Getbacktowork，there！“Indeed，he，theforeman，hadoutdoneallinhismanifestationsofdislikeforourfriendship，andasmonotonouslyasthoughhehadbeenmindedtorivaltherivuletasasongster，hehadhummedhispiousditties，orelseraisedhissnufflingvoicetosingthemwithanever-importunatemeasureofinsistence，sothatalldaylongthosedittieshadbeencoursingtheirwayinamurky，melancholy-compellingflood。Indeed，astheforemanhadsteppedcautiouslyonthinlegsfromstonetostoneduringhisceaselessinspectionoftheworkofhismen，hehadcometoseemtohaveforhisobjectthedescribingofaninvisible，circularpath，asameansofsegregatingusmoresecurelythaneverfromthesocietyofthecarpenters。
　　Personally，however，Ihadnodesiretoconversewithhim，forhisfrozeneyeschilledandrepelledmeandfromthemomentwhenIhadapproachedhim，andseenhimfoldhishandsbehindhim，andrecoilastepasheinquiredwithsuppressedsternness，“Whatdoyouwant？“therehadfallenawayfrommeallfurtherambitiontolearnthenatureofthesongswhichhesang。
　　Theex-soldiergazedathimresentfully，thensaidwithanoath:
　　“Theoldwizardandpilferer！Takemywordforitthatalumpofpietylikethathasgotaprettystoreputawaysomewhere。“
　　Whereafter，ashelithispipeandsquintedinthedirectionofthecarpenters，headdedwithstifledwrath:
　　“Theairsthatthe’elect’givethemselves——thesonsofbitches！“
　　“Itisalwaysso，“commentedVasiliwitharesentmentequaltothelastspeaker’s。“Yes，nosooner，withus，doesamanaccumulatealittlemoneythanhestickshisnoseintheair，andfallstothinkinghimselfarealbarin。“
　　“Whyisitthatyoualwayssay’Withus，’and’Amongus，’andsoon？“
　　“AmongusRussians，then，ifyoulikeitbetter。“
　　“Idolikeitbetter。ForyouarenotaGerman，areyou，noraTartar？“
　　“No。ItismerelythatIcanseethefaultsinourRussianfolk。“
　　Uponthatnotforthefirsttimethepairplungedintoadiscussionwhichhadcomesotowearythemthatnowtheyspokeonlyindifferently，withouteffort。
　　“Theword’faults’is，Iconsider，aninsult，“begantheex-
　　soldierashepuffedathispipe。“Besides，youdon’tspeakconsistently。OnlythismomentIobservedachangeinyourterms。“
　　“Towhat？“
　　“Totheterm’Russians。’“
　　“Whatshouldyouprefer？“
　　AnewsoundfloatedintothedefileasfromsomepointonthesteppethesoundofabellsummoningfolktotheusualSaturdayvigilservice。Removinghispipefromhismouth，theex-soldierlistenedforamomentortwo。Then，atthethirdandlaststrokeofthebell，hedoffedhiscap，crossedhimselfwithpunctiliouspiety，andsaid:
　　“Therearenotverymanychurchesintheseparts。“
　　Whereafterhethrewaglanceacrosstheriver，andaddedvenomously:
　　“ThosedevilsTHEREdon’tcrossthemselves，theaccursedSerbs！“
　　Vasililookedathim，twistedaleft-handmoustache，smootheditagain，regardedforamomenttheskyandthedefile，andsankhishead。
　　“Thetroublewithme，“heremarkedinanundertone，“isthatI
　　canneverremainverylonginoneplace——alwaysIkeepfancyingthatIshallmeetwithbetterthingselsewhere，alwaysIkeephearingabirdsinginginmyheart，’Doyougofurther，doyougofurther。’“
　　“ThatbirdsingsintheheartofEVERYman，“theex-soldiergrowledsulkily。
　　Withaglanceatusboth，Vasililaughedasubduedlaugh。
　　“’Intheheartofeveryman’？“herepeated。“Why，suchastatementisabsurd。Foritmeans，doesitnot，thateveryoneofusisanidler，everyoneofusisconstantlywaitingforsomethingtoturnup——that，infact，nooneofusisanybetterthan，orabletodoanybetterthan，thefolkwhosesoleutteranceis’Giveuntous，praygiveuntous’？Yes，ifthatbethecase，itisanunfortunatecaseindeed！“
　　Andagainhelaughed。Yethiseyesweresorrowful，andasthefingersofhisrighthandlayuponhiskneetheytwitchedasthoughtheywerelongingtograspsomethingunseen。
　　Theex-soldierfrownedandsnorted。Formyownpart，however，I
　　felttroubledfor，andsorryfor，Vasili。Presentlyherose，brokeintoasoftwhistle，andmovedawaybythesideofthestream。
　　“Hisheadisnotquiteright，“mutteredtheex-soldierashewinkedinthedirectionoftheretreatingfigure。“Yes，Itellyouthatstraight，forfromthefirstitwascleartome。
　　Otherwise，whatcouldhiswordsindepredationofRussiamean，whenofRussianothingtheleasthardordefinitecanbesaid？
　　Whoreallyknowsher？Whatissheinreality，seeingthateachofherprovincesisasoultoitself，andnoonecouldstatewhichofthetwoHolyMothersstandsnearesttoGod——theHolyMotherofSmolensk，ortheHolyMotherofKazan？“
　　Forawhilethespeakersatscrapinggreasydepositfromthebottomandsidesofthekettle；andallthatwhilehegrumbledasthoughhehadagrudgeagainstsomeone。Atlength，however，heassumedanattitudeofattention，withhisneckstretchedoutasthoughtolistentosomesound。
　　“Hist！“washisexclamation。
　　Whatthenfollowed，followedasunexpectedlyaswhen，likeanevilbird，asummerwhirlwindsuddenlysweepsupfromthehorizon，anddischargesabluish-blackcloudintorrentsofrainandhail，untileverythingisoverwhelmedandbatteredtomud。
　　Thatistosay，withmuchdinofwhistlingandothersoundstherenowcamepouringintothedefile，andbegantoascendthetrailbesidethestream，astragglingprocessionofsomethirtyworkmenwith，gleamingdullyinthehandsoftheirleadingfiles，flagonsofvodka，and，suspendedonthebacksandshouldersofothers，walletsandbagsofbreadandothercomestibles，and，intwoinstances，poisedontheheadsofyetotherprocessionists，largeblackcauldronstheeffectofwhichwastomaketheirbearerslooklikemushrooms。
　　“Avedro[23/4gallons]andahalftothecauldron！“whisperedtheex-soldierwithacomputativegruntashegainedhisfeet。
　　“Yes，avedroandahalf，“herepeated。Ashespokethetipofhistongueprotrudeduntilitrestedontheunder-lipofhishalf-openedmouth。Inhisfacetherewasacuriouslythirsty，grossexpression，andhisattitude，ashestoodthere，wasthatofonewhohadjustreceivedablow，andwasabouttocryoutinconsequence。
　　Meanwhilethedefilerumbledlikeabarrelintowhichheavyweightsarebeingdropped，foroneofthenewcomerswasbeatinganemptytinpail，andanotheronewhistlinginamannerthetossedechoesofwhichdrownedeventherivulet’smurmurasnearerandnearercamethemobofmen，amobcladvariouslyinblack，grey，orrusset，withsleevesrolledup，andheads，inmanycases，baresavefortheirowntowsled，dishevelledlocks，andbodiesbentwithfatigue，orcarriedstumblinglyalongonlegsbowedoutwards。Meanwhile，asthedull，polyphonousroarofvoicessweptthroughtheneckofthedefile，amanshoutedinbroken，buttruculent，accents:
　　“Isayno！Fiddlesticks！Notamanistherewhocoulddrinkmorethanavedroof’blood-and-sweat’inaday。“
　　“Amancoulddrinkalakeofit。“
　　“No，avedroandahalf。Thatistheproperreckoning。“
　　“Aye，avedroandahalf。“Andtheex-soldier，asherepeatedthewords，spokebothasthoughhewereanexpertinthematterandasthoughhefeltforthematteratouchofrespect。Then，lurchingforwardlikeamanpushedbythescruffoftheneck，hecrossedtherivulet，interceptedthecrowd，andbecameswallowedupinitsmidst。
　　Aroundthebarraquethecarpenterstheforemaneverglimmeringamongthemwerehurriedlycollectingtools。PresentlyVasilireturned——hisrighthandthrustintohispocket，andhisleftholdinghiscap。
　　“Beforelongthosefellowswillbeproperlydrunk！“hesaidwithafrown。“Ah，thatvodkaofours！Itisaperfectcurse！“
　　Thentome:“DoYOUdrink？“
　　“No，“Ireplied。
　　“ThankGodforthat！Ifonedoesnotdrinkonewillneverreallygetintotrouble。“
　　Foramomenthegazedgloomilyinthedirectionofthenewcomers。
　　Thenhesaidwithoutmoving，withoutevenlookingatme:
　　“Youhaveremarkableeyes，youngfellow。Also，theyseemfamiliartome——Ihaveseenthemsomewherebefore。Possiblythathappenedinadream，thoughIcannotbesure。Wheredoyoucomefrom？“
　　Ianswered，but，afterscanningmeperplexedly，heshookhishead。
　　“No，“heremarked。“Ihavenevervisitedthatpartofthecountry，orindeed，beensofarfromhome。“
　　“Butthisplaceisfurtherstill？“
　　“Furtherstill？“
　　“Yes——fromKursk。“
　　Helaughed。
　　“Imusttellyouthetruth，“hesaid。“IamnotaKurskanatall，butaPskovian。ThereasonwhyItoldtheex-soldierthatI
　　wasfromKurskwasthatIneitherlikedhimnorcaredtotellhimthewholetruth-hewasnotworththetrouble。Andasformyrealname，itisPaul，notVasili——PaulNikolaevSilantiev——andissomarkedonmypassportforapassport，andapassportquiteinorder，Ihavegot。“
　　“Andwhyareyouonyourtravels？“
　　“ForthereasonthatIamso——Icansaynomore。Ilookbackfromagivenplace，andwavemyhand，andamgoneagainasafeatherfloatsbeforethewind。“