the cow-herd, and
sent her out of her sight. Three years passed. Once, on a hot summer day,
the lady of the manor went to her dairy. Agafya treated her to such
splendid cold cream, bore herself so modestly, and was so neat in person,
and so cheerful and satisfied with everything, that her mistress
announced to her her pardon, and permitted her to come to the
manor-house; and six months later, she had become so attached to her,
that she promoted her to the post of housekeeper, and entrusted the
entire management to her. Again Agafya came into power, again she grew
plump and white-skinned; her mistress had complete confidence in her. In
this manner, five more years elapsed. Again misfortune fell upon Agafya.
Her husband, whom she had had raised to the post of footman, took to
drink, began to disappear from the house, and wound up by stealing six of
the family's silver spoons, and hiding them--until a convenient
opportunity--in his wife's chest. This was discovered. He was again
degraded to the rank of cow-herd, and a sentence of disgrace was
pronounced upon Agafya; she was not banished from the house, but she was
reduced from the place of housekeeper to that of seamstress, and ordered
to wear a kerchief on her head, instead of a cap. To the amazement of
all, Agafya accepted the blow which had overtaken her with humble
submission. She was then over thirty years of age, all her children had
died, and her husband did not long survive. The time had arrived for her
to come to a sense of her position; she did so. She became very taciturn
and devout, never missed a single Matins service, nor a single Liturgy,
and gave away all her fine clothes. Fifteen years she spent quietly,
peacefully, with dignity, quarrelling with no one, yielding to every one.
If any one spoke rudely to her,--she merely bowed, and returned thanks
for the lesson. Her mistress had forgiven her long since, had removed the
ban from her, and had given her a cap from her own head; but she herself
refused to remove her kerchief, and always went about in a dark-hued
gown; and after the death of her mistress, she became still more quiet
and humble. A Russian easily conceives fear and affection; but it is
difficult to win his respect: it is not soon given, nor to every one.
Every one in the house respected Agafya; no one even recalled her former
sins, as though they had been buried in the earth, along with the old
master.

When Kalitin became the husband of Marya D