsoundofthebell。Thesextonlookedanxiouslyathiswife，leaptoutofbedandwalked，waddling，toandfrobythestove。Thebellwentonringingforalittle，thendiedawayagainasthoughithadceased。
“Idon’thearit，“saidthesexton，stoppingandlookingathiswifewithhiseyesscrewedup。
Butatthatmomentthewindrappedonthewindowandwithitfloatedashrilljinglingnote。Savelyturnedpale，clearedhisthroat，andfloppedaboutthefloorwithhisbarefeetagain。
“Thepostmanislostinthestorm，“hewheezedoutglancingmalignantlyathiswife。“Doyouhear？Thepostmanhaslosthisway！IIknow！DoyousupposeIdon’tunderstand？“
hemuttered。“Iknowallaboutit，curseyou！“
“Whatdoyouknow？“Raissaaskedquietly，keepinghereyesfixedonthewindow。
“Iknowthatit’sallyourdoing，youshe-devil！Yourdoing，damnyou！Thissnowstormandthepostgoingwrong，you’vedoneitall——you！“
“You’remad，yousilly，“hiswifeansweredcalmly。
“I’vebeenwatchingyouforalongtimepastandI’veseenit。
FromthefirstdayImarriedyouInoticedthatyou’dbitch’sbloodinyou！“
“Tfoo！“saidRaissa，surprised，shrugginghershouldersandcrossingherself。“Crossyourself，youfool！“
“Awitchisawitch，“Savelypronouncedinahollow，tearfulvoice，hurriedlyblowinghisnoseonthehemofhisshirt；
“thoughyouaremywife，thoughyouareofaclericalfamily，I’dsaywhatyouareevenatconfession。Why，Godhavemercyuponus！LastyearontheEveoftheProphetDanielandtheThreeYoungMentherewasasnowstorm，andwhathappenedthen？Themechaniccameintowarmhimself。ThenonSt。Alexey’sDaytheicebrokeontheriverandthedistrictpolicemanturnedup，andhewaschattingwithyouallnightthedamnedbrute！AndwhenhecameoutinthemorningandIlookedathim，hehadringsunderhiseyesandhischeekswerehollow！Eh？DuringtheAugustfastthereweretwostormsandeachtimethehuntsmanturnedup。
Isawitall，damnhim！Oh，sheisredderthanacrabnow，aha！“
“Youdidn’tseeanything。“
“Didn’tI！AndthiswinterbeforeChristmasontheDayoftheTenMartyrsofCrete，whenthestormlastedforawholedayandnight——doyouremember？——themarshal’sclerkwaslost，andturneduphere，thehound。Tfoo！Tobetemptedbytheclerk！ItwasworthupsettingGod’sweatherforhim！Adrivellingscribbler，notafootfromtheground，pimplesalloverhismugandhisneckawry！Ifheweregood-looking，anyway——buthe，tfoo！heisasuglyasSatan！“
Thesextontookbreath，wipedhislipsandlistened。Thebellwasnottobeheard，butthewindbangedontheroof，andagaintherecameatinkleinthedarkness。
“Andit’sthesamethingnow！“Savelywenton。“It’snotfornothingthepostmanislost！Blastmyeyesifthepostmanisn’tlookingforyou！Oh，thedevilisagoodhandathiswork；heisafineonetohelp！Hewillturnhimroundandroundandbringhimhere。Iknow，Isee！Youcan’tconcealit，youdevil’sbauble，youheathenwanton！AssoonasthestormbeganIknewwhatyouwereupto。“
“Here’safool！“smiledhiswife。“Why，doyousuppose，youthick-head，thatImakethestorm？“
“H’m！Grinaway！Whetherit’syourdoingornot，Ionlyknowthatwhenyourblood’sonfirethere’ssuretobebadweather，andwhenthere’sbadweatherthere’sboundtobesomecrazyfellowturninguphere。Ithappenssoeverytime！
Soitmustbeyou！“
Tobemoreimpressivethesextonputhisfingertohisforehead，closedhislefteye，andsaidinasingsongvoice:
“Oh，themadness！oh，theuncleanJudas！Ifyoureallyareahumanbeingandnotawitch，yououghttothinkwhatifheisnotthemechanic，ortheclerk，orthehuntsman，butthedevilintheirform！Ah！You’dbetterthinkofthat！“
“Why，youarestupid，Savely，“saidhiswife，lookingathimcompassionately。“Whenfatherwasaliveandlivinghere，allsortsofpeopleusedtocometohimtobecuredoftheague:fromthevillage，andthehamlets，andtheArmeniansettlement。Theycamealmosteveryday，andnoonecalledthemdevils。Butifanyoneonceayearcomesinbadweathertowarmhimself，youwonderatit，yousilly，andtakeallsortsofnotionsintoyourheadatonce。“
Hiswife’slogictouchedSavely。Hestoodwithhisbarefeetwideapart，benthishead，andpondered。Hewasnotfirmlyconvincedyetofthetruthofhissuspicions，andhiswife’sgenuineandunconcernedtonequitedisconcertedhim。Yetafteramoment’sthoughthewaggedhisheadandsaid:
“It’snotasthoughtheywereoldmenorbandy-leggedcripples；
it’salwaysyoungmenwhowanttocomeforthenight。Whyisthat？Andiftheyonlywantedtowarmthemselves——Buttheyareuptomischief。No，woman；there’snocreatureinthisworldascunningasyourfemalesort！Ofrealbrainsyou’venotanounce，lessthanastarling，butfordevilishslyness——
oo-oo-oo！TheQueenofHeavenprotectus！Thereisthepostman’sbell！WhenthestormwasonlybeginningIknewallthatwasinyourmind。That’syourwitchery，youspider！“
“Whydoyoukeeponatme，youheathen？“Hiswifelostherpatienceatlast。“Whydoyoukeepstickingtoitlikepitch？“
