Chapter 11 11 Willow

Has anyone traveled the post road between Burti and Tidi? Anyone who has passed there, of course, remembers Andreev's mill, which stood alone on the bank of the Kozyavka creek.The mill is very small, with only two grinding discs. It has been built for more than a hundred years, and it has long been abandoned. No wonder it looks like a short, stooped old woman with rags and rags, and may fall down at any time.The little old woman would have fallen down long ago if she had not leaned against a big old willow tree.The willow tree is so thick that neither of them can hug it.Its shiny leaves hung over the roofs, over the dams, and its lower branches dipped in the water and drooped to the ground.The willow tree is also old and bent.Its stooped trunk had a big, dark, ugly hollow.Put your hand into the hollow of the tree, and your hand will sink into the black honey and cannot be pulled out.Wild bees will buzz around your head, stinging you incessantly.how old is itAccording to its friend Alkhip, the willow tree was very old when he was a French boy in a lord's house, and then a black boy in a lady's house, and that was a long time ago. .

The willows also supported another old man, old Arkhip.He sat on the root of a willow tree and fished all day long.He was old and bent like a willow, and his toothless mouth was like a hollow.He fished during the day and sat on the roots of the tree at night to meditate.These two, the Willow old woman and the old Arkhip, murmured day and night that trees and people had all the vicissitudes of their lives.now listen to their stories Some thirty years ago, on the Sunday before Easter, which happened to be the name day of the Old Willow Wife, the old man sat down in the old place and watched the spring scenery while he fished.In the surroundings, as usual, there were only two old men whispering, and occasionally a floating fish made the water splash.The old man was just fishing and waiting for noon.At noon, he will start cooking fish soup.It was noon when the shadows of the willows began to leave the opposite bank.In addition, Arkhip can also tell the time by the bell of the stage horse.Tidy's mail truck passed the dam just at noon.

This Sunday, the ringing of the bell also reached Arkhip's ears.He put down his fishing rod and began to watch the dam.A three-horse carriage turned over the hillock, ran down the hillside, and drove slowly towards the river dam.The postman was fast asleep.The carriage of three sets of horses walked to the river dam, but stopped for some reason.Arkhip hadn't been surprised for a long time, but this time he was taken aback.Then something extraordinary happened.The coachman looked around, squirmed uneasily, reached out to remove the rag from the postman's face, and swung a short-handled chain hammer.The postman stopped moving immediately.There was a gash in his fair-haired head, and a bloody blotch appeared.The coachman jumped down from the carriage and swung his short hammer to beat him down again.A minute later, Arkhip heard footsteps near him, and the coachman came down the bank and was coming straight towards him. His tanned face had turned pale, and his eyes were staring blankly at nowhere. .Trembling all over, he ran up to the willow tree, and without seeing Arkhip, he stuffed a mailbag into the hollow.Then he ran up the hill, jumped into the cart, and, to Arkhip's amazement, struck his own temple with the hammer, bloodied his face, and began to beat the horse.

help!Killed someone!he cried. His cry echoed, and Arkhip could hear the cry of help for a long time!echo. After about six days, the court came to the mill to investigate.They drew the plan of the mill and the dam, and for some reason measured the depth of the river.Then they ate under the willow tree and went away.While they were investigating, Arkhip was always sitting by the mill's waterwheel, trembling, staring at the parcel.He saw many envelopes in it, all with five stamps [Note: Refers to registered letters sending cash].He looked at the seal day and night and thought about it.The willow old woman is silent during the day, but cries at night, silly woman!Listening to its cries, Arkhip thought to himself.A week later, Arkhip went to town with the bag.

Where is the yamen here?he walked into town and asked. He was pointed out to a yellow house with a sentry box at the door, painted with black and white stripes.He went in and saw in the hall a gentleman with bright buttons on his coat.Sir, smoking his pipe, was reprimanding the watchman about something.Arkhip came up to him, shaking all over, and related what had happened by the old willow tree. The officer took the bag and untied the thin belt on the mouth of the bag, his face turned red and turned white. I will come as soon as I go!He said, and ran into the yamen.There the officers surrounded him and ran about, bustling, talking in low voices for ten minutes, and the officer came back with the bag, handed it to Arkhip, and said: You have gone to the wrong place, old man.You should go down the street, where they will give you advice.This is the Bureau of Finance, my dear!You should go to the police station.

Arkhip took the bag and walked out. The bag got lighter!He thought to himself, half of the contents inside are missing! In the lower street, he was pointed out to another yellow house with two sentry boxes in front of it.Arkhip walked through the door.There is no vestibule here, just the offices next to the stairs.The old man went up to a table and told the clerks about the bag. The men snatched the bag from him, yelled at him, and sent for the officer, and there came a fat man with a very long mustache.After questioning briefly, he took the bag, carried it into another room, and shut the door behind him.

But where is the money?A minute later, there were voices in that room. The bag is empty!But you tell the old man he can go.Or detain him!Take him to Ivan.Markovich there!But no need, let him go! Arkhip bowed and walked out.After a day, crucian carp and perch saw his white beard again The season is late autumn.The old man is still sitting by the river fishing His face is so gloomy, like a withered willow: he doesn't like autumn.His countenance grew darker when he saw the coachman appear beside him.The coachman didn't see him, and went up to the willow tree, and put his hand into the hole.Some wet and lazy bees crawled up his sleeves.He groped for a while, turning pale with fright.After an hour, he sat down by the river and stared blankly at the river.

where is the baghe asked Arkhip. Arkhip at first was silent and dodged the murderer somberly, but soon took pity on him. I'm taking it to the officer!He said, but you, silly boy, don't be afraid I said there, I found it under the willow The coachman jumped up, yelled, and threw himself on Arkhip.He played for a long time.He hit his old face hard, pushed him to the ground, and kicked him.He beat the old man, but did not leave him, but stayed by the mill, and lived with Arkhip. During the day he sleeps without speaking, and at night he walks up and down the river dam.The ghost of the postman roams the dam, and he talks to the ghost.When spring came, the coachman still walked up and down without saying a word.One night the old man came up to him.

You silly boy, you've had enough of wandering around!He said to the coachman, peeking at the ghost of the postman, you go. The postman said so and the old willow muttered so I can't do it!The coachman said, I would like to go, but my leg hurts and my heart hurts too! The old man took the coachman by the arm and took him to the city.He led him to Lower Street, into the office where he had handed over the bag before.The coachman knelt before the magistrate and confessed his guilt.The bearded man was taken aback. Why do you slander yourself, fool!He said, are you drunk?You want me to put you in a detention center?You are all crazy, bastards!This only confuses things. The culprit was never found, that's all!What else do you want?Get out!

When the old man mentioned the bag, the bearded man laughed, and the clerks were also surprised.It seems that their memory is so bad that the coachman failed to realize his intention of atonement in the lower street, so he had to go back to the willow tree. The coachman threw himself into the water to avoid a conscience-stricken buoy, causing a splash where Arkhip's buoy floated.The coachman drowned.Now, the old man and the willow old woman saw two ghosts on the river dam, did they often whisper to these two ghosts?