The Land Across Read Online Free PDF

cheap.
    “It is.” He cleared his throat again. “We take into consideration the poor condition of the house and its long vacancy. Let me see.…” He bent over the page. “One Volitain Aeneaos rented it years ago. He remained for two months. It has remained vacant ever since. Are you sure you want it, sir? At twenty euros per month?”
    “Yes,” I said. “Certain. I’ll give you the first month’s rent in advance, if I may.”
    “You must give me two months’ rent in advance,” he told me. “Forty euros. That is the law, sir. I cannot make exceptions.”
    I gave him the money, and he filled out a printed receipt, signed it, and handed it to me. “Crucifixes are said to be effectual, sir. There is a little store in the cathedral. You might get holy water there, too. My own grandmother swore by cold iron. Large nails, by choice. She was a woman of wide experience. Should you have need of the assistance of the state, you might speak to me. I will direct you to the proper persons.”
    I thanked him and told him I appreciated his help.
    He nodded, frowning as he handed me two rusty iron keys. “The trees, sir. The willows. You must have seen them when you looked at the house.”
    I had.
    “I would cut them. You will cut them, if you take my advice. Root out the stumps. Plant grass and clover, and leave it so until the soil recovers. You have been stung by bees?”
    “He will plant fruit trees,” Martya declared.
    “They will not do well until the soil recovers. Plow in manure, sir, before you plant your clover. When it has sprouted, beware of bees. Clover attracts them.”
    I said, “Good advice. Thanks a lot.”
    When we had left his office and stepped into the hall, I heard him say, “Would you eat their fruit, young woman?”
    Martya was silent until we had left the Mounted Guard, then she said, “He thought I was a cousin.”
    “My cousin, you mean?”
    “Not a real cousin.” She laughed. “When foreigners come, girls attach themselves. Did I say that well? The girl shows her friend the city and interprets for him. He buys her gifts and she sleeps with him. Sometimes he gives her money. They are called cousins because it is what she says: ‘He is my cousin.’”
    I said I would be happy to buy her a gift.
    “Would you really? A hat? Would you buy me a winter hat?”
    “It’s spring,” I said. “Why would you want a winter hat?”
    She laughed. “How little you understand! You are married, yes?”
    I shook my head.
    “No wonder! Because it is spring, the winter things are most cheap. Besides, the hat I wore all last winter is old. Most ragged! It is a hat to laugh at, an old wool hat that was not good when it was new.” She tugged at my arm. “Come! There is a shop near. I show you.”
    It was not near, but she did. The hat I eventually bought for her was a perky round cap of what looked to me like fox fur. She was thrilled with it, posing a dozen times in front of the mirror in the store before we left.
    When we were out on the street again, I said, “How will you explain your new hat to Kleon?”
    “He does not see it until autumn.”
    “Yes, but he’ll see it then. What’ll you tell him?”
    Her chin went up and her shoulders back. “The truth! I will tell him you bought it for me.”
    “He’ll be jealous.”
    “Good! Let him be most jealous. He needs much more jealous, that Kleon.”
    We were walking, of course. The police have their patrol cars, and there are limousines for high officials. In a day, you might see three or four trucks and a dozen wagons. But private cars? Buses and cabs? All that shit? Forget it! Ordinary people walk everywhere.
    The way to the Willows was not hard, but it seemed to me like it went on forever. We walked in the street like everybody else. The crazy plan of the streets, which zig to the right or zag to the left every few blocks, wears out a walker.
    “Your streets should have names,” I told Martya.
    “If this street had a name and I called to