ll my days an old maid, I'd rather
get half a rouble from the priest's son, I'd rather beg my bread, or
throw myself into the well...

"It's a sin!" whispered Sofya again.

"Well, let it be."

Somewhere behind the church the same three voices, two tenors and a
bass, began singing again a mournful song. And again the words could not
be distinguished.

"They are not early to bed," Varvara said, laughing.

And she began telling in a whisper of her midnight walks with the
priest's son, and of the stories he had told her, and of his comrades,
and of the fun she had with the travellers who stayed in the house. The
mournful song stirred a longing for life and freedom. Sofya began to
laugh; she thought it sinful and terrible and sweet to hear about, and
she felt envious and sorry that she, too, had not been a sinner when she
was young and pretty.

In the churchyard they heard twelve strokes beaten on the watchman's
board.

"It's time we were asleep," said Sofya, getting up, "or, maybe, we shall
catch it from Dyudya."

They both went softly into the yard.

"I went away without hearing what he was telling about Mashenka," said
Varvara, making herself a bed under the window.

"She died in prison, he said. She poisoned her husband."

Varvara lay down beside Sofya a while, and said softly:

"I'd make away with my Alyoshka and never regret it."

"You talk nonsense; God forgive you."

When Sofya was just dropping asleep, Varvara, coming close, whispered in
her ear:

"Let us get rid of Dyudya and Alyoshka!"

Sofya started and said nothing. Then she opened her eyes and gazed a
long while steadily at the sky.

"People would find out," she said.

"No, they wouldn't. Dyudya's an old man, it's time he did die; and
they'd say Alyoshka died of drink."

"I'm afraid... God would chastise us."

"Well, let Him...."

Both lay awake thinking in silence.

"It's cold," said Sofya, beginning to shiver all over. "It will soon be
morning.... Are you asleep?"

"No.... Don't you mind what I say, dear," whispered Varvara; "I get so
mad with the damned brutes, I don't know what I do say. Go to sleep, or
it will be daylight directly.... Go to sleep."

Both were quiet and soon they fell asleep.

Earlier than all woke the old woman. She waked up Sofya and they went
together into the cowshed to milk the cows. The hunchback Alyoshka came
in hopelessly drunk without his concertina; his breast and knees had
been in the dust and s