“I will forgive him so that he won't forget it till the new broom grows. I am going to take the little villain to the police.”
Avdyeitch began to entreat the old woman:—
“Let him go, babushka,” he said, “he will never do it again. Let him go, for Christ's sake.”
The old woman let him loose; the boy started to run, but Avdyeitch kept him back.
“Ask the babushka's forgiveness,” he said, “and don't you ever do it again; I saw you take the apple.”
The boy burst into tears, and began to ask forgiveness.
“There now! that's right; and here's an apple for you.”
And Avdyeitch took an apple from the basket, and gave it to the boy.
“I will pay you for it, babushka,” he said to the old woman.
“You ruin them that way, the good-for-nothings,” said the old woman. “He ought to be treated so that he would remember it for a whole week.”