Centenarian

"Oh, how tired! Who do you have here?"

"It's me! The guest replied with a smile, "Don't you recognize Marya Maximovna? We went with you to the woods to pick mushrooms the year before last."

"Ah, it's you, I know, a joker. I remember you, but I can't remember your name. Which one are you? Oh, I remember.

Oh, I'm tired."

"I would like to ask you, Marya Maximovna, why you are such an old man that you have not aged at all," joked the visitor.

'Then tell me! It looked like she was joking, but she was really happy.

"Maria Maximovna, I am a good Samaritan."

"It is very interesting to talk to such a kind man as you. Oh, my God. I'm suffocating. Oh, my God. Does it look like Seroyrenka's coat is ready?"

'she said, pointing to the nephew.

The nephew, a stout, strong boy, was now moving forward, smiling; He wore a fresh grey coat. It took him about a week to get over the sheer joy of his new coat. Now he was looking at the cuffs, at the collar, up and down in the mirror, and he felt very satisfied.

"Well, come here and turn around," said the barber's wife rapidly. "Look, Maximovna, how beautifully this coat is made. It cost six roubles. According to Pudohorage, there's more than that now. He said it would never be available at that price, and that it would last. Look at this material! Hey, turn around! How good is this lining? It's strong. It's strong. Hey, turn around again! That's how money is spent, Maximovna. We've all used up. '

"Ah, mother, now the price is so high, what can be done, you'd better not tell me these, lest I feel uncomfortable." "Said Maximovna emotionally, still unable to calm down.

"Well, say no more," said the host. "It's time to eat something, isn't it? I think you're tired, Maximovna. '

"Well, wise man, I am tired. It's warm and sunny today, and I thought, I'll come and see you... I want to lie down. Well, I met a lovely young lady on the road, who was buying shoes for her child, and she said to me, 'Well, old woman, what are you, tired? Come, give you five kopecks, and buy yourself some white bread... 'You know, I took the five kopecks..."

"Grandma, you had better rest for a while. Why are you so out of breath today?" "Said the host, suddenly very concerned.

They all looked at the old woman, and saw her face change and her lips go white. She looked at them too, but her eyes were a little blank.

"Well, I think... Buy some honey cookies for the kids... Five kopecks..."

She paused again, and gasped again. For almost five seconds there was a sudden silence.

"What's the matter, Grandma? "Said the host, bending over her.

But the old woman did not answer; There was another silence, another five seconds. The old woman seemed to grow whiter and thinner. His eyes were motionless, and his mouth was frozen with a smile; She stared as if she had lost sight.

'Fetch the minister at once! ..." The visitor whispered suddenly from behind.

"To... No... Is it too late..." 'murmured the host.

"Grandma, Grandma? The barber's wife called out to the old woman, and began to panic; But the grandmother did not move, except that her head was tilted, the right hand on the table holding the five kopecks, and the left resting on the shoulder of her eldest great-grandson, Misha, who was about six years old. Misha stood motionless, staring at her great-grandmother with big frightened eyes.

'She's gone! Male HOST SIGHS 1, SAY SOLEMNLY ONE WORD by one, and DRAW the cross gently on ONESELF.

"Look! I don't think she's going to make it, "said the visitor, with broken feelings;

He looked round at all the people present in great surprise.

"Oh, dear! What do you think you should do now? Maccarech. Shall we send her there?" 'chirped the hostess, distraught and bewildered.

"What is that place? 'said the host slowly.' We'll do the funeral here. Aren't you her relative? Ought to pay a funeral."

"Ah, a hundred and four! The visitor did not go away, and he grew more and more moved, and even flushed with shame.

"Yes, in recent years she has risked her life," said the host gravely.

He felt very proud and took off his coat as he looked for his hat.

"Yes, she was so happy and happy just now! Look, she has the five kopecks in her hand! And said to buy honey cookies, ah, our old woman!"

"Well, shall we go? Peter Stepanitch, "interrupted the host. So they went out. Naturally, there was no weeping at the old man's death. At 104 years old, "to die with nothing to be ashamed of". The mistress went to the neighbours for help, and they came running at once, sighing and Shouting, almost delighted to hear the news. Needless to say, the first thing is to get the samovar ready. The children hid in a corner and looked at their dead great-grandmother from a distance. No matter how long he lived, Misha would remember his great-grandmother and the hand she left on his shoulder when she died. And when he dies, no one will remember or know that there ever was such an old woman who lived 104 years. Why and how she lived -- no one knew. Why should I remember? You know, it's all the same. This is how millions of people go: to live without a sound, to die without a sound. Perhaps only at the end of their lives do these centenarians seem to have something touching and ordinary, even something momentous and unremarkable, for up to now the age of a hundred has been the least surprising. May God bless the life and death of the good people!