Peasant Tales of Russia

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Nemirovich-Danchenko Vasilii Ivanovich. Peasant Tales of Russia

THE DESERTED MINE

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

VIII

IX

MAHMOUD'S FAMILY

I. Mahmoud

II. The Examination

III. Dreams

A MISUNDERSTANDING

I

II

III

IV

V

THE LUCK OF IVAN THE FORGETFUL

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

VIII

IX

X

XI

XII

Отрывок из книги

At the entrance of the Voskressensky mine stood a group of miners. All were quite silent.

"Listen, old man! You can never go down alone," said the young overseer to an old miner who was of tall stature, thin and withered. His long grey beard fell in disarray over his hollow chest, and his breath came and went with a thin whistling sound, as though the damp air of this dark morning found as much difficulty in entering as in leaving it. The features of the old miner's face were strongly marked, and his two black eyes burned in the depths of their sockets with a brilliant, almost fantastic light. This death's-head seemed almost buried from sight between two very high shoulders. When he walked, his back was arched, and his whole long body leaned forward, so that he seemed to be looking for something he had lost, or to be picking his steps very carefully. His feeble arms hung languidly by his side, and his legs tottered and gave way every moment under the weight of his body, slight as it was.

.....

The old man re-lighted his little lamp, which had gone out, and stooping forward, as though he were examining some mysterious footprints, he went towards his gallery with unsteady steps.

"Jesus will save us! I tell you He will save us all! Here I am, Lord, I am coming! Behold Him, our Lord full of mercy. I am coming! Here I am!.."

.....