The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-11-05
Afanasy and Marina
Translated from the Rus sian.

Afanasy, have pity on me. can low
to order. / love you and no one else
| You are my husband. You are alive.
how can I love another man? Sucl
things are not being done even ainoni
the Tartars--and I am an honest Cos
| sack woman. Have pity on me- Alan
asv"
'tih. what's the use of talking to
woman!" drawled out Afanasy Will
contempt II can't: you must under.
stand me. ! can't help It! gave m,
honest word as a Cossack-that settle,
it, Begone!"
| "Afanasy!"
"Begone. say, I can't look at you
What sort OF a Cossack would be IL !
were to change my word for the SAX,
| OF woman?"
Marina walked out of the hut. Il
know where to go.
He loves me, and yet he loves me
not! How strange!' thought she, a.
| she paced the streets with unever
strides.
Suddenly the stately figure of Mix
halo appeared before her. He was at
tired in his best fur-trimmed coat, and
| he looked handsomer than ever.
| Marina" he asked softly, "what ha.
brought you here at this hour OF
nght?'
"I'--said she in confuson--"I went
| out for u walk--Afanasy Is home al
| ready"
II know-he must have chased you
out Of the house."
Marina nodded in silence.
II was told" began Mikhailo, "that
Afanasy lost q. hundred ducats to Dan
ilo--and that he'll take you out on the
| square tomorrow and will say: 4 don't
like Marina Is it true?"
The Cossack woman made no reply.
"If this is true, I'll buy you for my
self-Ill give him two hundred, three
hundred ducats--as much as he wants"
"Oh, no." said Marina, softly, but
firmly.
What do you mean?" wondered the
I young Cossack "Afanasy gave his
word, and the word of a Cossack is not
a trife!"
II shall rather drown myself than
bear this disgrace"
This is no disgrace, Marina. 1t is a
custom here'
mo. If had been a captive, or IL
Afanasy didn't love me, then it would
be different. But I am a Cossack wo.
man-and I love Afanasy"
| Don't you love me at all, Marina?
You. like you. You are not at all
like the rest. You speak to me as to
your equal-I like you, but love Alan
asy. He is my husband, given to me by
the Lord-and you are as a brother to
me. like you as a brother!"
| "Eh, Marina! Come, marry me-I'I
give you riches, I'll caress you as none
of these Cossacks can caress. Come,
l ot,t,. l.
I'll buy you tomorrow on the square,"
| You will not! If God has decreed it
that shall be disgraced, I'll make an
end to it all. I'll drown myself! While
Afanasy is alive I cannot live with
another; I'd rather die. Am I not a
| Cossack woman?"
Saying this she turned and ran away
towards her hut.
! Afanasy was not vet asleep. He sat
by the table, lost in thought. When
he heard the muff1ed sobs of Marina in
the adjoining room, he felt that his
| heart was growing softer from her
| sobs. He realized how dearly he loved.
but he brushed the thought aside.
! 'Never mind" he consoled himself.
! "Pll go out in quest Of booty and I'll
| forget her. And yet she was a fine
| woman; an honest, well-bred Cossack
| girl. But I have lost her,
I'm turn her over to Mikhailo," he
| decided all Of sudden. "He seems to
be good fellow. I'll talk it over with
him.
He rose from his seat, paced the room
| back and forth, and called Marina.
well, don't cry, you foolish woman.
! Stop crying!" he said. in a firm voice.
II can't, Afanasy; what have I done
| that i should be disgraced before the
whole vllage?"
Don't tald SO much! Everybody
| knows what sort Of q man am. I've
pawned my horse; shall perhaps hesi-
! tate to sell my wife to pay debt-to
keep my promise? I am Cossack!
Tomorrow I'll start out to look for
booty-right on Mother Volga, or near
| Astrakhan! And you-you shall marry
no one else than Mikhailo. He's young,
he's strong, he's good horseman. And
! never think Of me. I'm ashamed to
say it-but + loved you. While I was
away I thought Of you; I longed to
return to the quiet Don. and take
good rest near you. But what's the
| use! Evidently God has decreed it
otherwise. I loved you, Marina, and
you are still dear to my heart!"
Marina advanced towards her hus-
band and leaned her head upon his
breast and wept.
"I'll drown myself ic you forsake
me-" she said.
Suddenly the door was flung open
and Nfillhailo, pale as death, rushed
into the room. He had heard and seen
everything from behind the window.
"Afanasy," said he, in a trembling
voice, "you were kind to me-you have
made Cossack of me. All your other
friends have lost at play. but I, thank
God, have lost nothing. Afanasy. we
are comrades-share with me my purse.
I've heard of your misfortune. There,
take these two hundred ducats-we'll
get square some time"
And placing the gold on the table,
he departed. Marina ran out after
him. and seizng his hand. pressed 1t to
her lips for long time.
An hour later Mikhailo's clear, strong
voice rang out on the square:
"Chieftains and comrades, let's start
out on the Kama; let's go to Siberia
to hunt for fur"
And the most desperate of the Cos
sacks flung their caps to the ground
thus expressing their readiness to jOiI
him in the dangerous expedition.
rxyo TNJYv IIyAvo