“ThenitwillbetheDevilthatwillbedrawinghim，sincethedirectionofHellisalwaystheeasiest。“
　　“Well，YOUwillnotbegoingthatway，Isuppose？Youdon’taltogetherfancyit？“
　　“WhyshouldI？“
　　“Becauseyouhavedeclaredittobetheeasiestway。“
　　“Well，Iamnotasaint。“
　　“No，ha-ha！youarenot。“
　　“Andyoumeanthat——？“
　　“Imeannothing。Ifadog’schainbeshort，heisnottobeblamed。“
　　Whereupon，settingnosetonose，thepairplungedintoaquarrelstillmoreheatedastheyexpoundedinsimple，butoftencuriouslyapposite，languageopinionsintelligibletothemselvesalone。Theonepeasant，aleanfellowwithlengthylimbs，cold，sarcasticeyes，andadark，bonycountenance，spokeloudlyandsonorously，withfrequentshrugsoftheshoulders，whiletheotherpeasant，amanstoutandbroadofbuildwhountilnowhadseemedcalm，self-assuredofdemeanour，andamanofsettledviews，breathedheavily，whilehisoxlikeeyesglowedwithanardourcausinghisfacetoflushpatchily，andhisbeardtostickoutfromhischin。
　　“Lookhere，forinstance，“hegrowledashegesticulatedandrolledhisdulleyesabout。“Howcanthatbe？DoesnotevenGodknowwhereinamanoughttorestrainhimself？“
　　“IftheDevilbeone’smaster，Goddoesn’tcomeintothematter。“
　　“Liar！Forwhowasthefirstwhoraisedhishandagainsthisfellow？“
　　“Cain。“
　　“Andthefirstmanwhorepentedofasin？“
　　“Adam。“
　　“Ah！Yousee！“
　　Heretherebrokeintothedisputeashoutof:“Theyarejustgettinghimaboard！“andthecrowd，rushingawayfromthestern，carriedwithitthetwodisputants——thesparerpeasant；
　　loweringhisshoulders，andbuttoninguphisjacketashewent；
　　whilethebeardedpeasant，followingathisheels，thrusthisheadforwardinasurlymannerasheshiftedhiscapfromtheoneeartotheother。
　　Withaponderousbeatingofpaddlesagainstthecurrentthesteamerheavedto，andthecaptainshoutedthroughaspeaking-trumpet，withaviewtopreventingacollisionbetweenthebargeandthestemofthevessel:
　　“Putherover！Puthero-o-ove-r！“
　　Soonthefishing-boatcamealongside，andthehalf-drownedman，withaformaslimpasahalf-emptysack，andwaterexudingfromeverystitch，andhishithertohaggardfacegrownsmoothandsimple-looking，washoistedonboard。
　　Next，onthesailorslayinghimuponthehatchwayofthebaggagehold，hesatup，leanedforward，smoothedhiswethairwiththepalmsofhishands，andaskeddully，withoutlookingatanyone:
　　“Havetheyalsorecoveredmycap？“
　　Someoneamongthethrongaroundhimexclaimedreprovingly:
　　“Itisnotaboutyourcapthatyououghttobethinking，butaboutyoursoul。“
　　Uponthishehiccupedloudlyandfreely，likeacamel，andemittedastreamofturgidwaterfromhismouth。Then，lookingatthecrowdwithlack-lustreeyes，hesaidinanapathetictone:
　　“Letmebetakenelsewhere。“
　　Inanswer，theboatswainsternlybadehimstretchhimselfout，andthistheyoungfellowdid，withhishandsclaspedunderhishead，andhiseyesclosed，whiletheboatswainaddedbrusquelytotheonlookers:
　　“Moveaway，moveaway，goodpeople。Whatistheretostareat？
　　Thisisnotashow……Hi，youmuzhik！Whydidyouplayussuchatrick，damnyou？“
　　Thecrowdhowever，wasnottobesuppressed，butindulgedincomments。
　　“Hemurderedhisfather，didn’the？“
　　“What？THATwretchedcreature？“
　　Asfortheboatswain，hesquatteduponhisheels，andproceededtosubjecttherescuedmantoacourseofstrictinterrogation。
　　“Whatisthedestinationmarkedonyourticket？“
　　“Perm。“
　　“ThenyououghttoleavetheboatatKazan。Andwhatisyourname？“
　　“Yakov。“
　　“Andyoursurname？“
　　“Bashkin——thoughweareknownalsoastheBukolovfamily。“
　　“YourfamilyhasaDOUBLEsurname，then？“
　　Withthefullpowerofhistrumpet-likelungsthebeardedpeasantevidentlyhehadlosthistemperbrokein:
　　“Thoughhisuncleandhisbrotherhavebeensentencedtopenalservitudeandaretravellingtogetheronthatbarge，he——well，hehasreceivedhisdischarge！Thatisonlyapersonalmatter，however。Inspiteofwhatjudgesmaysay，oneoughtnevertokill，sinceconsciencecannotbearthethoughtofblood。Evennearlytobecomeamurdereriswrong。“
　　Bythistimemoreandmorepassengershadcollectedastheyawakenedfromsleepandemergedfromthefirst-andsecond-classcabins。Amongthemwasthemate，amanwithablackmoustacheandrubicundfeatureswhoinquiredofsomeoneamidtheconfusion:“Youarenotadoctor，Isuppose？“
　　andreceivedtheastonished，high-pitchedreply:“No，sir，noreverhavebeenone。“
　　Tothissomeoneaddedwithadrawl:
　　“Whyisadoctorneeded？Surelythemanisafellowofnoparticularimportance？“
　　Overtherivertheradianceofthesummerdaylighthadgatheredincreasedstrength，and，sincethedatewasaSunday，bellsweresoundingseductivelyfromahill，andacoupleofwomeningalaapparelwhowerefollowingthemarginoftheriverwavedhandkerchiefstowardsthesteamer，andshoutedsomegreeting。
　　Meanwhiletheyoungfellowlaymotionless，withhiseyesclosed。
　　Divestedofhispea-jacket，andwrappedaboutwithwet，clingingunderclothing，helookedmoresymmetricalthanpreviously——hischestseemedbetterdeveloped，hisbodyplumper，andhisfacemorerotundandlessugly。
　　Yetthoughthepassengersgazedathimwithcompassionordistasteorseverityorfear，asthecasemightbe，alldidsowithoutceremony，asthoughhehadnotbeenalivingmanatall。
　　Forinstance，agauntgentlemaninagreyfrock-coatsaidtoaladyinayellowstrawhatadornedwithapinkribbon:
　　“Atourplace，inRiazan，whenacertainmaster-watchmakerwentandhangedhimselftoaventilator，hefirstofallstoppedeverywatchandclockinhisshop。Now，thequestionis，whydidhestopthem？“
　　“Anabnormalcaseindeed！“
　　Ontheotherhand，adark-browedwomanwhohadherhandshiddenbeneathhershawlstoodgazingattherescuedmaninsilence，andwithhersideturnedtowardshim。Asshedidsotearswerewellinginhergrey-blueeyes。
　　Presentlytwosailorsappeared。Oneofthembentovertheyoungfellow，touchedhimontheshoulder，andsaid:
　　“Hi！Youaretogetup。“
　　Whereupontheyoungfellowrose，andwasremovedelsewhither。
　　When，afteraninterval，hereappearedondeck，hewascleananddry，andcladinacook’swhitejumperandasailor’sbluesergetrousers。Claspinghishandsbehindhisback，hunchinghisshoulders，andbendinghisheadforward，hewalkedswiftlytothestern，withathrongofidlers——atfirstonebyone，andtheninpartiesoffromthreetoadozen——followinginhiswake。
　　Themanseatedhimselfuponacoilofrope，and，craninghisneckinwolf-likefashiontoeyethebystanders，frowned，letfallhistemplesuponhandsthrustintohisflaxenhair，andfixedhisgazeuponthebarge。
　　Standingorsittingaboutinthehotsunshine，peoplestaredathimwithoutstint。Evidentlytheywouldhaveliked，butdidnotdare，toengagehiminconversation。Presentlythebigpeasantalsoarrivedonthescene，and，afterglancingatallpresent，tookoffhishat，andwipedhisperspiringface。Next，agrey-headedoldmanwitharednose，athinwispofbeard，andwateryeyesclearedhisthroat，andinhoneyedtonestooktheinitiative。
　　“Wouldyoumindtellingushowitallhappened？“hebegan。
　　“WhyshouldIdoso？“retortedtheyoungfellowwithoutmoving。
　　Takingaredhandkerchieffromhisbosom，theoldmanshookitoutandapplieditcautiouslytohiseyes。Thenhesaidthroughitsfoldsinthequietaccentsofamanwhoisdeterminedtopersevere:
　　“Why，yousay？Forthereasonthattheoccasionisonewhenalloughttoknowthetru——“