Theraindropsnowwerefallingmoregently，andinfinerlinesandmoretransparentnetwork，sothatonecouldoncemoredescrythegreattrunksoftheblackenedoaks，withthegreenandgoldoftheirleaves。Also，ourownhollowhadgrownlessdark，andtherecouldbediscerneditssmoky，satin-brightwalls。FromthosewallsKalininpickedabitofcharcoalwithfingerandthumb，saying:
　　“Itwasshepherdsthatfiredtheplace。Seewheretheydraggedinhayanddeadleaves！Ashepherd’sfifehereaboutsmustbeatrulygloriousone！“
　　Lastly，claspinghisheadasthoughhewereabouttofallasleep，hesankhischinbetweenhisknees，andrelapsedintosilence。
　　Presentlyabrilliant，sinuouslittlerivuletwhichhadlongbeenlavingthebarerootsofourtreebroughtfloatingpastusaredandfawnleaf。
　　“Howpretty，“Ithought，“thatleafwilllookfromadistancewhenreposingonthesurfaceofthesea！For，likethesunwhenheisinsolitarypossessionoftheheavens，thatleafwillstandoutagainsttheblue，silkyexpanselikealonelyredstar。“
　　Afterawhilemycompanionbegan，catlike，topurrtohimselfasong。Itsmelody，themelodyof“themoonwithdrewbehindacloud，“wasfamiliarenough，butnotsothewords，whichran:
　　0hValentina，wondrousmaid，Morecomelythouthane’eraflow’r！
　　Thenurse’ssondothpineforthee，Andyearntoservetheeeveryhour！
　　“Whatdoesthatdittymean？“Iinquired。
　　Kalininstraightenedhimself，gaveawriggletoaformthatwasaslitheasalizard’s，andpassedonehandoverhisface。
　　“Itisacertaincomposition，“herepliedpresently。“Itisacompositionthatwascomposedbyamilitaryclerkwhoafterwardsdiedofconsumption。Hewasmyfriendhislifelong，andmyonlyfriend，andatrueone，besidesbeingamanoutofthecommon。“
　　“AndwhowasValentina？“
　　“Myone-timemistress，“Kalininspokeunwillingly。
　　“Andhe，theclerk——washeinlovewithher？“
　　“Ohdearno！“
　　EvidentlyKalininhadnoparticularwishtodiscussthesubject，forhehuggedhimselftogether，buriedhisfaceinhishands，andmuttered:
　　“Ishouldliketokindleafire，wereitnotthateverythingintheplaceistoodampforthepurpose。“
　　Thewindshookthetrees，andwhistleddespondently，whilethefine，persistentrainstillwhippedtheearth。
　　“Ibuthumbleam，andpoor，Norfatedtobeotherwise，“
　　sangKalininsoftlyas，flinginguphisheadwithanunexpectedmovement，headdedmeaningly:
　　“Yes，itisamournfulsong，asongwhichcouldmovetotears。
　　Onlytotwopersonshasiteverbeenknown；tomyfriendtheclerkandtomyself。Yes，andtoHER，thoughIneedhardlyaddthatatoncesheforgotit。“
　　AndKalinin’seyesflashedintoasmileasheadded:
　　“Ithinkthat，asayoungman，youhadbetterlearnforthwithwherethegreatestdangerlurksinlife。Letmetellyouastory。“
　　Anduponthataveryhumantalefilteredthroughthesilkenmonotonousswishofthedownpour，with，forlistenerstoit，onlytherainandmyself。
　　“LukianovwasNEVERinlovewithher，“henarrated。“OnlyIwasthat。AllthatLukianovdidinthematterwastowrite，atmyrequest，someverses。WhenshefirstappearedonthesceneI
　　meanValentinaIgnatievnaIwasjustturnednineteenyearsofage；andtheinstantthatmyeyesfelluponherformIrealisedthatinheralonelaymyfate，andmyheartalmoststoppedbeating，andmyvitalitystretchedouttowardsherasaspeckofdustfliestowardsafire。YetallthisIhadtoconcealasbestImight；withtheresultthatinthecompany’spresenceIfeltlikeasentrydoingguarddutyinthepresenceofhiscommandingofficer。Butatlast，thoughIstrovetopullmyselftogether，tosteadymyselfagainstthefermentthatwasraginginmybreast，somethinghappened。ValentinaIgnatievnawasthenagedabouttwenty-five，andverybeautiful——marvellous，infact！Also，shewasanorphan，sinceherfatherhadbeenkilledbytheChechentzes，andhermotherhaddiedofsmallpoxatSamarkand。AsregardsherkinshipwiththeGeneral，shestoodtohimintherelationofniecebymarriage。Golden-locked，andasskin-fairasenamelledporcelain，shehadeyeslikeemeralds，andafigurewhollysymmetrical，thoughasslimasawafer。ForbedroomshehadalittlecornerapartmentsituatednexttothekitchentheGeneralpossessedhisownhouse，ofcourse，while，inaddition，theyallottedherabrightlittleboudoirinwhichshedisposedhercuriosandknickknacks，fromcut-glassbottlesandgobletstoacopperpipeandaglassringmountedoncopper。Thisring，whenturned，usedtoemitshowersofglitteringsparks，thoughshewasinnowayafraidofthem，butwouldsingasshemadethemdance:
　　“Notformethespringwilldawn！
　　NotformetheBugwillspate！
　　Notformelove’ssmilewillwait！
　　Notforme，ah，notforme！
　　“Constantlywouldshewarblethis。
　　“Also，oncesheflashedanappealatmewithhereyes，andsaid:
　　“’Alexei，pleasenevertouchanythinginmyroom，formythingsaretoofragile。’
　　“Sureenough，inHERpresenceANYTHINGmighthavefallenfrommyhands！
　　“Meanwhilehersongabout’Notforme’usedtomakemefeelsorryforher。’Notforyou？’Iusedtosaytomyself。’OughtnotEVERYTHINGtobeforyou？’Andthisreflectionwouldcausemyhearttoyearnandstretchtowardsher。Next，Iboughtaguitar，aninstrumentwhichIcouldnotplay，andtookitforinstructiontoLukianov，theclerkoftheDivisionalStaff，whichhaditsheadquartersinourstreet。InpassingImaysaythatLukianovwasalittleJewishconvertwithdarkhair，sallowfeatures，andgimlet-sharpeyes，butbeyondallthingsafellowwithbrains，andonewhocouldplaytheguitarunforgettably。
　　“Oncehesaid:’Inlifeallthingsareattainable——nothingneedweloseforwantoftrying。Forwhencedoeseverythingcome？Fromtheplainestofmankind。AmanmaynotbeBORNintherankofageneral，butatleasthemayattaintothatposition。Also，thebeginningandendingofallthingsiswoman。Allthatsherequiresforhercaptivationispoetry。Hence，letmewriteyousomeverses，thatyoumaytenderthemtoherasanoffering。’
　　“These，mindyou，werethewordsofamaninwhomtheheartwasabsolutelysingle，absolutelydispassionate。“
　　UntilthenKalininhadtoldhisstoryswiftly，withanimation；
　　butthereafterheseemed，asitwere，tobecomeextinguished。
　　Afterapauseofafewsecondshecontinued——continuedinslower，toallappearancesmoreunwilling，accents——
　　“AtthetimeIbelievedwhatLukianovsaid，butsubsequentlyI
　　cametoseethatthingswerenotaltogetherashehadrepresented——thatwomanismerelyadelusion，andpoetrymerelyfiddle-faddle；andthatamancannotescapehisfate，andthat，thoughgoodinwar，boldnessis，inpeaceaffairs，butnakedeffrontery。Inthis，brother，liesthechief，thefundamentallawoflife。Fortheworldcontainscertainpeopleofhighstation，andcertainpeopleoflow；andsolongasthesetwocategoriesretaintheirrespectivepositions，allgoeswell；butassoonaseveramanseekstopassfromtheuppercategorytotheinferiorcategory，orfromtheinferiortotheupper，thefatfallsintothefire，andthatmanfindshimselfstuckmidway，stuckneitherherenorthere，andboundtoabidetherefortheremainderofhislife，fortheremainderofhislife……Alwayskeeptoyourownposition，tothepositionassignedyoubyfate……WilltherainNEVERcease，thinkyou？“
　　Bythistime，asamatteroffact，theraindrops。werefallinglessheavilyanddenselythanhitherto，andthewetcloudswerebeginningtorevealbrightpatchesinthemoisture-soakedfirmament，asevidencethatthesunwasstillinexistence。
　　“Continue，“Isaid。
　　Kalininlaughed。
　　“Thenyoufindthestoryaninterestingone，“heremarked。
　　Presentlyheresumed:
　　“AsIhavesaid，ItrustedLukianovimplicitly，andbeggedofhimtowritetheverses。Andwritethemhedid——hewrotethemtheverynextday。True，atthisdistanceoftimeIhaveforgottenthewordsintheirentirety，butatleastIrememberthatthereoccurredinthemaphrasetotheeffectthat’fordaysandweekshaveyoureyesbeenconsumingmyheartinthefireoflove，sopityme，Ipray。’Ithenproceededtocopyoutthepoem，andtremblinglytoleaveitonhertable。
　　“Thenextmorning，whenIwastidyingherboudoir，shemadeanunexpectedentry，and，cladinaloose，reddressing-gown，andholdingacigarettebetweenherlips，saidtomewithakindlysmileassheproducedmypreciouspaperofverses:
　　“’Alexei，didYOUwritethese？’
　　“’Yes，’wasmyreply。’AndforChrist’ssakepardonmeforthesame。’
　　“’Whatapitythatsuchafancyshouldhaveenteredyourhead！
　　For，yousee，Iamengagedalready——myuncleisintendingtomarrymetoDoctorKliachka，andIampowerlessinthematter。’