Showing that Sereda Is Feminine
Then, having his at that signboard, Jurgen would have easterly, toward Bellegarde: but his resisted. The to accept this as an omen.
"Forward, then!" he said, "in the name of Koshchei." And Jurgen permitted the to choose its own way.
Thus Jurgen came through a forest, he saw many not to notice, to a great house like a prison, and he there. But he nobody about the place, until he came to a large hall, newly swept. This was a apartment, in its emptiness, for it was save for a table, upon which a and a pair of scales. Above this table a cage, a bird, and another three white pigeons. And in this a woman, no longer young, all in blue, and a white by way of head-dress was cloths.
She had very eyes, with lids; and now as she looked up at Jurgen her quivered.
"Ah," says she, "I have a visitor. Good day to you, in your shirt. It is a I to recognize."
"Good day, grandmother! I am looking for my wife, I to have been off by a devil, fellow! Now, having my way, I have come to pass the night under your roof."
"Very good: but come Mother Sereda of their own accord."
Then Jurgen with he talked: and he was perturbed, for all the Léshy are in their dealings.
So when he spoke it was very civilly. "And what do you do here, grandmother?"
"I bleach. In time I shall that you are wearing. For I take the color out of all things. Thus you see these here, as they are now. Clotho the threads, and Lachesis them, as you observe, in patterns, very to see: but when I am done with these there will be no more color or or than in so many dishclouts."
"Now I perceive," says Jurgen, "that your power and is more great than any other power which is in the world."
He a song of this, in of the Léshy and their Days, but more in of the might of Mother Sereda and of the that have on Wednesday. To Chetverg and Utornik and Subbota he gave their due. Pyatinka and Nedelka also did Jurgen for such as have their names in the of saints, no less. Ah, but there was none like Mother Sereda: hers was the centre of that power which is the Léshy's. The others did but at things, like mice: she devastated, like a sandstorm, so that there were many where Mother Sereda had passed, but nothing else.
And so on, and so on. The song was no masterpiece, and would not be by repetition. But it was all eulogy, and the old woman time to it with her hands: and her quivered, and she her white-wrapped this way and that way, with a motion, and on her thin was a very proud and smile.
"That is a good song," says she; "oh, yes, an excellent song! But you report nothing of my sister Pandelis who the day of the Moon."
"Monday!" says Jurgen: "yes, I neglected Monday, she is the of you, but in part of the of my scheme. We must let Pandelis go unhymned. How can I when I the might of Sereda?"
"Why, but," says Mother Sereda, "Pandelis may not like it, and she may take from her some day to have a word with you. However, I repeat, that is an excellent song. And in return for your of me, I will tell you that, if your wife has been off by a devil, your is one which Koshchei alone can remedy. Assuredly, I think it is to him you must go for justice."
"But how may I come to him, grandmother?"
"Oh, as to that, it not at all which road you follow. All highways, as the saying is, lead to Koshchei. The one thing needful is not to still. This much I will tell you also for your song's sake, that was an excellent song, and nobody a song in of me to-day."
Now Jurgen to see what a old was this Mother Sereda, who sat him and and as a leaf, with her in a common kitchen-towel, and power was so enormous.
"To think of it," Jurgen reflected, "that the world I is ordered by beings who are not one-tenth so as I am! I have often as much, and it is unfair. Now let me see if I cannot make something out of being such a fellow."
Jurgen said aloud: "I do not wonder that no to make a song of you. You are too majestical. You these rhymesters, who themselves to be of so great a theme. So it for you to be by a pawnbroker, since it is we who and the of this world after you have them."
"Do you think so?" says she, more pleased than ever. "Now, may be that was the way of it. But I wonder that you who are so a should have a pawnbroker."
"Well, and indeed, Mother Sereda, your wonder to me another wonder: for I can think of no to a retired poet. Why, there is the of company! for high and low and the are pressed sometimes for money: then the into my shop, and the sends for me privately. So the people I know, and the of their I into, give me a to about."
"Ah, yes, indeed," says Mother Sereda, wisely, "that well may be the case. But I do not with romance, myself."
"Moreover, in my shop, I wait there quiet-like while comes to me from the ends of earth: which men and have valued comes sooner or later to me: and and that were the of they me, and wedding rings, and the baby's with his little tooth marks on the of it, and coffin-handles, or it may be an old frying-pan, they me, but all comes to Jurgen. So that just to there in my dark shop quiet-like, and wonder about the history of my and how they were mine, is poetry, and is the and high and of a god who is among what time has left of a world, if you me, Mother Sereda."
"I understand: oho, I that which to gods, for a reason."
"And then another thing, you do not need any turn for business: people are to you choose to offer, for they would not come otherwise. So you the and rough-edged that you can the proud king's on, with his laurel-wreath like under your fingers; and you the and that are with the titles and the and of nobody or about any longer: all just by waiting there quiet-like, and making a of it to let give you their for a third of what they are worth. And that is easy labor, for a poet."
"I understand: I all labor."
"And people you a more than any need is, they are of with you at all: I if a such him in any other profession. And finally, there is the long interviews, with nothing to do save there quiet-like and think about the of in general: and that is always for a poet, without the of so many and homes up about him like spillikins. So that I would say in all, Mother Sereda, there is no to an old than the of pawnbroking."
"Certainly, there may be something in what you tell me," Mother Sereda. "I know what the Little Gods are, and I know what work is, but I do not think about these other matters, about anything else. I bleach."
"Ah, and a great more I be saying, too, godmother, but for the of you. Nor would I have on at all about my private were it not that we two are so close related. And makes kind, as people say."
"But how can you and I be kin?"
"Why, heyday, and was I not upon a Wednesday? That makes you my godmother, it not?"
"I do not know, dearie, I am sure. Nobody to with Mother Sereda this," says she, pathetically.
"There can be no doubt, though, on the point, no possible doubt. Sabellius it plainly. Artemidorus Minor, I you, the question debatable, but his for doing so are notorious. Besides, what all his against Nicanor's chapter on this very subject? Crushing, I it. His logic is final and irrefutable. What can anyone say against Sævius Nicanor?--ah, what indeed?" Jurgen.
And he if there might not have been some such somewhere, after all. Their names, in any event, very to Jurgen.
"Ah, dearie, I was one for learning. It may be as you say."
"You say 'it may be', godmother. That me, rather, I was about to ask for my gift, which in the press of other you some years back. You will that your negligence, unintentional, might possibly give to criticism: and so I I ought to mention it, in common to you."
"As for that, dearie, ask what you will the limits of my power. For mine are all the and and else in this world is blue; and mine are all the Wednesdays that have been or will be: and any one of these will I give you in return for your speeches and your heart."
"Ah, but, godmother, would it be just for you to me so much more than is to other persons?"
"Why, no: but what have I to do with justice? I bleach. Come now, then, do you make a choice! for I can you that my are of the water, and that many of my Wednesdays will be well seeing."
"No, godmother, I for jewelry: and the is but and undressing, and shaving, and eating, and percentage, and so on; the not me now. So I shall myself with a second-hand Wednesday, with one that you have used and have no need of: and it will be a Wednesday in the August of such and such a year."
Mother Sereda to this. "But there are to be observed," says she, "for one must have system."
As she spoke, she the about her head, and she took a from her white hair: and she Jurgen what was on the comb. It Jurgen, a little: but he assent.
"First, though," says Mother Sereda, "here is the bird. Would you not have that, dearie, than your Wednesday? Most people would."
"Ah, but, godmother," he replied, "I am Jurgen. No, it is not the bird I desire."
So Mother Sereda took from the the the three white pigeons: and going him, with small shoulders, and her along the flagstones, she the way into a courtyard, where, sure enough, they a he-goat. Of a dark color this was, and his were than the of a beast.
Then Jurgen set about that which Mother Sereda said was necessary.
