PARTISAN REVIEW
There it lies, the snowy wonder on the eiderdown pillows of
her
tattered, sinful bed, sending forth a heavenly radiance; moon-silver
shafts of light pass and repass, alternate with red ones, float across
the room, sway over his shining feet. Arina weeps and rejoices,
sings
and prays. Arina, thou hast been granted a happiness unheard
of
on this battered earth, blessed
art
thou among women!
They had drunk the vodka to the last drop, and now it took
effect.
As
soon as they fell asleep, she went and rolled over on top
of Alfred with her hot, six-months'-big belly. Not enough for her to
sleep with an angel, not enough that nobody beside her spat at the
wall, snored and snorted- that wasn't enough for the clumsy, raven–
ing slut. No, she had to warm her belly too, her burning belly big
with Serega's lust. And so she smothered him in her fuddled sleep,
smothered him in the midst of her rejoicing like a week-old babe,
crushed him under her bloated weight, and he gave up the ghost, and
his wings, wrapped in her sheet, wept pale tears.
Dawn came-and all the trees bowed low to the ground. In
distant northern forests each fir tree turned into a priest, each fir tree
bent its knees in silent worship.
Once more the woman stands before the Lord's throne-broad
in the shoulders, mighty, the young corpse drooping in her huge red
arms.
"Behold, Lord. . . . "
But here the gentle heart of Jesus could endure no longer, and
he cursed the woman in his anger:
"As
it is on earth, so shall it be with you, Arina, from this day
on.... "
"How is it then, Lord," the woman replied in a scarce audible
voice, "was it I who made my body heavy, was it I that brewed
vodka on earth, was it I that created a woman's soul, stupid and
lonely? ...."
"I don't wish to be bothered with you," exclaimed the Lord
Jesus, "you've smothered my angel, you filthy scum.... "
And Arina was thrown back to earth on a putrid wind, straight
down to Tverskaya Street, to the Hotel Madrid and Louvre, where
she was doomed to spend her days. And once there-the sky's the
limit. Serega was carousing, drinking away his last days, seeing
as he was a recruit. The contractor Trofimych, just come from Ko-
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