Dark, yellow snow still lay in the ravines from under which flowed icy streamlets; on the surface it was , and last year's grass up like stiff golden arrows to the cold Heavens. Here and there, in bright sunny patches, appeared the first yellow flowers. The sky was dull and , with massy, leaden-coloured clouds.  
A carrion-crow flew low over the trees and the twittering birds fell silent. When the menace had passed they broke anew in song, once more absorbed by the joy of living,
 
The earth gurgled happily beneath the soft kiss of the warm humid wind, and from somewhere afar came sounds of spring; perchance from the people in the village across the water, or perchance from the warbling birds over the streams.
 
Ivanov the forester came out on to the door-step which had already dried, and lighted a cigarette; it burned but slowly in the moist atmosphere of the deepening .
 
"It will be hot, Mitrich, thank God!" remarked the watchman, Ignat, as he passed by with some buckets…. "Snipe will be about to-morrow, and we will have to hunt right into Easter."
 
He went into the cow-house, then returned, sat down on a step, and rolled a cigarette.
 
The odour of his bad tobacco with the sweet of dying and melting snow. Beyond the river a church bell was ringing for the Lenten festival, and there was a thrill in its notes as they crossed the water.
 
"That must be the seventh Gospel," said Ignat. "They will be coming out with the candles soon." Then he added : "The river won't reach to a man's waist in the summer and now it is like a ; they have been hardly able to cross it in the long boat … Spring, ah!… Well, I shall certainly have to clean out my double-barrelled gun to-day." With a business-like air he into a and vigorously his cigarette smoke.
 
"The cranes will come down by the garden for the night, at dusk, judging by all , and to-morrow we will go after the grouse," replied Ivanov, and listened intently to the sounds of evening.
 
Ignat also listened, bending his shaggy head sideways to the earth and the sky. He caught some desired note and agreed:
 
"Yes, it must be so. I can hear the beat of their wings. I am truly thankful. At dawn to-morrow we must get out the drosky. We will go to the Ratchinsky wood and have a look. We can get through all right by the upper road."
 
From the right of the steps, his daughter Aganka skipped

Join or Log In! You need to log in to continue reading

Create a new account   I have a account already

	Create an New Account
Email:  (User Name)
Password:	Letters and numbers only. 6-20 characters.
Retype Password:
Screen Name:	Letters and numbers only. 6-50 Characters.
Confirmation Code:	(Please type in the characters in the green image.)

	Login into Your Account
Email:
Password:
	Remember me on this computer.

(Left Keyword <-) Previous: CHAPTER VI. Back Next: CHAPTER II. (Right Keyword:->)