“Veryreadyareyoutoweep，butIshouldlikefirsttoheartheexactcircumstancesofthelad’sdeath。“
Thusinvited，thewomanwipedhereyeswiththesleeveofherbodice，lickedherlips，heavedaprolongedsigh，andfelltoregardingAntipa’sred，hardbittenfacewiththecheerful，unabashedglanceofapersonwhoisundertheinfluenceofliquor。Fromunderherwhitehead-bandtherehadfallenoverhertemplesandherrightcheekafewwispsofgoldenhair；andindeed，asshedrewherselfup，andtossedherheadandbosom，andsmoothedoutandstretchedthecreasesinherbodice，shelookedlessthanheryears。Everyonenowfelltoeyeingherinanattentivesilence，thoughnot，itwouldseem，withoutatouchofenvy。
Abruptly，sternly，theoldmaninquired:
“Didtheladevercomplainofill-health？“
“No，never，“Felitzatareplied。“Neveroncedidhespeakofit——neveronce。“
“Andhehadnotbeenbeaten？“
“Oh，howcanyouaskmesuchathing，andespeciallyseeingthat，that——？“
“IdidnotsaybeatenbyYOU。“
“Well，Icannotanswerforanyoneelse，butatleasthadhenomarkonhisbody，seeingthatwhenIliftedthesmockIcouldfindnothingsaveforscratchesonlegsandback。“
Hertonenowhadinitanewring，aringofincreasedassurance，andwhenshehadfinishedsheclosedherbrighteyeslanguidlybeforeheavingasoft，asitwere，voluptuous，and，withal，veryaudiblesigh。
Someoneheremurmured:
“SheDIDusetobeathim。“
“What？“
“Atalleventssheusedtolosehertemperwithhim。“
Thisledtotheputtingofafurtherdozenorsoofleadingquestions；whereafterAntipa，forawhile，preservedasuggestivesilence，andthecrowdtooremainedsilent，asthoughithadsuddenlybeenlulledtoslumber。Onlyatlonglast，andwithaclearingofhisthroat，didAntipasay:
“Friends，wemustsupposethatGod，ofHisinfiniteMercy，hasvouchsafedtoushereaspecialvisitation，inthat，asallofushaveperceived，aladbereftofwit，thesameradiantladwhomallofushaveknown，hashereabidedintheclosestofcommunionwiththeBlessedDispenseroflifeonearth。“
ThenImovedaway，foruponmyhearttherewaspressingaburdenofunendurablesorrow，andIwasyearning，oh，soterribly，toseeNilushkaoncemore。
ThebackportionofFelitzata’scotstoodalittlesunkenintotheground，sothatthefrontportionhaditscoldwindowpanesandraisedsashtiltedatrifletowardstheremoteheavens。I
bentmyhead，andenteredbytheopendoor。NearthethresholdNilushkawaslyingonanarrowchestagainstthewall。Thefoldsofadark-redpillowoffustianundertheheadsetofftoperfectionthepalebluetintofhisround，innocentfaceunderitscoronaofgoldencurls；andthoughtheeyeswereclosed，andthelipspressedtightlytogether，hestillseemedtobesmilinginhisoldquiet，butjoyous，way。Ingeneral，thetall，thinfigureonthemattressofdarkfelt，withitsbarelegs，anditsslenderhandsandwristsfoldedacrossthebreast，remindedmelessofanangelthanofacertainimageoftheHolyChildwithwhichablackenedoldikonhadrenderedmefamiliarfrommyboyhoodupwards。
Everythingamidthepurplegloomwasstill。Eventheflieswereforbearingtobuzz。Onlyfromthestreetwastheregratingthroughtheshadedwindowthestrong，roguishvoiceofFelitzataasittracedthestrange，lugubriousword-pattern:
Withmybosompressedtothewarm，greyearth，Tothee，greyearth，tothee，0hmymotherofold，Ibeseechthee，Iwhoamamotherlikethee，Andamotherinpain，toenfoldinthyarmsThismyson，thismydeadson，thismyruby，Thismydropofmyheart’sblood，thismy——
SuddenlyIcaughtsightofAntipastandinginthedoorway。Hewaswipinghiseyeswiththebackofhishand。Presentlyinagruffandunsteadyvoicehesaid:
“Itisallveryfineforyoutoweep，goodwoman，butthepresentisnottherightmomenttosingsuchversesasthose——theyweremeant，rather，tobesunginagraveyardatthesideofatomb。Well，tellmeeverythingwithoutreserve。
ImportantisitthatIshouldknowEVERYTHING。“
Whereafter，havingcrossedhimselfwithafalteringhand，hecarefullyscrutinisedthecorpse，andatlastlethiseyeshaltuponthelad’ssweetfeatures。Thenhemutteredsadly:
“Howextraordinarilyhehasgrown！Yes，deathhasindeedenlargedhim！Ah，well，sobeit！SoonItooshallhavetobestretchingmyselfout。Ohthatitwerenow！“
Thenwithcautiousmovementsofhisdeformedfingershestraightenedthefoldsofthelad’ssmock，anddrewitoverthelegs。Whereafterhepressedhisflushedlipstothehemofthegarment。
SaidItohimatthatmoment:
“Whatisitthatyouhavebeenwantingofhim？Whyisitthatyouhavebeentryingtoteachhimstrangewords？“
Straighteninghimself，andglancingatmewithdimeyes，Antiparepeated:
“WhatisitthatIhavebeenwantingofhim？“Totherepetitionheaddedwithmanifestsincerity，thoughalsowithaself-depreciatorymovementofthehead:
“Totellthetruth，IscarcelyknowWHATitisthatIhavebeenwantingofhim。ByGodIdonot。Yet，asonespeakingthetruthinthepresenceofdeath，IsaythatneverduringmylonglifetimehadIsodesiredaughtelse……Yes，Ihavewaitedandwaitedforfortunetorevealittome；andeverhasfortuneremainedmuteandtongueless。Foolishwasitofmetohaveexpectedotherwise，tohaveexpected，forinstance，thatsomedaytheremightoccursomethingmarvellous，somethingunlooked-for。“
Withashortlaugh，heindicatedthecorpsewithhiseyes，andcontinuedmorefirmly:
“Yes，bootlesswasittohaveexpectedanythingfromsuchasourceasthat。Never，despiteone’swishes，wasanythingpossibleofacquisitionthence……Thisisusuallythecase。
Felitzata，asacleverwomanindeedalbeitonecoldofheart，wasforhavinghersonaccountedaGod’sfool，andtherebygainingsomeprovisionagainstheroldage。“
“Butyouyourselfwerethepersonwhosuggestedthat？Youyourselfwishedit？“
“I？“
Presently。thrustinghishandsuphissleeves，headdeddullyandbrokenly:
“Yes，IDIDwishit。Whynot，indeed，seeingthatatleastitwouldhavebroughtcomforttothepoorpeopleofthisplace？
SometimesIfeelverysorryforthemwiththeirbitter，troublouslives——liveswhichmaybethelivesofroguesandvillains，yetareliveswhichhaveproducedamongstusapravednik，“[A“justperson，“ahumanbeingwithoutsin]。
Alltheeveningskywasnowaflame。Upontheeartherefellthemournfullament:
Whensnowhasveiledtheearthinwhite，Thesnowyplainthewildwolvestread。
TheywailforthecheeringwarmthofspringAsIbewailthebairnthat’sdead。
Vologonovlistenedforamoment。Thenhesaidfirmly:
“Thesearemereaccessesofimpulsewhichcomeuponher。Andthatisonlywhatmightbeexpected。Evenasinsongorinvicethereisnoholdingher，soremorse，whenithasfasteneduponsuchawoman’sheart，willknownobounds。Imaytellyouthatononeoccasiontwoyoungmerchantstookher，strippedherstarknaked，anddroveherintheircarriagedownZhitnaiaStreet，withthemselvessittingontheseatsofthevehicle，andFelitzatastandinguprightbetweenthem——yes，inastateofnudity！Thereaftertheybeatheralmosttodeath。“
AsIsteppedoutintothedark，narrowvestibule，Antipa，whowasfollowingme，muttered:
“Suchalamentasherscouldcomeonlyofgenuinegrief。“
WefoundFelitzatainfrontofthehut，withherbackcoveringthewindow。There，withhandspressedtoherbosom，andherskirtallawry，shewasstrainingherdishevelledheadtowardstheheavens，whiletheeveningbreeze，stirringherfineauburnhair，scattereditpromiscuouslyoverherflushed，sharply-definedfeaturesandwildlyprotrudingeyes。Abizarre，pitiable，andextraordinaryfiguredidshecutasshewailedinathroatyvoicewhichconstantlygatheredstrength:
0hwindsofice，windscruelandrude，Pressonmyhearttillitsthrobbingsfail！
Arrestthecurrentofmyblood！
Turnthesehotmeltingtearstohail！
Beforehertherewaspostedaknotofwomen，compassionatecontemplatorsofthesinger’sdistracted，grief-wroughtfeatures。Throughtheravine’sdarkopeningIcouldseethesunsinkingbelowthesuburbbeforeplungingintothemarshyforestandhavinghisdiskpiercedbysharp，blacktipsofpinetrees。
Alreadyeverythingaroundhimwasred。Already，seemingly，hehadbeenwounded，andwasbleedingtodeath。