VII -The Witchand Other Stories

In a small village named Zhukovo, with forty households deep in accumulated debt, the arrival of the police inspector prompts a mix of anxiety and resignation among the villagers. The inspector, known formally as the master, is tasked with addressing over two thousand roubles in unpaid rates and taxes. He first stops at the tavern for tea, then proceeds to the elder’s house, where a crowd of indebted villagers has gathered. The village elder, Antip Syedelnikov, although young, wields his authority with strictness, often siding with the powers that be despite his own financial struggles. His authority is respected, partly due to his use of learned expressions acquired from unknown sources.

Osip, one of the villagers, presents his case to the police inspector, pleading inability to pay due to poor financial decisions and exploitation, citing a failed transaction with a gentleman from Lutorydsky. Despite his plea, the police inspector dismisses him curtly, showing no interest in the individual stories of hardship.

As the inspector leaves, unfazed and detached, Antip exercises his authority by seizing a samovar from Osip’s family, a significant loss for them symbolizing more than just the absence of an object; it feels like an assault on their dignity and honor. The confiscation sets off a cascade of distress within Osip’s family, particularly affecting Granny who vociferously protests the action, appealing to the community’s sense of justice and compassion without success.

The chapter captures the systemic oppression and personal tragedies of the villagers, juxtaposing the indifferent bureaucracy represented by the police inspector and the village elder’s strict enforcement of the law against the backdrop of poverty, desperation, and the quest for dignity among the villagers. This contrast outlines the complexities of authority, submission, and the human struggle within the small microcosm of Zhukovo.