I am sad, I am heavy at heart. And
my own father is my enemy. I will not marry that Pole, whom I do not
love. Tell him they are preparing a wedding, but there will be no music
at our wedding: ecclesiastics will sing instead of pipes and kobzas.
[Footnote: Eight-stringed musical instrument.] I shall not dance with my
bridegroom: they will carry me out. Dark, dark will be my dwelling,--of
maple wood; and, instead of chimneys, a cross will stand upon the roof."
Petro stood petrified, without moving from the spot, when the innocent
child lisped out Pidorka's words to him. "And I, unhappy man, thought to
go to the Crimea and Turkey, win gold and return to thee, my beauty! But
it may not be. The evil eye has seen us. I will have a wedding, too,
dear little fish, I too; but no ecclesiastics will be at that wedding.
The black crow will caw, instead of the pope, over me; the smooth field
will be my dwelling; the dark blue clouds my roof-tree. The eagle will
claw out my brown eyes: the rain will wash the Cossack's bones, and the
whirlwinds will dry them. But what am I? Of whom, to whom, am I
complaining? 'T is plain, God willed it so. If I am to be lost, then so
be it!" and he went straight to the tavern.
Pages:
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96