IthoughtofastudentofKazanwhomIhadknowninthedaysofthepast，ofayoungfellowfromViatkawho，pale-browed，andsententiousofdiction，mightalmosthavebeenbrothertotheex-
　　soldierhimself。AndonceagainIheardhimdeclarethat“beforeallthingsmustIlearnwhetherornotthereexistsaGod；pre-
　　eminentlymustImakeabeginningthere。“
　　AndIthought，too，ofacertainaccoucheusenamedVelikovawhohadbeenacomely，butreputedlygay，woman。AndIrememberedacertainoccasionwhen，onahilloverlookingtheriverKazanandtheArskiPlain，shehadstoodcontemplatingthemarshesbelow，andthefarbluelineoftheVolga；untilsuddenlyturningpale，shehad，withtearsofjoysparklinginherfineeyes，criedunderherbreath，butsufficientlyloudlyforallpresenttohearher:
　　“Ah，friends，howgraciousandhowfairisthislandofours！
　　Come，letussalutethatlandforhavingdeemedusworthyofresidencetherein！“
　　Whereuponallpresent，includingadeacon-studentfromtheEcclesiasticalSchool，aMorduinefromtheForeignCollege，astudentofveterinaryscience，andtwoofourtutors，haddoneobeisance。AtthesametimeIrecalledthefactthatsubsequentlyoneofthepartyhadgonemad，andcommittedsuicide。
　　Again，Irecalledhowonce，onthePianiBor[LiquorWharf]bytheriverKama，atall，sandyyoungfellowwithintelligenteyesandthefaceofane’er-do-wellhadcaughtmyattention。Thedayhadbeenahot，languorousSundayonwhichallthingshadseemedtobeexhibitingtheirbetterside，andtellingthesunthatitwasnotinvainthathewaspouringouthisbrilliantpotency，anddiffusinghislivinggold；whilethemanofwhomIspeakhad，dressedinanewsuitofblueserge，anewcapcockedawry，andapairofbrilliantlypolishedboots，beenstandingattheedgeofthewharf，andgazingatthebrownwatersoftheKama，theemeraldexpansebeyondthemandthesilver-scaledpoolsleftbehindbythetide。Until，asthesunhadbeguntosinktowardsthemarshesontheothersideoftheriver，andtobecomedissolvedintostreaks，themanhadsmiledwithincreasingrapture，andhisfacehadglowedwithcreasingeagernessanddelight；untilfinallyhehadsnatchedthecapfromhishead，flungit，withapowerfulthrowfaroutintotherussetwaters，andshouted:“Kama，Omymother，Iloveyou，andneverwilldesertyou！“
　　Andthelast，andalsothebest，recollectionofthingsseenbeforethenightofwhichIspeakwastherecollectionofanoccasionwhen，onelateautumn，IhadbeencrossingtheCaspianSeaonanoldtwo-mastedschoonerladenwithdriedapricots，plums，andpeaches。SailingonheralsoshehadhadsomehundredfishermenfromtheBozhiFactory，menwho，originallyforestpeasantsoftheUpperVolga，hadbeenwell-built，bearded，healthy，goodhumoured，animal-spiritedyoungfellows，youngsterstannedwiththewind，andsaltedwiththeseawater；youngsterswho，afterworkinghardattheirtrade，hadbeenrejoicingattheprospectofreturninghome。Andcareeringaboutthedecklikeyouthfulbearsaseverandanonlofty，sharp-pointedwaveshadseizedandtossedalofttheschooner，andtheyardshadcracked，andthetaut-runrigginghadwhistled，andthesailshadbelliedintoglobes，andthehowlingwindhadshavedoffthewhitecrestsofbillows，andpartiallysubmergedthevesselincloudsoffoam。
　　Andseatedonthedeckwithhisbroadbackrestingagainstthemainmasttherehadbeenoneyounggiantinparticular。Cladinawhitelinenshirtandapairofbluesergetrousers，andinnocentalikeofbeardandmoustache，thisyoungfellowhadhadfull，redlips，blue，boyish，andexceedinglytranslucenteyes，andafaceintoxicatedinexcelsiswiththehappinessofyouth；whileleaningacrosshiskneesastheyhadrestedsprawlingoverthedecktherehadbeenayoungfemaletrimmeroffish，awenchasmassiveandtallastheyoungmanhimself，andawenchwhosefacehadbecometannedtoroughnesswiththesunandwind，eyebrowsdark，full，andaslargeasthewingsofaswallow，breastsasfirmasstone，andteatsaroundwhich，astheyprojectedfromthefoldsofaredbodice，therehadlainapatternofblueveins。
　　Thebroad，iron-blackpalmoftheyoungfellow’slong，knottedhandhadbeenrestingonthewoman’sleftbreast，withthearmbaretotheelbow；whileinhisrighthand，ashehadsatgazingpensivelyatthewoman’srobustfigure，therehadbeengraspedatinmugfromwhichsomeoftheredliquorhadscatteredstainsoverthefrontofhislinenshirt。
　　Meanwhile，aroundthepairtherehadbeenhoveringsomeoftheyoungster’scomrades，who，withcoatsbuttonedtothethroat，andcapsgrippedtopreventtheirbeingblownawaybythewind，hademployedthemselveswithscanningthewoman’sfigurewithenviouseyes，andviewingherfromeitherside。Nay，theshaggygreenwavesthemselveshadbeenstealingoccasionalglimpsesatthepictureascloudshadswirledacrossthesky，gullshadutteredtheirinsatiablescream，andthesun，dancingonthefoam-fleckedwaters，hadvestedthebillows，nowintintsofblue，nowinnaturaltintsasofflamingjewels。
　　Inshort，allthepassengersontheschoonerhadbeenshoutingandlaughingandsinging，whilethegreatbeardedpeasantshadalsobeenpayingassiduouscourttoalargeleathernbottlewhichhadlainensconcedonaheapofpeach-sacks，withtheresultthatthescenehadcometohaveaboutitsomethingoftheantique，legendaryairofthereturnofStepanRazinfromhisPersiancampaign。
　　Atlengththebuffetingofthewindhadcausedanoldmanwithacrookednosesetonahairy，faun-likefacetostumbleoveroneofthewoman’sfeet；whereuponhehadhalted，thrownuphisheadwithnonsenilevigour，andexclaimed:
　　“Maythedevilflyawaywithyou，youshamelesshussy！Whyliesprawlingaboutthedecklikethis？See，too，howexposedyouare！“
　　Thewomanhadnotstirredatthewords——shehadnotevenopenedaneye；onlyoverherlipstherehadpassedafainttremor。Whereastheyoungfellowhadstraightenedhimself，depositedhistinmuguponthedeck，andcriedloudlyashelaidhisdisengagedhanduponthewoman’sbreast。
　　“Ah，youenvyme，doyou，YakimPetrov？Nevermind，thoughyouhavedonenogreatharm。Butrunnorisks；donotlookforneedlesstrouble，foryourdayforsuckingsugarplumsispast。“
　　Whereafter，raisingbothhishands，theyoungfellowhadsoftlyletthemsinkagainuponthewoman’sbosomasheaddedtriumphantly:
　　“ThesebreastscouldfeedallRussia！“
　　Then，andonlythen，hadthewomansmiledalong，slowsmile。Andasshehaddonesoeverythinginthevicinityhadseemedtosmileinunison，andtoriseandfallinharmonywithherbosom——yes，thewholevessel，andthevessel’sfreight。Andatthemomentwhenaparticularlylargewavehadstruckthebulwarks，andbesprinkledallonboardwithspray，thewomanhadopenedherdarkeyes，lookedkindlyattheoldman，andattheyoungfellow，andatthesceneingeneral——thensetherselftorecoverherbosom。
　　“Nay，“theyoungfellowhadcriedasheinterposedtoremoveherhands。“Thereisnoneedforthat，thereisnoneedforthat。
　　LetthemALLlook。“
　　Suchthememoriesthatcamebacktomyrecollectionthatnight。
　　GladlyIwouldhaverecountedthemtomycompanions，but，unfortunately，thesehad，bynow，succumbedtoslumber。Theex-
　　soldier，restinginasittingposture，andsnoringloudly，hadhisbackprisedagainsthiswallet，hisheadslopedsideways，andhishandsclaspeduponhisknees，whileVasiliwaslyingonhisbackwithhisfaceturnedupwards，hishandsclaspedbehindhishead，hisdark，finelymouldedbrowsraisedalittle，andhismoustacheerect。Also，hewasweepinginhissleep——tearswerecoursingdownhisbrown，sunburntcheeks；tearswhich，inthemoonlight，hadinthemsomethingofthegreenishtintofachrysoliteorseawater，andwhich，onsuchamanlyface，lookedstrangeindeed！
　　Stilltherivuletwaspurlingasitflowed，andthefirecrackling；whilebathedintheredglowoftheflamestherewassitting，bentforward，thedark，stonelikefigureoftheMolokans’watchman，withtheaxeathisfeetreflectingtheradiantgleamofthemoonintheskyaboveus。
　　Alltheearthseemedtobesleepingaseverthewaningstarsseemedtodrawnearerandnearer……
　　Theslowlengthofthenextdaywasdraggedalongamidaninertiabornofthemoistheat，thesongoftheriver，andtheintoxicatingscentsofforestandflowers。Inshort，onefeltinclinedtodonothing，frommorntillnight，saveroamthedefilewithouttheexchangingofaword，theconceivingofadesire，ortheformulatingofathought。
　　Atsunset，whenwewereengagedindrinkingteabythefire，theex-soldierremarked:
　　“Ihopethatlifeinthenextworldwillexactlyresemblelifeinthisspot，andbejustasquietandpeacefulandimmunefromwork。Hereoneneedsbuttositandmeltlikebutterandsufferneitherfromwrongnoranxiety。“
　　Then，ascarefullyhewithdrewhispipefromhislips，andsighed，headded:
　　“Aye！IfIcouldbutfeelsurethatlifeinthenextworldwillbelikelifehere，IwouldpraytoGod:’ForChrist’ssaketakemysoulattheearliestconceivablemoment。’“
　　“WhatmightsuitYOUwouldnotsuitME，“Vasilithoughtfullyobserved。“Iwouldnotalwayslivesuchalifeasthis。Imightdosoforatime，butnotinperpetuity。“
　　“Ah，butneverhaveyouworkedhard，“gruntedtheex-soldier。
　　Ineverywaytheeveningresembledthepreviousone；thereweretobeobservedthesamelusciousfloodingofthedefilewithdove-colouredmist，thesameflashingofthesilvercragsintheroseatetwilight，thesamerockingofthedense，warmforest’ssoft，leafytree-tops，thesamesofteningoftherocks’outlinesinthegloom，thesamegradualupliftofshadows，thesamechantingofthe“matchmaking“river，thesameroutineonthepartofthebig，sleekcarpentersaroundthebarraque——aroutineasslowandponderousinitscourseasthemovementsofadroveofwildboars。
　　Morethanonceduringtheoffhoursofthedayhadwesoughttomakethecarpenters’acquaintance，tostartaconversationwiththem，butalwaystheiranswershadbeengivenreluctantly，inmonosyllables，andneverhadadiscussionseemedlikelytogetunderwaywithoutthewhiteheadedforemanshoutingtotheparticularmemberofthegangconcerned:“Hi，you，Pavlushka！