Mr. Shimerda, wearing his rabbit-skin cap
and collar, and new mittens his wife had
knitted. He had come to thank us for the
presents, and for all grandmother's kindness
to his family. Jake and Otto joined us from
the basement and we sat about the stove,
enjoying the deepening gray of the winter af-
ternoon and the atmosphere of comfort and
security in my grandfather's house. This feel-
ing seemed completely to take possession of
Mr. Shimerda. I suppose, in the crowded
clutter of their cave, the old man had come to
believe that peace and order had vanished
from the earth, or existed only in the old world
he had left so far behind. He sat still and pas-
sive, his head resting against the back of the
wooden rocking-chair, his hands relaxed upon
the arms. His face had a look of weariness
and pleasure, like that of sick people when
they feel relief from pain. Grandmother in-
sisted on his drinking a glass of Virginia apple-
brandy after his long walk in the cold, and
when a faint flush came up in his cheeks, his
features might have been cut out of a shell,
they were so transparent. He said almost
nothing, and smiled rarely; but as he rested
there we all had a sense of his utter content.

[[98]]

p097 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p098w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p098x4a

v?