Free eBooks at Planet eBook.com na intends to give him medicine to-morrow. They’ve just
arranged it. It’s a very strange remedy of hers. Marfa Ig-
natyevna knows of a preparation and always keeps it. It’s a
strong thing made from some herb. She has the secret of it,
and she always gives it to Grigory Vassilyevitch three times
a year when his lumbago’s so bad he is almost paralysed by
it. Then she takes a towel, wets it with the stuff, and rubs
his whole back for half an hour till it’s quite red and swol-
len, and what’s left in the bottle she gives him to drink with
a special prayer; but not quite all, for on such occasions she
leaves some for herself, and drinks it herself. And as they
never take strong drink, I assure you they both drop asleep
at once and sleep sound a very long time. And when Grigory
Vassilyevitch wakes up he is perfectly well after it, but Marfa
Ignatyevna always has a headache from it. So, if Marfa Ig-
natyevna carries out her intention to-morrow, they won’t
hear anything and hinder Dmitri Fyodorovitch. They’ll be
asleep.’
‘What a rigmarole! And it all seems to happen at once, as
though it were planned. You’ll have a fit and they’ll both be
unconscious,’ cried Ivan. ‘But aren’t you trying to arrange
it so?’ broke from him suddenly, and he frowned threaten-
ingly.
‘How could I?... And why should I, when it all depends
on Dmitri Fyodorovitch and his plans?... If he means to do
anything, he’ll do it; but if not, I shan’t be thrusting him
upon his father.’
‘And why should he go to father, especially on the sly, if,
as you say yourself, Agrafena Alexandrovna won’t come at