him to this....
Give me some more! [Drinks] I come from his village, Bortsovka; you may
have heard of it, it's 200 versts from here, in the Ergovsky district.
We used to be his father's serfs.... What a shame!

MERIK. Was he rich?

KUSMA. Very.

MERIK. Did he drink it all?

KUSMA. No, my friend, it was something else.... He used to be great and
rich and sober.... [To TIHON] Why you yourself used to see him riding,
as he used to, past this inn, on his way to the town. Such bold and
noble horses! A carriage on springs, of the best quality! He used to
own five troikas, brother.... Five years ago, I remember, he cam here
driving two horses from Mikishinsky, and he paid with a five-rouble
piece.... I haven't the time, he says, to wait for the change.... There!

MERIK. His brain's gone, I suppose.

KUSMA. His brain's all right.... It all happened because of his
cowardice! From too much fat. First of all, children, because of a
woman.... He fell in love with a woman of the town, and it seemed to him
that there wasn't any more beautiful thing in the wide world. A fool may
love as much as a wise man. The girl's people were all right.... But
she wasn't exactly loose, but just... giddy... always changing her mind!
Always winking at one! Always laughing and laughing.... No sense at all.
The gentry like that, they think that's nice, but we moujiks would soon
chuck her out.... Well, he fell in love, and his luck ran out. He began
to keep company with her, one thing led to another... they used to go
out in a boat all night, and play pianos....

BORTSOV. Don't tell them, Kusma! Why should you? What has my life got to
do with them?

KUSMA. Forgive me, your honour, I'm only telling them a little... what
does it matter, anyway.... I'm shaking all over. Pour out some more.
[Drinks.]

MERIK. [In a semitone] And did she love him?

KUSMA. [In a semitone which gradually becomes his ordinary voice] How
shouldn't she? He was a man of means.... Of course you'll fall in love
when the man has a thousand dessiatins and money to burn.... He was a
solid, dignified, sober gentleman... always the same, like this... give
me your hand [Takes MERIK'S hand] "How do you do and good-bye, do me
the favour." Well, I was going one evening past his garden--and what a
garden, brother, versts of it--I was going along quietly, and I look and
see the two of them sitting on a seat and kissing each other. [Imitates
the sound] He kisses her once, and the sn