Prev | Current Page 130 | Next

Artzybashev, Mikhail Petrovich, 1878-1927

"Sanine"

Novikoff, standing
nearest to him, thought that Semenoff's eye-lids moved slightly, as if
the sightless eyeballs had been turned in the direction of the
chanting. To the others, however, Semenoff appeared as strangely
motionless as before.
At the first notes Sina began to cry, gently but persistently, letting
the tears course down her youthful, pretty face. All the others looked
at her, and Dubova in her turn began to weep. To the men's eyes tears
also rose, which by clenching their teeth they strove to keep back.
Every time the chanting grew louder, the girls wept more freely. Sanine
frowned, and shrugged his shoulders irritably, thinking how intolerable
to Semenoff, if he heard it, such wailing must be when to healthy
normal men it was so utterly depressing.
"Not so loud!" he said to the priest irritably.
The latter amiably bent forward to hear this remark, and, when he
understood it, he frowned and only sang louder. His companion glared at
Sanine and the others all looked at him as well, in fear and
astonishment, as if he had said something offensive. Sanine showed his
annoyance by a gesture, but said nothing.


Pages:
118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142