gaintheimpressionthatthepairofusaresittingplungedinavoidofdarknesswherelifedoesnotexist，yetwherewearedestinedtobeginlife。
　　“However，themanwasalibertineandadrunkard，andmanyariotousnightdidhespendwithhiscroniesintheporter’slodgeoftheconvent。Also，hetriedtoarouseasimilartasteinmyself；andthoughforatimeIresistedthetendency，Iatlength，onhistakingtobeatingme，yielded。Onlyforoneman，however，hadIreallyaliking；andwithhimitwas，andnotwithmyhusband，thatIfirstlearntthemeaningofspousehood……
　　Unfortunately，myloverhimselfwasmarried；andintimehiswifecametohearofme，andprocuredmyhusband’sdismissal。Thechiefreasonwasthatthelady，apersonofgreatwealth，washerselfhandsome，albeitstout，anddidnotcaretoseeherplaceassumedbyanobody。Next，myhusbanddiedofdrink；andasmyfatherhadlongbeendead，andIfoundmyselfalone，Iwenttoseeandconsultmystepmother。Allthatshesaid，however，was:
　　’Whycometome？Goandthinkthingsoutforyourself。’AndItoothenreflected:’Yes，whyshouldIhavegonetoher？’andrepairedtotheconvent。Yeteventherethereseemedtobenoplaceleftforme，andeventuallyoldMotherTaisia，whohadoncebeenmygoverness，said:’Tatiana，doyoureturntotheworld，forthere，andonlythere，willyouhaveachanceofhappiness。
　　SototheworldIreturned——andstillamroamingit。“
　　“Yourquestofhappinessisnotfollowinganeasyroad！“
　　“Itisfollowingtheroadthatitbestcan。“
　　Bynowthedarknesshasceasedtokeepspreadoverus，asitwere，thestretchedwebofaheavycurtain，buthasgrownthinnerandmoretransparentwiththetension，savethat，inplacesforinstance，inthewindowofthehut，itstillliesinthickfoldsorclotsasitpeersatuswithitssightlesseyes。
　　Overthehummock-likeroofsofthehutsrisethechurch’ssteepleandthepoplartrees；whilehitherandthitheronthewallofthehut，thecracksandholesinthecrumblingplasterhavecausedthewalltoresemblethemapofanunknowncountry。
　　Glancingatthewoman’sdarkeyes，Iperceivethemtobeshiningaspensively，innocentlyastheeyesofayoungmaiden。
　　“Youareindeedacuriouswoman！“Iremark。
　　“PerhapsIam，“sherepliesasshemoistensherlipswithaslender，almostfelinetongue。
　　“Whatareyoureallyseeking？“
　　“Ihaveconsideredthematter，andknow，atlast，mymind。Itisthis:Ihopesomedaytofallinwithagoodmuzhikwithwhomtogoinsearchofland。Probablylandofthekind，Imean，istobefoundintheneighbourhoodofNewAthos，[AmonasteryintheCaucasus，builtonthereputedsiteofacavetenantedbySimeontheCanaanite]forIhavebeentherealready，andknowofalikelyspotforthepurpose。Andthereweshallsetourplaceinorder，andlayoutagardenandanorchard，andprepareasmuchploughlandaswemayneedforourworking。“
　　Herwordsarenowfirmer，moreassured。
　　“Andwhenwehaveputeverythinginorder，otherfolkmayjoinus；andthen，astheoldestsettlersintheplace，weshallholdthepositionofhonour。Andthusthingswillcontinueuntilanewvillage，reallyafinesettlement，willhavebecomeformed——asettlementofwhichmyhusbandwillbeselectedthewardenuntilsuchtimeasIshallhavemadeofhimabarin[Gentlemanorsquire]outright。Also，childrenmayonedayplayinthatgarden，andasummer-housebebuiltthere。Ah，howdelightfulsuchalifeappears！“
　　Infact，shehasplannedoutthefuturesothoroughlythatalreadyshecandescribethenewestablishmentinasmuchdetailasthoughshehaslongbeenaresidentinit。
　　“Yes，Iyearnindeedforanicehome！“shecontinues。“Ohthatsuchahomecouldfalltomylot！Butthefirstrequisite，ofcourse，isamuzhik。“
　　Hergentlefaceandeyespeerintothewaningnightasthoughtheyaspiretocaresseverythinguponwhichtheymaylight。
　　AndallthewhileIamfeelingsorryforher——sorryalmosttotears。ToconcealthefactImurmur:
　　“ShouldImyselfsuityou？“
　　Shegivesafaintlaugh。
　　“No。“
　　“Whynot？“
　　“Becausetheideasinyourmindaredifferentfrommine。“
　　“Howdoyouknowwhatmyideasare？“
　　Sheedgesawayfrommealittle，thensaysdrily:
　　“BecauseIcanseetheminyoureyes。Tobeplain，Icouldneverconsent。“
　　Withafingertappinguponthemouldy，gnarledoldoakenstumponwhichwearesitting，sheadds:
　　“TheCossacks，forinstance，livecomfortablyenough；yetIdonotlikethem。“
　　“Whatinthemisitthatdispleasesyou？“
　　“Somehowtheyrepelme。True，muchofeverythingistheirs；yetalsotheyhavewayswhichalienateme。“
　　Unableanylongertoconcealfromhermypity，Isaygently:
　　“Never，Ifear，willyoudiscoverwhatyouareseeking。“
　　Sheshakesherheadprotestingly。
　　“Andneveroughtawomantobediscouraged，“sheretorts。
　　“Woman’sproperroundistowishforachild，andtonurseit，and，whenithasbeenweaned，togetherselfreadytohaveanotherone。Thatishowwomanshouldlive。Sheshouldliveaspassspringandsummer，autumnandwinter。“
　　Ifinditapleasuretowatchtheplayofthewoman’sintellectualfeatures；andthough，also，Ilongtotakeherinmyarms，Ifeelthatmybetterplanwillbetoseekoncemorethequiet，emptysteppe，and，bearinginmetherecollectionofthiswoman，toresumemylonelyjourneytowardstheregionwherethesilverwallofthemountainsmergeswiththesky，andthedarkravinesgapeatthesteppewiththeirchillyjaws。Atthemoment，however，Icannotsodo，fortheCossackshavetemporarilydeprivedmeofmypassport。
　　“Whatareyouyourselfseeking？“sheaskssuddenlyasagainsheedgestowardsme。
　　“Simplynothing。Myonedesireistoobservehowfolklive。“
　　“Andareyoutravellingalone？“
　　“Iam。“
　　“EvenasamI。OhGod，howmanylonelypeoplethereareintheworld！“
　　Bythistimethecattleareawakeningfromslumber，and，withtheirsoftlowings，remindingoneofapipewhichIusedtohearplayedbyacertainblindoldman。Next，fourtimes，withunsteadytouch，thedrowsywatchmanstrikeshisgong——twicesoftly，oncewithavigourthatclangsthemetalagain，andafourthtimewithameretapoftheironhammeragainstthecopperplate。
　　“Whatsortoflivesdothemajorityoffolklead？“
　　“Sorrylives。“
　　“Yes，thatiswhatItoohavefound。“
　　Apausefollows。Thenthewomansaysquietly:
　　“See，dawnisbreaking，yetneverthisnighthavemyeyesclosed。OftenIamlikethat；oftenIkeepthinkingandthinkinguntilIseemtobetheonlyhumanbeingintheworld，andtheonlyhumanbeingdestinedtore-orderit。“
　　“Manyfolkliveunworthylives。Theylivethemamiddiscord，abasement，andwrongsinnumerable，wrongsbornofwantandstupidity。“
　　AndasthewordsleavemylipsmymindlosesitselfinrecollectionsofallthedarkandharrowingandshamefulscenesthatIhavebeheld。
　　“Listen，“Isay。“Youmayapproachamanwithnothingbutgoodinyourheart，andbepreparedtosurrenderbothyourfreedomandyourstrength；yetstillhemayfailtounderstandyouaright。
　　Andhowshallhebeblamedforthis，seeingthatnevermayhehavebeenshownwhatisgood？“
　　Shelaysahanduponmyshoulder，andlooksstraightintomyeyesasshepartshercomelylips。
　　“True，“sherejoins——“But，dearfriend，itisalsotruethatgoodnessneverbargains。“
　　TogethersheandIseemtobedriftingtowardsavistawhichiscomingtolook，asitsloughstheshadowofnight，everclearerandclearer。Itisavistaofwhitehuts，silverytrees，aredchurch，anddew-bespangledearth。Andasthesunrisesherevealstousclustered，transparentcloudswhich，likethousandsofsnow-whitebirds，goglidingoverourheads。
　　“Yes，“shewhispersagainasgentlyshegivesmeanudge。“Asonepursuesone’slonelywayonethinksandthinks——butofwhat？Dearfriend，youhavesaidthatnoonereallycareswhatisthematter。Ah，HOWtruethatis！“
　　Hereshespringstoherfeet，and，pullingmeupwithher，gluesherselftomybreastwithavehemencewhichcausesmemomentarilytopushheraway。Uponthis，burstingintotears，shetendstowardsmeagain，andkissesmewithlipssodryasalmosttocutme——shekissesmeinawaywhichpenetratestomyverysoul。