“Veryreadyareyoutoweep，butIshouldlikefirsttoheartheexactcircumstancesofthelad’sdeath。“
　　Thusinvited，thewomanwipedhereyeswiththesleeveofherbodice，lickedherlips，heavedaprolongedsigh，andfelltoregardingAntipa’sred，hardbittenfacewiththecheerful，unabashedglanceofapersonwhoisundertheinfluenceofliquor。Fromunderherwhitehead-bandtherehadfallenoverhertemplesandherrightcheekafewwispsofgoldenhair；andindeed，asshedrewherselfup，andtossedherheadandbosom，andsmoothedoutandstretchedthecreasesinherbodice，shelookedlessthanheryears。Everyonenowfelltoeyeingherinanattentivesilence，thoughnot，itwouldseem，withoutatouchofenvy。
　　Abruptly，sternly，theoldmaninquired:
　　“Didtheladevercomplainofill-health？“
　　“No，never，“Felitzatareplied。“Neveroncedidhespeakofit——neveronce。“
　　“Andhehadnotbeenbeaten？“
　　“Oh，howcanyouaskmesuchathing，andespeciallyseeingthat，that——？“
　　“IdidnotsaybeatenbyYOU。“
　　“Well，Icannotanswerforanyoneelse，butatleasthadhenomarkonhisbody，seeingthatwhenIliftedthesmockIcouldfindnothingsaveforscratchesonlegsandback。“
　　Hertonenowhadinitanewring，aringofincreasedassurance，andwhenshehadfinishedsheclosedherbrighteyeslanguidlybeforeheavingasoft，asitwere，voluptuous，and，withal，veryaudiblesigh。
　　Someoneheremurmured:
　　“SheDIDusetobeathim。“
　　“What？“
　　“Atalleventssheusedtolosehertemperwithhim。“
　　Thisledtotheputtingofafurtherdozenorsoofleadingquestions；whereafterAntipa，forawhile，preservedasuggestivesilence，andthecrowdtooremainedsilent，asthoughithadsuddenlybeenlulledtoslumber。Onlyatlonglast，andwithaclearingofhisthroat，didAntipasay:
　　“Friends，wemustsupposethatGod，ofHisinfiniteMercy，hasvouchsafedtoushereaspecialvisitation，inthat，asallofushaveperceived，aladbereftofwit，thesameradiantladwhomallofushaveknown，hashereabidedintheclosestofcommunionwiththeBlessedDispenseroflifeonearth。“
　　ThenImovedaway，foruponmyhearttherewaspressingaburdenofunendurablesorrow，andIwasyearning，oh，soterribly，toseeNilushkaoncemore。
　　ThebackportionofFelitzata’scotstoodalittlesunkenintotheground，sothatthefrontportionhaditscoldwindowpanesandraisedsashtiltedatrifletowardstheremoteheavens。I
　　bentmyhead，andenteredbytheopendoor。NearthethresholdNilushkawaslyingonanarrowchestagainstthewall。Thefoldsofadark-redpillowoffustianundertheheadsetofftoperfectionthepalebluetintofhisround，innocentfaceunderitscoronaofgoldencurls；andthoughtheeyeswereclosed，andthelipspressedtightlytogether，hestillseemedtobesmilinginhisoldquiet，butjoyous，way。Ingeneral，thetall，thinfigureonthemattressofdarkfelt，withitsbarelegs，anditsslenderhandsandwristsfoldedacrossthebreast，remindedmelessofanangelthanofacertainimageoftheHolyChildwithwhichablackenedoldikonhadrenderedmefamiliarfrommyboyhoodupwards。
　　Everythingamidthepurplegloomwasstill。Eventheflieswereforbearingtobuzz。Onlyfromthestreetwastheregratingthroughtheshadedwindowthestrong，roguishvoiceofFelitzataasittracedthestrange，lugubriousword-pattern:
　　Withmybosompressedtothewarm，greyearth，Tothee，greyearth，tothee，0hmymotherofold，Ibeseechthee，Iwhoamamotherlikethee，Andamotherinpain，toenfoldinthyarmsThismyson，thismydeadson，thismyruby，Thismydropofmyheart’sblood，thismy——
　　SuddenlyIcaughtsightofAntipastandinginthedoorway。Hewaswipinghiseyeswiththebackofhishand。Presentlyinagruffandunsteadyvoicehesaid:
　　“Itisallveryfineforyoutoweep，goodwoman，butthepresentisnottherightmomenttosingsuchversesasthose——theyweremeant，rather，tobesunginagraveyardatthesideofatomb。Well，tellmeeverythingwithoutreserve。
　　ImportantisitthatIshouldknowEVERYTHING。“
　　Whereafter，havingcrossedhimselfwithafalteringhand，hecarefullyscrutinisedthecorpse，andatlastlethiseyeshaltuponthelad’ssweetfeatures。Thenhemutteredsadly:
　　“Howextraordinarilyhehasgrown！Yes，deathhasindeedenlargedhim！Ah，well，sobeit！SoonItooshallhavetobestretchingmyselfout。Ohthatitwerenow！“
　　Thenwithcautiousmovementsofhisdeformedfingershestraightenedthefoldsofthelad’ssmock，anddrewitoverthelegs。Whereafterhepressedhisflushedlipstothehemofthegarment。
　　SaidItohimatthatmoment:
　　“Whatisitthatyouhavebeenwantingofhim？Whyisitthatyouhavebeentryingtoteachhimstrangewords？“
　　Straighteninghimself，andglancingatmewithdimeyes，Antiparepeated:
　　“WhatisitthatIhavebeenwantingofhim？“Totherepetitionheaddedwithmanifestsincerity，thoughalsowithaself-depreciatorymovementofthehead:
　　“Totellthetruth，IscarcelyknowWHATitisthatIhavebeenwantingofhim。ByGodIdonot。Yet，asonespeakingthetruthinthepresenceofdeath，IsaythatneverduringmylonglifetimehadIsodesiredaughtelse……Yes，Ihavewaitedandwaitedforfortunetorevealittome；andeverhasfortuneremainedmuteandtongueless。Foolishwasitofmetohaveexpectedotherwise，tohaveexpected，forinstance，thatsomedaytheremightoccursomethingmarvellous，somethingunlooked-for。“
　　Withashortlaugh，heindicatedthecorpsewithhiseyes，andcontinuedmorefirmly:
　　“Yes，bootlesswasittohaveexpectedanythingfromsuchasourceasthat。Never，despiteone’swishes，wasanythingpossibleofacquisitionthence……Thisisusuallythecase。
　　Felitzata，asacleverwomanindeedalbeitonecoldofheart，wasforhavinghersonaccountedaGod’sfool，andtherebygainingsomeprovisionagainstheroldage。“
　　“Butyouyourselfwerethepersonwhosuggestedthat？Youyourselfwishedit？“
　　“I？“
　　Presently。thrustinghishandsuphissleeves，headdeddullyandbrokenly:
　　“Yes，IDIDwishit。Whynot，indeed，seeingthatatleastitwouldhavebroughtcomforttothepoorpeopleofthisplace？
　　SometimesIfeelverysorryforthemwiththeirbitter，troublouslives——liveswhichmaybethelivesofroguesandvillains，yetareliveswhichhaveproducedamongstusapravednik，“[A“justperson，“ahumanbeingwithoutsin]。
　　Alltheeveningskywasnowaflame。Upontheeartherefellthemournfullament:
　　Whensnowhasveiledtheearthinwhite，Thesnowyplainthewildwolvestread。
　　TheywailforthecheeringwarmthofspringAsIbewailthebairnthat’sdead。
　　Vologonovlistenedforamoment。Thenhesaidfirmly:
　　“Thesearemereaccessesofimpulsewhichcomeuponher。Andthatisonlywhatmightbeexpected。Evenasinsongorinvicethereisnoholdingher，soremorse，whenithasfasteneduponsuchawoman’sheart，willknownobounds。Imaytellyouthatononeoccasiontwoyoungmerchantstookher，strippedherstarknaked，anddroveherintheircarriagedownZhitnaiaStreet，withthemselvessittingontheseatsofthevehicle，andFelitzatastandinguprightbetweenthem——yes，inastateofnudity！Thereaftertheybeatheralmosttodeath。“
　　AsIsteppedoutintothedark，narrowvestibule，Antipa，whowasfollowingme，muttered:
　　“Suchalamentasherscouldcomeonlyofgenuinegrief。“
　　WefoundFelitzatainfrontofthehut，withherbackcoveringthewindow。There，withhandspressedtoherbosom，andherskirtallawry，shewasstrainingherdishevelledheadtowardstheheavens，whiletheeveningbreeze，stirringherfineauburnhair，scattereditpromiscuouslyoverherflushed，sharply-definedfeaturesandwildlyprotrudingeyes。Abizarre，pitiable，andextraordinaryfiguredidshecutasshewailedinathroatyvoicewhichconstantlygatheredstrength:
　　0hwindsofice，windscruelandrude，Pressonmyhearttillitsthrobbingsfail！
　　Arrestthecurrentofmyblood！
　　Turnthesehotmeltingtearstohail！
　　Beforehertherewaspostedaknotofwomen，compassionatecontemplatorsofthesinger’sdistracted，grief-wroughtfeatures。Throughtheravine’sdarkopeningIcouldseethesunsinkingbelowthesuburbbeforeplungingintothemarshyforestandhavinghisdiskpiercedbysharp，blacktipsofpinetrees。
　　Alreadyeverythingaroundhimwasred。Already，seemingly，hehadbeenwounded，andwasbleedingtodeath。