OKSANA MARAFIOTI KrivoyeLake ■■ hereonceliveda youngmanplaguedbya lovefortwowomen. Every morning hewouldriseand think, TodayI willchoose.The beautiful Daryaor theindustrious Marina.And everynight, satedby Darya'sloveand Marinas cooking, hewouldgo tobedundecided. Soon themaidensinsisted heacceptone ofthemforhiswife.The villagers werebeginning to talk,and gossipcouldnotbe afforded in a placewherethedifference betweenhappinessand exilerestedin ones reputation. Ivanhadlittle choicebuttoletone lovego. The night he carried hismother s old betrothal ringtohisbride's door,themoonshepherded himwithvigilant glow, and inthedistance thewindpickedat thesurface ofthelakeIvanfished everyday.Along withIvan,themoonand thewindseemedtofret. Could he truly commithisheartwhereithad splitin twoforso verylong?To theleft, on theotherside of thelakelayDarya'shut,carvedintoan ancientoak rumored toholdthemystical powersofhersorcerer ancestors. Marina's log house stood in thesquareto theright. Builtbyhermerchant fatheroutofthesturdiest ofpines,itsgranddesignandan ironridgepole, toppedwiththefamily's insignia, indentified thedwelling asthefanciest inthecountryside. Whatcana fisherman's sondo,Ivanthought, ifnottry andbetter hisstation? M The weddingwas a grandaffair as suchthings go.Marina'sfather loosenedhispockets untilthetablesgroanedunderthemouth-watering disheshiswifeanddaughter createdfortheoccasion.Drinkwasplentifuland companyboisterous.Music sprungfrombalalaika strings while thebardsentertained thecrowdwithtalesofdevilsandfairies. 81 Marinamade theperfect hostess.With thegraceof a swanshe glidedacrosstheroom,pouredMedovukha intogobletsand attendedto every guestas ifthey wereroyalty Upon seeingthis,pridebloomedin Ivans chest, forheknewhehadmadetheright choice. Thatnight joyaboundedandallbelieveditwouldstayfora while. Buttheverynextdaythechurch bellsrangthefrantic rhythm of tragedy. Daryahadgonemissing. A party searched thewoods,butthree dayslaterthemenreturned toworkand Darya,beinga witch's daughter, wasquickly forgotten. The verynextdayIvantoo resumed hisduties, leavingMarinato tendthehouse.When he beganto preparehisboat he discovered his lucky netwasgone,andhismood,already sour, blackened.Bad luckfor a fisherman, theothermensaid.ButIvandismissed theirsuperstitions, borrowed a spareandpushedon. In themiddleofthelake,as Ivanmindedthenet,murky thoughts pulledhimunder. WherehadDaryagone?Couldshenotseewhy hehad to choose Marina?Ifshelovedhimwhywouldshe runaway?He was madatherforacting childish, buthealsomissedherfiercely. BehindtheEarththesunhad fallenbythetimeIvantuggedhis boatup thebanksofthelake.The moonlessnightreekedofalgae,the callsoffrogs andcrickets piercing through thefog.A shadowseparated from a nearby willowtreeand Ivanstrained toseeitapproach. "Darya?Darya.Is itreally you?" The woman steppedcloser,her outlineblackforthe lackof a moon.Sheraiseda handas iftotouchIvan'sface, butstilled. "Ivanushka. Mylove.How couldyoumarry another?" sheasked. He frowned, resolutenot to showanyindicationofself-pity he had suffered momentsearlier. "Is thatwhyyouranlikethedevilwas after you?Leaveitup toyoutoactso foolish." "But I had to get awayfromthe sounds of yourwedding,far enoughtonothearanything." Ivangavehera stern look.Sheworea dresswithlongwidesleeves and a hemstitched ingoldthread.Itmadehimsmile.The dresswasa gift hehadbrought herfrom a fair ayearago.Herhairfelldownherback 82 ina thick braidso heavy eventhewindstrained topickatit,andthough Ivancouldnotdiscernherfeatures, hisfingers beggedtotouchherdelicateskin .Once histhoughts drifted Ivanreminded himself thathewas a married mannowandhismindwasa stonebridge, unmovable evenby thestrongest ofurges. "Wecanbe no more,Darya.Go home.Mywifeiswaiting." He begantowalkup thebanktowardthevillageandfora moment it seemedshewould heed. But thenhe heardsoftfootsteps and halfturned toseeher, headbowedlikethatofan obedientchild. "I saidgo,"hegrumbled. "Butthereisnothing formewithout you." And DaryafollowedIvanuntilhe climbedthestepsofhishouse. She stood at thebottomand did not move,not evenwhenhe disappearedinside . Fortwodaysnota momentcleanofdoubtescaped Ivan.Had he wed theright girl>Meanwhile,Marinabustledaroundthekitchen and tossedfurtive glancesandsmilesathimas shekneadedthedoughforthe Apple Baba pie.WheneverIvancaughtherlooking, sheblushed, taking himbacktothelastfewnights, whenshehadprovenhertalents didnot endattheovens. Butno soonerdid Ivanclosehismindto Daryathansheappeared again.The lakewas a miserthatday.Eversincethenethadvanishedhe had no luckcatching fish, and after tenhoursofbreaking surface Ivan's barrelheldbutfourpunycarp. Daryawrung herhandsandwaitedforhimto leavetheboat.Her dresswasmuddy atthebottom, andstrands ofhairescapedherbraid. "Whyhaven't yougonehome?"Ivanasked. "There is no homewithoutyou."Her voice trembled as did her body.She huggedherself and gesturedat thewater."Mylove foryou wouldoverflow thislake.Mytearsfillitevenas I confess, and they will breakitsbanksoneday." Mesmerized, IvanmetDarya'ssorrowful gaze,andeveninthedark thesheenin hereyeswas unmistakable. An urgeto comfort hernearly flew himtoherside.Instead, Ivanheavedthefish barrel overoneshoulder todistract himself. "Whatisthiswitchery, woman?Youmustletmebe." 83 Daryaclipped onehandintothelake,andrising helditouttohim. "Youcantastethesaltifyouwish." Onlythendid Ivans sensesreturn. "Its a fresh waterlake,little fool." "No longer." "Whycan'tyouunderstand?" He muttered through histeeth."I amwithMarinanow." The shudder wasgonefrom herbody, andshelifted herfacelikea queenbefore hersubject. "Lookpastthefalseblissyou'vewrappedyourself in.I'mherebecauseyouwantmestill ." Andnomatter howIvansearched fordenialnonecameforth. "Marina's waiting," hefinally managed, andstrodeaway. "Andso am I," thewindcarriedto Ivan'searsbeforehe disappearedaroundthecorner . He rushedhometo findsolace,butevenin bed,nextto Marina, thenight offered littlepeace.Outsidethewindbellowedandwhipped theroofs ofthehouses.Andinside, eachtimepoorIvanclosedhiseyes, Daryabeckoned. The womanhadclimbed hiswallslikeivy, claspedunto his newlyhatchedcontentment withher merciless vines.He wanted nothing morethantofeelsatisfied withhislife. YetbeneathIvan'srebellionagainstDarya 'spersistence, hisweaknessforboth,herand Marina, unexpectedly overwhelmed him. Sitting upontheedgeofthebed Ivanbroodedlikethewindchasingabsolutiondowntheemptyroad .And withDaryabackithad becomeclearonlyone thing wouldbring itabout. To possessbothwomen. M Ivansetoutforthelake,hisfeetnothisown,hisheartaflame.It tookbuta momentto locateDaryawaiting, as he predicted, nearthe boat.Sherushedtohim. "Ivanushka!" "I wasa foolish man,"heexclaimed, clasping herhandsinhis. 84 To thisshesmiledandkissedhisknuckles andhenoticedhowcold shefelttohistouch. "Youneeda fire." "Andnowyou're here,mydearIvan,"shesaid. "Letusgo home." "Youmeanyouwillstay?" When Ivannodded,Daryathrewherarmsaroundhimpressing hercheekto hischest.The dampnessofherdressseepedthrough his shirt. Pullingherafter him,Ivanuntiedtheropethattethered hisboat totheshore."Youneedwarmth before youcatchyourdeath.Come.We willcelebrate ourreunion inyoursoftfeather bed,"hesaid,marveling at hisownidiocyWhyhadheeverthought thiswouldbe difficult? Obediently, DaryaenteredtheboatandsatacrossfromIvanwho beganto rowwithgreatlongstrokes fortified withpride.Daryatraced herfingers inthewatergiggling whenever theireyesmet.Butthecloser theyapproachedthelakes heartthemorewickedDaryas laughter grewuntilitresembled hervoicenotatall.Atfirst Ivanassumedshehad caught a coldandwasnowinfits ofa fever. Ifhetouchedherforehead it wouldsurely be...