THE SIN OF JESUS
"You'll have a sweet respite, God's child Arina, may your prayer
be light as a song. Amen."
And so it was decided. Alfred was brought in-a frail young
fellow, delicate, two wings fluttering behind
his
pale-blue shoulders,
rippling with rosy lights like two doves playing in heaven. Arina
threw her hefty arms about him, weeping out of tenderness, out of
her woman's soft heart.
"Alfred, my soul, my consolation, my bridegroom.... "
In parting, the Lord gave her strict instructions to take off the
angel's wings every night before he went to bed. His wings were
attached to hinges, like
.a
door, and every night she was to take them
off and wrap them in a clean sheet, because they were brittle, his
wings, and could snap as he tossed in bed-for what were they made
of but the sighs of babes, no more than that.
For the last time the Lord blessed the union, while the choir
of bishops, called in for the occasion, rendered thunderous praises.
No food was served, not a crumb--that wasn't the style in heaven–
and then Arina and Alfred, their arms about each other, ran down
a silken ladder, straight back to earth. They came to Petrovka, where
nothing but the best is sold- the woman would do right by her
AW:red!-(and he, if one might say so, not only lacking socks, but
altogether natural just as his mother bore him) -and she bought
him patent leather half-boots, checked jersey trousers, a fine hunting
jacket, and an electric blue vest.
"The rest," she says, "we'll find at home.... "
That day Arina. begged off from work. Serega came, raised a
fuss, but she did not even come out to him, only said from behind
her locked door:
"Sergei Nifantich, I am at present l!iving my feet and beg you
to retire without more noise.... "
,
He went away without a word-the angel's power was already
beginning to manifest itself!
In the evening Arina set out a supper fit for a merchant-the
woman had devilish vanity! A half-pint of vodka, wine on the side,
a Danube herring with potatoes, a samovar of tea. When Alfred had
partaken of all these earthly blessings, he keeled over in a dead sleep.
Quick as a wink, Arina lifted off his wings from the hinges, packed
them away, and carried him to bed in her arms.
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