VI
The next day Pyetushkov went to the baker's shop as usual. Everything went on as before. But there was a settled ache at his heart. He did not laugh now as often, and sometimes he fell to musing. Sunday came. Praskovia Ivanovna had an attack of lumbago; she did not get down from the shelf bed, except with much difficulty to go to mass. After mass Pyetushkov called Vassilissa into the back room. She had been complaining all the morning of feeling dull. To judge by the expression of Ivan Afanasiitch's countenance, he was revolving in his brain some extraordinary idea, unforeseen even by him.
'You sit down here, Vassilissa,' he said to her, 'and I'll sit here. I want to have a little talk with you.'
Vassilissa sat down.
'Tell me, Vassilissa, can you write?'
'Write?'
'Yes, write?'
'No, I can't.'
'What about reading?'
'I can't read either.'
'Then who read you my letter?'
'The deacon.'
Pyetushkov paused.
'But would you like to learn to read and write?'
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