s live side by side. In the twilight the heels of
red boots were always visible in the place where Pidorka chatted with
her Petrus. But Korzh would never have suspected anything out of the
way, only one day--it is evident that none but the Evil One could have
inspired him--Petrus took it into his head to kiss the Cossack
maiden's rosy lips with all his heart in the passage, without first
looking well about him; and that same Evil One--may the son of a dog
dream of the holy cross!--caused the old greybeard, like a fool, to
open the cottage-door at that same moment. Korzh was petrified,
dropped his jaw, and clutched at the door for support. Those unlucky
kisses had completely stunned him. It surprised him more than the blow
of a pestle on the wall, with which, in our days, the muzhik generally
drives out his intoxication for lack of fusees and powder.

[8] Elder.

[9] Upper garment in Little Russia.

Recovering himself, he took his grandfather's hunting-whip from the
wall, and was about to belabour Peter's back with it, when Pidorka's
little six-year-old brother Ivas rushed up from somewhere or other,
and, grasping his father's legs with his little hands, screamed out,
"Daddy, daddy! don't beat Petrus!" What was to be done? A father's
heart is not made of stone. Hanging the whip again upon the wall, he
led him quietly from the house. "If you ever show yourself in my
cottage again, or even under the windows, look out, Petro! by Heaven,
your black moustache will disappear; and your black locks, though
wound twice about your ears, will take leave of your pate, or my name
is not Terentii Korzh." So saying, he gave him a little taste of his
fist in the nape of his neck, so that all grew dark before Petrus, and
he flew headlong. So there was an end of their kissing. Sorrow seized
upon our doves; and a rumour was rife in the village, that a certain
Pole, all embroidered with gold, with moustaches, sabre, spurs, and
pockets jingling like the bells of the bag with which our sacristan
Taras goes through the church every day, had begun to frequent Korzh's
house. Now, it is well known why the father is visited when there is a
black-browed daughter about. So, one day, Pidorka burst into tears,
and clutched the hand of her Ivas. "Ivas, my dear! Ivas, my love! fly
to Petrus, my child of gold, like an arrow from a bow. Tell him all: I
would have loved his brown eyes, I would have kissed his white face,
but my fate decrees not