OnafrozenrivernearacertainRussiantown，agangofsevencarpenterswerehastilyrepairinganicebreakerwhichthetownsfolkhadstrippedforfirewood。
Thatyearspringhappenedtobelateinarriving，andyouthfulMarchlookedmorelikeOctober，andonlyatnoon，andthatnotoneveryday，didthepale，wintrysunshowhimselfintheovercastheavens，or，glimmeringinbluespacesbetweenclouds，contemplatetheearthwithasquinting，malevolenteye。
ThedayinquestionwastheFridayinHolyWeek，and，asnightdrewon，drippingswerebecomingcongealedintoicicleshalfanarshinlong，andinthesnow-strippediceoftheriveronlythedunhueofthewintrycloudswasreflected。
Asthecarpentersworkedtherekeptmournfully，insistentlyechoingfromthetownthecopperynoteofbells；andatintervalsheadswouldraisethemselves，andblueeyeswouldgleamthoughtfullythroughthesamegreyfoginwhichthetownlayenveloped，andanaxeupliftedwouldhoveramomentintheairasthoughfearingwithitsdescenttocleavethelusciousfloodofsound。
Scatteredoverthespaciousriver-trackweredarkpinebranches，projectingobliquelyfromtheice，tomarkpaths，openspaces，andcracksonthesurface；andwheretheyrearedthemselvesaloft，thesebrancheslookedlikethecramped，distortedarmsofdrowningmen。
Fromtherivercameawhiffofgloomanddepression。Coveredoverwithsoddenslush，itstretchedwithirksomerigiditytowardsthemistyquarterwhenceblewalanguid，sluggish，damp，coldwind。
Suddenlytheforeman，oneOssip，acleanlybuilt，uprightlittlepeasantwithaneatlycurling，silverybeard，ruddycheeks，andaflexibleneck，amaneverywhereandalwaysinevidence，shouted:
“Lookalivethere，myhearties！“
Presentlyheturnedhisattentiontomyself，andsmiledinsinuatingly。
“Inspector，“hesaid，“whatareyoutryingtopokeoutoftheskywiththatsquatnoseofyours？Andwhyareyouhereatall？Youcomefromthecontractor，yousay？——fromVasiliSergeitch？Well，well！Thenyourjobistohurryusup，tokeepbarkingout，’Mindwhatyouaredoing，such-and-suchgang！’Yetthereyoustand-blinkingoveryourtasklikeanobjectdriedstiff！It’snottoblinkthatyou’rehere，buttoplaythewatchdoguponus，andtokeepaneyeopen，andyourtongueonthewag。Soissueyourcommands，youngcockerel。“
Thenheshoutedtotheworkmen:
“Now，then！Noshirking！Isthejobgoingtobefinishedtonight，orisitnot？“
Asamatteroffact，hehimselfwastheworstshirkerintheartel[Workman’sunion]。True，hewasalsoafirst-ratehandathistrade，andamanwhocouldworkquicklyandwellandwithskillandconcentration；but，unfortunately，hehatedputtinghimselfout，andpreferredtospendhistimespinningarrestingyarns。Forinstance，onthepresentoccasionhechosethemomentwhenworkwasproceedingwithaswing，wheneveryonewasbusilyandsilentlyandwholeheartedlylabouringwiththeobjectofrunningthejobthroughtotheend，tobegininhismusicalvoice:
“Lookhere，lads。Onceuponatime——“
Andthoughforthefirsttwoorthreeminutesthemenappearednottohearhim，andcontinuedtheirplaningandchoppingasbefore，themomentcamewhenthesofttenoraccentscaughtandheldthemen’sattention，astheytrickledandburbledforth。
Then，screwinguphisbrighteyeswithahumorousair，andtwistinghiscurlybeardbetweenhisfingers，Ossipgaveacomplacentclickofhistongue，andcontinuedmeasuredly，andwithdeliberation:
“Soheseizedholdofthetench，andthrustitbackintothecave。Andasheturnedtoproceedthroughtheforesthethoughttohimself:’NowImustkeepmyeyesaboutme。’Andsuddenly，fromsomewherenoonecouldhavesaidwhere，awoman’svoiceshrieked:’Elesi-a-ah！Elesia-ah！’“
Hereatall，lankyMorduinenamedLeuka，with，assurname，Narodetz，ayoungfellowwhosesmalleyesworealwaysanexpressionofastonishment，laidasidehisaxe，andstoodgaping。
“Andfromthecaveadeepbassvoicereplied:’Elesi-a-ah！’
whileatthesamemomentthetenchsprangfromthecave，and，champingitsjaws，wriggledandwriggledbacktotheslough。“
HereanoldsoldiernamedSaniavin，amoroseman，atippler，andasuffererfromasthmaandaninexplicablegrudgeagainstlifeingeneral，croakedout:
“Howcouldyourtenchhavewriggledacrossdrylandifitwasafish？“
“Can，forthatmatter，afishspeak？“wasOssip’sgood-humouredretort。
AllofwhichinspiredMokeiBudirin，agrey-headedmuzhikofacastofcountenancecanineintheprominenceofhisjawsandtherecessionofhisforehead，andtaciturnwithal，thoughnototherwiseremarkable，togiveslow，nasalutterancetohisfavouriteformula。
“Thatistrueenough，“hesaid。
Fornevercouldanythingbespokenofthatwasgrimormarvellousorlewdormalicious，butBudirinatoncere-echoedsoftly，butinatoneofunshakableconviction:“Thatistrueenough。“
Thereafterhewouldtapmeonthebreastwithhishardandponderousfist。
PresentlyworkagainunderwentaninterruptionthroughthefactthatYakovBoev，amanwhopossessedbothastammerandasquint，becamesimilarlyfilledwithadesiretotellussomethingaboutafish。Yetfromthemomentthathebeganhisnarrativeeveryonedeclinedtobelieveit，andlaughedathisbrokenverbiageas，frequentlyinvokingtheDeity，andcursing，andbrandishinghisawl，andviciouslyswallowingspittle，heshoutedamidgeneralridicule:
“Once-onceuponatimetherelivedaman。Yes，otherfolkbeforeYOUhavebelievedmytale。Indeed，itisnomorethanthetruththatI’mgoingtotellyou。Verywell！Cackleaway，andbedamned！“
Hereeveryonewithoutexceptiondroppedhisworktoshoutwithmerrimentandclaphishands:withtheresultthat，doffinghiscap，andtherebydisclosingasilvered，symmetricallyshapedheadwithonebaldspotamiditsonedarkportion，Ossipwasforcedtoshoutseverely:
“Hi，youBudirin！You’vehadyoursay，andgivenussomefun，andtheremustbenomoreofit。“
“ButIhadonlyjustbegunwhatIwanttosay，“theoldsoldiergrumbled，spittinguponthepalmsofhishands。
Next，Ossipturnedtomyself。
“Inspector，“hebegan……
Itismyopinionthatinthushinderingthemenfromworkthroughhistale-telling，Ossiphadsomedefiniteendinview。I
couldnotsaypreciselywhatthatendwas，butitmusthavebeentheobjecteitherofcloakinghisownlazinessorofgivingthemenarest。Ontheotherhand，wheneverthecontractorwaspresenthe，Ossip，borehimselfwithhumbleobsequiousness，andcontinuedtoassumeaguiseofsimplicitywhichnonethelessdidnotpreventhim，ontheadventofeachSaturday，frominducinghisemployertobestowapourboireupontheartel。
AndthoughthissameOssipwasanartelui，andadirectoroftheartel，hisseniorco-membersborehimnoaffection，but，rather，lookeduponhimasawagortrifler，andtreatedhimasofnoimportance。And，similarly，theyoungermembersoftheartellikedwellenoughtolistentohistales，butdeclinedtotakehimseriously，and，insomecases，regardedhimwithill-concealed，oropenlyexpressed，distrust。
OncetheMorduine，amanofeducationwithwhom，onoccasions，I
helddiscussionsonintimatesubjects，repliedtoaquestionofmineonthesubjectofOssip:
“Iscarcelyknow。Goodnessaloneknows！No，Idonotknowanythingabouthim。“
Towhich，afterapause，headded:
“OnceafellownamedMikhailo，acleverfellowwhoisnowdead，insultedOssipbysayingtohim:’Doyoucallyourselfaman？
Why，regardedasaworkman，you’reaslifelessasadoornail，while，seeingthatyouweren’tborntobeamaster，you’llallyourlifecontinuechatteringincorners，likeaplummetswingingattheendofastring！’Yes，andthatwastrueenough。“
Lastly。afteranotherpausetheMorduineconcluded:
“Nomatter。Heisnotsuchabadsort。“
Myownpositionamongthesemenwasapositionofsomeawkwardness，for，ayoungfellowofonlyfifteen，Ihadbeenappointedbythecontractor，adistantrelativeofmine，tothetaskofsuperintendingtheexpenditureofmaterial。Thatistosay，Ihadtoseetoitthatthecarpentersdidnotmakeawaywithnails，ordisposeofplanksinreturnfordrink。Yetallthetimemypresencewaspracticallyuseless，seeingthatthemenstolenailsasthoughIwerenoteveninexistenceandstrovetoshowmethatamongthemIwasapersontoomany，asheerincubus，andseizedeveryopportunityofgivingmecovertjogswithabeam，andsimilarlyaffrontingme。
This，ofcourse，mademyrelationswiththemhighlydifficult，embarrassing，andirksome；andthoughmomentsoccurredwhenI
longedtosaysomethingthatmightingratiateme，andendeavouredtoeffectanadvanceinthatdirection，thewordsalwaysfailedmeatthenecessaryjuncture，andIfoundmyselflyingcrushedasbeforeunderaburdensomesenseofthesuperfluityofmyexistence。
Again，ifeverItriedtomakeanentryastosomematerialwhichhadbeenused，Ossipwouldapproachme，and，forinstance，say:
“Isitjotteddown，eh？Thenletmelookatit。“
And，eyeingthenotebookwithafrown，hewouldaddvaguely: