We’ll go to the church, and the ones with huge stone legs will come towards us: they’re walking and laughing. “See,” – they point with hollow fingers, – “that beggar, well, she was a princess. We,” – they brag, – “stole everything from her.” And grandma will pity her and give her a lark…
“I’m a sinner,” – grandma Yevdokia complains, – “I’ve come to hate a lot of people. So He’s keeping me here, and doesn’t let me die. He must be waiting for my heart to get softer like some kind of biscuit. Because they only let you into the other world where you are softened up, but how can you forget?” – she says, – “The soul is not like the body: you can’t wash it clean with soap…”
“Tonechka,” – Ariadna asks me, – “rub my back, please, I can’t reach it myself.”
“Good Lord,” – I think, – “her back must
