YES SIR RESPONDED JERRY AS HE WIPED THE TEARS FROM HIS EYES SMITH TOOK FROM HIS POCKET THE BILL OF SALE AND HANDED IT TO JOHNSON AT THE SAME TIME SAYING


I CLAIM THE RIGHT OF REDEEMING THAT BOY MISTER JOHNSON MY FATHER GAVE HIM TO ME WHEN I CAME OF AGE AND I PROMISED NOT TO PART WITH HIM MOST CERTAINLY SIR THE BOY SHALL BE YOURS WHENEVER YOU HAND ME OVER A COOL THOUSAND REPLIED JOHNSON


THE NEXT MORNING AS THE PASSENGERS WERE ASSEMBLING IN THE BREAKFAST SALOONS AND UPON THE GUARDS OF THE VESSEL AND THE SERVANTS WERE SEEN RUNNING ABOUT WAITING UPON OR LOOKING FOR THEIR MASTERS POOR JERRY WAS ENTERING HIS NEW MASTER'S STATEROOM WITH HIS BOOTS


WHO DO YOU BELONG TO SAID A GENTLEMAN TO AN OLD BLACK MAN


WHEN I WENT TO SLEEP LAST NIGHT I BELONGED TO GOVERNOR LUCAS BUT I UNDERSTAND DAT HE IS BIN GAMBLING ALL NIGHT SO I DON'T KNOW WHO OWNS ME DIS MORNING SUCH IS THE UNCERTAINTY OF A SLAVE'S POSITION


HE GOES TO BED AT NIGHT THE PROPERTY OF THE MAN WITH WHOM HE HAS LIVED FOR YEARS AND GETS UP IN THE MORNING THE SLAVE OF SOME ONE WHOM HE HAS NEVER SEEN BEFORE


TO BEHOLD FIVE OR SIX TABLES IN A STEAMBOAT'S CABIN WITH HALF A DOZEN MEN PLAYING AT CARDS AND MONEY PISTOLS BOWIE KNIVES ALL IN CONFUSION ON THE TABLES IS WHAT MAY BE SEEN AT ALMOST ANY TIME ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER ON THE FOURTH DAY WHILE AT NATCHEZ


TAKING IN FREIGHT AND PASSENGERS WALKER WHO HAD BEEN ON SHORE TO SEE SOME OF HIS OLD CUSTOMERS RETURNED ACCOMPANIED BY A TALL THIN FACED MAN DRESSED IN BLACK WITH A WHITE NECKCLOTH WHICH IMMEDIATELY PROCLAIMED HIM TO BE A CLERGYMAN


I WANT A GOOD TRUSTY WOMAN FOR HOUSE SERVICE SAID THE STRANGER AS THEY ENTERED THE CABIN WHERE WALKER'S SLAVES WERE KEPT HERE SHE IS AND NO MISTAKE REPLIED THE TRADER STAND UP CURRER MY GAL HERE'S A GENTLEMAN WHO WISHES TO SEE IF YOU WILL SUIT HIM


SHE IS A RARE COOK A GOOD WASHER AND WILL SUIT YOU TO A T I AM SURE IF YOU BUY ME I HOPE YOU WILL BUY MY DAUGHTER TOO SAID THE WOMAN IN RATHER AN EXCITED MANNER


I ONLY WANT ONE FOR MY OWN USE AND WOULD NOT NEED ANOTHER SAID THE MAN IN BLACK AS HE AND THE TRADER LEFT THE ROOM WALKER AND THE PARSON WENT INTO THE SALOON TALKED OVER THE MATTER THE BILL OF SALE WAS MADE OUT THE MONEY PAID OVER


AND THE CLERGYMAN LEFT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE WOMAN SHOULD BE DELIVERED TO HIM AT HIS HOUSE IT SEEMED AS IF POOR ALTHESA WOULD HAVE WEPT HERSELF TO DEATH FOR THE FIRST TWO DAYS AFTER HER MOTHER HAD BEEN TORN FROM HER SIDE BY THE HAND OF THE RUTHLESS TRAFFICKER IN HUMAN FLESH


ON THE ARRIVAL OF THE BOAT AT BATON ROUGE AN ADDITIONAL NUMBER OF PASSENGERS WERE TAKEN ON BOARD AND AMONGST THEM SEVERAL PERSONS WHO HAD BEEN ATTENDING THE RACES GAMBLING AND DRINKING WERE NOW THE ORDER OF THE DAY


WHICH CAUSED GREAT UNEASINESS TO THE LADIES AND TOOK THE GENTLEMEN TO THAT PART OF THE CABIN HOWEVER NOTHING SERIOUS HAD OCCURRED A MAN AT ONE OF THE TABLES WHERE THEY WERE GAMBLING HAD BEEN SEEN ATTEMPTING TO CONCEAL A CARD IN HIS SLEEVE


AND ONE OF THE PARTY SEIZED HIS PISTOL AND FIRED BUT FORTUNATELY THE BARREL OF THE PISTOL WAS KNOCKED UP JUST AS IT WAS ABOUT TO BE DISCHARGED AND THE BALL PASSED THROUGH THE UPPER DECK INSTEAD OF THE MAN'S HEAD AS INTENDED ORDER WAS SOON RESTORED


ALL WENT ON WELL THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT AND THE NEXT DAY AT TEN O'CLOCK THE BOAT ARRIVED AT NEW ORLEANS


OUR EYES ARE YET ON AFRIC'S SHORES HER THOUSAND WRONGS WE STILL DEPLORE WE SEE THE GRIM SLAVE TRADER THERE WE HEAR HIS FETTERED VICTIM'S PRAYER AND HASTEN TO THE SUFFERER'S AID


FORGETFUL OF OUR OWN SLAVE TRADE THE OCEAN PIRATE'S FIEND LIKE FORM SHALL SINK BENEATH THE VENGEANCE STORM HIS HEART OF STEEL SHALL QUAKE BEFORE THE BATTLE DIN AND HAVOC ROAR


THE KNAVE SHALL DIE THE LAW HATH SAID WHILE IT PROTECTS OUR OWN SLAVE TRADE WHAT EARTHLY EYE PRESUMES TO SCAN THE WILY PROTEUS HEART OF MAN WHAT POTENT HAND WILL E'ER UNROLL


THE MANTLED TREACHERY OF HIS SOUL O WHERE IS HE WHO HATH SURVEYED THE HORRORS OF OUR OWN SLAVE TRADE THERE IS AN EYE THAT WAKES IN LIGHT THERE IS A HAND OF PEERLESS MIGHT WHICH SOON OR LATE


SHALL YET ASSAIL AND REND DISSIMULATION'S VEIL


SUDDENLY IT WAS AS THOUGH THE SUN HAD SHONE INTO HIS SOUL HE HEARD RUSSIAN BEING SPOKEN AND ALSO HEARD THE RAPID SMOOTH FLOW OF THE TEREK AND A FEW STEPS FARTHER IN FRONT OF HIM SAW THE BROWN MOVING SURFACE OF THE RIVER


WITH THE DIM COLOURED WET SAND OF ITS BANKS AND SHALLOWS THE DISTANT STEPPE THE CORDON WATCH TOWER OUTLINED ABOVE THE WATER A SADDLED AND HOBBLED HORSE AMONG THE BRAMBLES AND THEN THE MOUNTAINS OPENING OUT BEFORE HIM


THE RED SUN APPEARED FOR AN INSTANT FROM UNDER A CLOUD AND ITS LAST RAYS GLITTERED BRIGHTLY ALONG THE RIVER OVER THE REEDS ON THE WATCH TOWER


AND ON A GROUP OF COSSACKS AMONG WHOM LUKASHKA'S VIGOROUS FIGURE ATTRACTED OLENIN'S INVOLUNTARY ATTENTION OLENIN FELT THAT HE WAS AGAIN WITHOUT ANY APPARENT CAUSE PERFECTLY HAPPY


HE HAD COME UPON THE NIZHNI PROTOTSK POST ON THE TEREK OPPOSITE A PRO RUSSIAN TARTAR VILLAGE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER HE ACCOSTED THE COSSACKS BUT NOT FINDING AS YET ANY EXCUSE FOR DOING ANYONE A KINDNESS HE ENTERED THE HUT


BECAUSE THEY HAD SOMETHING ELSE TO DIVERT THEM THAT EVENING SOME HOSTILE CHECHENS RELATIVES OF THE ABREK WHO HAD BEEN KILLED HAD COME FROM THE HILLS WITH A SCOUT TO RANSOM THE BODY


AND THE COSSACKS WERE WAITING FOR THEIR COMMANDING OFFICER'S ARRIVAL FROM THE VILLAGE THE DEAD MAN'S BROTHER TALL AND WELL SHAPED WITH A SHORT CROPPED BEARD WHICH WAS DYED RED DESPITE HIS VERY TATTERED COAT AND CAP


WAS CALM AND MAJESTIC AS A KING HIS FACE WAS VERY LIKE THAT OF THE DEAD ABREK HE DID NOT DEIGN TO LOOK AT ANYONE AND NEVER ONCE GLANCED AT THE DEAD BODY BUT SITTING ON HIS HEELS IN THE SHADE HE SPAT AS HE SMOKED HIS SHORT PIPE


AND OCCASIONALLY UTTERED SOME FEW GUTTURAL SOUNDS OF COMMAND WHICH WERE RESPECTFULLY LISTENED TO BY HIS COMPANION HE WAS EVIDENTLY A BRAVE WHO HAD MET RUSSIANS MORE THAN ONCE BEFORE IN QUITE OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES AND NOTHING ABOUT THEM COULD ASTONISH OR EVEN INTEREST HIM


OLENIN WAS ABOUT TO APPROACH THE DEAD BODY AND HAD BEGUN TO LOOK AT IT WHEN THE BROTHER LOOKING UP AT HIM FROM UNDER HIS BROWS WITH CALM CONTEMPT SAID SOMETHING SHARPLY AND ANGRILY


THE SCOUT HASTENED TO COVER THE DEAD MAN'S FACE WITH HIS COAT OLENIN WAS STRUCK


HE BEGAN TO SPEAK TO HIM ASKING FROM WHAT VILLAGE HE CAME BUT THE CHECHEN SCARCELY GIVING HIM A GLANCE SPAT CONTEMPTUOUSLY AND TURNED AWAY


OLENIN WAS SO SURPRISED AT THE CHECHEN NOT BEING INTERESTED IN HIM THAT HE COULD ONLY PUT IT DOWN TO THE MAN'S STUPIDITY OR IGNORANCE OF RUSSIAN SO HE TURNED TO THE SCOUT WHO ALSO ACTED AS INTERPRETER THE SCOUT WAS AS RAGGED AS THE OTHER


BUT INSTEAD OF BEING RED HAIRED HE WAS BLACK HAIRED RESTLESS WITH EXTREMELY WHITE GLEAMING TEETH AND SPARKLING BLACK EYES THE SCOUT WILLINGLY ENTERED INTO CONVERSATION AND ASKED FOR A CIGARETTE THERE WERE FIVE BROTHERS


BEGAN THE SCOUT IN HIS BROKEN RUSSIAN THIS IS THE THIRD BROTHER THE RUSSIANS HAVE KILLED ONLY TWO ARE LEFT HE IS A BRAVE A GREAT BRAVE HE SAID POINTING TO THE CHECHEN


THIS ONE WAS SITTING ON THE OPPOSITE BANK AMONG THE REEDS HE SAW IT ALL SAW HIM LAID IN THE SKIFF AND BROUGHT TO THE BANK HE SAT THERE TILL THE NIGHT AND WISHED TO KILL THE OLD MAN BUT THE OTHERS WOULD NOT LET HIM


LUKASHKA WENT UP TO THE SPEAKER AND SAT DOWN OF WHAT VILLAGE ASKED HE FROM THERE IN THE HILLS REPLIED THE SCOUT POINTING TO THE MISTY BLUISH GORGE BEYOND THE TEREK DO YOU KNOW SUUK SU IT IS ABOUT EIGHT MILES BEYOND THAT


EVIDENTLY PROUD OF THE ACQUAINTANCE HE IS MY KUNAK HE IS MY NEIGHBOUR ANSWERED THE SCOUT HE'S A TRUMP AND LUKASHKA EVIDENTLY MUCH INTERESTED BEGAN TALKING TO THE SCOUT IN TARTAR PRESENTLY A COSSACK CAPTAIN


WITH THE HEAD OF THE VILLAGE ARRIVED ON HORSEBACK WITH A SUITE OF TWO COSSACKS THE CAPTAIN ONE OF THE NEW TYPE OF COSSACK OFFICERS WISHED THE COSSACKS GOOD HEALTH BUT NO ONE SHOUTED IN REPLY HAIL GOOD HEALTH TO YOUR HONOUR


AS IS CUSTOMARY IN THE RUSSIAN ARMY AND ONLY A FEW REPLIED WITH A BOW SOME AND AMONG THEM LUKASHKA ROSE AND STOOD ERECT THE CORPORAL REPLIED THAT ALL WAS WELL AT THE OUTPOSTS ALL THIS SEEMED RIDICULOUS


IT WAS AS IF THESE COSSACKS WERE PLAYING AT BEING SOLDIERS BUT THESE FORMALITIES SOON GAVE PLACE TO ORDINARY WAYS OF BEHAVIOUR AND THE CAPTAIN WHO WAS A SMART COSSACK JUST LIKE THE OTHERS BEGAN SPEAKING FLUENTLY IN TARTAR TO THE INTERPRETER


THEY FILLED IN SOME DOCUMENT GAVE IT TO THE SCOUT AND RECEIVED FROM HIM SOME MONEY THEN THEY APPROACHED THE BODY WHICH OF YOU IS LUKE GAVRILOV


I HAVE REPORTED YOUR EXPLOIT TO THE COMMANDER I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL COME OF IT I HAVE RECOMMENDED YOU FOR A CROSS YOU'RE TOO YOUNG TO BE MADE A SERGEANT CAN YOU READ I CAN'T BUT WHAT A FINE FELLOW TO LOOK AT SAID THE CAPTAIN


AGAIN PLAYING THE COMMANDER PUT ON YOUR CAP WHICH OF THE GAVRILOVS DOES HE COME OF THE BROAD EH HIS NEPHEW REPLIED THE CORPORAL


WELL LEND A HAND HELP THEM HE SAID TURNING TO THE COSSACKS LUKASHKA'S FACE SHONE WITH JOY AND SEEMED HANDSOMER THAN USUAL HE MOVED AWAY FROM THE CORPORAL AND HAVING PUT ON HIS CAP SAT DOWN BESIDE OLENIN


WHEN THE BODY HAD BEEN CARRIED TO THE SKIFF THE BROTHER CHECHEN DESCENDED TO THE BANK THE COSSACKS INVOLUNTARILY STEPPED ASIDE TO LET HIM PASS HE JUMPED INTO THE BOAT AND PUSHED OFF FROM THE BANK WITH HIS POWERFUL LEG AND NOW


AS OLENIN NOTICED FOR THE FIRST TIME THREW A RAPID GLANCE AT ALL THE COSSACKS AND THEN ABRUPTLY ASKED HIS COMPANION A QUESTION THE LATTER ANSWERED SOMETHING AND POINTED TO LUKASHKA


THE CHECHEN LOOKED AT HIM AND TURNING SLOWLY AWAY GAZED AT THE OPPOSITE BANK THAT LOOK EXPRESSED NOT HATRED BUT COLD CONTEMPT HE AGAIN MADE SOME REMARK WHAT IS HE SAYING OLENIN ASKED OF THE FIDGETY SCOUT


YOURS KILL OURS OURS SLAY YOURS IT'S ALWAYS THE SAME REPLIED THE SCOUT EVIDENTLY INVENTING AND HE SMILED SHOWING HIS WHITE TEETH AS HE JUMPED INTO THE SKIFF THE DEAD MAN'S BROTHER SAT MOTIONLESS


GAZING AT THE OPPOSITE BANK HE WAS SO FULL OF HATRED AND CONTEMPT THAT THERE WAS NOTHING ON THIS SIDE OF THE RIVER THAT MOVED HIS CURIOSITY THE SCOUT STANDING UP AT ONE END OF THE SKIFF


AND DIPPING HIS PADDLE NOW ON ONE SIDE NOW ON THE OTHER STEERED SKILFULLY WHILE TALKING INCESSANTLY THE SKIFF BECAME SMALLER AND SMALLER AS IT MOVED OBLIQUELY ACROSS THE STREAM THE VOICES BECAME SCARCELY AUDIBLE


AND AT LAST STILL WITHIN SIGHT THEY LANDED ON THE OPPOSITE BANK WHERE THEIR HORSES STOOD WAITING THERE THEY LIFTED OUT THE CORPSE AND THOUGH THE HORSE SHIED LAID IT ACROSS ONE OF THE SADDLES


MOUNTED AND RODE AT A FOOT PACE ALONG THE ROAD PAST A TARTAR VILLAGE FROM WHICH A CROWD CAME OUT TO LOOK AT THEM THE COSSACKS ON THE RUSSIAN SIDE OF THE RIVER WERE HIGHLY SATISFIED AND JOVIAL LAUGHTER AND JOKES WERE HEARD ON ALL SIDES


THE CAPTAIN AND THE HEAD OF THE VILLAGE ENTERED THE MUD HUT TO REGALE THEMSELVES LUKASHKA VAINLY STRIVING TO IMPART A SEDATE EXPRESSION TO HIS MERRY FACE SAT DOWN WITH HIS ELBOWS ON HIS KNEES BESIDE OLENIN AND WHITTLED AWAY AT A STICK


LOOK THERE NOW THE MOUNTAINS ARE NOT FAR OFF CONTINUED LUKASHKA YET YOU CAN'T GET THERE HOW WILL YOU GET BACK ALONE IT'S GETTING DARK I'LL TAKE YOU IF YOU LIKE YOU ASK THE CORPORAL TO GIVE ME LEAVE WHAT A FINE FELLOW


THOUGHT OLENIN LOOKING AT THE COSSACK'S BRIGHT FACE


CAN IT BE THAT NOTHING TELLS HIM THAT IT IS NOT A REASON FOR ANY REJOICING AND THAT HAPPINESS LIES NOT IN KILLING BUT IN SACRIFICING ONESELF WELL YOU HAD BETTER NOT MEET HIM AGAIN NOW MATE


SAID ONE OF THE COSSACKS WHO HAD SEEN THE SKIFF OFF ADDRESSING LUKASHKA DID YOU HEAR HIM ASKING ABOUT YOU LUKASHKA RAISED HIS HEAD MY GODSON SAID LUKASHKA MEANING BY THAT WORD THE DEAD CHECHEN YOUR GODSON WON'T RISE


BUT THE RED ONE IS THE GODSON'S BROTHER LET HIM THANK GOD THAT HE GOT OFF WHOLE HIMSELF REPLIED LUKASHKA


AND OLENIN TO PLEASE LUKASHKA AS WELL AS TO AVOID GOING BACK ALONE THROUGH THE DARK FOREST ASKED THE CORPORAL TO GIVE LUKASHKA LEAVE AND THE CORPORAL DID SO


OLENIN THOUGHT THAT LUKASHKA WANTED TO SEE MARYANKA AND HE WAS ALSO GLAD OF THE COMPANIONSHIP OF SUCH A PLEASANT LOOKING AND SOCIABLE COSSACK LUKASHKA AND MARYANKA HE INVOLUNTARILY UNITED IN HIS MIND AND HE FOUND PLEASURE IN THINKING ABOUT THEM


HE LOVES MARYANKA THOUGHT OLENIN AND I COULD LOVE HER AND A NEW AND POWERFUL EMOTION OF TENDERNESS OVERCAME HIM AS THEY WALKED HOMEWARDS TOGETHER THROUGH THE DARK FOREST LUKASHKA TOO FELT HAPPY


SOMETHING AKIN TO LOVE MADE ITSELF FELT BETWEEN THESE TWO VERY DIFFERENT YOUNG MEN EVERY TIME THEY GLANCED AT ONE ANOTHER THEY WANTED TO LAUGH BY WHICH GATE DO YOU ENTER ASKED OLENIN


BY THE MIDDLE ONE BUT I'LL SEE YOU AS FAR AS THE MARSH AFTER THAT YOU HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR OLENIN LAUGHED


IT'S ALL RIGHT WHAT HAVE I TO DO AND HOW CAN YOU HELP BEING AFRAID EVEN WE ARE AFRAID SAID LUKASHKA TO SET OLENIN'S SELF ESTEEM AT REST AND HE LAUGHED TOO THEN COME IN WITH ME WE'LL HAVE A TALK AND A DRINK AND IN THE MORNING YOU CAN GO BACK


COULDN'T I FIND A PLACE TO SPEND THE NIGHT LAUGHED LUKASHKA BUT THE CORPORAL ASKED ME TO GO BACK I HEARD YOU SINGING LAST NIGHT AND ALSO SAW YOU EVERY ONE AND LUKE SWAYED HIS HEAD IS IT TRUE YOU ARE GETTING MARRIED ASKED OLENIN


MOTHER WANTS ME TO MARRY BUT I HAVE NOT GOT A HORSE YET AREN'T YOU IN THE REGULAR SERVICE OH DEAR NO I'VE ONLY JUST JOINED AND HAVE NOT GOT A HORSE YET AND DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET ONE THAT'S WHY THE MARRIAGE DOES NOT COME OFF


AND WHAT WOULD A HORSE COST WE WERE BARGAINING FOR ONE BEYOND THE RIVER THE OTHER DAY AND THEY WOULD NOT TAKE SIXTY RUBLES FOR IT


WILL YOU COME AND BE MY DRABANT A DRABANT WAS A KIND OF ORDERLY ATTACHED TO AN OFFICER WHEN CAMPAIGNING I'LL GET IT ARRANGED AND WILL GIVE YOU A HORSE SAID OLENIN SUDDENLY REALLY NOW I HAVE TWO AND I DON'T WANT BOTH


HOW DON'T WANT IT LUKASHKA SAID LAUGHING WHY SHOULD YOU MAKE ME A PRESENT WE'LL GET ON BY OURSELVES BY GOD'S HELP NO REALLY OR DON'T YOU WANT TO BE A DRABANT SAID OLENIN GLAD THAT IT HAD ENTERED HIS HEAD TO GIVE A HORSE TO LUKASHKA


THOUGH WITHOUT KNOWING WHY HE FELT UNCOMFORTABLE AND CONFUSED AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO SAY WHEN HE TRIED TO SPEAK LUKASHKA WAS THE FIRST TO BREAK THE SILENCE HAVE YOU A HOUSE OF YOUR OWN IN RUSSIA HE ASKED OLENIN COULD NOT REFRAIN FROM REPLYING


THAT HE HAD NOT ONLY ONE BUT SEVERAL HOUSES A GOOD HOUSE BIGGER THAN OURS ASKED LUKASHKA GOOD NATUREDLY MUCH BIGGER TEN TIMES AS BIG AND THREE STOREYS HIGH REPLIED OLENIN AND HAVE YOU HORSES SUCH AS OURS


I HAVE A HUNDRED HORSES WORTH THREE OR FOUR HUNDRED RUBLES EACH BUT THEY ARE NOT LIKE YOURS THEY ARE TROTTERS YOU KNOW BUT STILL I LIKE THE HORSES HERE BEST WELL AND DID YOU COME HERE OF YOUR OWN FREE WILL OR WERE YOU SENT SAID LUKASHKA


LAUGHING AT HIM LOOK THAT'S WHERE YOU LOST YOUR WAY HE ADDED YOU SHOULD HAVE TURNED TO THE RIGHT I CAME BY MY OWN WISH REPLIED OLENIN I WANTED TO SEE YOUR PARTS AND TO JOIN SOME EXPEDITIONS I WOULD GO ON AN EXPEDITION ANY DAY SAID LUKASHKA


D'YOU HEAR THE JACKALS HOWLING HE ADDED LISTENING I SAY DON'T YOU FEEL ANY HORROR AT HAVING KILLED A MAN ASKED OLENIN WHAT'S THERE TO BE FRIGHTENED ABOUT BUT I SHOULD LIKE TO JOIN AN EXPEDITION LUKASHKA REPEATED HOW I WANT TO HOW I WANT TO


PERHAPS WE MAY BE GOING TOGETHER OUR COMPANY IS GOING BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS AND YOUR HUNDRED TOO AND WHAT DID YOU WANT TO COME HERE FOR YOU'VE A HOUSE AND HORSES AND SERFS


I AM A CADET BUT HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED FOR A COMMISSION WELL IF YOU'RE NOT BRAGGING ABOUT YOUR HOME


THE WIND HOWLED THROUGH THE TREE TOPS THE JACKALS SUDDENLY SEEMED TO BE CRYING CLOSE BESIDE THEM HOWLING CHUCKLING AND SOBBING BUT AHEAD OF THEM IN THE VILLAGE THE SOUNDS OF WOMEN'S VOICES AND THE BARKING OF DOGS COULD ALREADY BE HEARD


THE OUTLINES OF THE HUTS WERE CLEARLY TO BE SEEN LIGHTS GLEAMED AND THE AIR WAS FILLED WITH THE PECULIAR SMELL OF KISYAK SMOKE OLENIN FELT KEENLY THAT NIGHT ESPECIALLY THAT HERE IN THIS VILLAGE WAS HIS HOME HIS FAMILY


ALL HIS HAPPINESS AND THAT HE NEVER HAD AND NEVER WOULD LIVE SO HAPPILY ANYWHERE AS HE DID IN THIS COSSACK VILLAGE HE WAS SO FOND OF EVERYBODY AND ESPECIALLY OF LUKASHKA THAT NIGHT


ON REACHING HOME TO LUKASHKA'S GREAT SURPRISE OLENIN WITH HIS OWN HANDS LED OUT OF THE SHED A HORSE HE HAD BOUGHT IN GROZNOE IT WAS NOT THE ONE HE USUALLY RODE BUT ANOTHER NOT A BAD HORSE THOUGH NO LONGER YOUNG


AND GAVE IT TO LUKASHKA WHY SHOULD YOU GIVE ME A PRESENT SAID LUKASHKA I HAVE NOT YET DONE ANYTHING FOR YOU REALLY IT IS NOTHING ANSWERED OLENIN TAKE IT AND YOU WILL GIVE ME A PRESENT AND WE'LL GO ON AN EXPEDITION AGAINST THE ENEMY TOGETHER LUKASHKA BECAME CONFUSED


TAKE IT TAKE IT IF YOU DON'T YOU WILL OFFEND ME VANYUSHA TAKE THE GREY HORSE TO HIS HOUSE LUKASHKA TOOK HOLD OF THE HALTER WELL THEN THANK YOU THIS IS SOMETHING UNEXPECTED UNDREAMT OF


OLENIN WAS AS HAPPY AS A BOY OF TWELVE TIE IT UP HERE IT'S A GOOD HORSE I BOUGHT IT IN GROZNOE IT GALLOPS SPLENDIDLY


THE WINE WAS BROUGHT LUKASHKA SAT DOWN AND TOOK THE WINE BOWL GOD WILLING I'LL FIND A WAY TO REPAY YOU HE SAID FINISHING HIS WINE HOW ARE YOU CALLED


WE WILL BE KUNAKS NOW YOU MUST COME TO SEE US THOUGH WE ARE NOT RICH PEOPLE STILL WE CAN TREAT A KUNAK AND I WILL TELL MOTHER IN CASE YOU NEED ANYTHING CLOTTED CREAM OR GRAPES AND IF YOU COME TO THE CORDON


I'M YOUR SERVANT TO GO HUNTING OR TO GO ACROSS THE RIVER ANYWHERE YOU LIKE THERE NOW ONLY THE OTHER DAY WHAT A BOAR I KILLED AND I DIVIDED IT AMONG THE COSSACKS BUT IF I HAD ONLY KNOWN I'D HAVE GIVEN IT TO YOU


THAT'S ALL RIGHT THANK YOU BUT DON'T HARNESS THE HORSE IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN HARNESS WHY HARNESS THE HORSE AND THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE I'LL TELL YOU IF YOU LIKE SAID LUKASHKA BENDING HIS HEAD I HAVE A KUNAK


HE ASKED ME TO LIE IN AMBUSH BY THE ROAD WHERE THEY COME DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAINS SHALL WE GO TOGETHER I'LL NOT BETRAY YOU


AND IT WAS LATE WHEN LUKASHKA NOT TIPSY HE NEVER WAS TIPSY BUT HAVING DRUNK A GOOD DEAL LEFT OLENIN AFTER SHAKING HANDS OLENIN LOOKED OUT OF THE WINDOW TO SEE WHAT HE WOULD DO


LUKASHKA WENT OUT HANGING HIS HEAD THEN HAVING LED THE HORSE OUT OF THE GATE HE SUDDENLY SHOOK HIS HEAD THREW THE REINS OF THE HALTER OVER ITS HEAD SPRANG ONTO ITS BACK LIKE A CAT GAVE A WILD SHOUT AND GALLOPED DOWN THE STREET


BUT THOUGH HE DID NOT DO SO OLENIN STILL FELT HIS SOUL MORE AT EASE THAN EVER BEFORE IN HIS LIFE HE WAS AS DELIGHTED AS A BOY


AND COULD NOT REFRAIN FROM TELLING VANYUSHA NOT ONLY THAT HE HAD GIVEN LUKASHKA THE HORSE BUT ALSO WHY HE HAD DONE IT AS WELL AS HIS NEW THEORY OF HAPPINESS VANYUSHA DID NOT APPROVE OF HIS THEORY AND ANNOUNCED THAT


WHICH HAD RUN ON IN FRONT STARTED TWO PHEASANTS HE HAD HARDLY STEPPED AMONG THE BRIERS WHEN THE PHEASANTS BEGAN TO RISE AT EVERY STEP THE OLD MAN HAD NOT SHOWN HIM THAT PLACE THE DAY BEFORE AS HE MEANT TO KEEP IT FOR SHOOTING FROM BEHIND THE SCREEN


OLENIN FIRED TWELVE TIMES AND KILLED FIVE PHEASANTS BUT CLAMBERING AFTER THEM THROUGH THE BRIERS HE GOT SO FATIGUED THAT HE WAS DRENCHED WITH PERSPIRATION HE CALLED OFF HIS DOG UNCOCKED HIS GUN


PUT IN A BULLET ABOVE THE SMALL SHOT AND BRUSHING AWAY THE MOSQUITOES WITH THE WIDE SLEEVE OF HIS CIRCASSIAN COAT HE WENT SLOWLY TO THE SPOT WHERE THEY HAD BEEN THE DAY BEFORE IT WAS HOWEVER IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP BACK THE DOG


WHO FOUND TRAILS ON THE VERY PATH AND OLENIN KILLED TWO MORE PHEASANTS SO THAT AFTER BEING DETAINED BY THIS IT WAS GETTING TOWARDS NOON BEFORE HE BEGAN TO FIND THE PLACE HE WAS LOOKING FOR THE DAY WAS PERFECTLY CLEAR


CALM AND HOT THE MORNING MOISTURE HAD DRIED UP EVEN IN THE FOREST AND MYRIADS OF MOSQUITOES LITERALLY COVERED HIS FACE HIS BACK AND HIS ARMS HIS DOG HAD TURNED FROM BLACK TO GREY


ITS BACK BEING COVERED WITH MOSQUITOES AND SO HAD OLENIN'S COAT THROUGH WHICH THE INSECTS THRUST THEIR STINGS OLENIN WAS READY TO RUN AWAY FROM THEM AND IT SEEMED TO HIM THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO LIVE IN THIS COUNTRY IN THE SUMMER


HE WAS ABOUT TO GO HOME BUT REMEMBERING THAT OTHER PEOPLE MANAGED TO ENDURE SUCH PAIN HE RESOLVED TO BEAR IT AND GAVE HIMSELF UP TO BE DEVOURED AND STRANGE TO SAY BY NOONTIME THE FEELING BECAME ACTUALLY PLEASANT


HE EVEN FELT THAT WITHOUT THIS MOSQUITO FILLED ATMOSPHERE AROUND HIM AND THAT MOSQUITO PASTE MINGLED WITH PERSPIRATION WHICH HIS HAND SMEARED OVER HIS FACE AND THAT UNCEASING IRRITATION ALL OVER HIS BODY


THE FOREST WOULD LOSE FOR HIM SOME OF ITS CHARACTER AND CHARM THESE MYRIADS OF INSECTS WERE SO WELL SUITED TO THAT MONSTROUSLY LAVISH WILD VEGETATION THESE MULTITUDES OF BIRDS AND BEASTS WHICH FILLED THE FOREST


THIS DARK FOLIAGE THIS HOT SCENTED AIR


THESE RUNLETS FILLED WITH TURBID WATER WHICH EVERYWHERE SOAKED THROUGH FROM THE TEREK AND GURGLED HERE AND THERE UNDER THE OVERHANGING LEAVES THAT THE VERY THING WHICH HAD AT FIRST SEEMED TO HIM DREADFUL AND INTOLERABLE


NOW SEEMED PLEASANT AFTER GOING ROUND THE PLACE WHERE YESTERDAY THEY HAD FOUND THE ANIMAL AND NOT FINDING ANYTHING HE FELT INCLINED TO REST


HAVING FOUND THE TRACES OF YESTERDAY'S STAG HE CREPT UNDER A BUSH INTO THE THICKET JUST WHERE THE STAG HAD LAIN AND LAY DOWN IN ITS LAIR HE EXAMINED THE DARK FOLIAGE AROUND HIM


THE PLACE MARKED BY THE STAG'S PERSPIRATION AND YESTERDAY'S DUNG THE IMPRINT OF THE STAG'S KNEES THE BIT OF BLACK EARTH IT HAD KICKED UP AND HIS OWN FOOTPRINTS OF THE DAY BEFORE HE FELT COOL AND COMFORTABLE


AND DID NOT THINK OF OR WISH FOR ANYTHING


SUDDENLY WITH EXTRAORDINARY CLEARNESS HE THOUGHT HERE AM I DMITRI OLENIN A BEING QUITE DISTINCT FROM EVERY OTHER BEING NOW LYING ALL ALONE HEAVEN ONLY KNOWS WHERE WHERE A STAG USED TO LIVE


AN OLD STAG A BEAUTIFUL STAG WHO PERHAPS HAD NEVER SEEN A MAN AND IN A PLACE WHERE NO HUMAN BEING HAS EVER SAT OR THOUGHT THESE THOUGHTS HERE I SIT AND AROUND ME STAND OLD AND YOUNG TREES


ONE OF THEM FESTOONED WITH WILD GRAPE VINES AND PHEASANTS ARE FLUTTERING DRIVING ONE ANOTHER ABOUT AND PERHAPS SCENTING THEIR MURDERED BROTHERS HE FELT HIS PHEASANTS EXAMINED THEM


AND WIPED THE WARM BLOOD OFF HIS HAND ONTO HIS COAT PERHAPS THE JACKALS SCENT THEM AND WITH DISSATISFIED FACES GO OFF IN ANOTHER DIRECTION ABOVE ME


FLYING IN AMONG THE LEAVES WHICH TO THEM SEEM ENORMOUS ISLANDS MOSQUITOES HANG IN THE AIR AND BUZZ ONE TWO THREE FOUR


A HUNDRED A THOUSAND A MILLION MOSQUITOES AND ALL OF THEM BUZZ SOMETHING OR OTHER AND EACH ONE OF THEM IS SEPARATE FROM ALL ELSE AND IS JUST SUCH A SEPARATE DMITRI OLENIN AS I AM MYSELF


HE VIVIDLY IMAGINED WHAT THE MOSQUITOES BUZZED THIS WAY THIS WAY LADS HERE'S SOME ONE WE CAN EAT THEY BUZZED AND STUCK TO HIM AND IT WAS CLEAR TO HIM THAT HE WAS NOT A RUSSIAN NOBLEMAN A MEMBER OF MOSCOW SOCIETY


THE FRIEND AND RELATION OF SO AND SO AND SO AND SO BUT JUST SUCH A MOSQUITO OR PHEASANT OR DEER AS THOSE THAT WERE NOW LIVING ALL AROUND HIM JUST AS THEY JUST AS DADDY EROSHKA


GRASS WILL GROW AND NOTHING MORE BUT WHAT THOUGH THE GRASS DOES GROW HE CONTINUED THINKING STILL I MUST LIVE AND BE HAPPY BECAUSE HAPPINESS IS ALL I DESIRE


NEVER MIND WHAT I AM AN ANIMAL LIKE ALL THE REST ABOVE WHOM THE GRASS WILL GROW AND NOTHING MORE OR A FRAME IN WHICH A BIT OF THE ONE GOD HAS BEEN SET STILL I MUST LIVE IN THE VERY BEST WAY


HOW THEN MUST I LIVE TO BE HAPPY AND WHY WAS I NOT HAPPY BEFORE AND HE BEGAN TO RECALL HIS FORMER LIFE AND HE FELT DISGUSTED WITH HIMSELF


THOUGH HE NOW SAW THAT ALL THE WHILE HE REALLY NEEDED NOTHING FOR HIMSELF AND HE LOOKED ROUND AT THE FOLIAGE WITH THE LIGHT SHINING THROUGH IT AT THE SETTING SUN AND THE CLEAR SKY AND HE FELT JUST AS HAPPY AS BEFORE WHY AM I HAPPY


AND WHAT USED I TO LIVE FOR THOUGHT HE HOW MUCH I EXACTED FOR MYSELF HOW I SCHEMED AND DID NOT MANAGE TO GAIN ANYTHING BUT SHAME AND SORROW AND THERE NOW I REQUIRE NOTHING TO BE HAPPY


AND SUDDENLY A NEW LIGHT SEEMED TO REVEAL ITSELF TO HIM HAPPINESS IS THIS HE SAID TO HIMSELF HAPPINESS LIES IN LIVING FOR OTHERS THAT IS EVIDENT THE DESIRE FOR HAPPINESS IS INNATE IN EVERY MAN


IT FOLLOWS THAT IT IS THESE DESIRES THAT ARE ILLEGITIMATE BUT NOT THE NEED FOR HAPPINESS BUT WHAT DESIRES CAN ALWAYS BE SATISFIED DESPITE EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES WHAT ARE THEY LOVE SELF SACRIFICE


HE WAS SO GLAD AND EXCITED WHEN HE HAD DISCOVERED THIS AS IT SEEMED TO HIM NEW TRUTH THAT HE JUMPED UP AND BEGAN IMPATIENTLY SEEKING SOME ONE TO SACRIFICE HIMSELF FOR TO DO GOOD TO AND TO LOVE


WHEN HE HAD COME OUT INTO THE GLADE HE LOOKED AROUND HIM THE SUN WAS NO LONGER VISIBLE ABOVE THE TREE TOPS IT HAD GROWN COOLER AND THE PLACE SEEMED TO HIM QUITE STRANGE AND NOT LIKE THE COUNTRY ROUND THE VILLAGE EVERYTHING SEEMED CHANGED


THE WEATHER AND THE CHARACTER OF THE FOREST THE SKY WAS WRAPPED IN CLOUDS THE WIND WAS RUSTLING IN THE TREE TOPS AND ALL AROUND NOTHING WAS VISIBLE BUT REEDS AND DYING BROKEN DOWN TREES


HE CALLED TO HIS DOG WHO HAD RUN AWAY TO FOLLOW SOME ANIMAL AND HIS VOICE CAME BACK AS IN A DESERT AND SUDDENLY HE WAS SEIZED WITH A TERRIBLE SENSE OF WEIRDNESS HE GREW FRIGHTENED


HE REMEMBERED THE ABREKS AND THE MURDERS HE HAD BEEN TOLD ABOUT AND HE EXPECTED EVERY MOMENT THAT AN ABREK WOULD SPRING FROM BEHIND EVERY BUSH AND HE WOULD HAVE TO DEFEND HIS LIFE AND DIE OR BE A COWARD HE THOUGHT OF GOD


AND OF THE FUTURE LIFE AS FOR LONG HE HAD NOT THOUGHT ABOUT THEM AND ALL AROUND WAS THAT SAME GLOOMY STERN WILD NATURE AND IS IT WORTH WHILE LIVING FOR ONESELF THOUGHT HE


WHEN AT ANY MOMENT YOU MAY DIE AND DIE WITHOUT HAVING DONE ANY GOOD AND SO THAT NO ONE WILL KNOW OF IT HE WENT IN THE DIRECTION WHERE HE FANCIED THE VILLAGE LAY OF HIS SHOOTING HE HAD NO FURTHER THOUGHT


BUT HE FELT TIRED TO DEATH AND PEERED ROUND AT EVERY BUSH AND TREE WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION AND ALMOST WITH TERROR EXPECTING EVERY MOMENT TO BE CALLED TO ACCOUNT FOR HIS LIFE


AFTER HAVING WANDERED ABOUT FOR A CONSIDERABLE TIME HE CAME UPON A DITCH DOWN WHICH WAS FLOWING COLD SANDY WATER FROM THE TEREK AND NOT TO GO ASTRAY ANY LONGER HE DECIDED TO FOLLOW IT


HE WENT ON WITHOUT KNOWING WHERE THE DITCH WOULD LEAD HIM SUDDENLY THE REEDS BEHIND HIM CRACKLED HE SHUDDERED AND SEIZED HIS GUN AND THEN FELT ASHAMED OF HIMSELF


HE SAW THAT HIS HERO AND COMMANDER WAS FOLLOWING QUITE A DIFFERENT TRAIN OF THOUGHT ROSTOV GLANCED ANGRILY AT ILYIN AND WITHOUT REPLYING STRODE OFF WITH RAPID STEPS TO THE VILLAGE I'LL SHOW THEM I'LL GIVE IT TO THEM THE BRIGANDS SAID HE TO HIMSELF


WHAT DECISION HAVE YOU BEEN PLEASED TO COME TO SAID HE ROSTOV STOPPED


DECISION WHAT DECISION


AND YOU CAN'T MANAGE THEM YOU'RE A TRAITOR YOURSELF I KNOW YOU I'LL FLAY YOU ALL ALIVE AND AS IF AFRAID OF WASTING HIS STORE OF ANGER HE LEFT ALPATYCH AND WENT RAPIDLY FORWARD ALPATYCH MASTERING HIS OFFENDED FEELINGS KEPT PACE WITH ROSTOV AT A GLIDING GAIT


AND CONTINUED TO IMPART HIS VIEWS HE SAID THE PEASANTS WERE OBDURATE AND THAT AT THE PRESENT MOMENT IT WOULD BE IMPRUDENT TO OVERRESIST THEM WITHOUT AN ARMED FORCE AND WOULD IT NOT BE BETTER FIRST TO SEND FOR THE MILITARY I'LL GIVE THEM ARMED FORCE


WITHOUT CONSIDERING WHAT HE WOULD DO HE MOVED UNCONCIOUSLY WITH QUICK RESOLUTE STEPS TOWARD THE CROWD


THE PEASANTS IN THE CROWD WERE SIMILARLY IMPRESSED WHEN THEY SAW ROSTOV'S RAPID FIRM STEPS AND RESOLUTE FROWNING FACE AFTER THE HUSSARS HAD COME TO THE VILLAGE AND ROSTOV HAD GONE TO SEE THE PRINCESS A CERTAIN CONFUSION AND DISSENSION HAD ARISEN AMONG THE CROWD


SOME OF THE PEASANTS SAID THAT THESE NEW ARRIVALS WERE RUSSIANS AND MIGHT TAKE IT AMISS THAT THE MISTRESS WAS BEING DETAINED DRON WAS OF THIS OPINION BUT AS SOON AS HE EXPRESSED IT KARP AND OTHERS ATTACKED THEIR EX ELDER HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN FATTENING ON THE COMMUNE


WHAT DOES IT MATTER TO YOU WHETHER OUR HOMES ARE RUINED OR NOT WE'VE BEEN TOLD TO KEEP ORDER AND THAT NO ONE IS TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES OR TAKE AWAY A SINGLE GRAIN AND THAT'S ALL ABOUT IT CRIED ANOTHER IT WAS YOUR SON'S TURN TO BE CONSCRIPTED BUT NO FEAR


YOU BEGRUDGED YOUR LUMP OF A SON A LITTLE OLD MAN SUDDENLY BEGAN ATTACKING DRON


KARP THRUSTING HIS FINGERS INTO HIS BELT AND SMILING A LITTLE WALKED TO THE FRONT DRON ON THE CONTRARY RETIRED TO THE REAR AND THE CROWD DREW CLOSER TOGETHER


SHOUTED ROSTOV COMING UP TO THE CROWD WITH QUICK STEPS THE ELDER


BUT BEFORE THE WORDS WERE WELL OUT OF HIS MOUTH HIS CAP FLEW OFF AND A FIERCE BLOW JERKED HIS HEAD TO ONE SIDE CAPS OFF TRAITORS SHOUTED ROSTOV IN A WRATHFUL VOICE WHERE'S THE ELDER HE CRIED FURIOUSLY THE ELDER HE WANTS THE ELDER


MEEK AND FLUSTERED VOICES HERE AND THERE WERE HEARD CALLING


WE DON'T RIOT WE'RE FOLLOWING THE ORDERS DECLARED KARP AND AT THAT MOMENT SEVERAL VOICES BEGAN SPEAKING TOGETHER IT'S AS THE OLD MEN HAVE DECIDED THERE'S TOO MANY OF YOU GIVING ORDERS ARGUING MUTINY BRIGANDS TRAITORS CRIED ROSTOV


UNMEANINGLY IN A VOICE NOT HIS OWN GRIPPING KARP BY THE COLLAR BIND HIM BIND HIM HE SHOUTED


LAVRUSHKA HOWEVER RAN UP TO KARP AND SEIZED HIM BY THE ARMS FROM BEHIND SHALL I CALL UP OUR MEN FROM BEYOND THE HILL HE CALLED OUT


BY NAME TO COME AND BIND KARP THE MEN OBEDIENTLY CAME OUT OF THE CROWD AND BEGAN TAKING OFF THEIR BELTS WHERE'S THE ELDER DEMANDED ROSTOV IN A LOUD VOICE WITH A PALE AND FROWNING FACE DRON STEPPED OUT OF THE CROWD ARE YOU THE ELDER BIND HIM LAVRUSHKA


SHOUTED ROSTOV AS IF THAT ORDER TOO COULD NOT POSSIBLY MEET WITH ANY OPPOSITION AND IN FACT TWO MORE PEASANTS BEGAN BINDING DRON WHO TOOK OFF HIS OWN BELT AND HANDED IT TO THEM AS IF TO AID THEM AND YOU ALL LISTEN TO ME SAID ROSTOV TO THE PEASANTS


BE OFF TO YOUR HOUSES AT ONCE AND DON'T LET ONE OF YOUR VOICES BE HEARD WHY WE'VE NOT DONE ANY HARM WE DID IT JUST OUT OF FOOLISHNESS IT'S ALL NONSENSE I SAID THEN THAT IT WAS NOT IN ORDER VOICES WERE HEARD BICKERING WITH ONE ANOTHER


ALL OUR STUPIDITY YAKOV ALPATYCH CAME THE ANSWERS AND THE CROWD BEGAN AT ONCE TO DISPERSE THROUGH THE VILLAGE THE TWO BOUND MEN WERE LED OFF TO THE MASTER'S HOUSE THE TWO DRUNKEN PEASANTS FOLLOWED THEM AYE WHEN I LOOK AT YOU SAID ONE OF THEM TO KARP


TWO HOURS LATER THE CARTS WERE STANDING IN THE COURTYARD OF THE BOGUCHAROVO HOUSE THE PEASANTS WERE BRISKLY CARRYING OUT THE PROPRIETOR'S GOODS AND PACKING THEM ON THE CARTS AND DRON LIBERATED AT PRINCESS MARY'S WISH FROM THE CUPBOARD WHERE HE HAD BEEN CONFINED


WAS STANDING IN THE YARD DIRECTING THE MEN DON'T PUT IT IN SO CARELESSLY SAID ONE OF THE PEASANTS


YOU KNOW IT HAS COST MONEY HOW CAN YOU CHUCK IT IN LIKE THAT OR SHOVE IT UNDER THE CORD WHERE IT'LL GET RUBBED I DON'T LIKE THAT WAY OF DOING THINGS LET IT ALL BE DONE PROPERLY ACCORDING TO RULE


LOOK HERE PUT IT UNDER THE BAST MATTING AND COVER IT WITH HAY THAT'S THE WAY


DON'T CATCH UP AGAINST IT IT'S HEAVY LADS SOLID BOOKS YES THEY WORKED ALL DAY AND DIDN'T PLAY REMARKED THE TALL ROUND FACED PEASANT GRAVELY POINTING WITH A SIGNIFICANT WINK AT THE DICTIONARIES THAT WERE ON THE TOP


UNWILLING TO OBTRUDE HIMSELF ON THE PRINCESS ROSTOV DID NOT GO BACK TO THE HOUSE BUT REMAINED IN THE VILLAGE AWAITING HER DEPARTURE WHEN HER CARRIAGE DROVE OUT OF THE HOUSE HE MOUNTED AND ACCOMPANIED HER EIGHT MILES FROM BOGUCHAROVO TO WHERE THE ROAD WAS OCCUPIED BY OUR TROOPS


AT THE INN AT YANKOVO HE RESPECTFULLY TOOK LEAVE OF HER FOR THE FIRST TIME PERMITTING HIMSELF TO KISS HER HAND HOW CAN YOU SPEAK SO HE BLUSHINGLY REPLIED TO PRINCESS MARY'S EXPRESSIONS OF GRATITUDE FOR HER DELIVERANCE AS SHE TERMED WHAT HAD OCCURRED


SAID HE WITH A SENSE OF SHAME AND WISHING TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT


GOOD BYE PRINCESS I WISH YOU HAPPINESS AND CONSOLATION AND HOPE TO MEET YOU AGAIN IN HAPPIER CIRCUMSTANCES IF YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE ME BLUSH PLEASE DON'T THANK ME BUT THE PRINCESS IF SHE DID NOT AGAIN THANK HIM IN WORDS


THANKED HIM WITH THE WHOLE EXPRESSION OF HER FACE RADIANT WITH GRATITUDE AND TENDERNESS SHE COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS NOTHING TO THANK HIM FOR ON THE CONTRARY IT SEEMED TO HER CERTAIN THAT HAD HE NOT BEEN THERE SHE WOULD HAVE PERISHED AT THE HANDS OF THE MUTINEERS AND OF THE FRENCH


HONEST EYES WITH THE TEARS RISING IN THEM WHEN SHE HERSELF HAD BEGUN TO CRY AS SHE SPOKE OF HER LOSS DID NOT LEAVE HER MEMORY WHEN SHE HAD TAKEN LEAVE OF HIM AND REMAINED ALONE SHE SUDDENLY FELT HER EYES FILLING WITH TEARS


MORE THAN ONCE NOTICED THAT HER MISTRESS LEANED OUT OF THE WINDOW AND SMILED AT SOMETHING WITH AN EXPRESSION OF MINGLED JOY AND SORROW WELL SUPPOSING I DO LOVE HIM THOUGHT PRINCESS MARY ASHAMED AS SHE WAS OF ACKNOWLEDGING TO HERSELF THAT SHE HAD FALLEN IN LOVE WITH A MAN WHO


WOULD PERHAPS NEVER LOVE HER SHE COMFORTED HERSELF WITH THE THOUGHT THAT NO ONE WOULD EVER KNOW IT AND THAT SHE WOULD NOT BE TO BLAME IF WITHOUT EVER SPEAKING OF IT TO ANYONE SHE CONTINUED TO THE END OF HER LIFE TO LOVE THE MAN WITH WHOM SHE HAD FALLEN IN LOVE FOR THE FIRST AND LAST TIME IN HER LIFE


SOMETIMES WHEN SHE RECALLED HIS LOOKS HIS SYMPATHY AND HIS WORDS HAPPINESS DID NOT APPEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO HER IT WAS AT THOSE MOMENTS THAT DUNYASHA NOTICED HER SMILING AS SHE LOOKED OUT OF THE CARRIAGE WINDOW WAS IT NOT FATE THAT BROUGHT HIM TO BOGUCHAROVO AND AT THAT VERY MOMENT THOUGHT PRINCESS MARY


AND THAT CAUSED HIS SISTER TO REFUSE MY BROTHER AND IN ALL THIS PRINCESS MARY SAW THE HAND OF PROVIDENCE THE IMPRESSION THE PRINCESS MADE ON ROSTOV WAS A VERY AGREEABLE ONE TO REMEMBER HER GAVE HIM PLEASURE


RALLIED HIM ON HAVING GONE TO LOOK FOR HAY AND HAVING PICKED UP ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST HEIRESSES IN RUSSIA HE GREW ANGRY IT MADE HIM ANGRY JUST BECAUSE THE IDEA OF MARRYING THE GENTLE PRINCESS MARY WHO WAS ATTRACTIVE TO HIM


AND HAD AN ENORMOUS FORTUNE HAD AGAINST HIS WILL MORE THAN ONCE ENTERED HIS HEAD FOR HIMSELF PERSONALLY NICHOLAS COULD NOT WISH FOR A BETTER WIFE BY MARRYING HER HE WOULD MAKE THE COUNTESS HIS MOTHER HAPPY WOULD BE ABLE TO PUT HIS FATHER'S AFFAIRS IN ORDER


WHY AND HOW WERE THE BATTLES OF SHEVARDINO AND BORODINO GIVEN AND ACCEPTED WHY WAS THE BATTLE OF BORODINO FOUGHT THERE WAS NOT THE LEAST SENSE IN IT FOR EITHER THE FRENCH OR THE RUSSIANS ITS IMMEDIATE RESULT FOR THE RUSSIANS WAS AND WAS BOUND TO BE


THAT WE WERE BROUGHT NEARER TO THE DESTRUCTION OF MOSCOW WHICH WE FEARED MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THE WORLD AND FOR THE FRENCH ITS IMMEDIATE RESULT WAS THAT THEY WERE BROUGHT NEARER TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THEIR WHOLE ARMY WHICH THEY FEARED MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THE WORLD


WHAT THE RESULT MUST BE WAS QUITE OBVIOUS AND YET NAPOLEON OFFERED AND KUTUZOV ACCEPTED THAT BATTLE IF THE COMMANDERS HAD BEEN GUIDED BY REASON IT WOULD SEEM THAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN OBVIOUS TO NAPOLEON


THAT BY ADVANCING THIRTEEN HUNDRED MILES AND GIVING BATTLE WITH A PROBABILITY OF LOSING A QUARTER OF HIS ARMY HE WAS ADVANCING TO CERTAIN DESTRUCTION AND IT MUST HAVE BEEN EQUALLY CLEAR TO KUTUZOV THAT BY ACCEPTING BATTLE


AND GO ON EXCHANGING I SHALL CERTAINLY LOSE AND THEREFORE SHOULD NOT EXCHANGE WHEN MY OPPONENT HAS SIXTEEN MEN AND I HAVE FOURTEEN I AM ONLY ONE EIGHTH WEAKER THAN HE BUT WHEN I HAVE EXCHANGED THIRTEEN MORE MEN


HE WILL BE THREE TIMES AS STRONG AS I AM BEFORE THE BATTLE OF BORODINO OUR STRENGTH IN PROPORTION TO THE FRENCH WAS ABOUT AS FIVE TO SIX BUT AFTER THAT BATTLE IT WAS LITTLE MORE THAN ONE TO TWO PREVIOUSLY


WE HAD A HUNDRED THOUSAND AGAINST A HUNDRED AND TWENTY THOUSAND AFTERWARDS LITTLE MORE THAN FIFTY THOUSAND AGAINST A HUNDRED THOUSAND YET THE SHREWD AND EXPERIENCED KUTUZOV ACCEPTED THE BATTLE WHILE NAPOLEON


AS HE HAD ENDED A PREVIOUS CAMPAIGN BY OCCUPYING VIENNA THERE IS MUCH EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY NAPOLEON'S HISTORIANS THEMSELVES TELL US THAT FROM SMOLENSK ONWARDS HE WISHED TO STOP


TO HIS REPEATED ANNOUNCEMENTS OF HIS WISH TO NEGOTIATE IN GIVING AND ACCEPTING BATTLE AT BORODINO KUTUZOV ACTED INVOLUNTARILY AND IRRATIONALLY BUT LATER ON TO FIT WHAT HAD OCCURRED


THE HISTORIANS PROVIDED CUNNINGLY DEVISED EVIDENCE


OF ALL THE BLIND TOOLS OF HISTORY WERE THE MOST ENSLAVED AND INVOLUNTARY THE ANCIENTS HAVE LEFT US MODEL HEROIC POEMS IN WHICH THE HEROES FURNISH THE WHOLE INTEREST OF THE STORY


AND WE ARE STILL UNABLE TO ACCUSTOM OURSELVES TO THE FACT THAT FOR OUR EPOCH HISTORIES OF THAT KIND ARE MEANINGLESS ON THE OTHER QUESTION HOW THE BATTLE OF BORODINO AND THE PRECEDING BATTLE OF SHEVARDINO WERE FOUGHT


THERE ALSO EXISTS A DEFINITE AND WELL KNOWN BUT QUITE FALSE CONCEPTION ALL THE HISTORIANS DESCRIBE THE AFFAIR AS FOLLOWS THE RUSSIAN ARMY THEY SAY IN ITS RETREAT FROM SMOLENSK SOUGHT OUT FOR ITSELF THE BEST POSITION FOR A GENERAL ENGAGEMENT


AT THE VERY PLACE WHERE THE BATTLE WAS FOUGHT IN FRONT OF THIS POSITION THEY SAY A FORTIFIED OUTPOST WAS SET UP ON THE SHEVARDINO MOUND TO OBSERVE THE ENEMY ON THE TWENTY FOURTH WE ARE TOLD NAPOLEON ATTACKED THIS ADVANCED POST AND TOOK IT


AND ON THE TWENTY SIXTH ATTACKED THE WHOLE RUSSIAN ARMY WHICH WAS IN POSITION ON THE FIELD OF BORODINO SO THE HISTORIES SAY AND IT IS ALL QUITE WRONG AS ANYONE WHO CARES TO LOOK INTO THE MATTER CAN EASILY CONVINCE HIMSELF


THE RUSSIANS DID NOT SEEK OUT THE BEST POSITION BUT ON THE CONTRARY DURING THE RETREAT PASSED MANY POSITIONS BETTER THAN BORODINO THEY DID NOT STOP AT ANY ONE OF THESE POSITIONS BECAUSE KUTUZOV DID NOT WISH TO OCCUPY A POSITION


HE HAD NOT HIMSELF CHOSEN BECAUSE THE POPULAR DEMAND FOR A BATTLE HAD NOT YET EXPRESSED ITSELF STRONGLY ENOUGH AND BECAUSE MILORADOVICH HAD NOT YET ARRIVED WITH THE MILITIA AND FOR MANY OTHER REASONS


THE FACT IS THAT OTHER POSITIONS THEY HAD PASSED WERE STRONGER AND THAT THE POSITION AT BORODINO THE ONE WHERE THE BATTLE WAS FOUGHT FAR FROM BEING STRONG WAS NO MORE A POSITION THAN ANY OTHER SPOT ONE MIGHT FIND IN THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE


BY STICKING A PIN INTO THE MAP AT HAZARD NOT ONLY DID THE RUSSIANS NOT FORTIFY THE POSITION ON THE FIELD OF BORODINO TO THE LEFT OF AND AT A RIGHT ANGLE TO THE HIGHROAD


THAT IS THE POSITION ON WHICH THE BATTLE TOOK PLACE BUT NEVER TILL THE TWENTY FIFTH OF AUGUST EIGHTEEN TWELVE DID THEY THINK THAT A BATTLE MIGHT BE FOUGHT THERE THIS WAS SHOWN FIRST BY THE FACT THAT THERE WERE NO ENTRENCHMENTS THERE BY THE TWENTY FIFTH


AND THAT THOSE BEGUN ON THE TWENTY FIFTH AND TWENTY SIXTH WERE NOT COMPLETED AND SECONDLY BY THE POSITION OF THE SHEVARDINO REDOUBT THAT REDOUBT WAS QUITE SENSELESS IN FRONT OF THE POSITION WHERE THE BATTLE WAS ACCEPTED


STRONGLY FORTIFIED THAN ANY OTHER POST AND WHY WERE ALL EFFORTS EXHAUSTED AND SIX THOUSAND MEN SACRIFICED TO DEFEND IT TILL LATE AT NIGHT ON THE TWENTY FOURTH A COSSACK PATROL WOULD HAVE SUFFICED TO OBSERVE THE ENEMY THIRDLY


THAT THE SHEVARDINO REDOUBT WAS AN ADVANCED POST WHEREAS IN REALITY IT WAS SIMPLY A FORTIFIED POINT ON THE LEFT FLANK AND THAT THE BATTLE OF BORODINO WAS FOUGHT BY US ON AN ENTRENCHED POSITION PREVIOUSLY SELECTED WHERE


WHICH CROSSES THE HIGHROAD NOT AT A RIGHT ANGLE BUT AT AN ACUTE ANGLE SO THAT THE LEFT FLANK WAS AT SHEVARDINO


AND THE CENTER AT BORODINO AT THE CONFLUENCE OF THE RIVERS KOLOCHA AND VOYNA TO ANYONE WHO LOOKS AT THE FIELD OF BORODINO WITHOUT THINKING OF HOW THE BATTLE WAS ACTUALLY FOUGHT THIS POSITION


PROTECTED BY THE RIVER KOLOCHA PRESENTS ITSELF AS OBVIOUS FOR AN ARMY WHOSE OBJECT WAS TO PREVENT AN ENEMY FROM ADVANCING ALONG THE SMOLENSK ROAD TO MOSCOW NAPOLEON


ON THE TWENTY FOURTH DID NOT SEE AS THE HISTORY BOOKS SAY HE DID THE POSITION OF THE RUSSIANS FROM UTITSA TO BORODINO HE COULD NOT HAVE SEEN THAT POSITION BECAUSE IT DID NOT EXIST NOR DID HE SEE AN ADVANCED POST OF THE RUSSIAN ARMY


BUT WHILE PURSUING THE RUSSIAN REARGUARD HE CAME UPON THE LEFT FLANK OF THE RUSSIAN POSITION AT THE SHEVARDINO REDOUBT AND UNEXPECTEDLY FOR THE RUSSIANS MOVED HIS ARMY ACROSS THE KOLOCHA


AND THE RUSSIANS NOT HAVING TIME TO BEGIN A GENERAL ENGAGEMENT WITHDREW THEIR LEFT WING FROM THE POSITION THEY HAD INTENDED TO OCCUPY AND TOOK UP A NEW POSITION WHICH HAD NOT BEEN FORESEEN AND WAS NOT FORTIFIED


BY CROSSING TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE KOLOCHA TO THE LEFT OF THE HIGHROAD NAPOLEON SHIFTED THE WHOLE FORTHCOMING BATTLE FROM RIGHT TO LEFT LOOKING FROM THE RUSSIAN SIDE AND TRANSFERRED IT TO THE PLAIN BETWEEN UTITSA


SEMENOVSK AND BORODINO A PLAIN NO MORE ADVANTAGEOUS AS A POSITION THAN ANY OTHER PLAIN IN RUSSIA AND THERE THE WHOLE BATTLE OF THE TWENTY SIXTH OF AUGUST TOOK PLACE


HAD NAPOLEON NOT RIDDEN OUT ON THE EVENING OF THE TWENTY FOURTH TO THE KOLOCHA AND HAD HE NOT THEN ORDERED AN IMMEDIATE ATTACK ON THE REDOUBT BUT HAD BEGUN THE ATTACK NEXT MORNING


WOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE WHERE WE EXPECTED IT IN THAT CASE WE SHOULD PROBABLY HAVE DEFENDED THE SHEVARDINO REDOUBT OUR LEFT FLANK STILL MORE OBSTINATELY WE SHOULD HAVE ATTACKED NAPOLEON IN THE CENTER OR ON THE RIGHT


AND THE ENGAGEMENT WOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE ON THE TWENTY FIFTH IN THE POSITION WE INTENDED AND HAD FORTIFIED BUT AS THE ATTACK ON OUR LEFT FLANK TOOK PLACE IN THE EVENING AFTER THE RETREAT OF OUR REAR GUARD THAT IS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FIGHT


AT GRIDNEVA AND AS THE RUSSIAN COMMANDERS DID NOT WISH OR WERE NOT IN TIME TO BEGIN A GENERAL ENGAGEMENT THEN ON THE EVENING OF THE TWENTY FOURTH THE FIRST AND CHIEF ACTION OF THE BATTLE OF BORODINO


WAS ALREADY LOST ON THE TWENTY FOURTH AND OBVIOUSLY LED TO THE LOSS OF THE ONE FOUGHT ON THE TWENTY SIXTH AFTER THE LOSS OF THE SHEVARDINO REDOUBT


NOT ONLY WAS THE RUSSIAN ARMY ON THE TWENTY SIXTH DEFENDED BY WEAK UNFINISHED ENTRENCHMENTS BUT THE DISADVANTAGE OF THAT POSITION WAS INCREASED BY THE FACT THAT THE RUSSIAN COMMANDERS


NAMELY THE LOSS OF OUR POSITION ON THE LEFT FLANK AND THE SHIFTING OF THE WHOLE FIELD OF THE FORTHCOMING BATTLE FROM RIGHT TO LEFT


AND CONSEQUENTLY HAD TO MOVE THEIR FORCES FROM RIGHT TO LEFT DURING THE BATTLE SO IT HAPPENED THAT THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE BATTLE THE RUSSIANS OPPOSED THE ENTIRE FRENCH ARMY LAUNCHED AGAINST OUR LEFT FLANK WITH BUT HALF AS MANY MEN


PONIATOWSKI'S ACTION AGAINST UTITSA AND UVAROV'S ON THE RIGHT FLANK AGAINST THE FRENCH WERE ACTIONS DISTINCT FROM THE MAIN COURSE OF THE BATTLE SO THE BATTLE OF BORODINO DID NOT TAKE PLACE AT ALL AS


IN AN EFFORT TO CONCEAL OUR COMMANDERS MISTAKES EVEN AT THE COST OF DIMINISHING THE GLORY DUE TO THE RUSSIAN ARMY AND PEOPLE IT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED


WHEN PIERRE RETURNED HOME HE WAS HANDED TWO OF ROSTOPCHIN'S BROADSHEETS THAT HAD BEEN BROUGHT THAT DAY


ON THE CONTRARY HE WAS GLAD THAT LADIES AND TRADESMEN'S WIVES WERE LEAVING THE CITY THERE WILL BE LESS PANIC AND LESS GOSSIP RAN THE BROADSHEET


THAT THE FRENCH WOULD ENTER MOSCOW THE SECOND BROADSHEET STATED THAT OUR HEADQUARTERS WERE AT VYAZMA THAT COUNT WITTGENSTEIN HAD DEFEATED THE FRENCH BUT THAT AS MANY OF THE INHABITANTS OF MOSCOW WISHED TO BE ARMED WEAPONS WERE READY FOR THEM AT THE ARSENAL


WITH THE WHOLE STRENGTH OF HIS SOUL BUT WHICH YET AROUSED INVOLUNTARY HORROR IN HIM WAS DRAWING NEAR SHALL I JOIN THE ARMY AND ENTER THE SERVICE


IF THIS PATIENCE COMES OUT HE SAID TO HIMSELF AFTER SHUFFLING THE CARDS HOLDING THEM IN HIS HAND AND LIFTING HIS HEAD IF IT COMES OUT IT MEANS WHAT DOES IT MEAN HE HAD NOT DECIDED WHAT IT SHOULD MEAN WHEN HE HEARD THE VOICE OF THE ELDEST PRINCESS


AT THE DOOR ASKING WHETHER SHE MIGHT COME IN THEN IT WILL MEAN THAT I MUST GO TO THE ARMY SAID PIERRE TO HIMSELF COME IN COME IN HE ADDED TO THE PRINCESS ONLY THE ELDEST PRINCESS THE ONE WITH THE STONY FACE AND LONG WAIST WAS STILL LIVING IN PIERRE'S HOUSE


EVERYONE HAS LEFT MOSCOW AND THE PEOPLE ARE RIOTING HOW IS IT THAT WE ARE STAYING ON ON THE CONTRARY THINGS SEEM SATISFACTORY MA COUSINE SAID PIERRE IN THE BANTERING TONE HE HABITUALLY ADOPTED TOWARD HER ALWAYS FEELING UNCOMFORTABLE IN THE ROLE OF HER BENEFACTOR


SATISFACTORY INDEED VERY SATISFACTORY BARBARA IVANOVNA TOLD ME TODAY HOW OUR TROOPS ARE DISTINGUISHING THEMSELVES IT CERTAINLY DOES THEM CREDIT AND THE PEOPLE TOO ARE QUITE MUTINOUS


THEY NO LONGER OBEY EVEN MY MAID HAS TAKEN TO BEING RUDE AT THIS RATE THEY WILL SOON BEGIN BEATING US ONE CAN'T WALK IN THE STREETS BUT ABOVE ALL THE FRENCH WILL BE HERE ANY DAY NOW SO WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR I ASK JUST ONE THING OF YOU COUSIN SHE WENT ON


ARRANGE FOR ME TO BE TAKEN TO PETERSBURG WHATEVER I MAY BE I CAN'T LIVE UNDER BONAPARTE'S RULE OH COME MA COUSINE WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INFORMATION FROM ON THE CONTRARY


I WON'T SUBMIT TO YOUR NAPOLEON OTHERS MAY IF THEY PLEASE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THIS BUT I WILL I'LL GIVE THE ORDER AT ONCE THE PRINCESS WAS APPARENTLY VEXED AT NOT HAVING ANYONE TO BE ANGRY WITH MUTTERING TO HERSELF SHE SAT DOWN ON A CHAIR


BUT YOU HAVE BEEN MISINFORMED SAID PIERRE EVERYTHING IS QUIET IN THE CITY AND THERE IS NOT THE SLIGHTEST DANGER SEE I'VE JUST BEEN READING HE SHOWED HER THE BROADSHEET


OH THAT COUNT OF YOURS SAID THE PRINCESS MALEVOLENTLY HE IS A HYPOCRITE A RASCAL WHO HAS HIMSELF ROUSED THE PEOPLE TO RIOT DIDN'T HE WRITE IN THOSE IDIOTIC BROADSHEETS THAT ANYONE WHOEVER IT MIGHT BE SHOULD BE DRAGGED TO THE LOCKUP BY HIS HAIR HOW SILLY


AND HONOR AND GLORY TO WHOEVER CAPTURES HIM HE SAYS THIS IS WHAT HIS CAJOLERY HAS BROUGHT US TO BARBARA IVANOVNA TOLD ME THE MOB NEAR KILLED HER BECAUSE SHE SAID SOMETHING IN FRENCH OH BUT IT'S SO YOU


TAKE EVERYTHING SO TO HEART SAID PIERRE AND BEGAN LAYING OUT HIS CARDS FOR PATIENCE ALTHOUGH THAT PATIENCE DID COME OUT PIERRE DID NOT JOIN THE ARMY BUT REMAINED IN DESERTED MOSCOW EVER IN THE SAME STATE OF AGITATION


IRRESOLUTION AND ALARM YET AT THE SAME TIME JOYFULLY EXPECTING SOMETHING TERRIBLE NEXT DAY TOWARD EVENING THE PRINCESS SET OFF AND PIERRE'S HEAD STEWARD CAME TO INFORM HIM THAT THE MONEY NEEDED FOR THE EQUIPMENT OF HIS REGIMENT


COULD NOT BE FOUND WITHOUT SELLING ONE OF THE ESTATES IN GENERAL THE HEAD STEWARD MADE OUT TO PIERRE THAT HIS PROJECT OF RAISING A REGIMENT WOULD RUIN HIM PIERRE LISTENED TO HIM SCARCELY ABLE TO REPRESS A SMILE


WELL THEN SELL IT SAID HE WHAT'S TO BE DONE I CAN'T DRAW BACK NOW THE WORSE EVERYTHING BECAME ESPECIALLY HIS OWN AFFAIRS THE BETTER WAS PIERRE PLEASED AND THE MORE EVIDENT WAS IT THAT THE CATASTROPHE HE EXPECTED WAS APPROACHING


HARDLY ANYONE HE KNEW WAS LEFT IN TOWN JULIE HAD GONE AND SO HAD PRINCESS MARY OF HIS INTIMATE FRIENDS ONLY THE ROSTOVS REMAINED BUT HE DID NOT GO TO SEE THEM TO DISTRACT HIS THOUGHTS HE DROVE THAT DAY TO THE VILLAGE OF


VORONTSOVO TO SEE THE GREAT BALLOON LEPPICH WAS CONSTRUCTING TO DESTROY THE FOE AND A TRIAL BALLOON THAT WAS TO GO UP NEXT DAY THE BALLOON WAS NOT YET READY BUT PIERRE LEARNED THAT IT WAS BEING CONSTRUCTED BY THE EMPEROR'S DESIRE


GET TOGETHER A CREW OF RELIABLE AND INTELLIGENT MEN FOR HIS CAR AND SEND A COURIER TO GENERAL KUTUZOV TO LET HIM KNOW I HAVE INFORMED HIM OF THE MATTER PLEASE IMPRESS UPON LEPPICH TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHERE HE DESCENDS FOR THE FIRST TIME


THAT HE MAY NOT MAKE A MISTAKE AND FALL INTO THE ENEMY'S HANDS IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR HIM TO COMBINE HIS MOVEMENTS WITH THOSE OF THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF ON HIS WAY HOME FROM VORONTSOVO


STOPPED AND GOT OUT OF HIS TRAP A FRENCH COOK ACCUSED OF BEING A SPY WAS BEING FLOGGED THE FLOGGING WAS ONLY JUST OVER AND THE EXECUTIONER WAS RELEASING FROM THE FLOGGING BENCH A STOUT MAN WITH RED WHISKERS IN BLUE STOCKINGS AND A GREEN JACKET


WHO WAS MOANING PITEOUSLY ANOTHER CRIMINAL THIN AND PALE STOOD NEAR JUDGING BY THEIR FACES THEY WERE BOTH FRENCHMEN WITH A FRIGHTENED AND SUFFERING LOOK RESEMBLING THAT ON THE THIN FRENCHMAN'S FACE PIERRE PUSHED HIS WAY IN THROUGH THE CROWD


WHAT IS IT WHO IS IT WHAT IS IT FOR HE KEPT ASKING BUT THE ATTENTION OF THE CROWD OFFICIALS BURGHERS SHOPKEEPERS PEASANTS AND WOMEN IN CLOAKS AND IN PELISSES


THAT NO ONE ANSWERED HIM THE STOUT MAN ROSE FROWNED SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS AND EVIDENTLY TRYING TO APPEAR FIRM BEGAN TO PULL ON HIS JACKET WITHOUT LOOKING ABOUT HIM BUT SUDDENLY HIS LIPS TREMBLED AND HE BEGAN TO CRY


RUSSIAN SAUCE SEEMS TO BE SOUR TO A FRENCHMAN SETS HIS TEETH ON EDGE SAID A WRINKLED CLERK WHO WAS STANDING BEHIND PIERRE WHEN THE FRENCHMAN BEGAN TO CRY THE CLERK GLANCED ROUND EVIDENTLY HOPING THAT HIS JOKE WOULD BE APPRECIATED


SOME PEOPLE BEGAN TO LAUGH OTHERS CONTINUED TO WATCH IN DISMAY THE EXECUTIONER WHO WAS UNDRESSING THE OTHER MAN PIERRE CHOKED HIS FACE PUCKERED AND HE TURNED HASTILY AWAY WENT BACK TO HIS TRAP MUTTERING SOMETHING TO HIMSELF AS HE WENT AND TOOK HIS SEAT


AS THEY DROVE ALONG HE SHUDDERED AND EXCLAIMED SEVERAL TIMES SO AUDIBLY THAT THE COACHMAN ASKED HIM WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE WHERE ARE YOU GOING SHOUTED PIERRE TO THE MAN WHO WAS DRIVING TO LUBYANKA STREET


AT THE SIGHT OF THE TORTURED FRENCHMAN AND THE CROWD SURROUNDING THE LOBNOE PLACE PIERRE HAD SO DEFINITELY MADE UP HIS MIND THAT HE COULD NO LONGER REMAIN IN MOSCOW AND WOULD LEAVE FOR THE ARMY THAT VERY DAY THAT IT SEEMED TO HIM THAT EITHER


HE HAD TOLD THE COACHMAN THIS OR THAT THE MAN OUGHT TO HAVE KNOWN IT FOR HIMSELF ON REACHING HOME PIERRE GAVE ORDERS TO EVSTAFEY HIS HEAD COACHMAN WHO KNEW EVERYTHING COULD DO ANYTHING AND WAS KNOWN TO ALL MOSCOW


AND THAT HIS SADDLE HORSES SHOULD BE SENT THERE THIS COULD NOT ALL BE ARRANGED THAT DAY SO ON


THIS WAS THE BATTLE OF SHEVARDINO HE WAS TOLD THAT THERE IN PERKHUSHKOVO THE EARTH TREMBLED FROM THE FIRING BUT NOBODY COULD ANSWER HIS QUESTIONS AS TO WHO HAD WON AT DAWN NEXT DAY PIERRE WAS APPROACHING MOZHAYSK


EVERY HOUSE IN MOZHAYSK HAD SOLDIERS QUARTERED IN IT AND AT THE HOSTEL WHERE PIERRE WAS MET BY HIS GROOM AND COACHMAN THERE WAS NO ROOM TO BE HAD IT WAS FULL OF OFFICERS


EVERYWHERE IN MOZHAYSK AND BEYOND IT TROOPS WERE STATIONED OR ON THE MARCH COSSACKS FOOT AND HORSE SOLDIERS WAGONS CAISSONS AND CANNON WERE EVERYWHERE


PIERRE PUSHED FORWARD AS FAST AS HE COULD AND THE FARTHER HE LEFT MOSCOW BEHIND AND THE DEEPER HE PLUNGED INTO THAT SEA OF TROOPS THE MORE WAS HE OVERCOME BY RESTLESS AGITATION AND A NEW AND JOYFUL FEELING HE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED BEFORE


THE COMFORTS OF LIFE WEALTH EVEN LIFE ITSELF IS RUBBISH IT IS PLEASANT TO THROW AWAY COMPARED WITH SOMETHING WITH WHAT PIERRE COULD NOT SAY AND HE DID NOT TRY TO DETERMINE FOR WHOM AND FOR WHAT HE FELT SUCH PARTICULAR DELIGHT IN SACRIFICING EVERYTHING


CHAPTER THIRTEEN THE BOOMERANG THE LAWN FETE WAS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS AND EVERY FARMER'S WIFE WAS PROUD OF HER SATIN BADGE BEARING THE MONOGRAM W P L AND THE WORDS


FORBES FOR REPRESENTATIVE CERTAIN EDIBLES SUCH AS CHARLOTTE RUSSE SPANISH CREAM WINE JELLIES AND MOUSSES TO SAY NOTHING OF THE CAVIARS AND ANCHOVIES WERE WHOLLY UNKNOWN TO THEM


BUT THEY ATE THE DAINTIES WITH A WISE DISREGARD OF THEIR INEXPERIENCE AND ENJOYED THEM IMMENSELY THE OLD BUTLER WAS A GENERAL IN HIS WAY AND IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT THE STAFF OF SERVANTS AT ELMHURST


WAS INSUFFICIENT TO COPE WITH SUCH A THRONG HE ALLOWED LOUISE TO IMPRESS SEVERAL FARMERS DAUGHTERS INTO SERVICE AND WAS ABLE TO FEED EVERYONE WITHOUT DELAY AND IN AN ABUNDANT AND SATISFACTORY MANNER


AFTER LUNCHEON BEGAN THE SPEECH MAKING INTERSPERSED WITH MUSIC BY THE BAND LOUISE MADE THE PRELIMINARY ADDRESS AND ALTHOUGH HER VOICE WAS NOT VERY STRONG


THE SILENT ATTENTION OF HER HEARERS PERMITTED HER TO BE GENERALLY UNDERSTOOD SHE CALLED ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THIS CAMPAIGN WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT PROMISED MORE BEAUTIFUL AND ATTRACTIVE HOUSES FOR THE FARMERS AND TOWNSMEN ALIKE


WE HAD ALL GROWN SO ACCUSTOMED TO ADVERTISING SIGNS SHE SAID THAT WE FAILED TO NOTICE HOW THICK THEY WERE BECOMING OR HOW BOLD AND OVERPOWERING FROM A FEW SCATTERED ANNOUNCEMENTS ON FENCE BOARDS


THEY HAD CROWDED THEMSELVES INTO MORE PROMINENT PLACES UNTIL THE BARNS AND SHEDS AND THE VERY ROCKS WERE DAUBED WITH GLARING LETTERS ASKING US TO BUY THE MEDICINES SOAPS TOBACCOS AND OTHER WARES THE MANUFACTURERS WERE ANXIOUS TO SELL


EVERY COUNTRY ROAD BECAME AN ADVERTISING AVENUE SCARCELY A COUNTRY HOUSE WAS FREE FROM SIGNS OF SOME SORT YET THE PEOPLE TAMELY SUBMITTED TO THIS IMPOSITION BECAUSE THEY KNEW NO WAY TO AVOID IT


WHEN MISTER FORBES BEGAN HIS CAMPAIGN TO RESTORE THE HOMESTEADS TO THEIR FORMER BEAUTY AND DIGNITY A CRY WAS RAISED AGAINST HIM BUT THIS WAS BECAUSE THE FARMERS DID NOT UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH THIS REFORM MEANT TO THEM


SO WE GAVE THEM AN OBJECT LESSON WE PAINTED OUT ALL THE SIGNS IN THIS SECTION AT OUR OWN EXPENSE THAT YOU MIGHT SEE HOW MUCH MORE BEAUTIFUL YOUR HOMES ARE WITHOUT THEM


WE BELIEVE THAT NONE OF YOU WILL EVER CARE TO ALLOW ADVERTISING SIGNS ON YOUR PROPERTY AGAIN AND THAT THE QUIET REFINEMENT OF THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY WILL INDUCE MANY OTHER PLACES TO FOLLOW OUR EXAMPLE


UNTIL ADVERTISERS ARE FORCED TO CONFINE THEMSELVES TO NEWSPAPERS MAGAZINES AND CIRCULARS THEIR ONLY LEGITIMATE CHANNELS THIS MUCH MISTER FORBES HAS ALREADY DONE FOR YOU AND HE WILL NOW TELL YOU WHAT ELSE IF HE IS ELECTED


HE PROPOSES TO DO KENNETH THEN TOOK THE PLATFORM AND WAS WELCOMED WITH A HEARTY CHEER HE MODESTLY ASSURED THEM THAT A REPRESENTATIVE IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE COULD ACCOMPLISH MUCH GOOD FOR HIS DISTRICT


IF HE HONESTLY DESIRED TO DO SO THAT WAS WHAT A REPRESENTATIVE WAS FOR TO REPRESENT HIS PEOPLE IT WAS FOLLY TO ELECT ANY MAN WHO WOULD FORGET THAT DUTY AND PROMOTE ONLY HIS OWN INTERESTS THROUGH THE POSITION OF POWER TO WHICH THE PEOPLE HAD APPOINTED HIM


MISTER FORBES ADMITTED THAT HE HAD UNDERTAKEN THIS CAMPAIGN BECAUSE HE WAS OPPOSED TO OFFENSIVE ADVERTISING SIGNS BUT NOW HE HAD BECOME INTERESTED IN OTHER ISSUES AND WAS ANXIOUS TO BE ELECTED SO THAT HE COULD CARRY ON THE WORK OF REFORM


THEY NEEDED MORE SCHOOL HOUSES FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND MANY OTHER THINGS WHICH HE HOPED TO PROVIDE AS THEIR REPRESENTATIVE DURING THIS ORATION BETH HAPPENED TO GLANCE UP AT THE HOUSE AND HER SHARP EYES DETECTED THE MAID ELIZA


STANDING SHIELDED BEHIND THE HALF CLOSED BLIND OF AN UPPER WINDOW AND LISTENING TO AS WELL AS WATCHING THE PROCEEDINGS BELOW THEN SHE REMEMBERED HOW THE GIRL HAD BEEN LAUGHING AND TALKING WITH MISTER HOPKINS WHEN SHE FIRST SAW HER


HER FIRST IMPULSE WAS TO DENOUNCE THE MAID AT ONCE AND HAVE HER DISCHARGED BUT THE TIME WAS NOT OPPORTUNE SO SHE WAITED UNTIL THE FESTIVITIES WERE ENDED


IT HAD BEEN A GREAT DAY FOR THE FAMILIES OF THE NEIGHBORING FARMERS AND THEY DROVE HOMEWARD IN THE LATE AFTERNOON FULL OF ENTHUSIASM OVER THE ROYAL MANNER IN WHICH THEY HAD BEEN ENTERTAINED AND ADMIRATION FOR THE GIRLS WHO HAD PROVIDED THE FUN AND FEASTING


INDEED THERE WERE MORE KINDLY THOUGHTS EXPRESSED FOR THE INHABITANTS OF ELMHURST THAN HAD EVER BEFORE BEEN HEARD IN A SINGLE DAY IN THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY AND THE GREAT AND THE HUMBLE SEEMED MORE CLOSELY DRAWN TOGETHER


WHEN THE LAST GUEST HAD DEPARTED BETH GOT HER COUSINS AND KENNETH TOGETHER AND TOLD THEM OF HER DISCOVERY OF THE SPY KENNETH WAS AT FIRST GREATLY ANNOYED AND PROPOSED TO CALL MARTHA AND HAVE THE FALSE MAID EJECTED FROM THE PREMISES


BUT PATSY'S WISE LITTLE HEAD COUNSELLED CAUTION IN HANDLING THE MATTER NOW THAT WE KNOW HER SECRET SHE SAID THE GIRL CANNOT CAUSE US MORE REAL HARM


AND THERE MAY BE A WAY TO CIRCUMVENT THIS UNSCRUPULOUS HOPKINS AND TURN THE INCIDENT TO OUR OWN ADVANTAGE LET'S THINK IT OVER CAREFULLY BEFORE WE ACT THERE'S ANOTHER THING SAID BETH SUPPORTING HER COUSIN


I'M INTERESTED IN THE MYSTERY SURROUNDING THE GIRL I NOW THINK I WAS WRONG IN SUSPECTING HER TO BE THE LOST LUCY ROGERS BUT THERE IS SURELY SOME ROMANCE CONNECTED WITH HER AND SHE IS NOT WHAT SHE SEEMS TO BE


I'D LIKE TO STUDY HER A LITTLE IT WAS ABSURD TO CONNECT HER WITH LUCY ROGERS OBSERVED KENNETH FOR THERE IS NOTHING IN HER CHARACTER TO REMIND ONE OF THE UNHAPPY GIRL EXCEPT HER LOOKS ADDED BETH SHE'S THE LIVING IMAGE OF MISSUS ROGERS


THAT ISN'T IMPORTANT REPLIED LOUISE IT IS PROBABLY A MERE COINCIDENCE NONE OF US HAVE EVER SEEN THE REAL LUCY AND SHE MAY NOT RESEMBLE HER MOTHER AT ALL MISSUS ROGERS CLAIMS SHE DOES SAID BETH BUT ANYHOW


I HAVE A WISH TO KEEP THIS GIRL AT THE HOUSE WHERE I CAN STUDY HER CHARACTER THEN KEEP HER MY DEAR DECIDED KENNETH I'LL SET A COUPLE OF MEN TO WATCH THE GATES AND IF SHE GOES OUT WE'LL KNOW WHOM SHE MEETS


THE MOST SHE CAN DO IS TO REPORT OUR MOVEMENTS TO MISTER HOPKINS AND THERE'S NO GREAT HARM IN THAT SO THE MATTER WAS LEFT FOR THE TIME AND AS IF TO VERIFY BETH'S SUSPICIONS ELIZA WAS SEEN TO LEAVE THE GROUNDS AFTER DUSK


AND MEET MISTER HOPKINS IN THE LANE THEY CONVERSED TOGETHER A FEW MOMENTS AND THEN THE MAID CALMLY RETURNED AND WENT TO HER ROOM THE NEXT DAY MISTER HOPKINS SCATTERED FLARING HAND BILLS OVER THE DISTRICT


THEY READ HOPKINS THE MAN OF THE TIMES IS THE CHAMPION OF THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES FORBES WHO NEVER EARNED A DOLLAR IN HIS LIFE BUT INHERITED HIS MONEY IS TRYING TO TAKE THE DOLLARS OUT OF THE POCKETS OF THE FARMERS


BY DEPRIVING THEM OF THE INCOME DERIVED BY SELLING SPACES FOR ADVERTISING SIGNS HE IS ROBBING THE FARMERS WHILE CLAIMING HE WANTS TO BEAUTIFY THEIR HOMES


THEREFORE THEY ARE GOING TO VOTE FOR THE HONORABLE ERASTUS HOPKINS FOR REPRESENTATIVE THEN FOLLOWED AN ESTIMATE OF THE MONEY PAID THE FARMERS OF THE DISTRICT BY THE ADVERTISERS DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS


AMOUNTING TO SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN THE AGGREGATE THE CIRCULAR ENDED IN THIS WAY HOPKINS CHALLENGES FORBES TO DENY THESE FACTS HOPKINS IS WILLING TO MEET FORBES BEFORE THE PUBLIC AT ANY TIME AND PLACE HE MAY SELECT


TO SETTLE THIS ARGUMENT IN JOINT DEBATE THE GIRLS ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE AT ONCE WITHIN TWO DAYS EVERY FARMER HAD RECEIVED A NOTICE THAT MISTER FORBES WOULD MEET MISTER HOPKINS


AT THE FAIRVIEW OPERA HOUSE ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON TO DEBATE THE QUESTION AS TO WHETHER ADVERTISING SIGNS BROUGHT GOOD OR EVIL TO THE COMMUNITY THE CAMPAIGN WAS NOW GETTING HOT


BECAUSE OF THE ACTIVITY OF THE OPPOSING CANDIDATES EVERY VOTER IN THE DISTRICT HAD BECOME MORE OR LESS INTERESTED IN THE FIGHT AND PEOPLE WERE TAKING ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER WITH UNUSUAL EARNESTNESS


MISTER HOPKINS WAS NOT GREATLY PLEASED THAT HIS CHALLENGE HAD BEEN ACCEPTED HE HAD IMAGINED THAT THE FORBES PARTY WOULD IGNORE IT AND LEAVE HIM THE PRESTIGE OF CROWING OVER HIS OPPONENT'S TIMIDITY


BUT HE REMEMBERED HOW EASILY HE HAD SUBDUED KENNETH AT THE SCHOOL HOUSE MEETING BEFORE THE NOMINATIONS AND HAD NO DOUBT OF HIS ABILITY TO REPEAT THE OPERATION HE WAS MUCH INCENSED AGAINST THE GIRLS WHO WERE WORKING FOR KENNETH FORBES


FOR HE REALIZED THAT THEY WERE PROVING AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE CAMPAIGN HE EVEN ATTRIBUTED TO THEM MORE THAN THEY DESERVED FOR UNCLE JOHN'S TELLING ACTIVITIES WERE SO QUIETLY CONDUCTED


THAT HE WAS PERSONALLY LOST SIGHT OF ENTIRELY BY MISTER HOPKINS MISTER HOPKINS HAD THEREFORE BECOME SO ENRAGED THAT AGAINST THE ADVICE OF HIS FRIENDS HE ISSUED A CIRCULAR SNEERING AT WOMEN IN POLITICS


THE NEWSPAPERS HAVING BEEN SUBSIDIZED BY THE OPPOSITION SO EARLY IN THE GAME MISTER HOPKINS HAD DRIVEN TO EMPLOY THE CIRCULAR METHOD OF COMMUNICATING WITH THE VOTERS SCARCELY A DAY PASSED NOW THAT HIS CORPS OF DISTRIBUTORS


DID NOT LEAVE SOME OF HIS LITERATURE AT EVERY DWELLING IN THE DISTRICT HIS TIRADE AGAINST THE GIRLS WAS NEITHER CONVINCING NOR IN GOOD TASTE HE ASKED THE VOTERS IF THEY WERE WILLING TO SUBMIT TO PETTICOAT GOVERNMENT AND PERMIT A


LOT OF BOARDING SCHOOL GIRLS WITH MORE BOLDNESS THAN MODESTY TO DICTATE THE POLICIES OF THE COMMUNITY THESE FRIZZLE HEADED FEMALES CONTINUED THE CIRCULAR ARE TRYING TO MAKE YOUR WIVES AND DAUGHTERS AS REBELLIOUS AND UNREASONABLE AS THEY ARE THEMSELVES


BUT NO MAN OF SENSE WILL PERMIT A WOMAN TO INFLUENCE HIS VOTE IT IS A DISGRACE TO THIS DISTRICT THAT MISTER FORBES ALLOWS HIS GIRLISH CAMPAIGN TO BE RUN BY A LOT OF MISSES WHO SHOULD BE AT HOME DARNING STOCKINGS OR IF THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT


IF I'M NOT MUCH MISTAKEN MISTER HOPKINS HAS THROWN A BOOMERANG EVERY WOMAN WHO ATTENDED THE FETE IS NOW LINKED WITH US AS AN ALLY AND EVERY ONE OF THEM WILL RESENT THIS FOOLISH CIRCULAR


I'M SORRY SAID KENNETH THAT YOU GIRLS SHOULD BE FORCED TO ENDURE THIS I FEARED SOMETHING LIKE IT WHEN YOU INSISTED ON TAKING A HAND IN THE GAME BUT THEY LAUGHED AT HIM


AND AT MISTER HOPKINS AND DECLARED THEY WERE NOT AT ALL OFFENDED ONE CANNOT TOUCH PITCH WITHOUT BEING DEFILED SAID MISTER WATSON GRAVELY


AS MISTER HOPKINS KNOWS IT IS LITTLE MORE THAN PITCH I CANNOT SEE THAT THERE IS ANYTHING MY GIRLS HAVE DONE TO FORFEIT RESPECT AND ADMIRATION ASSERTED UNCLE JOHN STOUTLY TO ACCUSE THEM OF BOLDNESS OR IMMODESTY IS ABSURD


THEY HAVE MERELY GONE TO WORK IN A BUSINESS LIKE MANNER AND USED THEIR WITS AND COMMON SENSE IN EDUCATING THE VOTERS REALLY MY DEARS I'M MORE PROUD OF YOU TODAY THAN I'VE EVER BEEN BEFORE HE CONCLUDED


CHAPTER FIFTEEN THE STRANGER AT THE DOOR MISSUS COLLINGWOOD REMAINED A LONG TIME UP STAIRS


SO LONG INDEED THAT THE GIRLS BEGAN TO BE RATHER UNEASY FEARING THAT SHE HAD FAINTED OR PERHAPS WAS ILL OR OVERCOME


DO YOU THINK WE OUGHT TO GO UP ASKED CYNTHIA ANXIOUSLY PERHAPS SHE NEEDS HELP NO I THINK SHE JUST WANTS TO BE BY HERSELF IT WAS FINE OF YOU CYNTHIA TO SEND HER UP ALONE


I REALLY DON'T BELIEVE I'D HAVE THOUGHT OF IT AT LENGTH THEY HEARD HER COMING SLOWLY DOWN AND PRESENTLY SHE REENTERED THE DRAWING ROOM THEY COULD SEE THAT SHE WAS MUCH MOVED AND HAD EVIDENTLY BEEN CRYING


SHE DID NOT SPEAK TO THEM AT ONCE BUT WENT AND STOOD BY THE MANTEL LOOKING UP LONG AND EARNESTLY AT THE PORTRAIT OF THE TWINS MY BABIES THEY HEARD HER MURMUR UNCONSCIOUSLY ALOUD


AT LAST HOWEVER SHE CAME TO THEM AND SAT DOWN ONCE MORE BETWEEN THEM ON THE SOFA THEY WONDERED NERVOUSLY WHAT SHE WAS GOING TO SAY MY LITTLE GIRLS SHE BEGAN FORGIVE ME


I SUPPOSE YOU CONSIDER YOURSELVES ALMOST YOUNG LADIES BUT YOU SEE I AM AN OLD WOMAN I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU A LITTLE ABOUT MY LIFE BUT I SUPPOSE YOU ALREADY KNOW MOST OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS


SHE PATTED JOYCE'S HAND THERE ARE SOME THINGS HOWEVER THAT PERHAPS YOU DO NOT KNOW AND AFTER WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME YOU DESERVE TO I WAS MARRIED WHEN I WAS A VERY YOUNG GIRL


ONLY SEVENTEEN I WAS A SOUTHERNER BUT MY HUSBAND CAME FROM THE NORTH AND BROUGHT ME UP NORTH HERE TO LIVE I ALWAYS HATED IT THIS NORTHERN LIFE AND THOUGH I


LOVED MY HUSBAND DEARLY I HATED HIS DEVOTION TO IT WE NEVER AGREED ABOUT THOSE QUESTIONS WHEN MY TWIN BABIES WERE BORN I SECRETLY DETERMINED THAT THEY SHOULD BE SOUTHERNERS


IN SPIRIT AND ONLY SOUTHERNERS I PLANNED THAT WHEN THEY WERE BOTH OLD ENOUGH THEY SHOULD MARRY IN THE SOUTH AND LIVE THERE AND MY HUSBAND AND I WITH THEM


BUT IN THIS LIFE THINGS SELDOM TURN OUT AS WE PLAN MY LITTLE GIRL DIED BEFORE SHE WAS THREE AND I HAD SCARCELY BECOME RECONCILED TO THIS GRIEF


WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS ALSO TAKEN FROM ME SO I CENTERED ALL MY HOPES ON MY SON ON FAIRFAX AS HE GREW OLDER HOWEVER AND AS THE CIVIL WAR CAME NEARER


I NOTICED THAT HE TALKED MORE AND MORE IN SYMPATHY WITH THE NORTH AND THIS DISTRESSED ME TERRIBLY HOWEVER I THOUGHT IT BEST NOT TO SAY MUCH ABOUT IT TO HIM FOR HE WAS A HEADSTRONG BOY


AND HAD ALWAYS RESENTED OPPOSITION AND I FELT SURE THAT HE WOULD SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY WHEN HE WAS OLDER I WISHED TO SEND HIM TO A SOUTHERN COLLEGE BUT HE BEGGED ME TO SEND HIM TO HARVARD


AS HIS HEART WAS SO SET ON IT I COULDN'T DENY HIM THINKING THAT EVEN THIS WOULD MAKE LITTLE DIFFERENCE IN THE END THEN CAME THE CRISIS IN THE COUNTRY'S AFFAIRS


AND THE CONFEDERACY WAS DECLARED I HAD ALREADY BEGUN TO CORRESPOND WITH SOUTHERN AUTHORITIES TO ARRANGE ABOUT RAISING A COMPANY FOR FAIRFAX I NEVER DOUBTED THAT HE WOULD COMPLY WITH MY WISHES BUT


I LITTLE KNEW HIM I HARDLY NEED TO TELL YOU OF THE AWFUL DAY THAT HE CAME HOME YOU ARE ALREADY ACQUAINTED WITH THE HISTORY OF IT THAT AFTERNOON SHORTLY AFTER HE ARRIVED


WE HAD OUR INTERVIEW I HAVE ALWAYS POSSESSED THE MOST VIOLENT TEMPER A MORTAL HAD TO STRUGGLE WITH AND IN THOSE EARLIER YEARS WHEN I GOT INTO A RAGE IT BLINDED ME TO EVERYTHING ELSE


TO EVERY OTHER EARTHLY CONSIDERATION AND DURING THAT INTERVIEW WELL NEED I SAY IT FAIRFAX WAS SIMPLY IMMOVABLE GENTLE AND LOVING ALWAYS


BUT I COULD NO MORE IMPRESS HIM WITH MY WISHES THAN I COULD HAVE MOVED THE ROCK OF GIBRALTAR THE GALLING PART TO ME WAS THAT HE KEPT INSISTING HE WAS ONLY DOING WHAT WAS RIGHT RIGHT


HOW COULD HE BE RIGHT WHEN IT WAS ALL DIRECTLY CONTRARY BUT NEVER MIND THAT NOW I HAVE LEARNED DIFFERENTLY WITH THE PASSING SORROWFUL YEARS BUT TO GO BACK


I STOOD IT AS LONG AS I COULD AND THEN I TURNED FROM HIM DISOWNED HIM BADE HIM LEAVE THE HOUSE AT ONCE AND NEVER SEE MY FACE AGAIN AND INFORMED HIM THAT I MYSELF WOULD ABANDON THE PLACE ON THE MORROW


AND RETURN TO THE SOUTH HE LEFT ME WITHOUT ANOTHER WORD AND WENT TO HIS ROOM I IMMEDIATELY SUMMONED THE SERVANTS AND DISMISSED THEM ON THE SPOT GIVING THEM ONLY TIME TO GET THEIR THINGS TOGETHER AND GO


THEN I LOCKED MYSELF IN MY ROOM TILL HE WAS GONE HE CAME SEVERAL TIMES KNOCKED AT MY DOOR AND BEGGED ME TO SEE HIM BUT I WOULD NOT


HEAVEN FORGIVE ME I WOULD NOT SO HE MUST HAVE LEFT ME THAT NOTE SHE COVERED HER EYES WITH HER HAND A MOMENT THEN SHE WENT ON


I NEVER SAW OR KNEW OF IT TILL THIS DAY IF I HAD JUST AT THIS POINT THEY WERE ALL STARTLED BY A LOUD KNOCK COMING FROM THE DIRECTION OF THE FRONT DOOR


SO UNEXPECTED WAS THE SOUND THAT THEY COULD ONLY STARE AT EACH OTHER INQUIRINGLY WITHOUT STIRRING IN A MOMENT IT CAME AGAIN A THUMPING OF THE OLD KNOCKER ON THE FRONT INNER DOOR


I GUESS I'D BETTER GO SAID JOYCE SOME ONE MAY HAVE SEEN THE LITTLE BOARDED UP DOOR OPEN DID YOU LEAVE IT OPEN SHE ASKED TURNING TO MISSUS COLLINGWOOD I THINK I DID


I WAS TOO HURRIED AND NERVOUS WHEN I CAME IN TO THINK OF IT THAT'S IT THEN SOME ONE HAS SEEN IT OPEN AND HAS STOPPED TO INQUIRE IF EVERYTHING IS ALL RIGHT SHE HURRIED AWAY TO THE FRONT DOOR


AND AFTER AN EFFORT SUCCEEDED IN PULLING IT OPEN A MAN A COMPLETE STRANGER TO HER STOOD OUTSIDE THEY REGARDED EACH OTHER WITH MUTUAL SURPRISE PARDON ME HE SAID


BUT PERHAPS YOU CAN INFORM ME IS ANY ONE LIVING IN THIS HOUSE AT PRESENT WHY NO REPLIED JOYCE RATHER CONFUSEDLY THAT IS NO THE HOUSE IS EMPTY EXCEPT JUST JUST TO DAY


OH ER I SEE THE FACT IS THE STRANGER WENT ON I WAS PASSING HERE AND NOTICED THIS OUTER DOOR OPEN WHICH SEEMED A LITTLE QUEER I USED TO KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED HERE VERY WELL INDEED


AND I HAVE BEEN WONDERING WHETHER THE HOUSE WAS STILL IN THEIR POSSESSION IT SEEMED TO BE UNTENANTED AT HIS MENTION OF KNOWING THE FAMILY JOYCE LOOKED HIM OVER WITH CONSIDERABLY MORE INTEREST HE WAS TALL STRAIGHT AND ROBUST


THOUGH RATHER VERGING ON THE ELDERLY HIS IRON GRAY HAIR WAS CRISPLY CURLY AND HIS DARK EYES TWINKLED OUT FROM UNDER BUSHY GRAY BROWS HIS SMILE WAS CAPTIVATING


JOYCE DECIDED AT ONCE THAT SHE LIKED HIM OH DID YOU KNOW THE FAMILY THE THE COLLINGWOODS HE SUPPLEMENTED WITH HIS TWINKLING SMILE YES I KNEW THEM QUITE INTIMATELY


MIGHT I PERHAPS IF IT WOULD NOT BE INTRUDING COME IN JUST A MOMENT TO LOOK ONCE MORE AT THE OLD PLACE THAT IS HE ADDED HASTILY SEEING HER HESITATE ONLY IF IT WOULD BE ENTIRELY CONVENIENT


I DO NOT KNOW OF COURSE WHY THE HOUSE IS OPEN PERHAPS PEOPLE ARE ARE ABOUT TO PURCHASE IT JOYCE WAS FOR A MOMENT TONGUE TIED WITH PERPLEXITY SHE HATED TO REFUSE THE SIMPLE WISH OF THIS PLEASANT STRANGER


YET HOW WAS SHE TO COMPLY WITH IT CONSIDERING THE PRESENCE OF MISSUS COLLINGWOOD AND THE ALMOST UNEXPLAINABLE POSITION OF HERSELF AND CYNTHIA WHAT WOULD HE THINK OF IT ALL WHILE SHE WAS HESITATING AN IDEA CAME TO HER


THERE IS ONE OF THE FAMILY HERE TO DAY ON ON BUSINESS SHE SAID AT LAST IF YOU WILL GIVE ME YOUR NAME I WILL ASK IF THAT PERSON WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU OH THAT IS HARDLY WORTH WHILE


MY NAME IS CALTHORPE BUT I'M SURE THEY WOULDN'T REMEMBER ME AFTER ALL THIS TIME AND I DO NOT WISH TO TROUBLE THEM BUT JOYCE HAD EXCUSED HERSELF AND TURNED AWAY AS SOON AS SHE HEARD THE NAME LEAVING HIM STANDING THERE


MISSUS COLLINGWOOD HOWEVER SHOOK HER HEAD WHEN JOYCE ANNOUNCED WHO WAS OUTSIDE I DO NOT REMEMBER ANY ONE NAMED CALTHORPE AND I SCARCELY FEEL THAT I CAN SEE A STRANGER NOW


BUT WE MUST NOT BE INHOSPITABLE MISS CYNTHIA AND I WILL GO AND SIT IN THE LIBRARY AND YOU CAN BRING HIM INTO THE DRAWING ROOM A FEW MOMENTS THERE IS NO OTHER PART OF THE HOUSE THAT CAN VERY WELL BE SHOWN


SHE TOOK CYNTHIA'S ARM WALKED INTO THE LIBRARY AND PARTLY CLOSED THE DOOR WHILE JOYCE WENT OUT TO ADMIT THE STRANGER IF YOU CARE TO LOOK AROUND THE DRAWING ROOM YOU WILL BE MOST WELCOME SHE ANNOUNCED POLITELY


HE ACCEPTED THE INVITATION GRATEFULLY AND ENTERED WITH HER AT THE FIRST GLANCE HOWEVER HE STARTED BACK SLIGHTLY AS WITH A SHOCK OF SURPRISE WHY HOW STRANGE HOW VERY SINGULAR HE MURMURED


THESE CANDLES EVERYTHING EVERYTHING JUST THE SAME AS THOUGH IT WERE YESTERDAY DID YOU OFTEN COME HERE INQUIRED JOYCE YOU MUST BE VERY WELL ACQUAINTED WITH THE HOUSE


YES I CAME OFTEN I WAS ALMOST LIKE AN INMATE HE BEGAN TO WANDER SLOWLY ABOUT THE ROOM EXAMINING THE PICTURES IN FRONT OF THE BABY TWINS HE PAUSED A LONG TIME


THEN YOU MUST HAVE KNOWN YOUNG MISTER FAIRFAX VERY WELL SUGGESTED JOYCE THAT'S HE ON THE RIGHT IN THE PICTURE THE STRANGER EYED HER CURIOUSLY WHY YES I KNEW HIM WELL


BUT YOU LITTLE LADY SEEM QUITE INTIMATE WITH THE COLLINGWOOD FAMILY HISTORY TELL ME ARE YOU A A RELATIVE THIS CONFUSED JOYCE ANEW


BUT I HAVE BEEN TOLD A GOOD DEAL ABOUT THEM AN UNHAPPY FAMILY WAS HIS ONLY COMMENT AND HE CONTINUED HIS TOUR AROUND THE ROOM


IN FRONT OF THE OLD SQUARE OPEN PIANO HE PAUSED AGAIN AND FINGERED THE SILK SCARF THAT HAD AT SOME LONG AGO DATE BEEN THROWN CARELESSLY UPON IT THEN HE RAN HIS FINGERS LIGHTLY OVER THE YELLOW KEYS


THE TONES WERE UNBELIEVABLY JANGLING AND DISCORDANT YET JOYCE THOUGHT SHE CAUGHT THE NOTES OF A LITTLE TUNE AND IN ANOTHER MOMENT HE BROKE INTO THE AIR SINGING SOFTLY THE OPENING LINE


HE HAD SUNG NO MORE WHEN THE FACE OF MISSUS COLLINGWOOD APPEARED IN THE DOORWAY HER EYES WERE WIDE AND STARING HER FEATURES ALMOST GRAY IN COLOR


WHO WHO ARE YOU SHE DEMANDED IN A VOICE SCARCELY LOUDER THAN A WHISPER THE STRANGER GAZED AT HER WITH A FIXED LOOK ARTHUR


ARTHUR CALTHORPE HE FALTERED NO YOU ARE NOT THEY DREW TOWARD EACH OTHER UNCONSCIOUSLY AS THOUGH MOVING IN A DREAM NO ONE


MISSUS COLLINGWOOD CAME CLOSER AND UTTERED A SUDDEN LOW CRY MY SON MOTHER THE TWO GIRLS WHO HAD BEEN WATCHING THIS SCENE WITH AMAZEMENT UNUTTERABLE


THEN WITH A BEAUTIFUL GESTURE THE MAN HELD OUT HIS ARMS AND THE WOMAN WITH A LITTLE GASP OF HAPPINESS


ALL OF THEM TOOK SCARCELY ANY NOTICE OF MY ENTRANCE WHICH WAS STRANGE FOR I HAD NOT MET THEM FOR YEARS EVIDENTLY THEY LOOKED UPON ME AS SOMETHING ON THE LEVEL OF A COMMON FLY I HAD NOT BEEN TREATED LIKE THAT EVEN AT SCHOOL THOUGH THEY ALL HATED ME


I KNEW OF COURSE THAT THEY MUST DESPISE ME NOW FOR MY LACK OF SUCCESS IN THE SERVICE AND FOR MY HAVING LET MYSELF SINK SO LOW GOING ABOUT BADLY DRESSED AND SO ON WHICH SEEMED TO THEM A SIGN OF MY INCAPACITY AND INSIGNIFICANCE


BUT I HAD NOT EXPECTED SUCH CONTEMPT SIMONOV WAS POSITIVELY SURPRISED AT MY TURNING UP


ALL THIS DISCONCERTED ME I SAT DOWN FEELING RATHER MISERABLE AND BEGAN LISTENING TO WHAT THEY WERE SAYING THEY WERE ENGAGED IN WARM AND EARNEST CONVERSATION ABOUT A FAREWELL DINNER WHICH THEY WANTED TO ARRANGE FOR THE NEXT DAY TO A COMRADE OF THEIRS CALLED ZVERKOV


THIS ZVERKOV HAD BEEN ALL THE TIME AT SCHOOL WITH ME TOO I HAD BEGUN TO HATE HIM PARTICULARLY IN THE UPPER FORMS IN THE LOWER FORMS HE HAD SIMPLY BEEN A PRETTY PLAYFUL BOY WHOM EVERYBODY LIKED I HAD HATED HIM HOWEVER EVEN IN THE LOWER FORMS


JUST BECAUSE HE WAS A PRETTY AND PLAYFUL BOY HE WAS ALWAYS BAD AT HIS LESSONS AND GOT WORSE AND WORSE AS HE WENT ON HOWEVER HE LEFT WITH A GOOD CERTIFICATE AS HE HAD POWERFUL INTERESTS DURING HIS LAST YEAR AT SCHOOL HE CAME IN FOR AN ESTATE OF TWO HUNDRED SERFS


AND AS ALMOST ALL OF US WERE POOR HE TOOK UP A SWAGGERING TONE AMONG US HE WAS VULGAR IN THE EXTREME BUT AT THE SAME TIME HE WAS A GOOD NATURED FELLOW EVEN IN HIS SWAGGERING


IN SPITE OF SUPERFICIAL FANTASTIC AND SHAM NOTIONS OF HONOUR AND DIGNITY ALL BUT VERY FEW OF US POSITIVELY GROVELLED BEFORE ZVERKOV AND THE MORE SO THE MORE HE SWAGGERED AND IT WAS NOT FROM ANY INTERESTED MOTIVE


BUT SIMPLY BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN FAVOURED BY THE GIFTS OF NATURE MOREOVER IT WAS AS IT WERE AN ACCEPTED IDEA AMONG US THAT ZVERKOV WAS A SPECIALIST IN REGARD TO TACT AND THE SOCIAL GRACES THIS LAST FACT PARTICULARLY INFURIATED ME


I HATED THE ABRUPT SELF CONFIDENT TONE OF HIS VOICE HIS ADMIRATION OF HIS OWN WITTICISMS


THOUGH HE WAS BOLD IN HIS LANGUAGE I HATED HIS HANDSOME BUT STUPID FACE FOR WHICH I WOULD HOWEVER HAVE GLADLY EXCHANGED MY INTELLIGENT ONE AND THE FREE AND EASY MILITARY MANNERS IN FASHION IN THE FORTIES


I HATED THE WAY IN WHICH HE USED TO TALK OF HIS FUTURE CONQUESTS OF WOMEN HE DID NOT VENTURE TO BEGIN HIS ATTACK UPON WOMEN UNTIL HE HAD THE EPAULETTES OF AN OFFICER AND WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THEM WITH IMPATIENCE AND BOASTED OF THE DUELS HE WOULD CONSTANTLY BE FIGHTING


I REMEMBER HOW I INVARIABLY SO TACITURN SUDDENLY FASTENED UPON ZVERKOV WHEN ONE DAY TALKING AT A LEISURE MOMENT WITH HIS SCHOOLFELLOWS OF HIS FUTURE RELATIONS WITH THE FAIR SEX AND GROWING AS SPORTIVE AS A PUPPY IN THE SUN


HE ALL AT ONCE DECLARED THAT HE WOULD NOT LEAVE A SINGLE VILLAGE GIRL ON HIS ESTATE UNNOTICED


AND THAT IF THE PEASANTS DARED TO PROTEST HE WOULD HAVE THEM ALL FLOGGED AND DOUBLE THE TAX ON THEM THE BEARDED RASCALS OUR SERVILE RABBLE APPLAUDED BUT I ATTACKED HIM NOT FROM COMPASSION FOR THE GIRLS AND THEIR FATHERS


BUT SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY WERE APPLAUDING SUCH AN INSECT I GOT THE BETTER OF HIM ON THAT OCCASION BUT THOUGH ZVERKOV WAS STUPID HE WAS LIVELY AND IMPUDENT AND SO LAUGHED IT OFF AND IN SUCH A WAY THAT MY VICTORY WAS NOT REALLY COMPLETE


THE LAUGH WAS ON HIS SIDE HE GOT THE BETTER OF ME ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AFTERWARDS BUT WITHOUT MALICE JESTINGLY CASUALLY I REMAINED ANGRILY AND CONTEMPTUOUSLY SILENT AND WOULD NOT ANSWER HIM WHEN WE LEFT SCHOOL HE MADE ADVANCES TO ME


I DID NOT REBUFF THEM FOR I WAS FLATTERED BUT WE SOON PARTED AND QUITE NATURALLY AFTERWARDS I HEARD OF HIS BARRACK ROOM SUCCESS AS A LIEUTENANT AND OF THE FAST LIFE HE WAS LEADING THEN THERE CAME OTHER RUMOURS


BY THEN HE HAD TAKEN TO CUTTING ME IN THE STREET AND I SUSPECTED THAT HE WAS AFRAID OF COMPROMISING HIMSELF BY GREETING A PERSONAGE AS INSIGNIFICANT AS ME I SAW HIM ONCE IN THE THEATRE IN THE THIRD TIER OF BOXES


BY THEN HE WAS WEARING SHOULDER STRAPS HE WAS TWISTING AND TWIRLING ABOUT INGRATIATING HIMSELF WITH THE DAUGHTERS OF AN ANCIENT GENERAL IN THREE YEARS HE HAD GONE OFF CONSIDERABLY THOUGH HE WAS STILL RATHER HANDSOME AND ADROIT


ONE COULD SEE THAT BY THE TIME HE WAS THIRTY HE WOULD BE CORPULENT


THEY HAD KEPT UP WITH HIM FOR THOSE THREE YEARS THOUGH PRIVATELY THEY DID NOT CONSIDER THEMSELVES ON AN EQUAL FOOTING WITH HIM I AM CONVINCED OF THAT OF SIMONOV'S TWO VISITORS ONE WAS FERFITCHKIN A RUSSIANISED GERMAN


A LITTLE FELLOW WITH THE FACE OF A MONKEY A BLOCKHEAD WHO WAS ALWAYS DERIDING EVERYONE A VERY BITTER ENEMY OF MINE FROM OUR DAYS IN THE LOWER FORMS A VULGAR IMPUDENT SWAGGERING FELLOW WHO AFFECTED A MOST SENSITIVE FEELING


OF PERSONAL HONOUR THOUGH OF COURSE HE WAS A WRETCHED LITTLE COWARD AT HEART HE WAS ONE OF THOSE WORSHIPPERS OF ZVERKOV WHO MADE UP TO THE LATTER FROM INTERESTED MOTIVES AND OFTEN BORROWED MONEY FROM HIM SIMONOV'S OTHER VISITOR TRUDOLYUBOV WAS A PERSON IN NO WAY REMARKABLE


A TALL YOUNG FELLOW IN THE ARMY WITH A COLD FACE FAIRLY HONEST THOUGH HE WORSHIPPED SUCCESS OF EVERY SORT AND WAS ONLY CAPABLE OF THINKING OF PROMOTION HE WAS SOME SORT OF DISTANT RELATION OF ZVERKOV'S AND THIS


GAVE HIM A CERTAIN IMPORTANCE AMONG US HE ALWAYS THOUGHT ME OF NO CONSEQUENCE WHATEVER HIS BEHAVIOUR TO ME THOUGH NOT QUITE COURTEOUS WAS TOLERABLE WELL WITH SEVEN ROUBLES EACH SAID TRUDOLYUBOV TWENTY ONE ROUBLES BETWEEN THE THREE OF US


WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO GET A GOOD DINNER ZVERKOV OF COURSE WON'T PAY OF COURSE NOT SINCE WE ARE INVITING HIM SIMONOV DECIDED CAN YOU IMAGINE FERFITCHKIN INTERRUPTED HOTLY AND CONCEITEDLY


LIKE SOME INSOLENT FLUNKEY BOASTING OF HIS MASTER THE GENERAL'S DECORATIONS CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT ZVERKOV WILL LET US PAY ALONE HE WILL ACCEPT FROM DELICACY


SO THE THREE OF US WITH ZVERKOV FOR THE FOURTH


SIMONOV WHO HAD BEEN ASKED TO MAKE THE ARRANGEMENTS CONCLUDED FINALLY HOW TWENTY ONE ROUBLES I ASKED IN SOME AGITATION WITH A SHOW OF BEING OFFENDED


TWENTY EIGHT ROUBLES IT SEEMED TO ME THAT TO INVITE MYSELF SO SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY WOULD BE POSITIVELY GRACEFUL AND THAT THEY WOULD ALL BE CONQUERED AT ONCE


DO YOU WANT TO JOIN TOO SIMONOV OBSERVED WITH NO APPEARANCE OF PLEASURE SEEMING TO AVOID LOOKING AT ME HE KNEW ME THROUGH AND THROUGH IT INFURIATED ME THAT HE KNEW ME SO THOROUGHLY WHY NOT


I AM AN OLD SCHOOLFELLOW OF HIS TOO I BELIEVE AND I MUST OWN I FEEL HURT THAT YOU HAVE LEFT ME OUT I SAID BOILING OVER AGAIN AND WHERE WERE WE TO FIND YOU FERFITCHKIN PUT IN ROUGHLY YOU NEVER WERE ON GOOD TERMS WITH ZVERKOV TRUDOLYUBOV ADDED FROWNING


BUT I HAD ALREADY CLUTCHED AT THE IDEA AND WOULD NOT GIVE IT UP IT SEEMS TO ME THAT NO ONE HAS A RIGHT TO FORM AN OPINION UPON THAT I RETORTED IN A SHAKING VOICE AS THOUGH SOMETHING TREMENDOUS HAD HAPPENED PERHAPS THAT IS JUST MY REASON FOR WISHING IT NOW


THAT I HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN ON GOOD TERMS WITH HIM OH THERE'S NO MAKING YOU OUT WITH THESE REFINEMENTS TRUDOLYUBOV JEERED WE'LL PUT YOUR NAME DOWN SIMONOV DECIDED ADDRESSING ME


WHAT ABOUT THE MONEY FERFITCHKIN BEGAN IN AN UNDERTONE INDICATING ME TO SIMONOV BUT HE BROKE OFF FOR EVEN SIMONOV WAS EMBARRASSED THAT WILL DO SAID TRUDOLYUBOV GETTING UP IF HE WANTS TO COME SO MUCH LET HIM


BUT IT'S A PRIVATE THING BETWEEN US FRIENDS FERFITCHKIN SAID CROSSLY AS HE TOO PICKED UP HIS HAT IT'S NOT AN OFFICIAL GATHERING WE DO NOT WANT AT ALL PERHAPS THEY WENT AWAY FERFITCHKIN DID NOT GREET ME IN ANY WAY AS HE WENT OUT


TRUDOLYUBOV BARELY NODDED SIMONOV WITH WHOM I WAS LEFT TETE A TETE WAS IN A STATE OF VEXATION AND PERPLEXITY AND LOOKED AT ME QUEERLY


WILL YOU PAY YOUR SUBSCRIPTION NOW I JUST ASK SO AS TO KNOW HE MUTTERED IN EMBARRASSMENT I FLUSHED CRIMSON AS I DID SO I REMEMBERED THAT I HAD OWED SIMONOV FIFTEEN ROUBLES FOR AGES


WHICH I HAD INDEED NEVER FORGOTTEN THOUGH I HAD NOT PAID IT


VEXED THAT I HAVE FORGOTTEN ALL RIGHT ALL RIGHT THAT DOESN'T MATTER YOU CAN PAY TOMORROW AFTER THE DINNER I SIMPLY WANTED TO KNOW PLEASE DON'T HE BROKE OFF AND BEGAN PACING THE ROOM STILL MORE VEXED AS HE WALKED HE BEGAN TO STAMP WITH HIS HEELS


AM I KEEPING YOU I ASKED AFTER TWO MINUTES OF SILENCE


THAT IS TO BE TRUTHFUL YES I HAVE TO GO AND SEE SOMEONE NOT FAR FROM HERE


MY GOODNESS WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO I CRIED


IT'S CLOSE BY NOT TWO PACES AWAY SIMONOV REPEATED ACCOMPANYING ME TO THE FRONT DOOR WITH A FUSSY AIR WHICH DID NOT SUIT HIM AT ALL


HE WAS VERY GLAD TO GET RID OF ME I WAS IN A FURY WHAT POSSESSED ME WHAT POSSESSED ME TO FORCE MYSELF UPON THEM I WONDERED GRINDING MY TEETH AS I STRODE ALONG THE STREET FOR A SCOUNDREL A PIG LIKE THAT ZVERKOV OF COURSE


I HAD BETTER NOT GO OF COURSE I MUST JUST SNAP MY FINGERS AT THEM


BUT WHAT MADE ME FURIOUS WAS THAT I KNEW FOR CERTAIN THAT I SHOULD GO THAT I SHOULD MAKE A POINT OF GOING AND THE MORE TACTLESS THE MORE UNSEEMLY MY GOING WOULD BE THE MORE CERTAINLY I WOULD GO AND THERE WAS A POSITIVE OBSTACLE TO MY GOING


I HAD NO MONEY ALL I HAD WAS NINE ROUBLES I HAD TO GIVE SEVEN OF THAT TO MY SERVANT APOLLON FOR HIS MONTHLY WAGES THAT WAS ALL I PAID HIM HE HAD TO KEEP HIMSELF


NOT TO PAY HIM WAS IMPOSSIBLE CONSIDERING HIS CHARACTER BUT I WILL TALK ABOUT THAT FELLOW ABOUT THAT PLAGUE OF MINE ANOTHER TIME HOWEVER I KNEW I SHOULD GO AND SHOULD NOT PAY HIM HIS WAGES THAT NIGHT I HAD THE MOST HIDEOUS DREAMS


I WAS SENT TO THE SCHOOL BY DISTANT RELATIONS UPON WHOM I WAS DEPENDENT AND OF WHOM I HAVE HEARD NOTHING SINCE THEY SENT ME THERE A FORLORN SILENT BOY ALREADY CRUSHED BY THEIR REPROACHES ALREADY TROUBLED BY DOUBT


AND LOOKING WITH SAVAGE DISTRUST AT EVERYONE MY SCHOOLFELLOWS MET ME WITH SPITEFUL AND MERCILESS JIBES BECAUSE I WAS NOT LIKE ANY OF THEM BUT I COULD NOT ENDURE THEIR TAUNTS


I COULD NOT GIVE IN TO THEM WITH THE IGNOBLE READINESS WITH WHICH THEY GAVE IN TO ONE ANOTHER I HATED THEM FROM THE FIRST AND SHUT MYSELF AWAY FROM EVERYONE IN TIMID WOUNDED AND DISPROPORTIONATE PRIDE


THEIR COARSENESS REVOLTED ME THEY LAUGHED CYNICALLY AT MY FACE AT MY CLUMSY FIGURE AND YET WHAT STUPID FACES THEY HAD THEMSELVES IN OUR SCHOOL THE BOYS FACES SEEMED IN A SPECIAL WAY TO DEGENERATE AND GROW STUPIDER


HOW MANY FINE LOOKING BOYS CAME TO US IN A FEW YEARS THEY BECAME REPULSIVE EVEN AT SIXTEEN I WONDERED AT THEM MOROSELY EVEN THEN I WAS STRUCK BY THE PETTINESS OF THEIR THOUGHTS THE STUPIDITY OF THEIR PURSUITS


THEIR GAMES THEIR CONVERSATIONS THEY HAD NO UNDERSTANDING OF SUCH ESSENTIAL THINGS THEY TOOK NO INTEREST IN SUCH STRIKING IMPRESSIVE SUBJECTS THAT I COULD NOT HELP CONSIDERING THEM INFERIOR TO MYSELF


IT WAS NOT WOUNDED VANITY THAT DROVE ME TO IT AND FOR GOD'S SAKE DO NOT THRUST UPON ME YOUR HACKNEYED REMARKS REPEATED TO NAUSEA THAT I WAS ONLY A DREAMER WHILE THEY EVEN THEN HAD AN UNDERSTANDING OF LIFE


THEY TOOK RANK FOR INTELLIGENCE EVEN AT SIXTEEN THEY WERE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT A SNUG BERTH OF COURSE A GREAT DEAL OF IT WAS DUE TO THEIR STUPIDITY TO THE BAD EXAMPLES WITH WHICH THEY HAD ALWAYS BEEN SURROUNDED IN THEIR CHILDHOOD AND BOYHOOD


THEY WERE MONSTROUSLY DEPRAVED OF COURSE A GREAT DEAL OF THAT TOO WAS SUPERFICIAL AND AN ASSUMPTION OF CYNICISM OF COURSE THERE WERE GLIMPSES OF YOUTH AND FRESHNESS EVEN IN THEIR DEPRAVITY BUT EVEN THAT FRESHNESS WAS NOT ATTRACTIVE


AND SHOWED ITSELF IN A CERTAIN RAKISHNESS I HATED THEM HORRIBLY THOUGH PERHAPS I WAS WORSE THAN ANY OF THEM THEY REPAID ME IN THE SAME WAY AND DID NOT CONCEAL THEIR AVERSION FOR ME BUT BY THEN I DID NOT DESIRE THEIR AFFECTION


ON THE CONTRARY I CONTINUALLY LONGED FOR THEIR HUMILIATION TO ESCAPE FROM THEIR DERISION I PURPOSELY BEGAN TO MAKE ALL THE PROGRESS I COULD WITH MY STUDIES AND FORCED MY WAY TO THE VERY TOP THIS IMPRESSED THEM


MOREOVER THEY ALL BEGAN BY DEGREES TO GRASP THAT I HAD ALREADY READ BOOKS NONE OF THEM COULD READ AND UNDERSTOOD THINGS NOT FORMING PART OF OUR SCHOOL CURRICULUM OF WHICH THEY HAD NOT EVEN HEARD THEY TOOK A SAVAGE AND SARCASTIC VIEW OF IT


BUT WERE MORALLY IMPRESSED ESPECIALLY AS THE TEACHERS BEGAN TO NOTICE ME ON THOSE GROUNDS THE MOCKERY CEASED BUT THE HOSTILITY REMAINED AND COLD AND STRAINED RELATIONS BECAME PERMANENT BETWEEN US IN THE END I COULD NOT PUT UP WITH IT


WITH YEARS A CRAVING FOR SOCIETY FOR FRIENDS DEVELOPED IN ME I ATTEMPTED TO GET ON FRIENDLY TERMS WITH SOME OF MY SCHOOLFELLOWS BUT SOMEHOW OR OTHER MY INTIMACY WITH THEM WAS ALWAYS STRAINED AND SOON ENDED OF ITSELF


ONCE INDEED I DID HAVE A FRIEND


AND REPULSED HIM AS THOUGH ALL I NEEDED HIM FOR WAS TO WIN A VICTORY OVER HIM TO SUBJUGATE HIM AND NOTHING ELSE BUT I COULD NOT SUBJUGATE ALL OF THEM MY FRIEND WAS NOT AT ALL LIKE THEM EITHER HE WAS IN FACT A RARE EXCEPTION


THE FIRST THING I DID ON LEAVING SCHOOL WAS TO GIVE UP THE SPECIAL JOB FOR WHICH I HAD BEEN DESTINED SO AS TO BREAK ALL TIES


AND GOODNESS KNOWS WHY AFTER ALL THAT I SHOULD GO TRUDGING OFF TO SIMONOV'S EARLY NEXT MORNING I ROUSED MYSELF AND JUMPED OUT OF BED WITH EXCITEMENT AS THOUGH IT WERE ALL ABOUT TO HAPPEN AT ONCE


BUT I BELIEVED THAT SOME RADICAL CHANGE IN MY LIFE WAS COMING AND WOULD INEVITABLY COME THAT DAY OWING TO ITS RARITY PERHAPS ANY EXTERNAL EVENT HOWEVER TRIVIAL ALWAYS MADE ME FEEL AS THOUGH SOME RADICAL CHANGE IN MY LIFE WERE AT HAND


I WENT TO THE OFFICE HOWEVER AS USUAL BUT SNEAKED AWAY HOME TWO HOURS EARLIER TO GET READY THE GREAT THING I THOUGHT IS NOT TO BE THE FIRST TO ARRIVE OR THEY WILL THINK I AM OVERJOYED AT COMING BUT THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF SUCH


AND THEY ALL AGITATED AND OVERWHELMED ME I POLISHED MY BOOTS A SECOND TIME WITH MY OWN HANDS NOTHING IN THE WORLD WOULD HAVE INDUCED APOLLON TO CLEAN THEM TWICE A DAY AS HE CONSIDERED THAT IT WAS MORE THAN HIS DUTIES REQUIRED OF HIM


I STOLE THE BRUSHES TO CLEAN THEM FROM THE PASSAGE BEING CAREFUL HE SHOULD NOT DETECT IT FOR FEAR OF HIS CONTEMPT


I HAD LET MYSELF GET TOO SLOVENLY MY UNIFORM PERHAPS WAS TIDY BUT I COULD NOT GO OUT TO DINNER IN MY UNIFORM THE WORST OF IT WAS THAT ON THE KNEE OF MY TROUSERS WAS A BIG YELLOW STAIN


I HAD A FOREBODING THAT THAT STAIN WOULD DEPRIVE ME OF NINE TENTHS OF MY PERSONAL DIGNITY I KNEW TOO THAT IT WAS VERY POOR TO THINK SO BUT THIS IS NO TIME FOR THINKING NOW I AM IN FOR THE REAL THING I THOUGHT AND MY HEART SANK


I KNEW TOO PERFECTLY WELL EVEN THEN THAT I WAS MONSTROUSLY EXAGGERATING THE FACTS BUT HOW COULD I HELP IT


WITH DESPAIR I PICTURED TO MYSELF HOW COLDLY AND DISDAINFULLY THAT SCOUNDREL ZVERKOV WOULD MEET ME


WITH WHAT IMPUDENT RUDENESS THE INSECT FERFITCHKIN WOULD SNIGGER AT ME IN ORDER TO CURRY FAVOUR WITH ZVERKOV HOW COMPLETELY SIMONOV WOULD TAKE IT ALL IN AND HOW HE WOULD DESPISE ME FOR THE ABJECTNESS OF MY VANITY AND LACK OF SPIRIT


AND WORST OF ALL HOW PALTRY UNLITERARY COMMONPLACE IT WOULD ALL BE


BUT THAT WAS MOST IMPOSSIBLE OF ALL IF I FEEL IMPELLED TO DO ANYTHING I SEEM TO BE PITCHFORKED INTO IT I SHOULD HAVE JEERED AT MYSELF EVER AFTERWARDS SO YOU FUNKED IT YOU FUNKED IT YOU FUNKED THE REAL THING


ON THE CONTRARY I PASSIONATELY LONGED TO SHOW ALL THAT RABBLE THAT I WAS BY NO MEANS SUCH A SPIRITLESS CREATURE AS I SEEMED TO MYSELF WHAT IS MORE EVEN IN THE ACUTEST PAROXYSM OF THIS COWARDLY FEVER I DREAMED OF GETTING THE UPPER HAND


OF DOMINATING THEM CARRYING THEM AWAY MAKING THEM LIKE ME IF ONLY FOR MY ELEVATION OF THOUGHT AND UNMISTAKABLE WIT THEY WOULD ABANDON ZVERKOV HE WOULD SIT ON ONE SIDE SILENT AND ASHAMED WHILE I SHOULD CRUSH HIM THEN PERHAPS


WE WOULD BE RECONCILED AND DRINK TO OUR EVERLASTING FRIENDSHIP BUT WHAT WAS MOST BITTER AND HUMILIATING FOR ME WAS THAT I KNEW EVEN THEN KNEW FULLY AND FOR CERTAIN THAT I NEEDED NOTHING OF ALL THIS REALLY THAT I DID NOT REALLY WANT TO CRUSH


TO SUBDUE TO ATTRACT THEM


OH HOW I PRAYED FOR THE DAY TO PASS QUICKLY


OPENED THE MOVABLE PANE AND LOOKED OUT INTO THE TROUBLED DARKNESS OF THE THICKLY FALLING WET SNOW AT LAST MY WRETCHED LITTLE CLOCK HISSED OUT FIVE I SEIZED MY HAT AND TRYING NOT TO LOOK AT APOLLON


WHO HAD BEEN ALL DAY EXPECTING HIS MONTH'S WAGES BUT IN HIS FOOLISHNESS WAS UNWILLING TO BE THE FIRST TO SPEAK ABOUT IT I SLIPPED BETWEEN HIM AND THE DOOR AND JUMPING INTO A HIGH CLASS SLEDGE ON WHICH I SPENT MY LAST HALF ROUBLE


IT WAS FOLLOWED BY REMORSE I TRIED TO DRIVE IT AWAY I FELT TOO SICK


I GREW USED TO EVERYTHING OR RATHER I VOLUNTARILY RESIGNED MYSELF TO ENDURING IT BUT I HAD A MEANS OF ESCAPE THAT RECONCILED EVERYTHING THAT WAS TO FIND REFUGE IN THE SUBLIME AND THE BEAUTIFUL IN DREAMS OF COURSE


I WAS A TERRIBLE DREAMER I WOULD DREAM FOR THREE MONTHS ON END TUCKED AWAY IN MY CORNER AND YOU MAY BELIEVE ME THAT AT THOSE MOMENTS I HAD NO RESEMBLANCE TO THE GENTLEMAN WHO IN THE PERTURBATION OF HIS CHICKEN HEART


PUT A COLLAR OF GERMAN BEAVER ON HIS GREAT COAT I SUDDENLY BECAME A HERO I WOULD NOT HAVE ADMITTED MY SIX FOOT LIEUTENANT EVEN IF HE HAD CALLED ON ME


BEFORE ME THEN WHAT WERE MY DREAMS


THOUGH INDEED EVEN NOW I AM TO SOME EXTENT SATISFIED WITH THEM DREAMS WERE PARTICULARLY SWEET AND VIVID AFTER A SPELL OF DISSIPATION


THERE WERE MOMENTS OF SUCH POSITIVE INTOXICATION OF SUCH HAPPINESS THAT THERE WAS NOT THE FAINTEST TRACE OF IRONY WITHIN ME ON MY HONOUR I HAD FAITH HOPE LOVE I BELIEVED BLINDLY AT SUCH TIMES THAT BY SOME MIRACLE


BY SOME EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCE ALL THIS WOULD SUDDENLY OPEN OUT EXPAND THAT SUDDENLY A VISTA OF SUITABLE ACTIVITY BENEFICENT GOOD AND ABOVE ALL READY MADE WHAT SORT OF ACTIVITY I HAD NO IDEA


BUT THE GREAT THING WAS THAT IT SHOULD BE ALL READY FOR ME WOULD RISE UP BEFORE ME AND I SHOULD COME OUT INTO THE LIGHT OF DAY ALMOST RIDING A WHITE HORSE AND CROWNED WITH LAUREL ANYTHING BUT THE FOREMOST PLACE I COULD NOT CONCEIVE FOR MYSELF


AND FOR THAT VERY REASON I QUITE CONTENTEDLY OCCUPIED THE LOWEST IN REALITY EITHER TO BE A HERO OR TO GROVEL IN THE MUD THERE WAS NOTHING BETWEEN


THAT WAS MY RUIN FOR WHEN I WAS IN THE MUD I COMFORTED MYSELF WITH THE THOUGHT THAT AT OTHER TIMES I WAS A HERO AND THE HERO WAS A CLOAK FOR THE MUD


IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THESE ATTACKS OF THE SUBLIME AND THE BEAUTIFUL VISITED ME EVEN DURING THE PERIOD OF DISSIPATION AND JUST AT THE TIMES WHEN I WAS TOUCHING THE BOTTOM THEY CAME IN SEPARATE SPURTS AS THOUGH REMINDING ME OF THEMSELVES


BUT DID NOT BANISH THE DISSIPATION BY THEIR APPEARANCE ON THE CONTRARY


AND WERE ONLY SUFFICIENTLY PRESENT TO SERVE AS AN APPETISING SAUCE THAT SAUCE WAS MADE UP OF CONTRADICTIONS AND SUFFERINGS OF AGONISING INWARD ANALYSIS AND ALL THESE PANGS AND PIN PRICKS GAVE A CERTAIN PIQUANCY


EVEN A SIGNIFICANCE TO MY DISSIPATION IN FACT COMPLETELY ANSWERED THE PURPOSE OF AN APPETISING SAUCE THERE WAS A CERTAIN DEPTH OF MEANING IN IT AND I COULD HARDLY HAVE RESIGNED MYSELF TO THE SIMPLE VULGAR DIRECT DEBAUCHERY OF A CLERK


AND HAVE ENDURED ALL THE FILTHINESS OF IT


INTO THE STREET NO I HAD A LOFTY WAY OF GETTING OUT OF IT ALL


IN THOSE FLIGHTS INTO THE SUBLIME AND THE BEAUTIFUL THOUGH IT WAS FANTASTIC LOVE THOUGH IT WAS NEVER APPLIED TO ANYTHING HUMAN IN REALITY YET THERE WAS SO MUCH OF THIS LOVE THAT ONE DID NOT FEEL AFTERWARDS EVEN THE IMPULSE TO APPLY IT IN REALITY


EVERYTHING HOWEVER PASSED SATISFACTORILY BY A LAZY AND FASCINATING TRANSITION INTO THE SPHERE OF ART THAT IS INTO THE BEAUTIFUL FORMS OF LIFE LYING READY


I CAME IN FOR COUNTLESS MILLIONS AND IMMEDIATELY DEVOTED THEM TO HUMANITY AND AT THE SAME TIME I CONFESSED BEFORE ALL THE PEOPLE MY SHAMEFUL DEEDS WHICH OF COURSE WERE NOT MERELY SHAMEFUL BUT HAD IN THEM


MUCH THAT WAS SUBLIME AND BEAUTIFUL SOMETHING IN THE MANFRED STYLE EVERYONE WOULD KISS ME AND WEEP


AUSTERLITZ AGAINST THE OBSCURANTISTS THEN THE BAND WOULD PLAY A MARCH AN AMNESTY WOULD BE DECLARED THE POPE WOULD AGREE TO RETIRE FROM ROME TO BRAZIL


LAKE COMO BEING FOR THAT PURPOSE TRANSFERRED TO THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF ROME THEN WOULD COME A SCENE IN THE BUSHES AND SO ON AND SO ON AS THOUGH YOU DID NOT KNOW ALL ABOUT IT YOU WILL SAY THAT IT IS VULGAR AND CONTEMPTIBLE TO DRAG ALL THIS INTO PUBLIC


BUT WHY IS IT CONTEMPTIBLE CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT I AM ASHAMED OF IT ALL AND THAT IT WAS STUPIDER THAN ANYTHING IN YOUR LIFE GENTLEMEN AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT SOME OF THESE FANCIES WERE BY NO MEANS BADLY COMPOSED


AND YET YOU ARE RIGHT IT REALLY IS VULGAR AND CONTEMPTIBLE


AND EVEN MORE CONTEMPTIBLE THAN THAT IS MY MAKING THIS REMARK NOW BUT THAT'S ENOUGH


I COULD NEVER STAND MORE THAN THREE MONTHS OF DREAMING AT A TIME WITHOUT FEELING AN IRRESISTIBLE DESIRE TO PLUNGE INTO SOCIETY TO PLUNGE INTO SOCIETY MEANT


TO VISIT MY SUPERIOR AT THE OFFICE ANTON ANTONITCH SYETOTCHKIN HE WAS THE ONLY PERMANENT ACQUAINTANCE I HAVE HAD IN MY LIFE


THAT IT BECAME ESSENTIAL AT ONCE TO EMBRACE MY FELLOWS AND ALL MANKIND AND FOR THAT PURPOSE I NEEDED AT LEAST ONE HUMAN BEING ACTUALLY EXISTING I HAD TO CALL ON ANTON ANTONITCH HOWEVER ON TUESDAY


HIS AT HOME DAY SO I HAD ALWAYS TO TIME MY PASSIONATE DESIRE TO EMBRACE HUMANITY SO THAT IT MIGHT FALL ON A TUESDAY THIS ANTON ANTONITCH LIVED ON THE FOURTH STOREY IN A HOUSE IN FIVE CORNERS IN FOUR LOW PITCHED ROOMS


ONE SMALLER THAN THE OTHER OF A PARTICULARLY FRUGAL AND SALLOW APPEARANCE HE HAD TWO DAUGHTERS AND THEIR AUNT WHO USED TO POUR OUT THE TEA OF THE DAUGHTERS ONE WAS THIRTEEN AND ANOTHER FOURTEEN


THEY BOTH HAD SNUB NOSES AND I WAS AWFULLY SHY OF THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE ALWAYS WHISPERING AND GIGGLING TOGETHER THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE USUALLY SAT IN HIS STUDY ON A LEATHER COUCH IN FRONT OF THE TABLE WITH SOME GREY HEADED GENTLEMAN


USUALLY A COLLEAGUE FROM OUR OFFICE OR SOME OTHER DEPARTMENT I NEVER SAW MORE THAN TWO OR THREE VISITORS THERE ALWAYS THE SAME THEY TALKED ABOUT THE EXCISE DUTY


AND THE BEST MEANS OF PLEASING HIM AND SO ON I HAD THE PATIENCE TO SIT LIKE A FOOL BESIDE THESE PEOPLE


LISTENING TO THEM WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT TO SAY TO THEM OR VENTURING TO SAY A WORD I BECAME STUPEFIED SEVERAL TIMES I FELT MYSELF PERSPIRING I WAS OVERCOME BY A SORT OF PARALYSIS BUT THIS WAS PLEASANT AND GOOD FOR ME


ON RETURNING HOME I DEFERRED FOR A TIME MY DESIRE TO EMBRACE ALL MANKIND I HAD HOWEVER ONE OTHER ACQUAINTANCE OF A SORT SIMONOV WHO WAS AN OLD SCHOOLFELLOW I HAD A NUMBER OF SCHOOLFELLOWS INDEED IN PETERSBURG


BUT I DID NOT ASSOCIATE WITH THEM AND HAD EVEN GIVEN UP NODDING TO THEM IN THE STREET I BELIEVE I HAD TRANSFERRED INTO THE DEPARTMENT I WAS IN SIMPLY TO AVOID THEIR COMPANY AND TO CUT OFF ALL CONNECTION WITH MY HATEFUL CHILDHOOD


CURSES ON THAT SCHOOL AND ALL THOSE TERRIBLE YEARS OF PENAL SERVITUDE IN SHORT I PARTED FROM MY SCHOOLFELLOWS AS SOON AS I GOT OUT INTO THE WORLD THERE WERE TWO OR THREE LEFT TO WHOM I NODDED IN THE STREET ONE OF THEM WAS SIMONOV


WHO HAD IN NO WAY BEEN DISTINGUISHED AT SCHOOL WAS OF A QUIET AND EQUABLE DISPOSITION BUT I DISCOVERED IN HIM A CERTAIN INDEPENDENCE OF CHARACTER AND EVEN HONESTY I DON'T EVEN SUPPOSE THAT HE WAS PARTICULARLY STUPID


BUT THESE HAD NOT LASTED LONG AND HAD SOMEHOW BEEN SUDDENLY CLOUDED OVER HE WAS EVIDENTLY UNCOMFORTABLE AT THESE REMINISCENCES AND WAS I FANCY ALWAYS AFRAID THAT I MIGHT TAKE UP THE SAME TONE AGAIN


NOT BEING QUITE CERTAIN OF IT


BUT AS IT ALWAYS HAPPENED THAT SUCH REFLECTIONS IMPELLED ME AS THOUGH PURPOSELY TO PUT MYSELF INTO A FALSE POSITION I WENT IN


NOW ERIC HAD LIVED IN GREENLAND FOR FIFTEEN YEARS HIS SONS THORSTEIN AND LEIF HAD GROWN UP TO BE BIG STRONG MEN ONE SPRING LEIF SAID TO HIS FATHER I HAVE NEVER SEEN NORWAY OUR MOTHER LAND


I LONG TO GO THERE AND MEET THE GREAT MEN AND SEE THE PLACES THAT SKALDS SING ABOUT ERIC ANSWERED IT IS RIGHT THAT YOU SHOULD GO NO MAN HAS REALLY LIVED UNTIL HE HAS SEEN NORWAY


SO HE HELPED LEIF FIT OUT A BOAT AND SENT HIM OFF LEIF SAILED FOR MONTHS HE PASSED ICELAND AND THE FAROES AND THE SHETLANDS HE STOPPED AT ALL OF THESE PLACES AND FEASTED HIS MIND ON THE NEW THINGS


AND EVERYWHERE MEN RECEIVED HIM GLADLY FOR HE WAS HANDSOME AND WISE BUT AT LAST HE CAME NEAR NORWAY THEN HE STOOD UP BEFORE THE PILOT'S SEAT AND SANG LOUDLY


IN THE SKY ABOVE I SEE FAIR ASGARD'S SHINING ROOFS THE FLYING HAIR OF THOR THE WINGS OF ODIN'S BIRDS THE ROAD THAT HEROES TREAD I AM HERE IN THE LAND OF THE GODS THE LAND OF MIGHTY MEN


FOR A WHILE HE WALKED THE LAND AS THOUGH HE WERE IN A DREAM HE LOOKED AT THIS AND THAT AND EVERYTHING


I WILL GO TO THE KING HE SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN A KING THERE WERE NO KINGS IN ICELAND OR IN GREENLAND SO HE WENT TO THE CITY WHERE THE KING HAD HIS FINE HOUSE THE KING'S NAME WAS OLAF


HE WAS A GREAT GRANDSON OF HARALD HAIRFAIR FOR HARALD HAD BEEN DEAD A HUNDRED YEARS NOW THE KING WAS GOING TO HOLD A FEAST AT NIGHT AND LEIF PUT ON HIS MOST BEAUTIFUL CLOTHES TO GO TO IT


HE PUT ON LONG TIGHTS OF BLUE WOOL AND A SHORT JACKET OF BLUE VELVET HE BELTED HIS JACKET WITH A GOLD GIRDLE HE HAD SHOES OF SCARLET WITH GOLDEN CLASPS HE THREW AROUND HIMSELF A CAPE OF SCARLET VELVET


LINED WITH SEAL FUR HIS LONG SWORD STUCK OUT FROM UNDER HIS CLOAK ON HIS HEAD HE PUT A KNITTED CAP OF BRIGHT COLORS THEN HE WALKED TO THE KING'S FEAST HALL AND WENT THROUGH THE DOOR


IT WAS A GREAT HALL AND IT WAS FULL OF RICHLY DRESSED MEN THE FIRES SHONE ON SO MANY GOLDEN HEAD BANDS AND BRACELETS AND SO MANY GLITTERING SWORDS AND SPEARS ON THE WALL AND THERE WAS SO MUCH NOISE OF TALKING AND LAUGHING


THAT AT FIRST LEIF DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO BUT AT LAST HE WENT AND SAT ON THE VERY END SEAT OF THE BENCH NEAR HIM AS THE FEAST WENT ON KING OLAF SAT IN HIS HIGH SEAT AND LOOKED ABOUT THE HALL AND NOTICED THIS ONE AND THAT ONE AND SPOKE ACROSS THE FIRE TO MANY


HE WAS KEEN EYED AND SOON SAW LEIF IN HIS FAR SEAT YONDER IS SOME MAN OF MARK HE SAID TO HIMSELF HE IS SURELY WORTH KNOWING HIS FACE IS NOT THE FACE OF A FOOL


HE CARRIES HIS HEAD LIKE A LORD OF MEN HE SENT A THRALL AND ASKED LEIF TO COME TO HIM SO LEIF WALKED DOWN THE LONG HALL AND STOOD BEFORE THE KING I AM GLAD TO HAVE YOU FOR A GUEST THE KING SAID


WHAT ARE YOUR NAME AND COUNTRY I AM LEIF ERICSSON AND I HAVE COME ALL THE WAY FROM GREENLAND TO SEE YOU AND OLD NORWAY FROM GREENLAND SAID THE KING IT IS NOT OFTEN THAT I SEE A GREENLANDER


MANY COME TO NORWAY TO TRADE BUT THEY SELDOM COME TO THE KING'S HALL I SHALL BE GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR LAND COME UP AND SPEAK WITH ME SO LEIF WENT UP THE STEPS OF THE HIGH SEAT AND SAT DOWN BY THE KING AND TALKED WITH HIM


WHEN THE FEAST WAS OVER THE KING SAID YOU SHALL LIVE AT MY COURT THIS WINTER LEIF ERICSSON YOU ARE A WELCOME GUEST SO LEIF STAYED THERE THAT WINTER WHEN HE STARTED BACK IN THE SPRING


THE KING GAVE HIM TWO THRALLS AS A PARTING GIFT LET THIS GIFT SHOW MY LOVE LEIF ERICSSON HE SAID FOR YOUR SAKE I SHALL NOT FORGET GREENLAND LEIF SAILED BACK AGAIN AND HAD GOOD LUCK UNTIL HE WAS PAST ICELAND


THEN GREAT WINDS CAME OUT OF THE NORTH AND TOSSED HIS SHIP ABOUT SO THAT THE MEN COULD DO NOTHING THEY WERE BLOWN SOUTH FOR DAYS AND DAYS THEY DID NOT KNOW WHERE THEY WERE THEN THEY SAW LAND AND LEIF SAID


SURELY LUCK HAS BROUGHT US ALSO TO A NEW COUNTRY


SO HE STEERED FOR IT AS THEY CAME NEAR THE MEN SAID SEE THE GREAT TREES AND THE SOFT GREEN SHORE SURELY THIS IS A BETTER COUNTRY THAN GREENLAND OR THAN ICELAND EITHER


WHEN THEY LANDED THEY THREW THEMSELVES UPON THE GROUND I NEVER LAY ON A BED SO SOFT AS THIS GRASS ONE SAID TALLER TREES DO NOT GROW IN NORWAY SAID ANOTHER


THERE IS NO STONE HERE AS IN NORWAY BUT ONLY GOOD BLACK DIRT LEIF SAID I NEVER SAW SO FERTILE A LAND BEFORE THE MEN WERE HUNGRY AND SET ABOUT BUILDING A FIRE THERE IS NO LACK OF FUEL HERE


THEY SAID THEY STAYED MANY DAYS IN THIS COUNTRY AND WALKED ABOUT TO SEE WHAT WAS THERE A GERMAN NAMED TYRKER WAS WITH LEIF HE WAS A LITTLE MAN WITH A HIGH FOREHEAD AND A SHORT NOSE HIS EYES WERE BIG AND ROLLING


HE HAD LIVED WITH ERIC FOR MANY YEARS AND HAD TAKEN CARE OF LEIF WHEN HE WAS A LITTLE BOY SO LEIF LOVED HIM NOW ONE DAY THEY HAD BEEN WANDERING ABOUT AND ALL CAME BACK TO CAMP AT NIGHT EXCEPT TYRKER WHEN LEIF LOOKED AROUND ON HIS COMRADES HE SAID


WHERE IS TYRKER NO ONE KNEW THEN LEIF WAS ANGRY IS A MAN OF SO LITTLE VALUE IN THIS EMPTY LAND THAT YOU WOULD LOSE ONE HE SAID WHY DID YOU NOT KEEP TOGETHER DID YOU NOT SEE THAT HE WAS GONE


WHY DID YOU NOT SET OUT TO LOOK FOR HIM WHO KNOWS WHAT TERRIBLE THING MAY HAVE HAPPENED TO HIM IN THESE GREAT FORESTS THEN HE TURNED AND STARTED OUT TO HUNT FOR HIM HIS MEN FOLLOWED SILENT AND ASHAMED


AGAIN LEIF ASKED HIS QUESTION AND PUT HIS HAND ON TYRKER'S SHOULDER AS THOUGH HE WOULD SHAKE HIM THEN TYRKER ANSWERED IN THE LANGUAGE OF ICELAND I HAVE NOT BEEN SO VERY FAR BUT I HAVE FOUND SOMETHING WONDERFUL WHAT IS IT


CRIED THE MEN I HAVE FOUND GRAPES GROWING WILD ANSWERED TYRKER AND HE LAUGHED AND HIS EYES SHONE IT CANNOT BE LEIF SAID GRAPES DO NOT GROW IN GREENLAND NOR IN ICELAND NOR EVEN IN NORWAY


SO IT SEEMED A WONDERFUL THING TO THESE NORSEMEN CAN I NOT TELL GRAPES WHEN I SEE THEM CRIED TYRKER DID I NOT GROW UP IN GERMANY WHERE EVERY HILLSIDE IS COVERED WITH GRAPEVINES AH IT SEEMS LIKE MY OLD HOME


IT IS WONDERFUL LEIF SAID I HAVE HEARD TRAVELERS TELL OF SEEING GRAPES GROWING BUT I MYSELF NEVER SAW IT YOU SHALL TAKE US TO THEM EARLY IN THE MORNING TYRKER SO IN THE MORNING THEY WENT BACK INTO THE WOODS AND SAW THE GRAPES


THEY ATE OF THEM THEY ARE LIKE FOOD AND DRINK THEY CRIED THAT DAY LEIF SAID WE SPENT MOST OF THE SUMMER ON THE OCEAN WINTER WILL SOON BE COMING ON AND THE SEA ABOUT GREENLAND WILL BE FROZEN WE MUST START BACK


WE WILL FILL THE ROWBOAT WITH GRAPES AND TOW IT BEHIND US THE SHIP WE WILL LOAD WITH LOGS FROM THESE GREAT TREES THAT WILL BE A WELCOME SHIPLOAD IN GREENLAND WHERE WE HAVE NEITHER TREES NOR VINES


NOW HALF OF YOU SHALL GATHER GRAPES FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND THE OTHER HALF SHALL CUT TIMBER SO THEY DID AND AFTER A WEEK SAILED OFF THE SHIP WAS FULL OF LUMBER AND THEY TOWED THE ROWBOAT LOADED WITH GRAPES


AS THEY LOOKED BACK AT THE SHORE LEIF SAID I WILL CALL THIS COUNTRY WINELAND FOR THE GRAPES THAT GROW THERE ONE OF THE MEN LEAPED UPON THE GUNWALE AND LEANED OUT CLINGING TO THE SAIL AND SANG


WINELAND THE GREEN THE GREAT THE FAT OUR DRAGON FED AND CRAWLS AWAY WITH BELLY STUFFED AND LAZY FEET HOW LONG HER PURPLE TRAILING TAIL SHE FED AND GREW TO TWICE HER SIZE


THEN ALL THE MEN WAVED THEIR HANDS TO THE SHORE AND GAVE A GREAT SHOUT FOR THAT GOOD LAND FOR ALL THAT VOYAGE THEY HAD FAIR WEATHER AND SAILED INTO ERIC'S HARBOR BEFORE THE WINTER CAME


ERIC SAW THE SHIP AND RAN DOWN TO THE SHORE HE TOOK LEIF INTO HIS ARMS AND SAID OH MY SON MY OLD EYES ACHED TO SEE YOU I HUNGER TO HEAR OF ALL THAT YOU HAVE SEEN AND DONE