My Childhood - Maxim Gorky [82]
"The fences were not high, and certain people were not backward," said grandmother, laughing. "So one day, when Varia and I were picking raspberries in the garden, who should get over the fence but your father! ... I was frightened, foolishly enough; but there he went amongst the apple trees, a fine-looking fellow, in a white shirt, and plush breeches . . . barefooted and hatless, with long hair bound with leather bands. That's the way he came courting. When I saw him for the first time through the window, I said to myself: 'That's a nice lad!' So when he came close to me now I asked him:
"'Why do you come out of your way like this, young man?'
"And he fell on his knees. 'Akulina,' he says, 'Ivanovna! . . . because my whole heart is here . . . with Varia. Help us, for God's sake! We want to get married.'
"At this I was stupefied and my tongue refused to speak. I looked, and there was your mother, the rogue, hiding behind an apple tree, all red--as red as the raspberries--and making signs to him; but there were tears in her eyes.
"'Oh, you rogues!' I cried. 'How have you managed all this? Are you in your senses, Varvara? And you, young man,' I said, 'think what you are doing! Do you intend to get your way by force?'
"At that time grandfather was rich, for he had not given his children their portions, and he had four houses of his own, and money, and he was ambitious; not long before that they had given him a laced hat and a uniform because he had been head of the Guild for nine years without a break--and he was proud in those days. I said to them what it was my duty to say, but all the time I trembled for fear and felt very sorry for them too; they had both become so gloomy. Then said your father:
"'I know quite well that Vassili Vassilitch will not consent to give Varia to me, so I shall steal her; only you must help us.'
"So I was to help them. I could not help laughing at him, but he would not be turned from his purpose. 'You may stone me or you may help me, it is all the same to me--I shall not give in,' he said.
"Then Varvara went to him, laid her hand on his shoulder, and said: 'We have been talking of getting married a long time--we ought to have been married in May.'
"How I started! Good Lord!"
Grandmother began to laugh, and her whole body shook; then she took a pinch of snuff, dried her eyes and said, sighing comfortably:
"You can't understand that yet . . . you don't know what marrying means . . . but this you can understand--that for a girl to give birth to a child before she is married is a dreadful calamity. Remember that, and when you are grown-up never tempt a girl in that way; it would be a great sin on your part-- the girl would be disgraced, and the child illegitimate. See that you don't forget that! You must be kind to women, and love them for their own sakes, and not for the sake of self-indulgence. This is good advice I am giving you."
She fell into a reverie, rocking herself in her chair; then, shaking herself, she began again:
"Well, what was to be done? I hit Maxim on the forehead, and pulled Varia's plait; but he said reasonably enough: 'Quarreling won't put things right.' And she said: 'Let us think what is the best thing to do first, and have a row afterwards.'
"'Have you any money?' I asked him.
"'I had some,' he replied, 'but I bought Varia a ring with it.'
"'How much did you have then?'
"'Oh,' says he, 'about a hundred roubles.'
"Now at that time money was scarce and things were dear, and I looked at the two--your mother and father--and I said to myself: 'What children! . . . What