Summary

Chapter 3 takes place in Varinka’s perspective in 1914. Varinka’s mother sleeps on a bench in their one room izba, delirious from a fever. Varinka sees taxmen coming down the front path. She hides the water boiler, burning her chest and hands in the process. One of the men responsible for collecting the taxes is Mr. A, owner of the Malinov general store. The taxmen request to speak to Rafa Rafovich Kozlov and Varinka explains that her father is dead (33). The men inquire about Taras Walidovich Perminov, who had once been Rafa's apprentice. Taras was released from prison two months before and Varinka feigns ignorance about where he is: “St. Petersburg, of course, but what to say? Since Taras had been back from prison he’d been going to secret meetings there and I’d found pamphlets in his boots” (34).

14-year-old Varinka is...