except silk or
velvet, and slept on well-stuffed feather-beds. This blissful existence
lasted for five years, but Dmitri Pestov died; his widow, a kind-hearted
woman, out of regard for the memory of the deceased, did not wish
to treat her rival unfairly, all the more because Agafya had never
forgotten herself in her presence. She married her, however, to a
shepherd, and sent her a long way off. Three years passed. It happened
one hot summer day that her mistress in driving past stopped at the
cattle-yard. Agafya regaled her with such delicious cool cream,
behaved so modestly, and was so neat, so bright, and so contented
with everything that her mistress signified her forgiveness to her and
allowed her to return to the house. Within six months she had become
so much attached to her that she raised her to be housekeeper, and
intrusted the whole household management to her. Agafya again returned
to power, and again grew plump and fair; her mistress put the most
complete confidence in her. So passed five years more. Misfortune again
overtook Agafya. Her husband, whom she had promoted to be a footman,
began to drink, took to vanishing from the house, and ended by stealing
six of the mistress' silver spoons and hiding them till a favourable
moment in his wife's box. It was opened. He was sent to be a shepherd
again, and Agafya fell into disgrace. She was not turned out of the
house, but was degraded from housekeeper to being a sewing-woman and
was ordered to wear a kerchief on her head instead of a cap. To the
astonishment of every one, Agafya accepted with humble resignation the
blow that had fallen upon her. She was at that time about thirty, all
her children were dead and her husband did not live much longer. The
time had come for her to reflect. And she did reflect. She became very
silent and devout, never missed a single matin's service nor a single
mass, and gave away all her fine clothes. She spent fifteen years
quietly, peacefully, and soberly, never quarrelling with any one and
giving way to every one. If any! one scolded her, she only bowed to them
and thanked them for the admonition. Her mistress had long ago forgiven
her, raised her out of disgrace, and made her a present of a cap of her
own. But she was herself unwilling to give up the kerchief and always
wore a dark dress. After her mistress' death she became still more quiet
and humble. A Russian readily feels fear, and affection; but it is hard
to gain his resp