My Childhood - Maxim Gorky [27]
Sharapa ran into the yard, rearing and nearly throwing grandfather down. The light fell on his large eyes which shone expressively; he breathed heavily as his forefeet pawed the air, and grandfather let the reins fall, and jumping aside called out: "Catch hold of him, Mother!"
She threw herself almost under the feet of the rearing horse, and stood in front of him, with outstretched arms in the form of a cross; the animal neighed pitifully and let himself be drawn towards her, swerving aside at the flames.
"Now, you are not frightened," said grandmother in a low voice, as he patted his neck and grasped the reins, "Do you think I would leave you when you are in such a state? Oh, you silly little mouse!"
And the little "mouse," who was twice as large as herself, submissively went to the gate with her, snuffling, and gazing at her red face.
Nyanya Eugenia had brought some muffled-up youngsters, who were bellowing in smothered tones, from the house.
"Vassili Vassilitch," she cried, "we can't find Alexei anywhere!"
"Go away! Go away!" answered grandfather, waving his hands, and I hid myself under the stairs so that Nyanya should not take me away.
The roof of the workshop had fallen in by this time, and the stanchions, smoking, and glittering like golden coal, stood out against the sky. With a howl and a crash a green, blue and red tornado burst inside the building, and the flames threw themselves with a new energy on the yard and on the people who were gathered round and throwing spadefuls of snow on the huge bonfire.
The heat caused the vats to boil furiously; a thick cloud of steam and smoke arose, and a strange odor, which caused one's eyes to water, floated into the yard. I crept out from beneath the stairs and got under grandmother's feet.
"Get away!" she shrieked. "You will get trampled on. Get away!"
At this moment a man on horseback, with a copper helmet, burst into the yard. His roan-colored horse was covered with froth, and he raised a whip high above his head and shouted threateningly:
"Make way there!"
Bells rang out hurriedly and gaily; it was just as beautiful as a festival day.
Grandmother pushed me back towards the steps.
"What did I tell you? Go away!"
I could not disobey her at such a time, so I went back to the kitchen and glued myself once more to the window; but I could not see the fire through that dense mass of people--I could see nothing but the gleam of copper helmets amongst the winter caps of fur.
In a short time the fire was got under, totally extinguished, and the building submerged. The police drove the onlookers away, and grandmother came into the kitchen.
"Who is this? Oh, it is you! Why are n't you in bed? Frightened, eh? There 's nothing to be frightened about; it is all over now."
She sat beside me in silence, shaking a little. The return of the quiet night with its darkness was a relief. Presently grandfather came in, and standing in the doorway said:
"Mother?"
"Yes?"
"Were you burned?"
"A little--nothing to speak of."
He lit a brimstone match, which lit up his soot-begrimed face, looked for and found the candle on the table, and then came over swiftly and sat beside grandmother.
"The best thing we can do is to wash ourselves," she said, for she was covered with soot too, and smelt of acrid smoke.
"Sometimes," said grandfather, drawing a deep breath, "God is pleased to endue you with great goodsense." And stroking her shoulder he added with a grin: "Only sometimes, you know, just for an hour or so; but there it is all the same."
Grandmother smiled too, and began to say something, but grandfather stopped her, frowning:
"We shall have to get rid of Gregory. All this trouble has been caused by his neglect. His working days are over. He is worn out. That fool Jaaschka is sitting on the stairs crying; you had better go to him."
She stood up and went out, holding her hand up to her face and blowing on her fingers; and grandfather, without looking at me, asked softly:
"You saw it all from the beginning of the fire, did n't